A power-conserving time division multiple access (TDMA) radio telephone system is disclosed in which a cluster of subscriber stations, remote from a base station, employs a common pool of frequency-agile modems each of-which digitally synthesizes, on a timeSlot-by-timeSlot basis, the different channel-identifying intermediate frequencies needed to support communications between several of the subscriber stations and the base station. Power conservation is facilitated inter alia by controlling the assignment of modems to calls, maintaining unassigned modems in a powered-down state and by controlling the number of calls using the same time slot. Delay in assigning a powered-down modem to a call is eliminated by making available to all modems the highest quality synchronization information obtained by any of the active modems.

This invention relates to radiotelephone systems for serving a plurality of remote subscriber stations and, more particularly, to a radiotelephone system in which certain of said subscriber stations are located in a physically adjacent group.
A radiotelephone system including a base station for serving remote subscriber stations is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,375. In that system each subscriber station was equipped with a radio that could be instructed by the base station to tune to a particular channel and to employ a particular time slot for the duration of a given conversation. Time division multiplex (TDM) radio channel transmission was employed from the base station to the subscriber stations and time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission from the individual subscriber stations to the base station. The time division of each radio channel into time slots and the compression of speech signals permitted each radio frequency channel to support a number of voice paths equal to the number of time slots. Analog voice signals to and from the public switched telephone network were first converted to 64 kbps xcexc-law companded pulse coded modulation (PCM) digital samples. Before transmission over the radio channel the-digital samples were subjected to voice-compression to reduce the voice information rate from 64 kbps to 14.6 kbps using residual excited linear predictive (RELP) coding. A voice codec and modem were required to be dedicated to a specific frequency and time slot for the duration of a call.
While the foregoing system operated in a highly satisfactory manner in allowing telephone service to be provided especially to areas where wire lines are impractical, the unforeseen growth of such telephone service has given rise to situations in which several subscriber stations are found to lie in close proximity with one another. Initial efforts to lower the per-line cost of serving a group of such closely situated subscriber stations were focused on consolidating the installation and maintenance costs of individual subscriber stations through the sharing of common equipment such as the enclosure, power supply, RF power amplifier and antenna. Thus, in a closely situated group of subscriber stations, each of which could access an RF channel, a single broadband RF power amplifier could be employed to serve the group. However such efforts still required each subscriber line to have its own modem and radio transceiver. The individual transceiver outputs were fed to the common RF power amplifier, which had to be designed to handle a peak power equal to the sum of the power of all of the transceivers in the group of adjacent subscriber stations that could simultaneously be active on the same time slot. It is apparent that further consolidation over that possible in the ""375 patent system and a reduction in the peak and average power required would be desirable, especially in remote areas required to be served by solar cell power.
In accordance with the principles of our invention, per-line costs are reduced for a physically adjacent group of subscriber lines by permitting the lines within such a group to share not only a common power supply and RF power amplifier, but modem, synchronization, IF, up- and down-conversion and controller functions as well, so that significant concentration is achieved In our system, a small number of modems is provided to serve the multiple subscribers in a physically adjacent group, hereinafter referred to as cluster or, more particularly, as a modular cluster. In an illustrative embodiment, subscriber line circuits and modems are modularized printed circuit cards which plug into a frame employing backplane wiring to distribute timing information. and data among the units. Any of the modems may be seized to handle a call for any of the subscribers and each modem may handle calls for several subscribers on successive time slots. The same or a different frequency may be used to support communications for each subscriber on successive time slots.
It is a feature of our invention that the selection from the common pool of frequency-agile modems of the modem to be used to handle a call is controlled to conserve power consumption in two ways. First, a new modem is preferably not seized for use to handle a call until all of the time slots on active modems have been assigned to calls, thereby allowing all not-yet-selected modems to remain in a power-conserving, xe2x80x9cpowered-downxe2x80x9d state. Second, the number of calls using the same time slot (on different frequencies) is controlled to reduce the peak power demand on the RF power amplifier.
It is a further feature of our invention to avoid synchronization delay when it is necessary to seize a powered-down modem for use on a call. Once time slot synchronization with the base station has been established for the first modem of the pool at the cluster, synchronization information is made available to the remaining modems, advantageously over backplane wiring, under control of a microprocessor-based cluster controller. Accordingly, all powered-down modems remain instantly assignable to handle calls without undergoing any delay to become synchronized with the base station""s time division frame.
It is a further feature of our invention to classify modem synchronization states according to several synchronization parameters and to derive a confidence factor for each active modem that reflects the reliability of the synchronization parameters and to distribute synchronization information from the modem having the best confidence factor.

Modularly clustered radiotelephone system


A filter system for use with an aquarium includes a housing having a pre-filter chamber, a biological chamber, and a sump. A protein skimmer receives water flowing from the pre-filter chamber and returns the water to the pre-filter chamber, such that a portion of the water flows through the protein skimmer several times before being returned to the aquarium. The biological chamber has a drip drawer holder having drip drawers for holding filter media pads and dispersing water substantially evenly over biological media in the biological chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an aquarium filter system, and more particularly, to an improved housing for an aquarium filter system.
2. Description of the Related Art
To insure the health of marine animals and plants that live in aquariums, it is necessary to maintain the cleanliness, purity and health of the water. Examples of impurities, which commonly degrade the aquarium environment, are organic wastes, such as fish feces and uneaten food, chemicals in unpurified water and common house dust. Any of these impurities can affect the desired chemical balance of the water and, in particular, the ammonia nitrate cycle, which results from the break-down process of nitrogenous waste. The rate of rise of the nitrate concentration greatly affects the environment within the aquarium and, to a large extent, the level of nitrates determines the frequency that the water must be changed. Accordingly, a great number of products for filtering and treating aquarium water have been developed.
On smaller fresh water aquariums, filtering may only consist of a simple filtering element for controlling water circulation, and an aeration system. On larger aquariums, and particularly salt water aquariums where delicate varieties of fish and other marine life live, a more complex filtering system must be utilized, such as filters that use chemical and biological filtration.
Chemical filtration, which facilitates the removal of, or deactivation of, organic substances is well known in the art. Activated carbon and ion-exchange resins are commonly used materials in this type of filtration. While this type of filtration is frequently utilized, it is generally ineffective for purifying the water and eliminating many of the commonly known nitrogenous waste products.
The use of biological aerobic filtration is also important because it serves to convert toxic ammonia to nitrates, thus forming a complete ecosystem. Filters which provide aerobic filtration, such as wet/dry and chemical filtration, can be complex, inefficient, large and expensive. Various types of biological filters are known. These filters often include a separate component or chamber providing mechanical filtration and an aerobic component or chamber providing the wet/dry filtering. Most of these type of filters use siphon tubes to remove water from the tank and a pump to return the filtered water.
Wet/dry filtration systems work by running water over a vast surface area, usually through a drip plate and a chamber containing biomedia with water dripping over it. Biomedia, such as bio balls, having a large surface area is commonly available. Nitrifying bacteria grow on the surface area of the biomedia. These filtration systems therefore provide a large surface area for nitrifying bacteria to grow and greater water surface coverage for the exchange of gases. One known biological filter is a trickle filter. In a conventional trickle filter, water passes through a trickle section of the filter and takes on dissolved gases by diffusion. Water draining from the aquarium is coarsely prefiltered to keep out large chunks of detritus such as dead fish, snails, etc. This filter is commonly used in combination with a protein skimmer which continually segregates a portion of the water from the pre-filter and removes certain dissolved organic material.
It has become apparent that there is a need for an integrated water filter system which will satisfy the requirements of the various marine life housing situations, and provide mechanical and aerobic filtration, that is conveniently and easily installed, used and maintained.


A communication device for transmitting data via a first server to a second server includes an acquiring unit operable to acquire, from the first server, server information as information indicating a style of data acceptable to the second server, a converting unit operable to convert a style of data to be transmitted into the style acceptable to the second server, based on the server information, and a transmitting unit operable to transmit data converted by the converting unit to the first server.

1. Technical Field
The art disclosed herein relates to a communication device, and particularly relates to a communication device that communicates with a server.
2. Related Art
There are known image sharing services that enable many people to share images captured by image capture devices such as digital cameras. The image sharing services are provided by servers (image sharing servers) and the like. Users can use the image sharing services by accessing these servers. A communication device having a camera which is disclosed in JP 2008-236159A, for example, captures an image of a code indicating an address of an image sharing server which stores images, and accesses the image sharing server in accordance with the captured code.
A configuration in which a communication device accesses a target server (such as an image sharing server) via a portal server is also known. That is to say, according to the configuration, the communication device accesses the portal server, and the portal server accesses the target server. With the configuration, the communication device can access a desired server by accessing the portal server.
According to the configuration that enables a communication device to access a server as an access target via a portal server, the communication device does not need to manage an address of the target server. Therefore, even when an address of the target server is changed, for example, the communication device is only required to access the portal server so as to access the target server. The communication device is very convenient in this respect.

