The objective of the present invention is to provide a process of producing single-walled carbon nanotubes, capable of producing single-walled carbon nanotubes with high purity. A process of producing single-walled carbon nanotubes according to the present invention includes feeding a feedstock including a hydrocarbon source, a metallocene, and a sulfur compound in a state of mist to a feeding zone where hydrogen gas flows at a linear velocity of 1-50 m/second wherein the amount of the hydrocarbon source is 0.01-0.2% by mass and the amount of the metallocene is 0.001-0.2% by mass based on the total amount of the hydrogen gas and the feedstock, and the amount by mass of the sulfur compound is ⅛-4 times as much as that of the metallocene; and making the hydrogen gas and the fed feedstock flow through a reaction zone with a temperature of 800-1000° C.

A carbon nanotube is a crystalline carbon with a structure in which a thin layer of graphite crystal is rolled-up into the shape of a cylinder. In other words, carbon atoms of which a carbon nanotube is composed from a graphene structure, which is a flat or curved layer formed by arranging six-membered rings of carbon atoms in a honeycomb. A cylindrical structure in which such a layer is rolled-up in one direction is the carbon nanotube. In general, those with a diameter of several nanometers to several ten of nanometers and a length of several ten times to not less than several thousand times longer than its diameter are called "carbon nanotubes". Carbon nanotubes are classified into single-walled carbon nanotubes formed by a single graphene layer rolled-up in the shape of a cylinder, which may be abbreviated to "SWCNT", and multi-walled carbon nanotubes formed by two or more graphene layers rolled-up in the shape of a cylinder, which may be abbreviated to "MWCNT". Furthermore, the single-walled carbon nanotubes take three types of shapes, which are "armchair", "zigzag", and "chiral", depending on how the six-membered rings are arranged.
The multi-walled carbon nanotubes have physical properties of large electric conductivity, high elasticity, high strength, etc. On the other hand, the single-walled carbon nanotubes have a wide variety of unique properties, such as high elasticity, electric properties that enable the nanotubes to be used as conductors or semiconductors; mechanical properties including extreme strength, thermal conductivity larger than the thermal conductivity of diamond, and occlusion and absorption of molecules. See, for example, patent document 1. The single-walled carbon nanotubes also have a Young's modulus of several thousand GPa, a tensile strength of several ten GPa, which is measured in a scanning electronic microscope. The single-walled carbon nanotubes further have a property of being hardly broken, to such an extent that upon the receipt of a bending stress they further deform, having a wave-like structure on the side of being compressed. See, for example, non-patent document 2. Therefore, the single-walled carbon nanotubes with these properties are expected to be applicable to various technical fields, such as antistatic agents, conductive ink and paint, hydrogen occluding agents, semiconductors, chemical reactions, supports for fuel-cell catalysts, materials for the negative electrode of secondary batteries, sensors, devices, fillers for composite materials, space craft and aircraft technologies, and bio- and medical-technologies.
Carbon nanotubes are normally produced by various methods, such as arc-discharge methods, laser evaporation methods, thermal CVD methods, wherein CVD stands for "chemical vapor deposition", and flowing vapor deposition methods. The arc-discharge method is a method of growing carbon nanotubes by means of arc discharge using carbon electrodes. The arc-discharge method is capable of producing an enormous amount of carbon nanotubes. The laser evaporation method typically forms carbon nanotubes by evaporating part of a graphite electrode by means of a laser. The thermal CVD method grows carbon nanotubes at a high temperature by thermally decomposing hydrocarbon, which is a carbon source, on a substrate with a metal catalyst thereon. The flowing vapor deposition method generates carbon nanotubes by making an organic transition metal compound and a hydrocarbon compound, which is a carbon source, both flowing with a carrier gas, react with each other at a high temperature. In addition to them, there are various methods such as a method of using a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus, a thermal chemical vapor deposition apparatus and the like, for example.
An example of more specific processes of producing carbon nanotubes is a process for producing carbon nanotubes at a high yield rate by arranging a carbon source polymer on a template and calcining it at a high temperature. See patent document 1. Another example is a chemical vapor deposition method capable of producing a great amount of carbon nanotubes. See patent document 2. Patent document 3 discloses a method of amorphous carbon nanotubes different from the above-mentioned carbon nanotubes. Patent document 4 teaches a method of producing carbon nanotubes by introducing an organic solvent solution that includes a catalyst metal compound, especially a salt of a catalyst metal dissolved in a solvent, into a heating oven at a temperature of 700° C. to 1500° C.
Carbon nanotubes can be produced by these methods. In order to apply single-walled carbon nanotubes with the aforementioned properties that multi-walled carbon nanotubes do not have to various technical fields, however, single-walled carbon nanotubes have to be produced with high purity. The problem associated with the above-mentioned methods is that they produce multi-walled carbon nanotubes, or a mixture of a major amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a minor amount of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The production of single-walled carbon nanotubes is very difficult especially by the flowing vapor deposition method and the chemical vapor deposition method. Therefore in order to utilize single-walled carbon nanotubes in various technical fields, it is necessary to develop a method capable of specifically producing single-walled carbon nanotubes.    Patent document 1: JP-A-2003-146632    Patent document 2: JP-A-2001-81564    Patent document 3: JP-A-2002-293520    Patent document 4: JP-A-2003-221215    Non-patent document 1: Page 120 of "Basics and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes" written by Riichiro Saito et al., published on Mar. 31, 2004 by Baifukan Co., Ltd.    Non-patent document 2: Chapter 7, "Mechanical Strength of Carbon Nanotubes" of "Carbon Nanotubes" written by Kazuyoshi Tanaka, published on Jan. 30, 2001 by Kagaku-dojin Publishing Company, Inc.

