A vehicle and method are provided that control engine start in the vehicle. The vehicle includes an electric machine operable to provide a starting torque to the engine. The vehicle also includes a battery capable of providing energy to operate the electric machine. A number of battery parameters are determined, including a discharge power limit, an output power, and an engine starting power level. The engine starting power level is related to the discharge power limit and an amount of output power for the battery necessary to operate the electric machine to provide the starting torque to the engine. When the output power of the battery is at or above the engine starting power level, the engine is automatically started.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle and a method for controlling engine start in a vehicle.
2. Background Art
With the increasing concern for reducing vehicle emissions, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV's) are becoming increasingly popular. One way that an HEV provides reduced emissions, is by shutting off the engine and operating the vehicle with one or more electric motors. The engine is usually shut off during times when vehicle torque requirements are not high. If, for example, the driver demands a torque increase beyond a certain point, the engine may need to be restarted to augment the torque produced by the motor. Thus, while the vehicle is operating, the engine may be started and stopped many times, depending on the operating conditions.
In addition to providing torque for the vehicle wheels, an electric motor in an HEV can be used to start the engine. The motor, which receives power from an electrical storage device, such as a battery, spins the engine until a predetermined speed is reached, whereat fuel is provided to the engine, and the engine begins to produce torque. Because the engine may be stopped and started many times while the vehicle is operating, the engine start should be transparent to the driver. Therefore, the engine should be started such that the amount of torque delivered to the wheels will not be reduced because the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is too low. If the SOC is allowed to drop below a certain point, the amount of torque provided to the vehicle wheels by the motor may need to be reduced in order to provide enough torque to start the engine. This would create a non-transparent engine start, and degrade drivability.
One attempt to deal with this issue is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,157 issued to Gollomp et al. on Jul. 23, 2002. Gollomp et al. describes a system and method for monitoring a vehicle battery, including a battery used in an HEV. In the Gollomp et al. system, a computer is preprogrammed with battery performance data taken from external sources. Ambient temperature data is then collected, and maximum current use data for starting current versus measured ambient temperature is calculated. A message can then be provided to a vehicle operator to indicate the amount of time remaining before the battery will not have enough power to start the engine. If the time remaining is less than some predetermined amount of time, the message may appear in the form of a warning.
One limitation of the Gollomp et al. system is that it only provides an indicator of when the battery can no longer start the engine; it does not provide an indicator of when starting the engine will reduce the torque provided to the vehicle wheels. The point at which torque to the vehicle wheels must be reduced may come well before the point at which the battery can no longer provide enough power to start the engine. Therefore, the Gollomp et al. system does not ensure a transparent engine start.

Vehicle and method for controlling engine start in a vehicle


A host system may initiate a multiple node exchange of selected values to generate a random selection. The structure of the exchange may allow later verification that no single node had control of the generation of the random selection. Accordingly, the random selection may be unknown prior to the exchange. The host system may then provide the random selection to the device for integration of the random selection during the capture of video. The video may be recorded to a blockchain. Because of the integration with the random selection, the video may be date verifiable, such that the video can be verified to be created after the random selection and before recordation to the blockchain.