Communication device, relay server for relaying data from communication device, and communication system including them

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


An integrated dual day night backlight includes a flat channel light source with an auxiliary night light source suitably filtered to remove infrared components from the illumination. In alternative embodiments, the night light can be a separate bulb or it can be separate light channels within the flat channel source. The night illumination is directed through the edge of the light transmissive face plate that covers the main or day channel. The light directing means can be an inner reflecting surface of the face plate or can be a separate reflective element that redirects the illumination from the night channel through the edge of the transmissive face plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices and, more particularly, a source of illumination for liquid crystal displays.
2. Background
Liquid crystal devices (LCDs) function as effective modulators of light, so that displays based on these devices require a separate source of luminance. Transmissive LCD displays use an integral backlight placed behind the LCD. These backlights usually fall into one of two generic types.
Edgelit lightpipes are used in applications such as notebook computers, where backlight depth is a premium parameter, and high luminance is not required. Direct backlit LCDs, using lamps mounted in a reflector housing and behind a diffusing screen (to hide the lamp shape), are used where high luminance is more important. These systems are usually somewhat bulkier than those using edgelit lightpipes.
Fluorescent lamps are commonly used as the illumination source in LCD backlights, since they have the requisite properties of high efficiency, long life and good color balance. Small diameter straight fluorescent tubes are often used as the edgelight illuminators, and single or multiple straight or serpentine fluorescent tubes are used as the direct backlight illuminators.
In this latter case, increasing the number of lamps and/or incorporating longer serpentine lamp lengths (more channel "legs") increase light output and uniformity (thereby permitting thinner structures). On the downside, greater numbers of lamps increase driver complexity and cost, and increased serpentine lamp length reduces dimming range.
Fluorescent lamps are filled with a mixture of an inert gas (typically Argon) and Mercury vapor, at low pressure. Electrons emitted by the lamp cathodes are used to ionize the gas, and a drive waveform applied to the electrodes causes a net charge transport through the lamp medium (current flow).
The Mercury vapor ions radiate in the ultraviolet (UV) and it is this UV radiation which excites the lamp phosphors, causing them to emit light in the visible spectrum. Lamp luminance is typically controlled either by varying the frequency of the drive waveforms to control the net current flow, or by varying the conduction duty cycle by controlling the energy in each drive pulse.
In any case, uniform emission is difficult to maintain over a very wide dimming range (particularly at low luminance levels). This problem is worse for longer arc path lengths.
Dimming is not usually a major concern for LCDs intended for indoor or office applications, or other controlled ambients. It becomes increasingly important for outdoor applications such as ATM machines, or for cars, aircraft or other vehicles where the display is likely to be viewed under conditions ranging from bright sunlight to total darkness. By far the most demanding application in terms of dimmability is in the cockpits of tactical military aircraft, where a dimming range in excess of 4000:1 is usually required.
While techniques for dimming fluorescent lamps are well known, the ability to maintain a stable uniform luminance output at extremely low luminance levels is an intrinsic limitation of the fluorescent lamp technology, and one which is further complicated by long arc channel lengths.

Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Coporation


Disclosed herein is a laser driving method including the step of adjusting an initial value of driving current for driving a laser when an operation mode is changed on a basis of a difference in magnitude between a first bias current including information on threshold current of the laser in a first operation mode and a second bias current including information on the threshold current in a second operation mode.

The present invention relates to a laser driving method and a laser driving device, and particularly to a technique for controlling laser power in a recording and reproduction apparatus using a laser.
Recording and reproducing apparatus using a laser as a light source are utilized in various fields. For example, optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus (hereinafter also referred to simply as optical disk apparatus) using an optical disk as a medium for recording and reproduction, optical communication devices, laser printers and the like are drawing attention.
As to the laser used as a light source, semiconductor lasers using a semiconductor element have recently been widely used as a light source for various devices because semiconductor lasers are very small in size and respond quickly to driving current.
Phase change optical disks, magneto-optical disks and the like are widely known as rewritable optical disks used as media for recording and reproduction. Outputs of laser light applied in recording, reproduction, and erasure differ from each other. For example, at the time of recording, laser beam output is increased (for example 30 mW or more) to create recorded marks referred to as pits on an optical disk, whereas at the time of reproduction, the optical disk is irradiated with a weaker laser beam output (for example 3 mW) than at the time of recording to read information without destroying the recorded pits.
In order to obtain an error rate allowing recording and reproduction on a recent optical disk of high density and high transfer rate, it is necessary to properly control these laser beam intensities.
However, the semiconductor laser shows a significant temperature characteristic change in driving current-optical output characteristics of the semiconductor laser. In order to set the optical output of the semiconductor laser to desired intensity, a circuit for controlling the optical output of the semiconductor laser so as to make the optical output of the semiconductor laser constant, or a so-called APC (Auto Power Control) circuit is required.
APC circuits are roughly classified into a real-time system and a sample hold system. In the real-time system, the optical output of the semiconductor laser is monitored by a light receiving element, and an optical and electric negative feedback loop is formed to control a current for driving the semiconductor laser at all times so as to make a received light current (proportional to the optical output of the semiconductor laser) occurring in the light receiving element equal to a light emission command signal.
In the sample hold system, the optical output of the semiconductor laser is monitored by a light receiving element in a power setting period, and an optical and electric negative feedback loop is formed to control a driving current for driving the semiconductor laser so as to make a received light current (proportional to the optical output of the semiconductor laser) occurring in the light receiving element equal to a light emission command signal. A control value for the driving current is retained in other than the power setting period, and modulation is performed on the basis of the retained control value in other than the power setting period.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of fundamental configuration of an APC circuit employing the real-time system. An APC circuit 800 is roughly divided into an optical system device 801 and an electric system device 802. A semiconductor laser (LD; Laser Diode) 812 in the optical system device 801 emits laser light L1. Laser light L1a divided via a beam splitter 814 is applied to the surface of an optical disk via a collimator lens 818 and an objective lens 819, whereby recording, reproduction, and erasure are performed.
Also, laser light L1b obtained by dividing the laser light L1 emitted from the semiconductor laser (LD; Laser Diode) 812 by the beam splitter 814 is applied to a photodiode 816 as a light receiving element. A current (IFPD) obtained by photoelectric conversion by the photodiode 816 is transmitted as a signal of a feedback system to the electric system device 802.
A current-to-voltage converting unit (I/V converter) 826 in the electric system device 802 converts the current output (feedback current IFPD) of the photodiode 816 into a voltage signal. In the meantime, a current-to-voltage converting unit (I/V converter) 836 similarly converts a power reference current IREF generated by a reference current generating unit 832 and set by a digital/analog (D/A) converting unit 834 into a voltage signal. Both the voltage signals are input to an error amplifier 840.
In the APC circuit 800 of such a configuration, an APC negative feedback loop as a whole is formed so that the differential inputs to the error amplifier 840 balance each other, and the output of the error amplifier 840 is set to an arbitrary voltage. A voltage-to-current converting unit (V/I converter) 880 converts the voltage into a current signal. A current driving unit (Driver) 892 amplifies the current signal, and then supplies a driving current ILD to the semiconductor laser 812 to drive the semiconductor laser 812.
Thus, in the APC circuit 800, the negative feedback control loop is formed so as to make the feedback current IFPD=the power reference current IREF, the laser driving current ILD is determined by a ratio of an amount ΔIFPD of optical system feedback to ΔILD, and laser light emission power is determined by current-to-light conversion efficiency of the semiconductor laser 812.
It is generally known that a laser oscillates with a driving current higher than a light emission threshold current and that current-to-light conversion sensitivity of a laser shows a substantially constant characteristic.
For example, FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a relation between driving current and laser power. As shown in the figure, the driving current higher than a light emission threshold current Ith causes oscillation, and current-to-light conversion sensitivity ΔPLD/ΔILD shows a substantially constant characteristic. A change in the temperature causes the threshold current to drift greatly with a positive temperature coefficient. The driving current Ild for obtaining desired laser power Pld is expressed by Equation (1). When there is a temperature drift of the light emission threshold current Ith and the current-to-light conversion sensitivity ΔPLD/ΔILD of a laser, the driving current Ild is correspondingly changed.
[Equation 1]Ild=ΔILD/ΔPLD*Pld+Ith  (1)
Hence, as an APC system, a real-time APC system is desirable in which laser power control is performed at all times in each of a recording mode and a reproduction mode.
Mark edge recording, which uses changes at both ends of a mark for recording, has become mainstream because of superiority thereof for achieving higher density of a recent writable optical disk. As a technique for preventing data errors due to mark shape distortion in mark edge recording, a write strategy technique in which multi-pulse modulation of laser output power is performed according to disk material and recording speed is known (see for example Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-244054
As a mechanism for performing the multi-pulse modulation of the laser output power when the write strategy technique is employed to drive the laser, there is for example a system (hereinafter referred to also as a superimposition driving system) in which a current pulse component for generating a light emission waveform of multilevel power is superimposed on a bias current component providing the threshold current Ith of the laser, a combined current is thereby generated, and the combined current is supplied to the laser to thereby perform pulse driving of the laser.