Method for manufacturing single-walled carbon nanotubes

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A gripper for containers, in particular for those having at least partially a circular cross section, such as bottles, the gripper having a first, a second and a third swiveling lever which can grip a container in a first, a second and a third position, respectively, whereby the first swiveling lever has an operating arm which is used for operating the gripper and whereby the first swiveling lever is linked to the second swiveling lever and the first swiveling lever is linked to the third swiveling lever and the container can be held by gripping it with the three swiveling levers in the three positions. Additionally provided is a gripper for containers, in particular for bottles, with swiveling levers which can grip the container and can hold it in a closed position, whereby one of the swiveling levers has an operating arm which is prestressed into the closed position with a spring, and the gripper has a cam which is linked to the operating arm with a rod, whereby the cam, the operating arm, the spring and the rod cooperate so that a dead point in the spring force occurs between the opened position and the closed position. Also, provided is a container processing and/or conveying machine having a gripper.

Grippers for containers, e.g., for bottles are used on container processing machines such as bottle processing machines for gripping the containers. In the gripped position, the containers can be processed. This may include applying or removing labels, coating, conveying, filling, sealing and the like.
Especially in handling PET bottles, such grippers are provided for gripping the bottles in their neck area with a collar provided for this purpose.
For example, a gripper with two swiveling levers which are linked for swiveling is known from EP 0 486 439 B1.
One disadvantage of this gripper is that the bottles can apply pressure to the gripper with forces corresponding to those that occur in the transfer of bottles, for example, with movement in the direction of the swiveling axes of the swiveling levers.
In addition, another disadvantage of this gripper is that it is suitable for only one bottle size.
SU 1 093 660 describes a gripper for objects having various diameters. A piston that can be moved back and forth is coupled to swiveling levers so that the piston together with the swiveling levers can stop objects of different sizes by coming to rest at three points, so that the centers of the various objects are always identically positioned.
The design of the piston that can be moved forward and in reverse and the type of coupling to the swiveling levers result in a great mechanical complexity and/or a great play, which leads to inaccuracies in holding the objects.
DE 199 03 319 A1 describes cells which may be of different sizes and can hold the bottles. A container is held at four points in the cell. A swiveling lever is provided for each point, the swiveling levers being linked together in various ways. One of the swiveling levers has an articulated lever which can be controlled by a cam.
Here again, the great mechanical complexity due to the four swiveling levers for the at least four points of contact between the bottle and the levers is a disadvantage. This complexity also results in a considerable play.

Gripper for containers and container handling machine


Two support arms of a bearing support member extend in opposite directions, each support arm having an overlying bearing cup engageable with the rocker arm. Rolling members within an annulus formed between the bearing support member and the bearing cups provide free rotary oscillation of the rocker arm with respect to the bearing support member. At least one support arm has a crowned surface such that radial load is distributed along the length of the rolling members when misalignment of elements of the rocker arm assembly occurs. A bearing assembly for mounting within a rocker arm is also disclosed.