Rapid advances in electronics and communication technologies, driven by immense customer demand, have resulted in the widespread adoption of electronic transactions, record keeping, and data sharing. As one example, e-currencies, such as Bitcoin, have displaced paper currencies in millions of transactions per year. Improvements in tracking and/or knowledge management attached to such electronic transactions will continue to increase the features and options available to operators engaging in electronic transactions and electronic record keeping.
Landlords and tenants do not generally involve trusted-parties until a dispute arises. This adds complexity and expense to achieving resolution because trusted parties must often rely on the evidence provided by and the recollections of the distrusted parties to establishing the factual basis for resolution of their dispute.
Herein, distributed networks and cryptographic structures/primitives ("crypto"), including blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies, provide a technical solution for supplanting socially created trust constructs. Accordingly, distributed networks and crypto transform a historically social problem with social solutions into a purely technical problem with technical solutions. Further, because technical solutions eschew the need for third-party involvement, untrusted parties may collect trustable evidence cheaply enough justify its collection without an active or imminent dispute. Therefore, distributed networks and crypto can provide an underpinning for business and legal models that rely on pre-dispute fact gathering by untrusted parties. Using the architectures and techniques discussed below, crypto may provide date verifiability to media files, data where a random number may be integrated into the creation of the data, and data where random selection of the data from multiple options may be used to certify its selection at a time after generation of a random value. For the architectures and techniques discussed various blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies may provide suitable recordation features (e.g., functional immutability, time stamping or other time keeping features, or other features). For convenience, these various blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies will be referred to collectively as "blockchain."
The video capture techniques and architectures are discussed within the landlord-tenant property self-inspection context. However, these date-verifiable video capture techniques and architectures have application in other areas of law and industrial settings. For example, in regulatory inspection regimes, such as, EPA, USDA, and FDA site inspections, the schedule for on-site inspections is notoriously insufficient. Earliest-date-verifiable video capture paired with latest-date-verifiable blockchain recordation would provide the potential to supplement these sparse regulatory inspection schedules.
The video capture (VC) app captures the video in a manner that allows for independent verification that the video was not captured earlier than claimed. Further, the VC app provides of record of the video for blockchain storage thus allowing for independent verification that the video was not captured later than claimed. Accordingly, the host system can review video for signs of damage or disrepair within the property while confident that the video reflects the current condition of the property.
Further, the data verifiability techniques may be applied in contexts other than video capture, including audio capture, cryptographic challenge/key selection (e.g., for provable storage, financial exchanges, time-lock creation, or other cryptographic technique).
Earliest-Date-Verifiable Video Capture
The technique of earliest-date-verifiable (EDV) video capture includes date-verifiable random selection and integration of the random selection into the captured video. Date-verifiable random selection is a cryptographic technique for selecting a random value for which the random selection can be verified to have occurred at a specific date and time. Accordingly, integration of the random value into serves as proof that the video was created after the random selection.
Date-Verifiable Random Selection
Underlying the date-verifiability of the random selection is the use of a distributed network in the selection of the date-verifiable random value. Multiple nodes of the in the network select values. Those values are then combined in one of variety algorithms to produce a randomly selected value which is provably not under control of any one of the nodes. Accordingly, less than 100% of the nodes are surreptitiously coordinating, none of the individual nodes or any subgroup of the nodes would have foreknowledge of the final random value. Accordingly, any action (e.g., including file creation, video capture, data/challenge selection from a selected number of predetermined options, or other actions) that provable relies on that random value may be established as occurring after selection of the random value.
Table 1 shows one such date-verifiable random selection construction:
TABLE 1Date-verifiable random selection construction1.Each node x in the group selects a secret value sx secret value and then reveals H(sx), where H is a collision-resistant hash function, verifiable random function, or other function with both irreversi-bility and collision-resistance. H may be selected to produce values of a bit length.2.Once all H(sx) have been revealed, each node reveals sx.3.The values sx are concatenated (or otherwise combined) and then fed into H to produce Y. A first record of Y, the values sx, and identifiers for the node participants is appended to a blockchain for later date verification.4.Each node then selects a new secret value tx and reveals H(Y ∥ tx), where ∥ denotes concatenation.5.Once all H(Y ∥ tx) have been revealed, each node reveals tx.6.The values tx are concatenated along with Y and then fed into H to produce Z, which is the selected random value. A second record of Z and the values tx, may be appended to the blockchain and may refer to the first record.
Other distributed-network based random selection schemes may be adapted to this purpose. The distributed-network based random selection schemes may be constructed such that the participating nodes commit to a selection while having less than full knowledge of the other selections. This may prevent a malicious node from selecting a value that will produce a result known to that node either before the selection process began or before the final value is learned by the other nodes (e.g., a head start). This may be achieved in one or more selection rounds. In some cases, more rounds may increase the difficulty of influencing the final random selection. Conversely, increased rounds may increase the resources consumed during generation of the random selection and reduce efficiency. However, the above algorithm in Table 1 establishes that date-verifiable random selection is achievable.
Random Variable Integration in Video Capture
Once a date-verifiable random value is selected, the date-verifiable random value is provided to the tenant for use in video capture. By creating and/or causing audio and visual signals during video capture, the selected random value is integrated into the self-inspection video. For example, in a mobile device based system, the VC app (e.g., provided by the host system) may cause the flash of the mobile device to turn on an off during filming to represent the random variable. An example, camera-flash-based implementation is discussed briefly below. Other implementations may include displaying words or strings of numbers for the operator of the mobile device to read aloud while filming. The system may also integrate a one or more watermarks into the video, for example a sequence of watermarks that represents the random selection. Virtually, any series of audio or visual signals may be used to represent the random value, for example, a series of flash cards displayed by the operator during filming, a programmable or network-connect semaphore/strobe, a specific order in which particular sites within the property are presented in the video, or other audio/visual sequence generator. Further, the representations may be mixed, for example a first group of bits from the random value selections may define the order in which sites (e.g., with pre-defined identifiers) are visited within the self-inspection video while a second group of bits defines a set of words to be vocalized by the operator (or another person present) during capture.
In an example flash-based system, the mobile device may use pairs of short flashes at defined relative intervals. For example, a host system may send the mobile device a series of time intervals based on the date verifiable random value selection. During filming, the mobile device may generate one pair of flashes every 10 seconds (or other pre-defined period). The time duration between the each pair of flashes may match up with the intervals in the series. For 30 fps video, an interval precision of 0.1 seconds may be used to avoid data loss due to sampling issues. Other flash sequences or larger tuples of flashes (e.g., triplets or quadruplets instead of pairs) may be used to represent the random value.
The result of the integration of the random variable is a video that records the self-inspection of the property that could not have been created before the random variable is selected. In other words, an EDV video.
Blockchain Recordation
Once the EDV video is created, the mobile app may send the EDV video to the host system and the host system may record the EDV to a blockchain. The record of the EDV video on the blockchain creates a latest date at which the EDV video could have been created. When blockchain recordation is paired with EDV capture, it is later verifiable that the self-inspection video occurred within the time window between the selection of the random value and the recordation of the self-inspection video on the blockchain.
In some implementations, the system may enforce an expiry date on random value selections. Expiry dates may add additional protection against the production of fraudulent self-inspection videos using deceptive post-capture editing or computer-generated effects.
For privacy and storage efficiency, the captured video may be recorded to the blockchain in a hashed, provable retrievability, or other crypto form. The host system and/or the tenant may then store the self-inspection video using locally-controlled storage. Then, using the blockchain record, the host/tenant could prove that the version of the video they have stored is the originally recorded self-inspection video.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 shows and example date verifiable file creation environment 100, and FIG. 2 shows example dating logic 200 (e.g., which may be executed on dating circuitry on the host system 101) that may be used for date verifiable file creation within the environment 100 A host system 101 (which may be distributed as discussed below) may be in communication with a device 102. The host system 101 may further be in communication with nodes 110 a distributed network 199 (and/or may be executing on those nodes). The host system 101 may initiate a random variable selection on the nodes (202). The nodes 110 may exchange selected values 112 (e.g., sometimes in an encrypted form prior to a later reveal). Based on the multiple node exchange, the nodes 110 may generate a random selection 114. For example, each of the multiple nodes may generate one or more selected values in one or more exchange rounds. In some cases, the individual results of the rounds may be recorded on the blockchain (either as a group, e.g., on a block or over multiple blocks fulfilling recordation request; or individually across multiple different recordation requests which may be fulfilled over one or more blocks). The host system 101 may provide the random selection 114 to the device 102 (204), which may capture video, select data, and/or obtain other data integrating the random selection in response (206). For example, to capture video integrating the random selection, the device 102 may cause a perceptible representation of the random selection which may be captured along with the content of the video for date verifiability. After capture or at intervals within the capture, the device 102 may upload the captured video to the host system 101 or to a distributed network. The host system 101 may cause the nodes of the distributed network to generate a record of the captured video on the blockchain (208).
The above techniques provide a platform on which video evidence with precise date verifiability can be created within a trustless system. The date verifiable may be used to credibility established the condition of a property at a particular date. Further, the low cost trustless self-inspection regime allows the collection of credible dispute resolution evidence prior to a specific dispute arising.
FIG. 3 shows an example mobile device 300 in communication with a network controller 350, such as an enhanced Node B (eNB) or other base station. The network controller 350 and mobile device 300 establish communication channels such as the control channel 352 and the data channel 354, and exchange data. In this example, the mobile device 300 supports one or more Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), such as the SIM1 302 and the SIM2 304. Electrical and physical interfaces 306 and 308 connect SIM1 302 and SIM2 304 to the rest of the user equipment hardware, for example, through the system bus 310.
The example mobile device 300 includes communication interfaces 312, system logic 314, and a user interface 318. The system logic 314 may include any combination of hardware, software, firmware, or other logic. The system logic 314 may be implemented, for example, with one or more systems on a chip (SoC), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), discrete analog and digital circuits, and other circuitry. In various implementations, the example mobile device 300 may perform various tasks of the device 102.
In some implementations, various tasks of the host system 101, discussed above, may be performed by the hardware of the mobile device 300. For example, the initiation of the multiple node exchange of selected values and causation of blockchain recordations may be performed by the mobile device 300. Although the device 102 and host system 101 may include various logically separable functions, the host system and device may not necessarily be run on physically separate hardware.
The system logic 314 is part of the implementation of any desired functionality in the mobile device 300. In that regard, the system logic 314 may include logic that facilitates, as examples, decoding and playing music and video, e.g., MP3, MP4, MPEG, AVI, FLAC, AC3, or WAV decoding and playback; running applications; accepting user inputs; saving and retrieving application data; establishing, maintaining, and terminating cellular phone calls or data connections for, as one example, Internet connectivity; establishing, maintaining, and terminating wireless network connections, Bluetooth connections, or other connections; and displaying relevant information on the user interface 318.
The user interface 318 and the input/output (I/O) interfaces 328 may include a graphical user interface, touch sensitive display, voice or facial recognition inputs, buttons, switches, speakers and other user interface elements. Additional examples of the I/O interfaces 328 include microphones, video and still image cameras, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, rotation and orientation sensors, headset and microphone input/output jacks, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA), and Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) interfaces and connectors, memory card slots, radiation sensors (e.g., IR or RF sensors), and other types of inputs. The I/O interfaces 328 may further include Universal Serial Bus (USB) interfaces, audio outputs, magnetic or optical media interfaces (e.g., a CDROM or DVD drive), network (e.g., Ethernet or cable (e.g., DOCSIS) interfaces), or other types of serial, parallel, or network data interfaces.
The system logic 314 may include one or more processors 316 and memories 320. The memory 320 stores, for example, control instructions 322 that the processor 316 executes to carry out desired functionality for the mobile device 300. The control parameters 324 provide and specify configuration and operating options for the video capture application 322. The memory 320 may also store any BT, WiFi, 3G, or other data 326 that the mobile device 300 will send, or has received, through the communication interfaces 312. The mobile device 300 may include one or more cameras which may include an lighting device (e.g., LED or flash bulb) that may serve as a camera flash. The system power of the mobile device 300 may be supplied by a battery 301 or other power source.