Laser driving method and laser driving device


A method and apparatus for correcting non-uniformities in the lens assembly of an electrophoresis apparatus is provided. Assuming a detector with a uniform responsivity as well as a uniform illumination source, correcting for lens non-uniformities allows accurate quantitative measurements of an electrophoresis gel to be made, thus increasing the information which can be obtained from an electrophoretic analysis. Applying the system, the non-uniformities due to the lens assembly are first characterized for a range of aperture and magnification settings. A look-up table is then created which contains the non-uniformities and/or correction data files for the lens assembly according to the aperture and magnification settings. In order to correct a sample image, the aperture and magnification settings used to obtain the sample image are provided to the system processor. These settings may be automatically obtained by the processor or manually input by the user. After the processor receives the lens settings, it applies the look-up table to determine the corresponding lens non-uniformities as well as the necessary correction file. The sample image is then normalized by dividing the sample image file by the appropriate correction file. Once normalized, the corrected sample image file may either be displayed or stored for later use.

In the biotechnical field, fluorescent dyes are routinely used as sensitive, non-isotopic labels. These labels are used to identify and locate a variety of cell structures, ranging from malignant tumors to specific chromosomes in a DNA sequence. A variety of devices have been designed to read fluorescent-labeled samples.
Gel electrophoresis is one technique commonly used in conjunction with fluorescent dyes and other markers to identify specific molecules as well as other tagged units. In this technique an electric field is used to cause the migration of the tagged units through a gel or other solution.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,492 a gel electrophoresis system is disclosed in which samples are treated with fluorescent markers prior to applying them to an electrophoretic gel. The gel is illuminated with a UV source and the fluorescence pattern is detected with a cooled charge-coupled-device (CCD) two-dimensional detector array. The CCD array is cooled to at least -25 degrees C. in order to improve light sensitivity and increase the dynamic range.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,654 a system is disclosed to optically determine which of four fluorophores is fluorescing in an electrophoresis gel. Fluorescence emitted by the gel passes first through four separate band pass filters and then through four wedge prisms. As a result of this optical configuration, the emitted fluorescence is imaged on four discrete areas on the detector array. The specific fluorophore excited by the irradiation source is determined by comparing the relative intensities of the fluorescence detected in the four detection areas.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,323 the disclosed gel electrophoresis system utilizes a vertical electrophoresis plate. A laser beam passes horizontally through the gel in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electrophoresis plate. The emitted fluorescence is reflected to a solid state imaging sensor such that the reflected pattern is parallel to the direction of the laser beam.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,401 a fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis is disclosed which provides for the simultaneous excitation and detection of fluorescent probes within a plurality of capillaries. The excitation source is a laser which is coupled to the capillaries through an optical fiber bundle. The fluorescence from the capillary array is focussed through a lens and imaged onto a CCD camera for analysis.
In a paper by Sutherland et al. entitled "Electronic Imaging System for Direct and Rapid Quantitation of Fluorescence from Electrophoretic Gels: Application to Ethidium Bromide-Stained DNA" published in Analytical Biochemistry 163, 446-457 (1987), the authors describe an imaging system which uses a CCD camera. The CCD camera quantifies the fluorescence received from electrophoretic gels, chromatograms, and other sources. The paper describes several sources of non-uniformities which impact the ability of the system to obtain accurate results.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that an improved electrophoresis apparatus is desired which enables accurate quantitative fluorescence measurements.

Method and apparatus for correcting lens non-uniformities in an electrophoresis apparatus


An apparatus including a temperature dependent circuit is configured to receive a temperature dependent power supply voltage, and further is configured to receive a first input signal and provide a temperature dependent output signal responsive to the input signal. A power control circuit including the temperature dependent circuit is configured to receive a second input signal, and further configured provide a first control voltage based on the first temperature dependent output signal and provide a second control voltage based on the second input signal. The second control voltage has a temperature dependency based on the temperature dependent power supply voltage. A sense amplifier coupled to a pair of digit lines is configured to receive the first and second control voltages and amplify a voltage difference between the digit lines of the pair.

Memory devices are structured to have one or more arrays of memory cells that are arranged, at least logically, in rows and columns. Each memory cell stores data as an electrical charge that is accessed by a digit line associated with the memory cell. A charged memory cell, when the memory cell is accessed, causes a positive change in voltage on the associated digit line, and an accessed memory cell that is not charged causes a negative change in voltage on the associated digit line. The change in voltage on the digit line may be amplified by a sense amplifier to indicate the value of the data state stored in the memory cell.
Conventional sense amplifiers are typically coupled to a pair of complementary digit lines to which a large number of memory cells are coupled. As known in the art, when memory cells are accessed, a row of memory cells is activated and sense amplifiers are used to amplify a data state for a respective column of activated memory cells by coupling each of the digit lines of the selected column to voltage supplies such that the digit lines have complementary voltage levels.
When a memory cell is accessed, the voltage of one of the digit lines increases or decreases slightly, depending on whether the memory cell coupled to the digit line is charged or not, resulting in a voltage difference between the digit lines. While the voltage of one digit line increases or decreases slightly, the other digit line serves as a reference for the sense amplifier. Respective transistors are enabled due to the voltage difference, thereby coupling the slightly higher voltage digit line to a supply voltage and the other digit line to a reference voltage, such as ground to further drive each of the digit lines in opposite directions and amplify the selected digit line signal,
As the process technology of memory devices progresses, memory sense margin is becoming tighter, and the timing of the sense amplifier is becoming important. Particularly, there may be temperature-dependent differences in the timing of certain signals in the sense amplifier. To address such temperature dependence differences, sense amplifier designs that alleviate temperature dependence are desired.

Apparatuses and methods of power supply control for temperature compensated sense amplifiers


A sheet carrier, includes an upstream side sheet carriage part; a downstream side sheet carriage part; an overlapping detection part which is provided between the upstream side sheet carriage part and the downstream side sheet carriage part and is configured to detect an overlap of a front sheet and a rear sheet carried by the upstream side sheet carriage part and the downstream side sheet carriage part; and a driving control part configured to drive the upstream side sheet carriage part and the downstream side sheet carriage part at the time when the sheets are carried so that the sheets are carried via the sheet carriage path, and configured to stop driving the upstream side sheet carriage part and continue driving the downstream side sheet carriage part at the time when the overlap of the sheets is detected by the overlapping detection part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image forming device wherein an image is recorded to a sheet such as a paper or an OHP (Overhead Projector) film by using an electrophotographic method, for example, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, or a complex machine consisting of the copier, the printer, and the facsimile. Furthermore, the present invention generally relates to a sheet carrier, by which the sheet is carried along a sheet carriage path, of a sheet usage device such as the above mentioned image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electrophotographic type image forming device having a sheet carrier described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, No. 11-59965, is used. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, in this kind of sheet carrier, a sheet S sent from a sheet loading part 1 is carried to a drum-shaped photoconductor body 3 via a sheet carriage path 2. Then, a toner image formed on the photoconductor body 3 is transferred to the sheet S by a transcription roller 4, with the rotation of the photoconductor body 3.
In this sheet carrier, a first sheet carriage part 5, a second sheet carriage part 6, a third sheet carriage part 7, and a fourth sheet carriage part 8 are provided in sequence from the sheet loading part 1 to a downstream side along the sheet carriage path 2. Detection parts a, b, and c are provided at a just downstream positions from the first sheet carriage part 5, the second sheet carriage part 6, and the third sheet carriage part 7, respectively. A detection part d is provided at a just upstream position from the fourth sheet carriage part 8.
The first sheet carriage part 5 includes a pick up roller 5a forming a sheet feeding part, a feed roller 5b forming a separation part of FRR separation type, and a reverse roller 5c.
If a sheet feeding signal is on, the pick up roller 5a descends and rotates so that the sheets S loaded at the sheet loading part 1 are picked up by the pick up roller 5a from an upper side in sequence. Thee sheets S are separated and sent by the feed roller 5b and the reverse roller 5c. The sheet S is carried by a pair of the carriage rollers 6a and 6b of the second sheet carriage part 6 and a pair of carriage rollers 7a and 7b of the third sheet carriage part 7 via the sheet carriage path 2. A head end part of the sheet S is carried into resist rollers 8a and 8b of the fourth sheet carriage part 8 so as to be stopped and thereby a skew is corrected. After that, the resist rollers 8a and 8b are started rotating in timing with the toner image of the photoconductor body 3 so that the image position is adjusted and the sheet S is sent to a lower side of the photoconductor body 3.
When the head end of the carried sheet S is detected by the first detection part a, the rotation of the pick up roller 5a is stopped. When the head end of the carried sheet S is detected by the second detection part b, the rotations of the feed roller 5b and reverse roller 5c are stopped. When the head end of the carried sheet S is detected by the third detection part c, image writing to the photoconductor body 3 starts. The rotations of the carriage rollers 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b are stopped, after the head end is detected by the fourth detection part d and a designated time (time interval) passes.
Thus, the head end of the carried sheet S is detected so that the rotations of the pick up roller 5a, the feed back roller 5b, the reverse roller 5c, and the carriage rollers 6a, 6b, 7a, and 7b are stopped and the image writing starts. In addition, the head end part of the carried sheet S is carried into resist rollers 8a and 8b of the fourth sheet carriage part 8 so as to be stopped. Hence, when the image is recorded to the sheet S continuously, it is necessary to make a proper space between the sheets in front and behind.
However, due to increase in demand for providing image forming devices having high performance in order to be distinguishable from other companies' products, it is desired to increase the number of sheets where the image is recorded, per unit time. Thus, if a speed for recording the image is increased by making the performance of a motor high, it causes an increase of cost and noise, and reduces durability. If the space between the sheets in front and behind is made as small as possible, it is possible to increase the number of sheets where the image is recorded, per unit time, without making the performance of the motor high.
However, in the sheet carrier where such an FRR separation method is applied, the sheets S loaded at the sheet loading part 1 are picked up by the pick up roller 5a from the upper side in sequence. The sheets S are separated and sent by the feed roller 5b and the reverse roller 5c. Therefore, when the front sheet S is sent, the position of the head end of the rear sheet S is made non-uniform between the head end position p of the loaded sheet and the separation nip position q of the separation part.
Because of this, if the space between the sheets S in front and behind is made as small as possible, at the greatest, the front and rear sheets are carried under a state where the rear end of the front sheet S and the head end of the rear sheet S are overlapped by a length of space h between the head end position p of the loaded sheet and the separation nip position q of the separation part.
Carriage of the sheets S under a state where the front sheet and rear sheet are overlapped causes the following problems. First, it is difficult to detect the head end of the rear sheet S and therefore it is difficult to stop the rotations of the pick up roller 5a, the feed roller 5b, the reverse roller 5c, and the carriage rollers 6a, 6b, 7a, and 7b, and start the image recording. Secondly, it is difficult to stop the sheet S in a state where the head end part of the sheet S is carried into resist rollers 8a and 8b of the fourth sheet carriage part 8.