This invention relates generally to valve operating mechanisms for use in internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to an oscillating rocker arm assembly and subassembly having rolling members.
Typically, a rocker arm assembly with rolling members is supported on a support shaft mounted perpendicularly on a support stud extending from the head of the engine. The rocker arm is pivoted on the support shaft, which serves as an inner raceway, by means of drawn cup needle roller bearings mounted on the rocker arm. Alternatively, a bearing sleeve may be mounted on the support shaft to provide the inner raceway, permitting use of a noncylindrical support arm and facilitating the use of powder metal forming.
Because of inherent manufacturing variations and deflections that occur during rocker arm operation, it is difficult to obtain even loading along the length of the rolling members with present rocker arm assemblies. Misalignment of rocker arm assembly elements causes the rolling members to carry a disproportionate radial load at one end, shortening the service life of the rocker arm assembly. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a rocker arm assembly that effects a more even distribution of radial load along the length of the rolling members when such misalignment occurs.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present rocker arm bearing assemblies. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.


An electrical connector comprises a retainer that is inserted from the front surface of the connector housing and locked to the housing in a temporary locking position and in a main locking position, wherein the state of the retainer in the main locking position can easily be confirmed by visual inspection or by using an inspection probe. The retainer has main locking arms comprising main locking projections which prevent the retainer from being pushed in when the retainer is in the temporary locking position, and which prevent the retainer from being pulled out when the retainer is in the main locking position. The main locking projections are exposed through the housing when the retainer is in the main locking position. The housing has supporting parts that support the back surface of the main locking arms in the vicinity of the main locking projections when the retainer is in the main locking position.

An exemplary conventional electrical connector is shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B (see Japanese Utility Model Application Kokoku No. H3-5098). The electrical connector comprises a retainer that is inserted from the front surface of the housing, i.e., a so-called front insertion type retainer.
The electrical connector 101 shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B comprises an insulating housing 110, contacts 120 that are accommodated in this housing 110, and a retainer 130 that is inserted from the front surface of the housing 110 and that ensures that the contacts 120 are prevented from slipping out of the housing 110.
A plurality of contact accommodating cavities 111 for accommodating the contacts 120 are formed inside the housing 110. A housing lance 112 for accommodating the corresponding contact 120 is disposed inside each contact accommodating cavity 111. A space 113 that allows the flexing of the housing lance 112 is formed beneath each housing lance 112 (below in FIG. 19A).
Furthermore, the retainer 130 is constructed so that this retainer is inserted into the housing 110 from the front surface (left surface in FIG. 19A) of the housing 110, and comprises a plurality of regulating parts 131 that advance into the spaces 113 formed beneath the housing lances 112 and restrict the downward movement of the housing lances 112, thus ensuring that the contacts 120 do not slip out. A pair of locking parts 132 protrude from the side walls of the retainer 130 and are positioned to advance into locking holes 114 formed in both side walls of the housing 110 to prevent the retainer 130 from slipping out with respect to the housing 110. In this electrical connector 101, since the locking parts 132 enter the locking holes 114 formed in both side walls of the housing 110 when the retainer 130 is in the locking position, visual confirmation that the retainer 130 is in the locking position can be accomplished by visually inspecting the locking parts 132 from the outside of the housing 110.
An exemplary electrical connector 201 is shown in FIG. 20 (see Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2002-25705) which is constructed such that the locked state of the electrical connector and the mating connector can be confirmed by visual inspection. It should be noted that this is not an electrical connector of the type that is equipped with the front insertion type retainer.
The electrical connector 201 shown in FIG. 20 comprises a housing 210 that accommodates a plurality of female contacts (not shown in the figure), a supporting part (not shown) that protrudes upward from the housing 210, and a pair of arm parts 212 that respectively extend in the forward-rearward direction from the left and right side edges of the supporting part. Furthermore, locking projecting parts 213 are formed so that these parts 213 protrude from the front ends (upper ends in FIG. 20) of the respective arm parts 212, and operating parts 214 are formed on the rear ends of the respective arm parts 212. Furthermore, detection projecting parts 215 are formed so that these parts 215 protrude to the outside on the front ends of the operating parts 214 of the respective arm parts 212.
Meanwhile, the mating connector 301 that mates with the electrical connector 201 comprises a housing 310 to which a plurality of male contacts 311 are fastened, and a hood part 312 that surrounds the housing 310 and that extends forward (downward in FIG. 20). A pair of locking parts 313 to which the locking projecting parts 213 are secured at the time of mating with the electrical connector 201 are formed on the hood part 312. Furthermore, window holes 314 into which the detection projecting parts 215 advance when the locking projecting parts 213 are locked to the locking parts 313 are formed in the left and right side walls of the hood part 312.
In this electrical connector 201, since the detection projecting parts 215 advance into the window holes 314 formed in the hood part 312 of the mating connector 301 at the time of locking with the mating connector 301, the locked state of the electrical connector 201 with the mating connector 301 can be visually confirmed by visually inspecting the detection projecting parts 215 from the outside of the hood part 312.
However, the following problems have been encountered in these conventional electrical connectors.
Specifically, in the case of the electrical connector 101 shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the main body of the retainer 130 possesses rigidity against the locking parts 132 that are disposed on both side walls of this main body. Accordingly, when the retainer 130 is inserted from the front surface of the housing 110 and moved to the locking position, there is a danger that the locking parts 132 will be crushed by the side walls of the housing 110, or that the side walls of the housing 110 will be deformed. On the other hand, if the protruding height of the locking parts 132 is reduced in order to prevent the crushing of the locking parts 132 or deformation of the side walls of the housing 110, there is a danger that visual confirmation of the locking parts 132 when the retainer 130 is in the locking position will become difficult.
Furthermore, besides visual confirmation of the state of the retainer 130 in the locking position, there is also a demand for a method for measuring the height of the locking parts 132 from a specified reference by causing the inspection probe to contact the top surfaces of the locking parts 132 and thus detecting the state of the retainer in the locking position
Meanwhile, in the case of the electrical connector 201 shown in FIG. 20, each of the pair of arm parts 212 possesses flexibility, and has a structure that allows swinging inward and outward about the left and right side edges of the supporting part. Accordingly, each of the arm parts 212 can flex inward even in a state in which the detection protruding parts 215 have advanced into the window holes 314. In this electrical connector 201, when an attempt is made to measure the height of the detection protruding parts 215 from a specified reference by causing the inspection probe to contact the top surfaces of the detection protruding parts 215, each of the arm parts 212 flexes inward as a result of the pressing of the inspection probe, so that the detection protruding parts 215 are retracted to the inside, thus making measurement impossible. Accordingly, the locked state with the mating connector 301 cannot be accurately detected using an inspection probe.