In the communication interfaces 312, RF transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) circuitry 330 handles transmission and reception of signals through one or more antennas 332. The RF Tx/Rx circuitry 330 may include baseband circuitry 335 to control the processing of transmitted and received signals. For example, the baseband circuitry may perform pre-distortion calibrations and pre-distort input signals for transmission. The communication interface 312 may include one or more transceivers. The transceivers may be wireless transceivers that include modulation/demodulation circuitry, digital to analog converters (DACs), shaping tables, analog to digital converters (ADCs), filters, waveform shapers, filters, pre-amplifiers, power amplifiers and/or other logic for transmitting and receiving through one or more antennas, or (for some devices) through a physical (e.g., wireline) medium.
The transmitted and received signals may adhere to any of a diverse array of formats, protocols, modulations (e.g., QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, or 256-QAM), frequency channels, bit rates, and encodings. As one specific example, the communication interfaces 312 may include transceivers that support transmission and reception under the 2G, 3G, BT, WiFi, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA)+, and 4G/Long Term Evolution (LTE/LTE-A) standards. The techniques described below, however, are applicable to other wireless communications technologies whether arising from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), GSM Association, 3GPP2, IEEE, or other partnerships or standards bodies.
In some implementations, the mobile device 300 may connect to a network-connected display device 398, which may include lights or other outputs for representation of the random value.
FIG. 4 shows an example execution environment 400 for the host system described above. The execution environment 400 may include processing circuitry 414 to support coordination of the random value selection, video capture, and blockchain recordation described above. The processing circuitry 414 may include processors 416, memory 420, and/or other circuitry. In various implementations, the execution environment may include a cloud, virtual machine, and/or serverless execution environment. In some cases, tasks of the may be performed distributed host system one or more nodes on a distributed network. The nodes may be coordinated by code supplied or provided on behalf the entity controlling the host system, e.g., as a portion of a smart contract. However, other localized, server-based, or distributed computing environments may be used. The instructions stored on the processing circuitry 414 (whether localized or distributed) transforms the processing circuitry 414 into a specifically configured machine in accord with some or all of the architectures and techniques discussed in this disclosure. In some distributed cases, the specific portion of the distributed hardware that may be executing the serverless tasks may change as execution progresses.
The memory 420 may include value selection parameters 452, capture coordination controls (CCC) 454, and operational rules 456. The memory 420 may further include applications and structures 466, for example, coded objects, machine instructions, templates, or other structures to support coordination of the random value selection, video capture, and blockchain recordation, or other tasks described above. The memory 420 may also include instructions to support the dating logic 200 discussed above.
The execution environment 400 may also include communication interfaces 412, which may support wireless, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WLAN, cellular (4G, LTE/LTE-A), and/or wired, Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, optical networking protocols. The communication interfaces 412 may also include serial interfaces, such as universal serial bus (USB), serial ATA, IEEE 1394, lighting port, I2C, slimBus, or other serial interfaces. The communication interfaces 412 may be used to support and/or implement remote operation of the host system. The execution environment 400 may include power functions 434 and various input interfaces 428. The execution environment may also include a user interface 418 that may include human-to-machine interface devices and/or graphical user interfaces (GUI). The user interface 418 may be used to support and/or implement local operation of the host system. As discussed above, in various implementations, the processing circuitry 414 may be distributed over one or more physical servers, be implemented as one or more virtual machines, be implemented in container environments such as Cloud Foundry or Docker, and/or be implemented in serverless (functions as-a-service) environments.
In some cases, the execution environment 400 may be a specially-defined computational system deployed in a cloud platform. In some cases, the parameters defining the execution environment may be specified in a manifest for cloud deployment. The manifest may be used by an operator to requisition cloud based hardware resources, and then deploy the software components, for example, the host system, of the execution environment onto the hardware resources. In some cases, a manifest may be stored as a preference file such as a YAML (yet another mark-up language), JSON, or other preference file type.
The methods, devices, processing, circuitry, and logic described above may be implemented in many different ways and in many different combinations of hardware and software. For example, all or parts of the implementations may be circuitry that includes an instruction processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), microcontroller, or a microprocessor; or as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA); or as circuitry that includes discrete logic or other circuit components, including analog circuit components, digital circuit components or both; or any combination thereof. The circuitry may include discrete interconnected hardware components or may be combined on a single integrated circuit die, distributed among multiple integrated circuit dies, or implemented in a Multiple Chip Module (MCM) of multiple integrated circuit dies in a common package, as examples.
Accordingly, the circuitry may store or access instructions for execution, or may implement its functionality in hardware alone. The instructions may be stored in a tangible storage medium that is other than a transitory signal, such as a flash memory, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM); or on a magnetic or optical disc, such as a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CDROM), Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or other magnetic or optical disk; or in or on another machine-readable medium. A product, such as a computer program product, may include a storage medium and instructions stored in or on the medium, and the instructions when executed by the circuitry in a device may cause the device to implement any of the processing described above or illustrated in the drawings.
The implementations may be distributed. For instance, the circuitry may include multiple distinct system components, such as multiple processors and memories, and may span multiple distributed processing systems. Parameters, databases, and other data structures may be separately stored and managed, may be incorporated into a single memory or database, may be logically and physically organized in many different ways, and may be implemented in many different ways. Example implementations include linked lists, program variables, hash tables, arrays, records (e.g., database records), objects, and implicit storage mechanisms. Instructions may form parts (e.g., subroutines or other code sections) of a single program, may form multiple separate programs, may be distributed across multiple memories and processors, and may be implemented in many different ways. Example implementations include stand-alone programs, and as part of a library, such as a shared library like a Dynamic Link Library (DLL). The library, for example, may contain shared data and one or more shared programs that include instructions that perform any of the processing described above or illustrated in the drawings, when executed by the circuitry.
Various implementations may use the techniques and architectures described above.
Table 2 shows various examples that may use the techniques and architectures described above.
TABLE 2Examples1.In an example, a method includes:initiating a multiple node exchange of selected values, the multiple node exchange including combining the selected values to generate a random selection;causing a request to generate a first record of the exchange and the random selection on a blockchain;causing provision of the random selection to a device for capture of a video, the device configured to, during capture, cause representation of the random selection within the video; andcausing a request to generate a second record of the video on the blockchain.2.The method of example 1, where the first record comprises multiple parts generated in multiple selection rounds, where a second one of the multiple parts references a first one of the multiple parts.3.The method of example 2, where the second one of the multiple parts is recorded on a selected block of the blockchain that is appended to the blockchain after a specific block that contains a record of the first one of the multiple parts.4.The method of any of examples 1-3, where causing representa-tion of the random selection comprises causing operation of a light on the device.5.The method of any of examples 1-4, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a display of words representing the random selection.6.The method of any of examples 1-5, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a network-connected device to produce audio and/or visual signals.7.In an example, a method includes:initiating a multiple node exchange of selected values;combining the selected values to generate a random selection;recording a first record of the exchange and the random selection on a first blockchain;providing the random selection to a device for capture of a video;during capture, causing representation of the random selection within the video;receiving the video from the device; andrecording a second record of the video on a second blockchain.8.The method of example 7, where the first and second blockchain comprise the same blockchain.9.The method of either example 7 or 8, where recording the first record of the exchange comprises recording the first record in multiple parts, where a second one of the multiple parts refers to a first one of the multiple parts.10.The method of any of examples 7-9, where causing representation of the random selection comprises causing operation of a light on the device.11.The method of any of examples 7-10, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a display of words representing the random selection.12.The method of any of examples 7-11, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a network-connected device to produce audio and/or visual signals.13.In an example, a product includes:machine readable media other than a transitory signal; andinstructions stored on the media, the instructions configured to, when executed, cause a machine to:initiate a multiple node exchange of selected values, the multiple node exchange including combining the selected values to generate a random selection;cause a request to generate a first record of the exchange and the random selection on a blockchain;cause provision of the random selection to a device for capture of a video, the device configured to, during capture, cause represen-tation of the random selection within the video; andcause a request to generate a second record of the video on the blockchain.14.The product of example 13, where the first record comprises multiple parts generated in multiple selection rounds, where a second one of the multiple parts references a first one of the multiple parts.15.The product of example 14, where the second one of the multiple parts is recorded on a selected block of the blockchain that is appended to the blockchain after a specific block that contains a record of the first one of the multiple parts.16.The product of any of examples 13-15, where the instructions are configured to cause the machine to cause representation of the random selection by causing operation of a light on the device.17.The product of any of examples 13-16, where causing representa-tion of the random selection includes causing a display of words representing the random selection.18.The product of any of examples 13-17, where causing representa-tion of the random selection includes causing a network-connected device to produce audio and/or visual signals.19.In an example, a method includes:using a mobile device:obtaining a random selection, the random selection recorded on a blockchain;capturing a video; andsending the video to a host node for recordation to the blockchain; andduring capture of the video, causing generation of perceptible outputs for capture within the video, the perceptible signals configured to represent the random selection.20.In an example, a method includes:initiating a multiple node exchange of selected values, the multiple node exchange including combining the selected values to generate a random selection;causing a request to generate a first record of the exchange and the random selection on a blockchain;obtaining data created in accord with the random selection, selected in accord with the random selection, or both; andcausing a request to generate a second record based at least in part on the data on the blockchain.21.In an example, a method includes:initiating a multiple node exchange of selected values;combining the selected values to generate a random selection;recording a first record of the exchange and the random selection on a first blockchain;providing the random selection to a device for capture of a video;during capture, causing representation of the random selection within the video;receiving the video from the device; andrecording a second record of the video on a second blockchain.22.The method of example 1, where the first and second blockchain comprise the same blockchain.23.The method of either of examples 1 or 2, where recording the first record of the exchange comprises recording the first record in multiple parts, where a second one of the multiple parts refers to a first one of the multiple parts.24.The method of example 3, where the second one of the multiple parts is recorded on a block of the first blockchain that is appended to the blockchain after the block that records the first one of the multiple parts.25.The method of any of examples 1-4, where causing representa-tion of the random selection comprises causing operation of a light on the device.26.The method of any of examples 1-5, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a display of words representing the random selection.27.The method of any of examples 1-6, where causing representation of the random selection includes causing a network-connected device to produce audio and/or visual signals.28.In an example, a method includes integrating a date verifiable random value selection into a video during capture.29.The product of any of examples 13-17, where multiple node exchange includes an operation compelling a first node of multiple exchanging nodes to commit to a corresponding selected value prior to a second node of the multiple exchanging nodes revealing a respective selected value for the second node.30.In an example, a method performed by executing the instructions of any of examples 13-18 and 29.31.In an example, a system includes circuitry configured to perform any of the methods of examples 1-12, 19-28, and 30.32.In an example, a product includes:a machine readable medium other than a transitory signal; andinstructions stored on the medium that when executed cause a system to perform any of the methods of examples 1-12 and 19-28.33.In an example, a system is configured to implement any of or any combination of the features described in the preceding specifica-tion and examples.34.In an example, a method includes implementing any of or any combination of the features described in the preceding specifica-tion and examples.
Various implementations have been specifically described. However, many other implementations are also possible.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Blockchain-based trustless date verifiable video capture