In one aspect, valve seats are described herein having structure and design addressing degradative stresses encountered by valve seats during installation and operation in fluid ends. In some embodiments, a valve seat for use in a fluid end comprises a first section for insertion into a fluid passageway of the fluid end and a second section extending longitudinally from the first section, the second section has an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the first section. The second section also comprises a frusto-conical valve mating surface, wherein the second section is encased in a ring imparting a compressive stress condition to the second section.

Valves and associated valve assemblies play a critical role in fluid ends of high pressure pumps incorporating positive displacement pistons in multiple cylinders. Operating environments of the valves are often severe due to high pressures and cyclical impact between the valve body and the valve seat. These severe operating conditions can induce premature failure and/or leakage of the valve assembly. Moreover, fluid passing through the fluid end and contacting the valve assembly can include high levels of particulate matter from hydraulic fracturing operations. In hydraulic fracturing, a particulate slurry is employed to maintain crack openings in the geological formation after hydraulic pressure from the well is released. In some embodiments, alumina particles are employed in the slurry due to higher compressive strength of alumina relative to silica particles or sand. The particulate slurry can impart significant wear on contact surfaces of the valve and valve seat. Additionally, slurry particles can become trapped in the valve sealing cycle, resulting in further performance degradation of the valve assembly.
In view of these problems, valve seats have been fabricated from a variety of hard and wear resistant materials, including cemented carbide. While exhibiting high hardness and wear resistance, carbide valve seats can undergo occasional catastrophic failure due to stresses induced in the carbide from installation and removal forces, application loading and the press fit with the fluid end.

Valve seats and valve assemblies for fluid end applications


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that determines whether a sub-resolution assist feature will print. During operation, the system receives a layout which contains a sub-resolution assist feature. Next, the system determines whether the sub-resolution assist feature will print using a process model and the layout. The process model is determined using first process data and second process data. The first process data is obtained using a first layout which is exposed using a first exposure level. The second process data is obtained using a second layout which is exposed using a second exposure level, which is different from the first exposure level. The second exposure level causes the sub-resolution assist features within the second layout to print.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor design and manufacturing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining whether a sub-resolution assist feature will print.
2. Related Art
Dramatic improvements in semiconductor manufacturing technologies presently make it possible to integrate tens of millions of devices onto a single chip.
Semiconductor manufacturing technologies typically include a number of processes which involve complex physical and chemical interactions. Since it is almost impossible to find exact formulae to predict the behavior of these complex interactions, researchers typically use process models which are fit to empirical data to predict the behavior of these processes. A process model can be used in a number of applications during the design of a semiconductor chip. For example, process models are commonly used for making corrections to layouts to compensate for undesirable effects of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
One of the important steps in semiconductor manufacturing involves placing assist features in a layout. Assist features (AFs) can be printing (e.g., super-resolution assist features) or non-printing (e.g., sub-resolution assist features). In either case, assist features are meant to improve the depth of focus of the layout.
The larger the SRAF (sub-resolution assist feature), the more effective the SRAF will be in improving a pattern's manufacturing robustness. However, larger SRAFs are also more likely to print on a wafer. Hence, to determine the optimal SRAF width, we need to accurately predict when an SRAF will print.
Unfortunately, process models created using prior art techniques usually cannot accurately predict when an SRAF will print. As a result, foundries typically use very conservative SRAF widths (i.e., overly thin SRAFs) everywhere on the wafer, thereby forfeiting the advantages of using SRAFs.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for accurately determining whether a sub-resolution assist feature will print.

Method and apparatus for determining whether a sub-resolution assist feature will print


Method for producing a blend of a plastic first material and a wood or other plant second material in a planetary roller extrusion arrangement. The method involves feeding particles of the second material into a feed, which particles of the second material have a maximum diameter of 1 mm. Particles of the first material are fed into a melting device and liquefied into a plastic melt. The plastic melt is fed into a pump. Particles of the second material are moved into a planetary roller part of the extrusion arrangement, while the plastic melt is also pumped in. The particles of the second material are then blended with the plastic melt to form a blend that is at least 60% by weight of the second material.