The disclosure relates to a fault detection method for a Buck converter based on an inverse Kalman filter, which belongs to the field of fault detection for power converters. The method includes: establishing a hybrid discrete model of a non-ideal Buck converter in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM); acquiring a state equation and an observation equation of the Buck converter; acquiring the input voltage, the switching state, the inductive current and the output voltage in a working state, and determining the state matrix of the Buck converter; estimating a parameter matrix at time k according to the state matrix, the state equation and the observation equation; determining an estimated value of each component according to the estimated parameter matrix of the Buck converter at time k; and determining whether the Buck converter is faulty or not according to the estimated value of each component. The problems of poor real-time performance and low accuracy of fault diagnosis for the Buck converter at present are solved, and the real-time performance and accuracy of fault detection for the Buck converter are improved.

As an important part of power system conversion, power converter can be used in power system, energy, automobiles, agriculture and so on. A power converter is usually composed of switching components, diodes, inductors, capacitors, and other devices. With the expansion of the application fields of electronic technology, converters will certainly continue to play an important role in various fields. A Buck converter is one type of the power converter, which is a step-down converter, namely a direct-current (DC) converter with an output voltage less than an input voltage.
During the use of the power converters, due to the degradation of electrolytic capacitors, the fault of switching tubes, the fault of solder joints and the like, chopper circuits are often faulty. In order to ensure the safe operation of the power converters, fault detection needs to be performed on the power converters.
Fault diagnosis methods can be divided into two categories: model-based fault diagnosis and data-driven fault diagnosis. The data-driven fault diagnosis method needs to take sufficient and reliable historical data as the premise, but the data collection process is often affected by different noises, the quality of collected data is not high and the real-time performance of fault diagnosis is not good. The model-based fault diagnosis method has low dependence on the data source and good real-time performance, but there are problems such as low accuracy in solving the change of equivalent resistor caused by degradation of electrolytic capacitor.

Fault detection method for buck converter based on inverse kalman filter


A method and an apparatus for generating a confidence map for a disparity map associated to a set of two or more images are described. Motion between at least two subsequent sets of two or more images is determined. Based on the determined motion information static and dynamic regions in the images of the sets of two or more images are detected and separated. A disparity change between a disparity value determined for a static region of a current image and a motion compensated disparity value of a previous image is determined. The result of the determination is taken into account for generating or refining a confidence map.