Techniques for accomplishing slide transitions in a presentation are disclosed. In accordance with these techniques, objects within the slides are identified, automatically or by a user, and each object is individually manipulable during slide transitions. The individual manipulation applied to each object during a transition may also be automatically determined or specified by a user. In certain embodiments, the persistence of an object between slides may be taken into account in the manipulation of the object during slide transition.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to transitioning between sequential screens.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
One use which has been found for computers has been to facilitate the communication of information to an audience. For example, it is not uncommon for various types of public speaking, (such as lectures, seminars, classroom discussions, keynote addresses, and so forth), to be accompanied by computer generated presentations that emphasize or illustrate points being made by the speaker. For example, such presentations may include music, sound effects, images, videos, text passages, numeric examples or spreadsheets, or audiovisual content that emphasizes points being made by the speaker.
Typically, these presentations are composed of "slides" that are sequentially presented in a specified order. Typically, to transition between slides, a first slide would be replaced by a second slide on the screen. In some circumstances, some form of animation might be performed on the slides as they move on and off. However, the slides themselves are generally static images. Due to the prevalence of such computer-generated and facilitated presentations, one challenge is to maintain the interest level generated by such presentations, i.e., to keep the audience interested in the material being presented on the screen.


An arrangement of operating controls of vehicle components has functions to be adjusted for the switched-on vehicle components represented on a display. These functions are rendered visible by a viewing window. In the immediate spatial vicinity of these viewing windows, operating parts are mounted. The operating of these parts switches the function to be adjusted and is indicated through the associated viewing window.

The present invention relates to an arrangement of operating controls of vehicle components, and, more particularly, to an arrangement which ensures simplest possible operation of the vehicle components.
A known arrangement of operating controls of vehicle components is disclosed in the above cross-referenced U.S. patent application. In that arrangement, when several vehicle components are operated, the corresponding vehicle components are shown on a display. The vehicle components are then operated by a remote control into which the keyboard is integrated. The corresponding vehicle component is selected by pressing one of the vehicle component selection keys on the keyboard. Together with this selection of a vehicle component, a symbolic representation of the corresponding vehicle component is output on the display. This symbolic representation includes an allocation of vehicle component-specific adjustment possibilities to particular keys of the keyboard. In this arrangement, common adjustment possibilities of the vehicle components are indicated at the same position on the screen in each case in the same form of representation in each case. In this arrangement, keys are provided which perform a constant function.
British Patent Specification 1,187,985 describes an arrangement with corresponding scale divisions for switches arranged in a row, in the immediate vicinity of the switches, in dependence on functions allocated to the switches. The indication of different scale divisions is displayed in that the respective scale divisions are rendered visible by direct manual intervention by the user.
Furthermore, DE 37 36 116 C2 describes the arrangement of a switching element and a light-emitting element in immediate spatial relation with one another. In this arrangement, any information is applied to the light-emitting elements belonging to the individual switches which is displayed in a constant or invariable manner.
A resulting disadvantage of the known arrangements is that there is no adaptation of the display to the relevant vehicle component.
It is an object of the present invention to arrange operating controls of vehicle components such that the simplest possible operation of the vehicle components is ensured with adaptation of the display to the relevant component.
This object has been achieved in an arrangement of operating controls of vehicle components in accordance with the present invention by mounting the operating controls of the functions to be adjusted at the location of the display at which the symbolic representation of the function to be adjusted appears on the display. The operating controls at least partially consist of operating parts and viewing windows. When one of the operating parts is operated, feedback for the response of the switch of the function to be adjusted is given for the user. The function to be adjusted by the respective operating part is visible through a viewing window.
According to another feature of the present invention, the keyboard containing the operating controls of vehicle components is integrated into the display. The display is mounted in a particularly advantageous manner in the front area of the center console in a passenger vehicle. On this display, the functions of the vehicle components to be adjusted are preferably displayed at the edge. The switches or controllers, preferably sliding controllers, are mounted on the surface of the display in immediate spatial vicinity of these functions of the vehicle components to be adjusted. This mounting is effected in such a manner that when these switches and controllers are operated, a response can be distinctly sensed by the user.

Operator-sensed feedback vehicle component operating control


The invention is directed to new drug hapten analogues comprising:. (A) an active ester group; PA0 (B) a drug hapten nucleus selected from a hydantoin nucleus or a barbiturate nucleus and PA0 (C) a linking chain linking the 3-position of the drug hapten nucleus to the active ester group.

Immunoassays, which take advantage of natural immunological reactions, have found wide-spread use as analytical techniques in clinical chemistry. Because of the specificity of the reactions, they are particularly advantageous in quantifying biological analytes that are present in very low concentration in biological fluids. Such analytes (called ligands herein) include, for example, antibodies, therapeutic drugs, narcotics, enzymes, hormones, proteins, etc.
In competitive binding immunoassays, a labeled drug hapten analogue is placed in competition with unlabeled drug haptens for reaction with a fixed amount of the appropriate antibody. Unknown concentrations of the drug hapten can be determined from the measured signal of either the bound or unbound (i.e. free) labeled drug hapten analogue.
Conventional labels include radioactive tags, enzymes, chromophores, fluorophores, stable free radicals, and enzyme cofactors, inhibitors and allosteric effectors.
Specific requirements for labeled drug hapten analogues (hereafter sometimes LDH) include: 1) at least 65% of the LDH can be bound by excess immobilized antibody; 2) affinity of the LDH for immobilized antibody is such that competition of a fixed amount of LDH with the drug occurs in a therapeutically relevant concentration range; and 3) stability of the LDH against hydrolysis of its enzyme label under storage conditions. Requirements imposed on the drug hapten analogues include: 1) accessibility of the analogue to the immobilized antibody following conjugation with the enzyme label; 2) specific recognition of the labeled analogue by the antibody to the drug; and 3) sufficient reactivity of the drug analogue with the enzyme label, either directly or following activation of the enzyme or analogue, under conditions that do not adversely affect enzyme activity.
Glucose oxidase (GOD) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme labels coupled to barbiturate or hydantoin analogues disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,568, especially phenobarbital and phenytoin analogues, gave adequate enzyme labeled analogues for conducting effective competitive immunoassays in the desired format.
The problem is that hydantoin and barbiturate analogues were unsatisfactory for conducting competitive immunoassays when the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used as the label. The coupling reactions between such derivatives and HRP were both slow and incomplete. Moreover, previous phenytoin-HRP and phenobarbital-HRP labels were bound very weakly so that much higher concentrations of label or antibody binding sites would be required to give a readable signal.
It would be highly desirable to provide new drug hapten analogues for barbiturates and hydantoins (a) that do react with HRP, and other enzymes such as GOD and ALP, faster and more completely, than prior art analogues, (b) to form covalent bonds with HRP, and (c) produce labeled drug hapten analogues that are more readily recognized and tightly bound by antibodies to such analogues.


Method for casting a continuous cylindrical polymer stamp. The method includes depositing a first layer of a fluid polymer on the inside of a rotatable drum and rotating the drum for a selected time and at a selected angular velocity. The polymer is cured to produce a uniform datum surface. A second layer of polymer is deposited on the first layer in the drum and the drum is rotated until solvent in the polymer has evaporated thereby forming a stable layer. The polymer is selectively exposed and developed to create a desired pattern. Thereafter, a polymer precursor is deposited on the patterned second layer and the polymer precursor is allowed to cure while the drum is rotating to produce a cured stamp. The cured stamp is removed from the drum.

This invention relates to continuous roll-to-roll printing of substrates for roll-based soft lithography and more particularly to a centrifugal casting method for making a cylindrical polymer stamp.
Existing stamp casting methods typically create a planar stamp. This known technique is done almost exclusively by patterning a silicon wafer, then forming a casting cavity from some combination of rigid plates and spacers. The literature has many examples of this planar technique, in which variations include casting the stamp against a foil backplane, which can be used to maintain transverse rigidity or for mounting to a magnetic roll [2-8]. The prior art planar casting method has several limitations. The uniformity of the stamp thickness is dependent on the gaps between the mold plates which can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to maintain with submicron uniformity for larger stamps. The master surface is relegated to existing wafer platforms and is not scalable beyond wafer sizes. Wafers can be dices and tiles, but in this case discontinuities in the stamp pattern are created. There are also limitations on area and flatness. Wrapping a flat stamp around a roll presents a significant registration problem. Additionally, wrapping the flat stamp around a body of curvature results in strain at the printing interface. This strain causes pattern distortion that limits the thickness of the stamp that can be used, although ideally thicker stamps could be used to desensitize the contact interface [9]. Further, applying a flat stamp to a rigid roll results in an inherent seam. This results both in pattern discontinuity and stamp discontinuity; the latter can result in adverse dynamic performance under high speed rolling [8].
Centrifugal casting is another known prior art casting technique. In centrifugal casting, a fluid is deposited on the inner surface of a rotating drum and allowed to solidify or cure while the drum is rotating. The centripetal acceleration from the associated rotation forces the fluid into a uniform layer on the inner surface of the drum. Usually, centrifugal casting is performed with phase-change materials (i.e., molten iron for pipes or melted thermoplastics for bushings).
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a centrifugal casting method that eliminates pattern discontinuities (seams), produces a more dimensionally uniform stamp thickness, and can greatly reduce residual stresses and strains.