1. Technical Field
The present application concerns the blend of plastics with wood particles or other plant particles or the like. As far in the following only wood or only wood particles are mentioned, then this includes other plants and plant particles.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
Plastics are used in manifold applications:                molded parts, work pieces, blocks, boards, films, webs, coatings, tubes, hoses, bars, rods, profiles, bands, strings, wires, bristles, grids, adhesives, lacquers, glues, pastes, mastics, binders, colours, plasters, spittle, casting compounds, sealing masses, melt and coating materials, gels, filaments, brins, threads, silks, strands, mats, fleeces, fabrics.
Plastics can consist of monomers and/or polymers. Often it is a blend, whereas also blends of other materials than plastics are found. This applies especially for the production of plastic foam.
For the compounding of plastics the use of extruders is commonly used.
By means of an extruder the used material can be very well melted, mixed and homogenized and dispersed respectively.
Moreover, the used material can simultaneously be heated or cooled. For heating or cooling there are heating and cooling lines in the extruder shell and, where necessary, in the spindles. In addition, the deformation of the used material performed by the extruder spindles causes a considerable heating.
Very difficult materials can be blended in the extruder. Wood and plastics are belonging to the materials difficult to blend. Thereby the wood is supplied in small particles into the extruder and there wrapped with plastic. In order to provoke the wrapping the plastic must be plasticised. This happens under corresponding heating and under pressure. However, the heat is only very badly transported by the wood. Moreover, the wood is very porous. As per an older proposal there might be the danger that the plastic will be pressed disproportionately into the pores and will be unevenly distributed and no all-sided wrapping of the wood particles will take place.
The wood-plastic blend is also described as wood substitute.
Wood is used in several fields of application. Furniture, interior fittings, trade fair construction, even automotive linings.
With regard to the furniture you have to distinguish between furniture where wood is only construction material and furniture where wood is used as visible surface.
For upholstered furniture wood is mostly used as construction material.
Generally all upholsteries have a solid substructure, e.g. a frame, also called rack. In and at the rack there are optionally mounted seats, backrests and armrests as well as feet. Optionally the rack forms also directly the seat, backrests and armrests or vice versa. The material out of which the rack is produced is the construction material.
Traditionally the frames for upholsteries are produced of wood. Boards and sticks are used. Wood has the advantage that the single parts can be connected with each other as well as with the upholstery and the upholstery cover by the so-called stapling. For the stapling u-shaped fasteners are used. The fastener replaces the bullen-nails of the former days.
Other furniture show the wood as visible, decoration or ornament areas respectively.
To some extent only specific rare kinds of wood fulfil the requested requirements for this. Rare lumber is relatively expensive. Since long it is therefore state of the technology to cut veneers out of rare wood which forms the visible surface. Veneers comprise thin, filmy woodcuts. A considerable waste occurs when the veneers shall be processed like the wood is grown.
By the blend of wood and plastic an advantageous wood substitute occurs.
Instead of wood also other comminuted plants can be used. Optionally an extrudate is generated from plastic and wood and other additives, which is foamed or unfoamed. At low wood proportion in the extrudate you speak of an armouring or about the use of wood as filler. In the USA you speak of a wood substitute if the wood proportion in the blend has reached a weight proportion of 50%. For example, boards made of the blend of wood and plastic with the indicated blending proportion are common practice in the USA. The US-market accepts this. An example for the blends usual in the USA shows the WO 02/103113A.
The European market only accepts a wood substitute in the visible area only, if the appearance of the material is essentially similar to wood. Thereby 70% and more of wood are required.
However, an enduring outdoor application free of defects could up to now not be reached with such a material.
For the use of other plant components, e.g. straw instead of wood is similar with the wood. To some extent the plant part have a lower stability than wood. As far as the stability is concerned the blend must be changed accordingly. As further plant components also grain grist and comminuted hay can be used.
As per an older proposal the plastic proportion of the extrudate shall be reduced as far as possible. Thereby wood proportions at the extrudate of 60 to 95 wght % referred to the blend are aimed for. The optimal plastic proportion shall be added against the blend proportions, the processing and the intended characteristic values of the blend.
As per the older proposal the dimensions of the plant particles are destined by the traversing of the particles in the extruder when using traditional extruders. Thereby the traversing is determined by the clearance of the moving extruder parts in the extruder and by the opening width of the die gap. The traversing can be determined by means of the known machine data. Then the dimensions of the plant particles, admissible for the respective extruder, can be determined. For safety reasons, you can choose smaller dimensions of the plant particles than the above described traversing.
Alternatively, as per the older proposal the traversing of the extruder can be adjusted to the requested particle size. This is done by means of the new construction of the extruder or the exchange of construction parts, e.g. the exchange of the extruder screw, the die or the liner in the extruder housing. Modern extruders have a liner in the extruder housing, in which the screws are rotating.
As plastics all extrudable plastics can be considered, especially Polyethylene (PE), Polystyrene (PS), Polyurethane (PU) and Polypropylene (PP). Commonly desired is the use of PE.
The bonding agents can compensate a lack of adhesion of plastics with plant particles and wood respectively.
Bonding agents generate molecular bridges at the interfaces between the materials to be connected, here the plastic.
As far as also other fillers or armouring materials/reinforcing agents like e.g. glass fibers are used, the bonding agents can also have the task to increase the adhesion to these other materials. Bonding agents can be VC (vinyl chloride)-copolymers, phenolic resins, cautchouc derivates or acrylic resins without or with PF (phenol-formaldehyde)- and EP(epoxy)-resins.
As bonding agents are known generally also EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate-copolymers; It might also already be sufficient to make the plant particles water-repellent, i.e. to decrease the surface tension.
Traditionally the plastic is supplied as granulate with plant particles and additives into the extruder. Optionally the granulates contain already a blend of plastic and additives.
By means of drying the humidity can be reduced to every degree required for the extrusion. Not always a minimal degree of humidity is required, but optionally a destined moisture content by which you can influence the extrusion process and/or the condition of the extrudate.
So far, twin-screw extruders have been regarded as especially favourable because these extruders have:                a very high feed effect        a very good pressure build-up.
Advantageously, extruders from different elements and section of different kind of construction respectively can be assembled. Therefore it is possible to insert for the plasticising zone an element in the construction type of a twin-screw extruder, being advantageous there, and to combine this element in other extruder zones with other kinds of construction, having there advantages. Thus, a single-screw extruder section can be used in the feeding zone with which the pressure build-up can be presented advantageously. For the blend and homogenization other sections will be better.
Under pressure and temperature the plastic is melting. In the further step of the blend used through the extruder the blend will be homogenized. For the homogenization zone and the dispersion zone it is of advantage to us there extruder elements having a high mixing capacity. These are for example elements in the design of a planetary roller extruder. This element has simultaneously a high cooling effect by which the processing temperature can be controlled very exactly. Depending on type of plant and type of wood respectively and depending on the plastic an optimal processing temperature for the melt is resulting. The temperature can e.g. amount up to 200° C. at a max. dwell time (temperature loading time) of 15 min. At a shorter duration the max. temperature can be higher than at a longer duration.
At the further extrusion a differentiation must be made between the extrusion of unfoamed plastic and the extrusion of foamed plastic.
The residual moisture can serve as lubricant. The residual moisture can also enter into chemical reaction. For example the moisture can enter into reaction with the lignin of the plant particles. Surprisingly an ameliorated adhesion between wood and plastic can be caused by this. The adequate content of moisture/lignin can be tested by variation of the moisture and variation of the lignin content. Lignin is also available in customary liquid form.
In case no water is desired at the extrusion, this can be counteracted by drying of the plant particles before the extrusion. In addition or instead of the drying the moisture can be eliminated after the vaporization in the extruder by means of the degassing. The degassing can occur immediately after the vaporization. This takes place regularly in the plasticization zone. There the necessary heating takes place. This heating results from the forming works during plasticization and, if necessary, by supply of heat. The heat supply can take place e.g. via a heating-cooling system in the extruder housing.
The degassing takes place, if requested, latest directly in front of the extrusion die.
The degassing requires that the melt pressure will be reduced.
Known is also the degassing by use of two extruders in tandem arrangement at the transfer between the two extruders.
The degassing can also take place in one extruder. The necessary pressure reduction in the melt can be carried out by different measures, e.g. by change of the pitch of the screw in the extruder.
For the degassing the melt can also be taken-off out of the extruder and led via a degassing device and returned again into the extruder.
By this, the pressure control can be essentially made easier by interconnection of a melt pump. This is valid also for the pressure directly in front of the extrusion die (tool). Here the pressure can be kept additionally constant by means of the melt pump and thus the quality of the extrudate can be improved.
The higher the wood proportion in the blend, the bigger is the danger that the material will be no longer suitable for an outdoor application. The known materials decompose after some time due to steady changes of freeze/thaw. A further disadvantage of the known materials a disproportionate swelling which easily leads to bigger damages or for which oversized expansion joint must be considered.
Moreover, the wear of the extrusion line will be increased with an increasing wood proportion.
The wear reduces the efficiency of the line.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Adapter module securable to a socket frame, integrated circuit module assembly and method for securing a heat dissipation device in direct thermal communication with an integrated circuit module. The socket frame is positioned over a substrate having a land grid array and the frame is secured to the substrate. The frame defines a well for selectively receiving the integrated circuit module in electronic communication with the land grid array. The adapter module is secured to the frame and extends outside the perimeter of the frame. The adapter provides a feature outside the perimeter of the frame for fastening the heat dissipation device. Furthermore, the adapter body is secured to the frame without adding holes through the substrate, such as by extending under the frame to be secured between the frame and substrate, or by extending over the frame to be secured between the frame and fasteners.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to connector assemblies for securing a heat dissipation device in thermal communication with a microprocessor that is secured to a circuit substrate, such as a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
High performance computer systems and server systems include increasingly complex, high signal speed, integrated circuit devices or microprocessors secured to printed circuit boards to accommodate efficient electronic interconnections within a small spatial footprint. These electronic interconnections are commonly made using a land grid array (LGA) that provides high density, mechanically loaded interconnects between the microprocessor and the printed circuit board. The LGA allows for reliable and efficient interconnection, test and replacement of very costly module configurations while circumventing the inherent reliability and process limitations associated with soldering of large area array packages.
The interconnection of a land grid array of a microprocessor to a printed circuit board involves a high area density of electronic contacts. These contacts must be highly reliable over a range of operating environments. Accordingly, a common method of interconnecting microprocessor to a printed circuit board utilizes a socket that is physically secured to the printed circuit board to precisely align the land grid array of the microprocessor with the land grid array of the printed circuit board, with or without an interposer. Due to the high area density of the contacts in the land grid arrays, the socket must be designed for accurate and stable positioning on the printed circuit board, as well as accurate and stable positioning of the microprocessor within the socket. In order to achieve these objectives, the dimensional tolerances of the socket are very tight.
Furthermore, variations in the mechanical load placed on the electronic contacts of the land grid array should be minimized. Such variations have been reduced by using springs to uniformly distribute the applied load and backing plates to provide support to the back side of the printed circuit board. These mechanical systems may also be responsible for the support of heat sinks in direct contact with the microprocessor to support cooling of the microprocessor during operation.
Still, the demand for precise positioning, loading, and cooling of microprocessors can be at odds with efforts to provide higher performance in less space. For example, the layout of devices on the printed circuit board must consider spatial interference between adjacent components on the board, as well other adjacent components within the same enclosure. Furthermore, increasing the number of holes in the circuit board can reduce the strength of the board and potentially interfere with circuit layout on the board. Socket designs must be efficient to avoid consuming excessive real estate on the printed circuit board and heat sinks must be designed and arranged to work efficiently without employing dimensions that would unduly enlarge the enclosure.
Therefore, there remains a need for an improved method and apparatus for securing microprocessors and heat sinks in computer systems and other consumer and industrial electronics devices. It would be desirable for such a method and apparatus to provide greater flexibility in the installation and design of the individual components, as well as the layout of the entire system.