In the emerging market of 3D TV, 3D video, and 3D cinema, many applications require depth information, but their demands concerning the density, accuracy, and reliability of the depth maps differ widely. Therefore, it is beneficial to supplement a disparity map with a confidence map that reflects the reliability of the individual disparity estimates.
One application are VFX (visual effects) using the depth information to model the final scene by combining CGI generated and camera generated movie components. This requires reliable depth information, which preferably is prepared and provided together with the movie. Otherwise a cost-intensive and hand crafted process has to be utilized to generate depth information.
For the computation of depth information from a set of two or more images a matching process is applied to find point correspondences between input images. The displacement between two corresponding points is referred to as disparity. The 3D structure of a scene can be reconstructed from these disparities through triangulation if the camera parameters are known.
A correct and safe exploitation of depth information in video productions depends directly on the quality of disparity estimation generated for stereoscopic or multi-view video sequences. The quality of the calculated depth maps, however, is not at all homogeneously distributed and includes defects whenever the underlying disparity estimation model has been injured. Rapid scene object movements, foreground background occlusions, and missing or periodically structured textures visible in the scenes are some of the well-known origins of flaws in disparity estimation results causing unavoidable quality deficits. Thus, additional information is required to support the expedient application of the gained disparity information.
The mean to indicate possible quality risks is linked to every disparity value and is provided by the disparity confidence values. High confidence values associated with a disparity indicates a safe usage while a low confidence value means the opposite. Selecting depth information from a depth map by making no restrictions to the quality risk in choosing a low threshold for the confident value will result in a dense perhaps complete depth map but will contain many errors. If, in the opposite way, the threshold for the confidence request is increased and only the disparities associated with high confidence are selected the resulting depth map will become sparsely populated but, therefore, more reliable.
The performances of the confidence measures have not been broadly analyzed so far. One reason may be the assumption that a change in the confidence value does not have any effect on the disparity information and that the primary goal must be to improve quality of the disparities. At the other side it is evident that disparity estimation will always be erroneous and that information is urgently needed indicating the locations where this comes true. It is also worth to consider the aspect that the additional confidence information can be used in further post-processing steps for the improvement of the depth maps by adequate modifications.
A state of the art confidence calculation, which combines consistency, visibility, and matching errors to model the reliability state, is described in EP 2 511 875.


A method and device for determining the stability margin of a RF repeater. The method is carried out in two steps, viz. establishing the amplification of the repeater as a function of the frequency in a frequency band, and observing the magnitude of wave-like variations in the established frequency response, this magnitude constituting a measure of the stability margin such that an increasing magnitude corresponds to a decreasing stability margin.

The problem of preventing self-oscillation and securing a sufficient margin to such an instability in repeaters is well-known to those skilled in the art. Normally, in order to solve this problem, the input or output signal level (or power level) is monitored during operation of the repeater.
One way, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,528 (Leslie), is to continuously measure the average output power of the repeater and to determine whether this power level exceeds a predetermined threshold value, in which case the amplifier gain of the repeater is drastically reduced so as to restore a stable state of operation.
Another way, which is especially useful in GSM systems operating with time slots, see WO 97/33381 (Allgon), is to measure the time proportion during which the power level of an input signal exceeds a certain threshold value, whereupon the amplifier gain is reduced in case this time proportion is relatively large, such as 90% or even larger. This method may be combined with a test whether the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the input signal level is less than a given value.
However, in both these known methods, it is necessary to adjust the gain rather drastically in response to a detected rise of the signal level. Basically, this is because the criteria being used are met only when a state of instability is reached. Thus, in the known systems, it is not possible to determine the stability margin as such. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a smooth control of the amplifier gain of the repeater.

Method and apparatus for stability margin determination in a repeater


A technique includes distributing a plurality of tasks among a plurality of worker nodes to perform a processing operation on an array. Each task is associated with a set of a least one data block of the array, and an order of the tasks is defined by an array-based programming language. Distribution of the tasks includes, for at least one of the worker nodes, selectively reordering the order defined by the array-based programming language to regulate an amount of data transferred to the worker node.