Precision continuous stamp casting method for roll-based soft lithography


It is possible to feed an injection objective substance to a depth of a skin structure of an objective living body without using any injection needle. A syringe having no injection needle comprises an ignition device which includes an ignition charge containing a fuel component and an oxidizing agent component, a combustion chamber into which a combustion product produced by a reaction of the fuel component and the oxidizing agent component during combustion of the ignition charge is allowed to flow and which accommodates a gas generating agent that is combustible by the combustion product to generate a predetermined gas, and an enclosing unit which encloses the injection objective substance, wherein the injection objective substance enclosed in the enclosing unit is pressurized by a pressure in the combustion chamber in this construction. The fuel component and the oxidizing agent component contained in the ignition charge are determined so that any component, which behaves as a gas, is excluded from the combustion product when the combustion product is at ordinary temperature in the case where the fuel component and the oxidizing agent component are mixed at a stoichiometric ratio and combusted, and a cooling member is arranged in the combustion chamber so that the cooling member can be brought in contact with the combustion product produced by the combustion of the ignition charge to cool the combustion product.

In relation to a needle-free syringe (needleless syringe) with which the injection is performed without using any injection needle, a construction is adopted in some cases such that an injection component is injected or allowed to inject by applying a pressure to an accommodating chamber in which an injection solution is accommodated, by means of a pressurized gas or a spring. However, in the case of the needle-free syringe having the conventionally known construction, the reproducibility is unsatisfactory in relation to the depth and the injection amount of the injection solution. Therefore, it is difficult to affirm that such a needle-free syringe generally comes into widespread use.
Accordingly, such a technique is disclosed that a propellant charge, which is composed of a mixture of two types of powders, i.e., a high speed combustion powder and a low speed combustion powder, is utilized to adjust the output pressure (injection pressure) for the injection solution in a plurality of levels or stages (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, the injection solution is firstly allowed to inject by applying a large force to a piston by the combustion of the high speed combustion powder. As a result, the injection solution penetrates through a skin of a human body or the like, and the injection solution is fed into the body. After that, a pressure is continuously applied to such an extent that the injection solution can be diffused in the skin by the combustion of the low speed combustion powder. Patent Document 2 discloses such a technique that an injection solution is administered in two stages by using a needle-free syringe. In this technique, the injection solution is allowed to inject by applying a high pressure thereto so that the injection solution penetrates into the skin, and then the pressure, which is applied to the injection solution, is lowered so that it is contemplated to disperse the injection solution in the skin. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses such a technique that the injection pressure for an injection solution is adjusted by the intensity of the electric current by using a magnet and a coil. In this technique, the injection pressure is adjusted so that a high pressure is firstly applied in order that the injection solution penetrates through the skin, and then an approximately constant pressure is provided in order that the desired injection solution is fed or delivered.
In this context, Patent Document 3 discloses such a technique that an inactive or inert material is provided in a combustion chamber in which an explosive charge (a propellant charge) is combusted in order that the heat, which is generated from the explosive charge, is temporarily stored, in a needle-free syringe which uses the explosive charge in order to adjust the injection pressure for an injection solution. According to this technique, when the combustion of the explosive charge is completed, then the heat, which is possessed by the combustion gas generated in the combustion, is temporarily stored in the inert material, and then the heat is given and received between the inert material and the combustion gas. Accordingly, it is intended to maintain the gas temperature and the pressure in the combustion chamber. However, the composition of the explosive charge is not disclosed specifically and sufficiently. On the other hand, Patent Document 4 discloses specified examples of explosive charges components of an ignition charge and a propellant which are assumed to be usable in a needle-free syringe. For example, BKNO3 (boron/potassium nitrate) is exemplified as the ignition charge, and CuO/5-aminotetrazole is exemplified as the propellant.
A mode or form for allowing an injection solution to inject by any means other than the explosive charges is also known, as Patent Document 5 discloses such a technique that the injection pressure for the injection solution is adjusted by the intensity of, the electric current by using a magnet and a coil. In this technique, the injection pressure is adjusted such that a high pressure is firstly applied in order to penetrate through the skin, and then an approximately constant pressure is provided in order that the desired injection solution is fed or delivered.
The pressure, which is applied to the injection solution when the needle-free syringe is used, is variously adjusted not only for such a purpose that the injection solution is allowed to arrive at the interior of the skin but also for other purposes other than the above. For example, in Patent Document 6, such a description is found that the increase in the pressure applied to the injection solution is unfavorable after the penetration through the skin in order to mitigate the noise generated when the injection solution is allowed to inject by using a pressurized gas.
In this context, the target, for which the injection is performed by using the needle-free syringe, is the living body such as the human body or the like in many cases. Accordingly, a discussion is provided in relation to the behavior of an injected solution with respect to a gel agent generally used for an experiment and the skin of the living body (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). This discussion refers, for example, to a correlation between a depth of a hole formed by the injection and a hole depth having a maximum dispersion width, and a correlation between the Young's modulus of the skin and the hole depth. Further, Non-Patent Document 2 refers to a correlation between the dispersion width of an injection solution in the human skin and the nozzle diameter of a needle-free syringe.


The present invention is a CMOS epitaxial silicon wafer (50) on which CMOS integrated circuits (16) can be manufactured, including such circuits that include bipolar components (referred to as "BiCMOS" circuits). The CMOS wafer includes a lightly doped monocrystalline silicon substrate (56) having a major surface (54) that supports a lightly doped monocrystalline epitaxial silicon layer (52). The substrate includes a heavily doped diffused layer (58) extending a short distance (64) into the substrate from the major surface toward a lightly doped bulk portion (66) of the substrate. CMOS integrated circuits manufactured on the epitaxial layer of the CMOS wafer of this invention have a low susceptibility to latch-up. The low susceptibility is provided by the relatively low resistivity of the diffused layer. Since the diffused layer is relatively thin and the bulk portion is lightly doped, the oxygen content of the bulk can be readily measured and controlled.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art epitaxial silicon wafer 10 on which a complementary pair of metal-oxide-semiconductor ("MOS") transistors 12 and 14 are arranged as a CMOS circuit 16. Wafer 10 is referred to, therefore, as CMOS wafer 10.
CMOS wafer 10 includes a monocrystalline epitaxial silicon layer 18 that is supported by a monocrystalline silicon substrate 20 formed by the Czochralski method. Epitaxial layer 18 is lightly doped with boron at a concentration of 2.times.10.sup.14 to 2.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.3 to form a p.sup.- -type material, and substrate 20 is heavily doped with boron at a concentration of 3.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 to form a p.sup.+ -type material. It will be appreciated that epitaxial layer 18 and substrate 20 could alternatively be doped with phosphorus and antimony, respectively, to form n-type materials.
CMOS circuit 16 is formed in and on epitaxial layer 18. Transistor 12 is an n-channel field-effect transistor having a source 22a and a drain 24a coupled by respective n.sup.+ -type channels 26a and 28a to a gate 30a. A p.sup.+ -type guard ring 32a provides lateral isolation of transistor 12 in epitaxial layer 18, and a patterned insulating layer 34 of SiO.sub.2 provides isolation between source 22a, drain 24a, and gate 30a.
Transistor 14 is a p-channel field effect transistor having a source 22b and a drain 24b coupled by respective p.sup.+ -type channels 26b and 28b to a gate 30b. Channels 26b and 28b are positioned in an n-type well 36 formed in epitaxial layer 18. An n.sup.+ -type guard ring 32b provides lateral isolation of transistor 14 in epitaxial layer 18, and insulating layer 34 provides isolation between source 22b, drain 24b, and gate 30b.
The light dopant concentration is epitaxial layer 18 provides it with a resistivity desirable for conventional operation of CMOS circuit 16. Epitaxial layer 18 is formed on heavily doped substrate 20, however, to reduce the susceptibility of CMOS circuit 16 to a phenomenon called latch-up, as described by Borland et al. in Advanced CMOS Epitaxial Processing for Latch-Up Hardening and Improved Epilayer Quality, 27 Solid State Technology, No. 8, August 1984.
Latch-up is a destructive phenomenon in which CMOS circuit structures latch onto a bipolar or junction transistor operating mode. Latch-up occurs when a voltage applied to the CMOS circuit changes rapidly, such as when the power supply voltage is switched on. The changing voltage induces a junction displacement current that initiates latch-up when the current magnitude is greater than a threshold magnitude. The threshold current at which latch-up is initiated decreases as the rate of change of the voltage applied to the CMOS circuit increases.
Although it reduces the susceptibility of CMOS circuit 16 to latch-up, the heavy doping of substrate 20 is disadvantageous because it interferes with the measurement and precipitation of oxygen in substrate 20. Oxygen is an important impurity incorporated into silicon wafers to provide mechanical strength and to facilitate removal of metallic contaminants from the wafer. However, latch-up is such a serious problem in CMOS circuits that most epitaxial CMOS wafers continue to be manufactured on heavily doped substrates.