Method and apparatus for securing a microprocessor and heat sink using fewer mounting holes

International Business Machines Corporation


A packaging machine for producing hinge-lid boxes for cigarettes has a rotating folding turret which has a plurality of pockets (21) which are open in the radial direction. For the purpose of securing blanks (11) or partially completed hinge-lid boxes (10) in the pockets (21) of the folding turret, protrusions (32) are arranged in the pockets (21) and have a supporting surface (34) for abutting a closure edge (18) of an inner side tab (14) of the blank (11). For the purpose of discharging a hinge-lid box (10) from the pocket (21), the retaining force which is exerted by the protrusion (32) is overcome.

The invention relates to a packaging machine for producing packs, in particular of the hinge-lid box type, having a rotating folding turret on whose circumference there are arranged a plurality of--approximately--radially directed pockets of U-shaped cross-section, open on the radially outer side for forming a filling opening, for receiving blanks or partially completed packs, the U-shaped folded blanks abutting the pocket side walls with side tabs and lid side tab, said side tabs, on the one hand, and lid side tabs, on the other hand, being delimited from one another by obliquely directed closure edges and lid closure edges, respectively.
The use of hinge-lid boxes or hinge-lid packs as cigarette packs is very common throughout the world. In the case of the internationally accepted configuration of this type of pack, a pivotable lid is arranged on a box part. Narrow side walls of the hinge-lid box comprise two layers, namely, in the region of the box part, an inner side tab and an outer side tab. Analogously to this, lid side walls comprise an inner lid side tab and an outer side tab. The box part and lid are separated off from one another, in the region of the front wall and side walls, by closure edges. The latter run obliquely in the region of the side walls.
The packaging machines for producing such packs are operating more and more with high folding-turret rotational speeds. This results in centrifugal forces acting on the blanks or partially completed packs in the pockets. If the pockets are configured with a U-shaped cross-section and an open radially outer side, there is a risk of the blanks or packs sliding out of the pocket. The problem outlined primarily arises in the case of packaging machines in which the plate-like folding turret is arranged so as to rotate about a vertical axis.

Packaging machine for producing hinge-lid boxes


An apparatus for the management of time during a visual presentation such as a talk with slides includes an optical emitter surface and focusing assembly for presentation of a progress plot in circular or linear format onto a presentation display shared by a presentation image. A user interface with policies and rules is operative with a controller for an optical emitter to automatically provide and adjust the brightness and contrast level, select optimal regions for placement of the progress image, and generate the optical image which is displayed in superposition with, or adjacent to, the presentation image.

In conference settings where a speaker is presenting an informational lecture or talk accompanied by visual slides or presentation materials, the speaker's attention is often directed to the presentation materials projected on a screen behind the presenter, and the presenter is further distracted by the process of fully describing the details contained in the images being presented, which usually appear in outline form in the presentation materials, or occasionally with visual detail the speaker uses as a prompt to describe the various aspects of the presentation which is present in the projected image. The expansion of concepts shown in the slides into the spoken comments of the presentation can consume greatly varying intervals of time from presentation to presentation, as the same set of images may be used in a range of presentations to different audiences. In a presentation to an audience of generalists, many details may be omitted in favor of general concepts, whereas when the presentation is delivered to an audience of peers or other specialists, additional details may be described at great length. This presents a challenge to the organizer of a conference who is responsible for keeping the conference program on a timely schedule, which is typically accomplished by allocating a fixed interval of time for each presenter, optionally with an additional increment of time allocated for interactive questions and answers with the speaker. It is a commonplace occurrence at a research conference for a researcher to become emotionally invested in describing the work he or she has been advancing over the course of the months or years, and during delivery of the talk become quite caught up in the excitement of the discovery being presented, or in describing details of an intricate aspect which may be of special interest to a particular audience, causing the presenter to completely lose track of time.
In one prior art system, a light panel with a green lamp, yellow lamp, and red lamp are placed on the podium, but a speaker who is wrapped up in his or her presentation often becomes oblivious to these visual warnings, particularly when facing the presentation screen while using a laser pointer to highlight regions of the slide being presented, which places the warning light panel at the presenter's back and out of visual range.
In another prior art device, a visual indication is incorporated into the projector system using software. A problem arises in this type of system where the projector is provided by the facility, and the projector operates as a video peripheral with the video interface connected to the presenter's laptop or portable computer which contains the presentation but may not have time management software installed. A similar problem arises where the presenter is using transparencies or other media which are projected onto a reflective screen for viewing, for which no computer or display peripheral may be in use by the presenter.
It is desired to provide a visual indication of time remaining in a presentation, or track the progress in the presentation, using an apparatus which does not rely on the use of a particular software installed on the presenter's computer, is under the conference organizer's control, and is visible to the presenter by appearing directly on the screen that displays his or her presentation.

Time management display for reflective screen


Planetary gear systems, transmissions, and apparatuses include at least one non-fixed annular gear, at least one non-fixed sun gear, at least one compound planet gear meshed between the at least one non-fixed annular gear and the at least one non-fixed sun gear, and at least one fixed gear meshed with the at least one compound planet gear. Rotational input to one of the at least one non-fixed annular gear and the at least one non-fixed sun gear results in an opposite rotational output of the other of the at least one non-fixed annular gear and the at least one non-fixed sun gear.

With reference to the schematic illustrations of FIGS. 1-2, prior art planetary gear trains 10 include a series of planet gears 12, a sun gear 14, an annular, or ring, gear 16, and a carrier 18. The sun gear and the annular gear are coaxially aligned, with the planet gears being spaced around and meshed between the sun gear and the annular gear. The carrier interconnects the rotational axes of the planet gears. One of the sun gear and the annular gear is grounded, or fixed, with the other of the sun gear and the annular gear being freely rotatable, or unfixed. Accordingly, with reference to FIG. 1, when the sun gear is fixed, a rotational input of the annular gear results in a rotational output of the carrier, and vice versa. With reference to FIG. 2, when the annular gear is fixed, a rotational input of the sun gear results in a rotation output of the carrier, and vice versa. In both configurations and as schematically indicated in FIGS. 1-2, the rotational direction of the input is the same as the rotational direction of the output.
Planetary gear trains are used in a variety of applications to transmit a rotational input having a frequency of rotation (e.g., rotations per minute, or RPM) and torque to a rotational output having a different frequency of rotation and/or torque. When compared to other configurations of transmissions, planetary gear trains typically provide the advantages of a coaxial input and output, a compact and radially symmetrical design, and a high efficiency of energy transfer (i.e., low frictional losses); however, significant forces are required to be transferred between the planet gears and the carrier, resulting in heavy bearing assemblies being required. Moreover, regular maintenance and lubrication of the bearing assemblies are required.
In applications associated with rotorcraft, such as the transmission of a high RPM and low torque engine input to a low RPM and high torque rotor output with a reduction ratio on the order of 60:1, the weight and maintenance of the transmission components can be significant. Existing rotorcraft transmissions rely on a high final drive ratio to reduce or eliminate intermediate reduction stages, which minimizes overall transmission system weight. However, prior art transmissions that utilize planetary gear trains rely on large diameter planet gears to achieve the desired high final drive ratio, and because force is transferred to the carrier by the center of the planet gears via bearing assemblies, the mechanical advantage of the transmission is limited by the diameter of the planet gears. As such, larger planet gears are needed to achieve higher reduction ratios. Larger planet gears limit the number of planet gears that can be used, increase system weight, increase system envelope, and reduce load sharing across multiple planet gears. Accordingly, there is a need for lighter weight, lower maintenance, larger reduction ratios, and smaller envelopes associated with planetary gear trains, such as in applications associated with rotorcraft.