Epitaxial silicon wafers for CMOS integrated circuits


Image analysis methods and apparatus are used for determination of the ploidy of cells. The methods may involve segmenting an image to identify one or more discrete regions occupied by cells or nuclei, determining the presence of a particular ploidy indicator feature within the region(s), and providing a value of the indicator feature to a model that classifies cells' ploidy on the basis of the indicator feature. In some embodiments, the indicator feature is a level of DNA in a cell. In certain embodiments, the method further comprises treating one or more cells with a marker that highlights the ploidy indicator feature. In certain embodiments, the cells are treated prior to producing one or more images of the one or more cells. In certain embodiments, the ploidy indicator feature comprises DNA and the marker co-locates with DNA and provides a signal that is captured in the image. In certain embodiments, the signal comprises a fluorescent emission.

This invention relates to image analysis of biological cells. More specifically, it relates to methods, computer program products, and apparatus for automatically analyzing images to determine the ploidy of individual cells within those images.
A number of methods exist for investigating the effect of a treatment or a potential treatment, such as administering a pharmaceutical to an organism. Some methods investigate how a treatment affects the organism at the cellular level so as to determine the mechanism of action by which the treatment affects the organism.
One approach to assessing effects at a cellular level involves capturing images of cells that have been subject to a treatment. At times, the ploidy of individual cells within a population of cells will be part of the assessment. What are needed are image analysis techniques for determining ploidy in cells.


A process for producing a liquid jet recording head, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate for a liquid jet recording head, which is provided with a heat generating resistor; forming a thermoplastic resin layer capable of being solubilized on the substrate; subjecting the thermoplastic resin layer on the substrate to patterning treatment to form an ink pathway pattern in a state that the heat generating resistor is positioned at the bottom of the ink pathway pattern while being covered by the ink pathway pattern; subjecting the ink pathway pattern to heat treatment at a higher temperature than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin layer constituting the ink pathway pattern to round corners of the ink pathway pattern into a rounded ink pathway pattern; forming a resin coat layer on the substrate having the rounded ink pathway pattern thereon; forming an ink discharge outlet at a portion of the resin coat layer which is situated right above the heat generating resistor; and eluting the rounded ink pathway pattern constituted by the thermoplastic resin material layer to form an ink pathway in communication with the ink discharge outlet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a liquid jet recording head which is used in a liquid jet recording system by depositing printing liquid droplets on a printing medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for producing a so-called side-shooter type liquid jet recording head which discharges printing liquid droplets (or ink droplets) in a direction perpendicular to its substrate containing a liquid discharge pressure generating element installed therein. The present invention includes a side-shooter type liquid jet recording head produced by said process.
2. Related Background Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 234941/1987 discloses a typical process of producing a side-shooter type liquid jet recording head by joining an orifice plate produced by way of electroforming to a substrate having an ink discharge pressure generating element formed therein through a patterned dry film. FIG. 3(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a side-shooter type liquid jet recording head produced by said process. Particularly, the liquid jet recording head shown in FIG. 3(a) comprises a substrate 11 having an ink discharge pressure generating element 12 therein which is joined to an orifice plate 15 through a dry film 18 to form a liquid pathway. Reference numeral 16 indicates an ink discharge outlet provided above the ink discharge pressure generating element 12. Reference numeral 17 indicates a bubbling chamber provided at a portion where the liquid pathway is communicated with the ink discharge outlet 16. The substrate 11 including the ink discharge pressure generating element 12 constitutes a bottom wall of the bubbling chamber 17. The bubbling chamber 17 retains ink therein. When the ink discharge pressure generating element 12 comprises an electrothermal converting element (or a heat generating resistor), a thermal energy is applied to the ink in the bubbling chamber 17 by the electrothermal converting body to cause a state change in the ink, where a bubble is generated in the ink and the pressure which occurs upon the generation of the bubble makes the ink in the bubbling chamber 17 discharge through the discharge outlet 16.
Now, in this liquid jet recording head, there is an occasion where an undesired air bubble is contaminated into the liquid pathway. This occurs mainly because when the temperature of the ink is changed, air dissolved in the ink is vaporized to form such air bubble in the ink or because external air is contaminated into the liquid pathway during the supply of the ink to form such air bubble in the liquid pathway. In the case where the amount of the air bubble is slight, it is emitted outside the head together with the ink discharged. However, in the case where the air bubble remains while being adhered on the circumferential wall or the like of the liquid pathway, the air bubble is liable to grow, resulting in imparting a negative influence to the ink discharging performance. Particularly, when the air bubble is grown and contaminated into the bubbling chamber, the grown air bubble present in the bubbling chamber is liable to entail a problem in that it absorbs the pressure used for discharging ink from the discharge outlet, so the ink is discharged from the discharge outlet in a defective state.
More particularly, the bubbling chamber 17 of the liquid jet recording head has corner portions (20) on the discharge outlet side, where the flow of ink is likely to stagnate at the corner portions. When the foregoing contaminating air bubble should enter into the corner portions 20 as shown in FIG. 3(a), the contaminating air bubble stays therein to grow, whereby entailing problems such that the frequency of ink to be refilled is decreased and the direction for an ink droplet to be flying is deviated, resulting in causing dislocation for the ink droplet deposited on a recording medium and making the ink discharging performance unstable. Further, when the contaminating air bubble staying in the corner portions should be greatly grown, the ink discharging performance is sometimes disabled.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 10940/1992 and 10941/1992 disclose a side-shooter type liquid jet recording head having the configuration as shown in FIG. 3(b) in which no dry film is used, which comprises a substrate 11 having a heat generating resistor 12 (or a ink discharge pressure generating element) and an orifice plate 15 joined to said substrate to form a liquid pathway. The liquid jet recording head shown in FIG. 3(b) is provided with an ink discharge outlet 16 situated above the heat generating resistor 12 and a bubbling chamber 17 in communication with the discharge outlet 16. The substrate 11 including the ink heat generating resistor 12 constitutes a bottom wall of the bubbling chamber 17. The bubbling chamber 17 retains ink therein. In the liquid jet recording head shown in FIG. 3(b), thermal energy is applied to the ink in the bubbling chamber 17 by the heat generating resistor 12 to cause a state change in the ink whereby generating a bubble in the ink, where the bubble generated is communicated with outside air to make the ink in the bubbling chamber 17 discharge through the discharge outlet 16.
In the liquid jet recording head shown in FIG. 3(b), outside air eventually enters into the bubbling chamber 17 and because of this, an air bubble often remains in the bubbling chamber 17 without being emitted to the outside. When said air bubble is adhered at corner portions 20 of the bubbling chamber 17, a discharged volume itself is varied to make the resulting print to be accompanied by unevenness or stripes. When the air bubble stays in the corner portions 20, as well as in the case shown in FIG. 3(a), there are problems in that the frequency of ink to be refilled is decreased and the direction for an ink droplet to be flying is deviated, resulting in causing dislocation for the ink droplet deposited on a recording medium and making the ink discharging performance unstable. Further, when the ink in the corner portions 20 does not flow, residual ink causes problem of making the ink discharging performance unstable.
The above-described problems will become significant as the size of an ink droplet to be discharged is diminished so as to comply with the conditions for obtaining a highly precise fine image.
Hence, any of the conventional side-shooter type liquid jet recording heads is problematic in that the corner portions present at the upper position of the bubbling chamber entail such negative influences as above described to the ink discharging performance. In the prior art, there cannot be found an adequate manner for effectively producing a desirable side-shooter type liquid jet recording head with no corner portion in the bubbling chamber.

Process for the production of a liquid jet recording head


A test socket, adapted for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board, comprises a bottom board (10) and four separated clumps (20). The bottom board has a main body (11) having a rectangular shape and four mounting portions (12) integrally extending outwardly from four corners of the main body, respectively. The clumps are assembled upon the four mounting portions of the bottom board to cooperate with the bottom board to define a receiving space for receiving the IC package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test socket for testing an IC package, and more particularly to a test socket having discrete guideposts defining imaginary sidewalls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic package, such as integrated circuit (IC), is miniaturized electronic devices in which a number of active and passive circuit elements are located on or within a continuous body of material to perform a function of a complete circuit. To ensure reliability of IC package, IC package requires burn-in test, in which IC package is run at high temperature for an extended period of time to accelerate its lifespan so as to identify any earlier failure, so as to eliminate early product failures before the IC package is sold and assembled into the end product. Thus, a burn-in socket is needed to receive an IC package thereon and electrically connect the IC package with a burn-in testing board.
US Patent Application Public NO. 2006/0148298 invented by Nakao discloses a test socket for loading and electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board, such as a test printed circuit board, which includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, a first cover pivotally assembled to the insulative housing and a second cover pivotally assembled to the first cover. The insulative housing has a box-shape configure and defines a receiving space in a center thereof for receiving the IC package. However, due to developments of electronic industry and communication industry, people need various and small amount of products, including IC packages to meet the field requirements. As a result, the above-mentioned test socket may not properly adapt to this trend, for the test socket must be changed with another one which having a proper receiving space for another IC package to be tested.
Another test socket modify its base for receiving the IC package into two-piece, including a metal frame and a plastic board on a bottom of the frame which cooperates with the frame to define a receiving cavity for the IC package, to meet this various and small amount design trend. However, when the socket is mounted to the printed circuit board by surface mounting technology (SMT), the board will deforms and warp for the metallic and plastic material have different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), especially in case the board has a large size.
Hence, it is required to improve the disadvantages of the above sockets.

Test socket with discrete guiding posts defining side walls


The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a composite frion element wherein a powdered solventless thermosetting adhesive is applied to a metal substrate and the product made therefrom. The metal substrate and thermosetting adhesive material are heated to allow the powdered solventless adhesive material to flow but not crosslink. A friction material is applied under heat and pressure to the adhesive material such that the adhesive material crosslinks and a composite friction element is formed.

Typical state of the art adhesives which are used in bonding friction materials to metal substrates all use phenolic based or n-butyl modified nitrile rubber based thermosetting adhesives. These adhesives contain solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), ethanol, methanol, or acetone. The solvent is typically present in an amount ranging from about twenty percent to over eighty percent, by volume, with the remainder being the thermosetting adhesive material. The presence of the solvent allows the adhesive to be thinned out and distributed on the metal substrate in a uniform coating.
These solvent-based adhesives are applied using a variety of methods such as roll coating onto metal or friction paper, flow-coating onto metal or paper, wet spray from a nozzle onto metal, dipping of the metal and the like. The adhesive is applied wet to the substrate (metal or paper) and the solvent is thereafter allowed to evaporate off leaving the adhesive in solid form on the surface. The solvents that evaporate from the adhesive must be captured and reclaimed or burned off using air pollution control equipment in order to meet EPA requirements.
These solvent-based adhesives are considered a health risk with some of the solvent-based adhesives containing carcinogens. Therefore, rigorous air pollution control equipment is required to recover the solvent from the adhesive material.
The solvent-based adhesive is applied to a variety of metal substrates including, for example, transmission bands and core plates, which have irregular shapes. Thus, it has been preferred that the solvent-based adhesive be applied to the metal substrate by dipping the irregularly shaped metal substrate into the solvent-based adhesive. However, this dipping method often causes drips, sags or runs of the adhesive material to occur on the metal substrate. The extra adhesive material in the drip or run must be removed from the substrate prior to the application of the friction material. If the extra adhesive material is not removed, the drip will cause a bump or ridge in the friction material. Any ridge or irregularity is totally unacceptable since its presence will cause the composite friction element to wear unevenly or fail to engage evenly. In addition, it is difficult to control the thickness of the adhesive deposited on the metal substrate. During evaporation of the solvent, the adhesive viscosity changes, which in turn causes the thickness of the adhesive applied to the metal substrate to change. Therefore, process control of adhesive application and adhesive viscosity is difficult to maintain.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for bonding a friction material to a metal substrate without the use of solvent-based adhesives.
A further object of this invention is to provide composite friction elements comprising a metal substrate having adhered thereto without the use of a liquid solvent based adhesive, a friction material.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a process for bonding a friction material to a metal substrate conveniently and safely without imposing significant threats to human health and the environment by the elimination of the need for liquid solvent based adhesives.

Powder coating of thermosetting adhesives onto metal substrates to enable a friction material to be bonded to the metal substrate

Borg-Warner Automotive Transmission & Engine Components Corporation


A juvenile seat includes a base having a bottom seat portion, a lower back section coupled to the base and positioned to lie at an angle relative to the bottom seat portion, and a headrest coupled to the lower back section for up and down movement relative to the base and the lower back section. The juvenile seat also includes a height-adjustment mechanism coupled to the headrest for up and down movement with the headrest to adjust the height of the headrest above the bottom seat portion. The height-adjustment mechanism is movable between a locked position to prevent up and down movement of the headrest relative to the lower back section and an unlocked position to permit up and down movement of the headrest relative to the lower back section.

The present disclosure relates to seats for use by children in vehicles, and particularly, to booster seats having a back portion including a headrest. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a juvenile booster seat having an apparatus for raising and lowering the headrest portion of the juvenile booster seat.
Many juvenile booster seats are formed to include a headrest which adjusts upwardly and downwardly relative to a bottom seat portion of the booster seat. Such a booster seat can be adapted by a user to seat children of different sizes.

Headrest actuator for juvenile vehicle seat


A tray for the transport of nursery plants and the like has a bottom and movable side walls. The side walls may be easily placed in one of three positions. When in the lowermost position, the side wall is even with or below the bottom for allowing plants to be loaded or unloaded. After plants are loaded, the side wall is placed in middle or upper positions to retain the plants on the tray during transport. The side walls are retained on the tray by brackets that are configured to prevent dislodgment during vertical motions incident to bouncing of the vehicle during transport.

Transportable trays are known. One such tray, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,931 (McCorkle, Jr.) is specifically designed for transport of plants and includes a generally flat bottom and foldable side walls. The side walls are held in vertical positions during shipping to retain the plants and are supported in horizontal positions during display to provide additional shelf space for display of the plants. These trays are supported by foot elements that are capable of engaging vertical posts on other such trays, whereby the trays may be stacked on each other.
Manufacture of trays such as those shown in the '931 patent is somewhat expensive, and provision for the side walls to be held in the horizontal position is not always necessary. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tray that is effective for transporting plants and yet is comparatively inexpensive.


A high power ultrashort chirped pulse amplifier laser system, with a chirped pulse amplifier laser module including an optical pulse stretcher, at least one optical power amplifier, and an optical pulse compressor, and a beam interferometer module in the optical path. The beam interferometer receives splits the pulse into at least two pulses, adds a time delay to at least one of the pulses and recombines the pulses to produce a temporally modulated pulse. The resulting modulated output pulse from the CPA laser module can have enhanced laser contrast due to greatly reduced subpicosecond pedestal in the immediate region of the peak pulse, or can have other desirable characteristics.

1. Technical Field
This application is related to the field of chirped-pulse amplifier systems.
2. Related Technology
Chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) laser systems were initially developed in the 1980s. Before CPA systems were developed, laser amplifiers generating ultrashort pulses were limited in optical intensity by a tendency of high optical power pulses to cause nonlinear pulse distortion or to damage the amplifier gain medium or the optical elements. In CPA laser systems, the pulses are chirped and temporally stretched to a much longer duration before passing through the gain medium, so the peak power is kept at a lower level during amplification. A dispersive compressor then removes the chirp and temporally compresses the pulses to a duration similar to the input pulse duration. CPA laser technology has been widely adopted for high power lasers, compact high power lasers (e.g., table top terawatt (T3) lasers) and in applications such as laser wakefield accelerated electron beam systems.    H. Kiriyama et al., Opt. Lett. 37, 3363, (2012) and K. B. Wharton et al., Phys. Rev. E 64, 025401, (2001) discuss laser pulse contrast and shape for subpicosecond, multiterawatt chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) laser systems.    K. B. Wharton et al., Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 64, pp. 025401-1-025401-4 (R), July 2001, discusses the effects of non-ionizing prepulses in high-intensity laser-solid interactions. Both W. P. Leemans et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 174802, (2002) and S. P. D. Mangles et al., Plasma Phys. Cont. Fusion 48, B83, (2006) discuss pulse shape and pre-pulse contrast in terms of the usability of laser wakefield accelerated electron beams.    H. Kiriyama et al., Opt. Lett. 37, 3363, (2012), M. P. Kalashnikov et al., Opt. Lett. 30, 923 (2005), A. Jullien et al., Opt. Lett. 30, 920 (2005), and K.-H. Hong et al., Appl. Phys. B 81, 447 (2005) disclose techniques for reducing amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) that can manifest as nanosecond-scale pedestal superimposed on the main pulse.    A. Verhoef, J. Seres, K. Schmid, Y. Nomura, G. Tempea, L. Veisz, and F. Krausz, Appl. Phys. B, Vol. 82, 513, (2006) discusses compression techniques for a 5 femtoseconds 0.2 terawatt Ti:sapphire CPA laser system.    M. P. Kalashnikov and K. Osvay, Proc. SPIE 5975, 59750E (2006) and C. Hooker et al., Opt. Express 19, 2193 (2011) discuss recent efforts in contrast enhancement related to prepulses and pedestals in the several picosecond to a few nanosecond range.    A. Jullien et al., Opt. Lett. 30, 920 (2005) and C. Hooker et al., Opt. Express 19, 2193 (2011) describes picosecond scale pedestals of 10−5-10−4 for CPA laser systems. C. Hooker et al., Opt. Express 19, 2193 (2011) demonstrated that scatter from the diffraction gratings in the pulse stretcher contribute to a short time scale (20 ps) pedestal around the main pulse.