There is provided a sensor node management method in which a user is unconscious of a service break even when a sensor mode has failed among a plurality of sensor nodes assuming intermittent operation. Moreover, it is possible to provide a flexible sensor node management method capable of freely modifying the observation grading (space, time) in accordance with a user's desire. A base station (30) for containing a plurality of intermittently operating sensor modes includes a sensor management table (4) for managing the sensor nodes, a group management table (5) for grouping a plurality of sensor nodes, and an operation timing control unit (3). The operation timing control unit (3) decides the operation interval and the relationship for starting each of the sensor nodes. Moreover, the base station and the sensor node have a counter value as a reference of the sensor node operation interval and the operation start phase, which are periodically synchronized.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for a sensor network in which real-world information is obtained using sensors and used at a remote location through the network. Existing Internet services are limited to virtual-space services. The sensor network essentially differs from the current Internet in that the sensor network is integrated with a real space. When integration with a real space can be achieved, various services dependent on situations such as time and location can be realized. Traceability is realized by connecting a variety of objects existing in the real space to the network, thereby making it possible to meet social needs for "safety" in a broad sense, needs for efficient inventory control work, and other needs. The sensors directly monitor a real space in terms of the temperature, the degree of soil contamination, the number of engine rotation, etc. and obtained data is shared through the network. Further, a physical action can be performed via an actuator or the like.
A key to realizing a sensor network is employing compact wireless nodes as described in "The Platforms Enabling Wireless Sensor Networks" in COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM, June 2004/Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 41 to 46. Compact wireless sensor nodes require no additional wiring (for power lines and communication lines) and no frequent battery replacement thanks to low-power consumption, and can easily be attached to various things or installed at various locations. As an advantage of compact wireless nodes, wide applications are expected as described below. For example, when compact wireless nodes are installed at buildings, plants, or various electronic devices, it will be possible to sense physical quantities, and to perform remote maintenance/monitoring and automatic replenishment of consumables. When multiple sensor nodes are installed in the natural world, it is possible to perform disaster monitoring and environmental monitoring by sensing signs of a landslide, a flood, and a forest fire before those disasters occur.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a typical compact wireless sensor node. A compact wireless sensor node 10 requires no power line connected to an external power supply. Instead, the compact wireless sensor node 10 uses, as its own power supply 11, a small battery built in the node itself or a power source obtained from nature, such as solar power generation, to perform data processing and transmission and reception processing. In order to utilize such limited power as effectively as possible, power required for the sensor node needs to be thoroughly reduced. The sensor node 10 includes a sensor 14, a controller 13 realized by a microprocessor for controlling data transmission and reception, and a radio processing unit 12, all of which have minimum capabilities in order to realize power saving. Sensing data processed in the radio processing unit 12 is sent, via an antenna 15, to another sensor node 10 or to a base station that accommodates the sensor node 10.
FIG. 3 shows the timing of intermittent operation characterizing the compact wireless node 10. In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis indicates time and the vertical axis indicates consumed current. The compact wireless node 10 is periodically activated to be in an operating state 220 (sensing and radio processing), and otherwise in a sleep state 230, thereby performing an intermittent operation for reducing standby power consumption. A method of managing a sensor network through clustering to suppress battery power consumption in the sensor network is described in "Energy-Efficient Communication Protocol for Wireless Microsensor Networks", written by Wendi Rabiner Heinzelman et al, IEEE Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Jan. 4 to 7, 2000, Maui, Hi. In the method named Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH), a group (referred to as cluster) is composed of multiple sensor nodes. From the cluster, one sensor node called a cluster head is selected. The cluster head is always activated to play a representative role to relay data sent from another sensor node in the cluster to another cluster or to a base station. Since the sensor nodes other than the cluster head in the cluster do not need to be always activated, the sensor nodes are activated only at their own timing to send information while in a sleep state at the other periods. Thus, standby power consumption can be saved. The cluster head is not fixed but is dynamically selected from among the sensor nodes in the cluster based on the remaining power, or is selected at random, to balance the power consumption in the cluster. As described above, LEACH aims at improving the lifetime of the entire sensor network by dynamically performing coordination in units of clusters.
Although the sensor network aims at improving the lifetime of the entire sensor network, each sensor node with a simplified configuration does not have a countermeasure against service interruption caused by battery replacement or sensor failure.
In the Internet world, a method called load balance is often used to avoid service interruption. Referring to FIG. 4, a description is given to the load balance of a server for performing processing for a particular purpose. Discussed is a case where a user 120 accesses servers 100-1 to 100-3 for realizing multiple identical processings, via the Internet. A load balancer 140 is provided before the servers 100. The load balancer 140 periodically monitors the operating states and the loads of the multiple servers 100-1 to 100-3, provided thereafter. In response to a request sent from the user 120, the load balancer 140 selects, based on a predetermined policy, a server having the lowest processing load or a server having a higher response speed, for example, and performs task assignment. The load balancer 140 does not use a server that has failed unexpectedly or a server that needs maintenance, so the user can always access a server without service interruption.


A control method for a recording device includes image processing of applying an effect to a moving image, and controlling to record the moving image into a recording medium, when recording a moving image obtained by image capturing. In the image processing, an effect is applied to a moving image corresponding to a partial period of a normal moving image to be recorded into the recording medium with no effect being applied. In the controlling, control is performed to connect the normal moving image to which no effect is applied and a moving image created by applying the effect to the moving image corresponding to the partial period of the normal moving image, to record the normal moving image and the created moving image into the recording medium as a continuous moving image.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to moving image capturing in an imaging apparatus and to a method for recording a moving image.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been increasing opportunities for many users to perform moving image capturing using imaging apparatuses such as digital cameras and smartphones.
Some of the users create works by applying special effects to the captured moving images by using editing software, or by processing the captured moving images, e.g., by combining the moving images.
However, there is such a problem that editing a moving image involves a long time and a heavy load for reasons such as a large file size of moving image data and recompression accompanying the editing.
In this connection, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-123210 discusses capturing and recording a slow-motion moving image together with a still image when capturing an image, thereby automatically obtaining a time-series image having an impressive video effect.
However, the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-123210 records only a moving image to which a reproduction effect is added, and does not record a moving image to which no reproduction effect is added.

Imaging apparatus and control method for recording device


The compound intraocular lens ("CIOL") of the present invention includes a preexisting lens within the eye (which can be either of the crystalline lens of the eye, a conventional IOL or a base lens of a multi-component IOL) used as a platform for support (i.e., the "support lens") a cap situated on the support lens, and a sandwich lens which is sandwiched between the support lens and the cap lens. Utilizing a pre-existing implanted IOL or the crystalline lens of the eye, a surgeon can modify a patient's vision characteristics merely by utilizing the cap and sandwich lenses in conjunction with the pre-existing implanted IOL or the crystalline lens of the eye. The CIOL has several enhanced features: (1) it can be configured as a monofocal, multi-focal, tri-focal or bifocal optical system; (2) it can be configured to correct astigmatism, if desired; (3) it can be comprised of ultraviolet light-absorbing material; (4) it can be comprised of tinted materials if desired; and (5) the components may be comprised of chemically-treated materials to decrease their cellular reactivity.

The present invention relates to a compound intraocular lens ("CIOL") for an eye.
During the last several decades, there has been a tremendous evolution of technology and an escalation of interest in refractive surgery for the eye. The most commonly performed refractive surgical procedure, cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation, as well as more recently popularized corneal refractive surgical procedures, have a number of drawbacks and limitations. The lack of postoperative refractive accuracy vis-a-vis glasses and/or contact lenses is a common problem and is seen in all of these techniques. Those factors affecting the accuracy of IOL surgery include wound-induced or pre-existing astigmatism, anterior chamber depth and axial length measurement error.
A lack of refractive stability further complicates all known corneal procedures. Surgeons agree that the desired outcome of refractive surgery is to allow the patient to see without external correction with vision acuity approximately equivalent to the level the patient had with correction prior to surgery. Therefore, the refractive endpoint must hover between 20/20 and 20/25 uncorrected acuity in 95-99% of cases. Currently, the refractive accuracy of both IOL and corneal procedures falls significantly short of this goal. See Werblin, T. P. and Stafford, G. M., "The Casebeer System for Predictable Corneal Refractive Surgery. One Year Evaluation of 211 Consecutive Patients," Vol. 100 Ophthalmology at 1095-1102 (1993); Holladay, J. T. and Prager, T. C., et al., "Improving the Predictability of Intraocular Lens Power Calculations," Vol. 104 Arch Ophthalmology at 539-541 (1988); Werblin, M.D., Ph.D., T. P., "Should We Consider Clear Lens Extraction for Routine Refractive Surgery," Vol. 8 Journal of Refractive & Corneal Surgery at 480-81 (November/December 1992). These procedures have accuracy rates of +/-0.5 D to 1.0 D, resulting in 95-99% of patients postoperatively achieving 20/40 or better uncorrected vision. The goal of 20/25 or better uncorrected vision can be achieved only if the standard deviation of the refractive procedure is +/-0.25 D, at least twice the accuracy of any existing refractive surgical procedure.
Moreover, in traditional intraocular lens applications, the lens cannot be modified or enhanced once in place in the eye. The ability to fine-tune or enhance radial keratotomy to allow an increased level of accuracy as stated above depends upon another series of wound/healing events which are somewhat unpredictable (at least .+-.0.15 D).
Accordingly, there is a need for an intraocular lens which can be modified or enhanced once it is in place within the eye. There is also a need to be able to modify traditional intraocular lenses put in place following corneal transplant surgery.
Additionally, there is a need for an intraocular lens which can improve the current +/-0.75 D to 1.0 D refractive accuracy of IOL surgery to a desired +/-0.25 D.
Moreover, there is a further need for an IOL system which will allow the surgeon to postoperatively titrate the refraction after the patient's eye has healed from the initial surgery and the IOL position within the eye is stabilized.
Moreover, there is a need for an IOL system in which, in addition to being adjustable for spherical corrections, can accurately correct astigmatic errors, either congenital or induced, or which can include titratable cylindrical, multi-focal, bi-focal, tri-focal or predictable astigmatic corrections.


An image display apparatus connected to a printer, for displaying an image to be printed by the printer, includes display section for displaying taken image data as a thumbnail, control section for generating edited image data by editing the taken image data selected by a user and generating an additional thumbnail of the edited image data, and select section for selecting a taken image displayed on the display means to be edited, an editing operation for the taken image, and a print image. As the taken image is edited, the control means displays the additional thumbnail of the edited image data in addition to a thumbnail of the taken image data on the display means to allow each of the thumbnail and the additional thumbnail to be selected as the print image.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus for displaying an image to be printed, and more particularly to an image display apparatus capable of reading an image from an external storage medium, editing the image, and printing the edited image with a printer apparatus.
2. Background Art
A print kiosk terminal has been installed and widely used at a public site such as a large scale electric home appliance sales store, a station and a hotel, for printing an image taken with an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera and a mobile phone with a camera. The print kiosk terminal of this type reads image data from a memory card inserted by a user, and displays a list of thumbnails of the image data on a monitor. The user specifies an image to be printed from the thumbnail images displayed on the monitor as a list, to thereby print it out.
The print kiosk terminal of this type can also designate a print size of each thumbnail image displayed as a list on the monitor and set the number of print copies to print the selected image in the designated size and by the designated number of print copies. The print kiosk terminal can also perform various editions for taken images and can print images corresponding to these editions, the editions including adding a date text, conversion into monochromatic and sepia images, image rotation and trimming, composition of a frame ornamenting a periphery of an image, and the like.
As a taken image is selected from a list of taken images displayed on a monitor and the print size and the number of print copies of each image are determined, the related art print kiosk terminal of this type proceeds to a print order confirmation screen to determine an order and advances to a print process. A user can therefore set print size and the numbers of print copies per each image, by one order operation.
The print kiosk terminal selects a taken image from a list of taken images displayed on the monitor, performs various editions to the selected taken image, and after editions are completed, proceeds to a print order confirmation screen to determine an order and advances to a print operation. Some recent print kiosk terminals can set a plurality of print sizes and a plurality of the numbers of print copies to the edition image. Thus, a user can print one edited image at a plurality of print sizes and by a plurality of the numbers of print copies, by one order operation.
As a taken image is edited, however, although a related art print kiosk terminal can print the edited image at a plurality of print sizes, but it cannot print different edited images by one order operation, cannot print different edited images at each print size, by one order operation, and cannot print a taken image not edited and a taken image edited, by one order operation. It is therefore necessary that after one edited image is printed, an order operation for another edited image or another taken image is performed again from the first.
Reference is made to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-118210, the entire contents thereof are herein incorporated by reference.

Image display apparatus, image display method and image display program


A system and method for repairing crosstalk delays are disclosed herein. By modeling the change in effective capacitance, one may determine the delay attributable to crosstalk, and upsize cells in the failing net according to a mathematical formula in order to counter the delay.

1. Technical Field
The present subject matter relates to repairing signal integrity. More particularly, the subject matter relates to a system and method for correcting signal integrity crosstalk violations without inducing additional violations.
2. Background Information
An integrated circuit ("IC") is a device that incorporates many electronic components (e.g., transistors, resistors, diodes, etc.). These components are often interconnected to form multiple circuit components (e.g., gates, cells, memory units, arithmetic units, controllers, decoders, etc.) on the IC. The electronic and circuit components of IC's are jointly referred to below as "components." An IC also includes multiple layers of wiring ("wiring layers") that interconnect its components. For instance, many IC's are currently fabricated with metal or polysilicon wiring layers (collectively referred to below as "metal layers") that interconnect its components.
As the conductors between components become more narrow and closer together, and as the time between state transitions decreases (e.g. as the clock speed increases), interference mechanisms that have negligible effects in other applications become limiting. As metal width shrinks, metal resistance increases. To compensate, the metal height is increased so that the cross sectional area of the metal remains large enough to maintain a reasonable resistance value. In older process technologies, the routing capacitance was dominated by the plate capacitance of the route to the layers above and below the metal route. In deep submicron VLSI (with features as small as 0.13 μm and beyond), the plate capacitance now represents one quarter (25%) to one third (33%) of the total capacitance, while sidewall or line-to-line capacitance between routes on the same layer now comprise two thirds (66%) to three quarters (75%) of the routing capacitance.
Crosstalk is one such interference mechanism. Crosstalk is the term used to describe the signal integrity problem caused by coupling capacitance between adjacent wires that run very closely to one another. Energy that is coupled from neighboring signals can produce a significant change in the delay through a "victim" net. A "victim" net is a net on which noise is injected by one or more neighboring nets through cross-coupled capacitance. The nets that inject noise onto a victim net are considered the "aggressor" nets. Crosstalk can result in both logic and delay faults. Logic faults may occur when a victim net is intended to be at a stable value, and an aggressor net injects noise onto the victim net, causing it to glitch. Although the victim net will recover its stable value, the glitch may propagate to a state element, causing a functional failure. Delay faults occur when the victim net and the aggressor net transition simultaneously, or near simultaneously, causing the transition delay of the victim net to be altered (See FIG. 1). Such an altered transition delay may cause a setup or hold time violation. As signal integrity problems are reportedly the primary sources of chip failure in many deep submicron VLSI projects, it is desirable to cure crosstalk violations in a manner that does not create additional violations.
At this time, there is no systematic or algorithmic solution to resolving faults created by signal coupling. Current tools or methods may accurately identify where signal crosstalk exists and the magnitude of crosstalk induced delay, but do not accurately predict the changes that are needed to mitigate the timing change nor determine how to affect change only on routes with timing failures. A standard cell library typically provides a set of discrete implementations of each logic function. The different implementations of a particular logic function are designed to drive different capacitive loads while maintaining similar rise/fall times for multiples of a standard load, usually one, two, and four. By choosing from among the cell library cells that drive specific loads, cells driving victim nets may be replaced with a cell having identical function, but the ability to drive a larger load, to balance out the drive of the aggressor net and limit the effects of crosstalk. Current libraries, in general, do not have multiple cell drives that are the same physical size. The cells start at 1×, and the next drive is 2×, having twice the number of "fingers" as in the 1× cell, so the cell is quite a lot larger in physical size. For this reason, upsizing a victim cell to another driver often creates a perturbation in cell placement, requiring adjustments to the physical locations of neighboring cells to accommodate the increased physical size of the new victim driver. This prompts reconnection and re-routing of neighboring nets and thus, invariably introduces new crosstalk violations.
The increase in cell drive also increases the input capacitance of the cell. This can overload the cell driving the net connected to the input of the cell that is being upsized. To fix this, the cell driving the input net would need to be upsized or a buffer would need to be inserted in order to properly drive the additional cell input capacitance. The total set of changes required to adequately repair the crosstalk violation can be quite large, creating a high probability that the repairs will create new crosstalk violations.
It is thus desirable to build a standard cell library that promotes signal integrity by offering multiple cell drives having the same physical size, so that "upsizing" does not always result in the need for restructuring/re-routing that causes additional crosstalk violations.
Some current approaches to crosstalk repair are path based. Path based approaches trigger re-structuring and re-routing to eliminate the effects of crosstalk. Such re-structuring often results in the targeted crosstalk violation being repaired, but many additional violations can be created by the re-routing. Additionally, some current approaches to crosstalk repair involve inserting buffers. Inserting buffers may alleviate the problem, but the buffers create additional delay, which can result in timing that fails as well as can cause additional violations by perturbing the placement and routing required by the process of buffer insertion.
Thus there is a need for a system and method to repair crosstalk violations and ensure signal integrity in a manner that does not induce additional violations.

Method and system for correcting signal integrity crosstalk violations