Pulse-shaping interferometer for chirped-pulsed amplification laser

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A manually operated implement, in particular a parting-off grinder or similar device is provided. The implement has a bracket which has a first end, which is fixed to the housing of the tool, and a second end to which is fixed a spindle which drives, for example, a metal cutting tool. The spindle is driven by a drive wheel via a belt drive. A bracket of high rigidity at low overall weight can be achieved if the bracket is designed as one piece and can be fixed to the housing in at least two positions.

The invention relates to a manually operated implement or tool, in particular a parting-off grinder or similar device.
A parting-off grinder with a bracket is known from DE 38 41 644 C2. The bracket is fabricated in two pieces with a belt-tensioning device operating between the two parts of the bracket. When the tool is in operation, the bracket is subject to high mechanical strains since all the machining forces are conducted through the bracket. Due to the division of the bracket into two parts, a sturdy design is required in order to achieve sufficient mechanical stability. This results in a heavy weight tool.
The object of the invention is to create a tool of the aforementioned general type, which has good mechanical stability and is lightweight.
This object is achieved by means of an implement having a monolithic bracket having a first end that is secureable to the implement housing in at least two positions, and a second end on which is disposed a spindle for driving a tool, wherein the spindle is adapted to be driven by a drive wheel via a belt drive.
The one-piece or monolithic design of the bracket results in significantly higher stability and rigidity. A one-piece bracket is thus able to achieve sufficient rigidity at a light overall weight. Since it is possible to fix the bracket to the tool in several positions, the belt can be tensioned and changed to a further position during operation.
The bracket is advantageously fixed to the housing by means of a fixing and when the fixing is released it can be moved along the housing within a predetermined range. The ability to move the bracket along the housing permits optimum tensioning of the belt, which runs between the drive wheel, which is fixed to the housing, and the spindle, which is fixed, to the bracket. A simple design can be achieved if the fixing comprises at least one elongated hole or slot in the bracket through which a fixing means is able to pass.
The bracket is provided with an opening in the area of the first end. The bracket is advantageously designed to be symmetrical to a plane which contains the axes of rotation of the drive wheel and the spindle axis. The symmetrical design permits the bracket to be fixed to the tool in positions rotated about the longitudinal direction of the bracket by 180°. This means that the tool can be positioned both on the side of the bracket facing the housing and on the side facing away from it. In the area of the second end the bracket advantageously has a hub for mounting the spindle. The bracket is provided with a receiver for a belt-tensioning device. The belt-tensioning device permits the belt to be tensioned quickly and simply. In this arrangement, the tensioning device operates between the bracket and the housing. The positioning of the belt-tensioning device in a receiver in the bracket results in a simple, compact design.
The bracket expediently has two guide channels in which the belt runs. The guide channels run in particular on either side of the receiver and approximately in the longitudinal direction of the bracket. The belt-tensioning device is thus positioned in the area between the two sections of the belt, thereby producing a compact arrangement.
The bracket is expediently designed as a cast part. In order to achieve high rigidity at a lightweight, the belt is provided with reinforcing struts in at least one area. The bracket expediently has reinforcing struts in an area between a guide channel and the edge of the bracket. In particular, the bracket has reinforcing struts in the areas surrounding the opening.
The cut-off machine or parting-off grinder 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a housing 6 with an upper handle 5 and a gripper bar 4. Fixed to the housing 6 is a bracket 7. The bracket 7 extends approximately in the direction of the upper handle 5 and at right angles to the gripper bar 4 past the area of the housing 6. In this arrangement a first end 15 of the bracket 7 is fixed to the housing 6 with screws 28. Positioned at the second end 16 of the bracket 7 facing away from the first end 15 is a parting-off wheel 2 which is mounted on the bracket 7 in such a manner that it is able to rotate about a spindle axis 14. The parting-off wheel 2 is partially enclosed by a protective hood 3. The bracket 7 is designed as one piece and, once the screws 28 have been loosened, can be moved in relation to the housing 6 along the slots or elongated holes 17 and 18.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the bracket 7. The bracket 7 has an opening 19 at its first end 15. Positioned in the area of the opening 19 is a drive shaft 12, which is driven by the internal combustion engine of the parting-off grinder 1. Fixed to the drive shaft 12 is a drive wheel 11, which drives a belt pulley 9 via a belt 10. The belt pulley 9 is mounted on the side of the bracket 7 facing the housing 6 in the area of the second end 16 of the bracket 7. The belt 10, which is illustrated by means of a broken line in FIG. 2, thus extends approximately in the longitudinal direction of the bracket 7. The bracket 7 has a hub 21 in the area of the second end 16 in which is mounted a spindle 8. Fixed to the spindle 8 is the belt pulley 9. Fixed to the spindle 8 on the side of the bracket 7 facing away from the housing 6 opposite the belt pulley 9 is the parting-off wheel 2. In the area of the first end 15, the bracket 7 has an elongated hole 17 through which the screw 28 passes. In this arrangement the screw 28 is screwed into the housing 6.
FIG. 3 shows the bracket 7 rotated about the longitudinal direction 24 illustrated in FIG. 4 by 180°. The bracket 7 is designed to be symmetrical to a plane containing the axis of rotation 13 of the drive wheel 11 and the spindle axis 14. In FIG. 3 the drive shaft 12 passes through the opening 19. The drive wheel 11, the belt 10 and the belt pulley 9 are positioned on the side of the bracket 7 facing away from the housing 6 while the parting-off blade 2 is positioned on the opposite side facing the housing 6. Due to the symmetrical design, the bracket 7 can be reversed and is therefore suitable both for tools in which the parting-off wheel 2 is positioned on the inside, i.e. the side facing the housing 6, and for tools in which the parting-off wheel 2 is positioned on the outside.
FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of the bracket 7. Two guide channels 23 in which the belt runs during operation extend from the area of the opening 19 in the direction of the second end 16. In the area of the opening 19, elongated holes 18 are positioned in the edge areas of the bracket 7 between a guide channel 23 and the edge 25 of the bracket 7. The longitudinal holes 17, 18 extend in the longitudinal direction 24 of the bracket 7. Provided between the two guide channels 23 is a receiver 22 for a belt-tensioning device. In this arrangement, the belt-tensioning device comprises in particular a coil spring which can be positioned in the receiver 22. The belt-tensioning device operates between the bracket 7 and the housing 6 of the parting-off grinder 1.
The hub 21 positioned in the area of the second end 16 serves as a mount for the spindle 8. In particular, a bearing is positioned in the hub 21. The bracket 7 is designed to be symmetrical to a plane which lies perpendicular to the plane of the bracket 7. This means that the bracket 7 can also be fixed to the housing 6 in a position rotated about its longitudinal direction 24 by 180°, since this does not alter the positions of the elongated holes 17, 18 and the guide channels 23.
The bracket 7 is designed as a cast part. In order to achieve a bracket 7 of lightweight, numerous openings and recesses are provided. In order to increase rigidity, the bracket 7 has reinforcing struts in these openings and recesses. Thus, for example, reinforcing struts 26 are positioned in the openings 29 in the bracket 7 between the guide channels 23 and the edge 25. In this arrangement, the openings 29 run perpendicular to the plane formed by the bracket 7 in a direction parallel to the spindle axis 14. Recesses 30 extending from the edge 25 into the bracket 7 are provided in the area of the opening 19. Reinforcing struts 27 are positioned in these recesses 30.
The one-piece or monolithic design of the bracket 7 results in both high rigidity and high strength. Thanks to its design as a cast part with recesses and reinforcing struts it is possible to achieve a lightweight with high rigidity. The bracket may be fixed both to the outside of a tool and between two parts of a housing. Due to the one-piece design the bracket can easily be adjusted to the parting-off wheel diameter, thereby reducing vibrations.
The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of German priority document 103 25 663.6 filed Jun. 6, 2003.
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.