Many real world analytics applications process massive datasets. For example, machine learning may be applied to a social media-based dataset that may correspond to tens of thousands of users (or more) for purposes of mining the dataset for patterns, such as patterns that identify particular individual profiles; identify the more important, or "connected," individuals represented by the dataset; and so forth. As another example, a relatively large dataset of acquired metric information from computer networks may be mined to learn and identify certain patterns associated with server failures for such purposes as predicting when a given server is about to fail or identifying maintenance issues for servers.

Distributing processing of array block tasks

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A laminated, metal-polymer-metal PTC resistor (8) is held in the end cap (2) of an electric motor. Substantially parallel opposed surfaces (9 and 10) of the PTC resistor (8) are engaged by electrically conductive members (11 and 12) which are respectively connected to one of the brushes (5) and one of the motor terminals (6) so that the supply of electricity is interrupted when the PTC resistor (8) is heated above a predetermined temperature as a result of excessive current flow. The PTC resistor (8) is supported against movement perpendicular to the substantially parallel opposed surfaces (9 and 10), at least in one direction, and therefore independently of at least one of the contact members (11 and 12) so that, at most, only one of the contact members (11 and 12) is needed for supporting the PTC resistor (8). Both contact members (11 and 12) can therefore make point contact with the PTC resistor (8) and this improves operation by inhibiting the conduction of heat to or from the PTC resistor (8).

U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,264 discloses a thermally protected electric motor such as this comprising a housing having an end cap at one end; a rotor, incorporating a commutator, mounted within the housing; brushes, engaging the commutator, and terminals, for connecting the brushes to an external electric supply, mounted within the end cap; a laminate PTC resistor mounted within the end cap and having two substantially parallel opposed surfaces; and two electrically conductive contact members connected, respectively, to one of the brushes and one of the terminals and respectively engaging the two surfaces.
Although this form of construction provides compact accommodation for the laminate PTC resistor, most PTC resistors have significant internal resistance which detracts from the viability of this form of protection. Moreover, with the prior art form of construction, it is difficult to overcome this deficiency by using a low resistance laminate PTC resistor in the form of a laminated, metal-polymer-metal PTC resistor such as that used in circuit protection devices sold by Raychem Corporation of Menlo Park, Calif., U.S.A., under the trademark "POLYSWITCH" and disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,237,441, 4,238,812, 4,255,698 and 4,315,237.
This is because the operation of a laminated, metal-polymer-metal PTC resistor is critically impaired by excessive localized contact pressure, which deforms the layers and adversely affects the variable conductivity of the polymer layer, and by the conduction of heat between the PTC resistor and its surrounding. In the prior art construction, the two contact members are required to clamp the PTC resistor in place and so must be coextensive with substantial areas of the transverse surfaces of the PTC resistor. As these contact members are thermally conductive, they constitute either random heat sinks which absorb heat generated in the PTC resistor by current flow through the PTC resistor or random heat sources which transmit heat generated elsewhere to the PTC resistor. Clearly, where a laminated, metal-polymer-metal PTC resistor is used, this flow of heat into or out of the PTC resistor adversely affects the protective operation of the PTC resistor. However, if the contact areas are reduced, there is a danger that the contact pressure will become excessive.


The disclosure relates to a micromechanical rotary acceleration sensor including a substrate with at least one anchoring device and at least two flywheel masses. At least one of the flywheel masses is connected to at least one anchoring device by means of a coupling element. The at least one anchoring device is designed in such a manner that the at least two flywheel masses are elastically deflectable from a respective rest position about at least one axis of rotation. The at least two flywheel masses is designed in such a manner that they have different natural frequencies.

The present disclosure relates to a micromechanical rotary acceleration sensor, to a method for detecting a rotary acceleration and to a use of a rotary acceleration sensor.
Rotary acceleration sensors are used to measure rotary accelerations, inter alia in the motor vehicle sector. For example, a so-called bend or cornering light can be implemented using a rotary acceleration sensor. The rotary acceleration sensor measures the rotary acceleration of the vehicle when driving around a bend and forwards a corresponding signal to a control device which pivots headlights of the motor vehicle, for example using a motor, on the basis of the rotary acceleration. The bend is illuminated better as a result of the headlights being pivoted according to the bend traveled through.
Already known micromechanical rotary acceleration sensors have been disclosed, for example, in DE 199 38 206 A1 and EP 1 083 144 A1.

Micromechanical rotary acceleration sensor and method for detecting a rotary acceleration


In a toner removing apparatus in which, after toner attached to transferring paper is heated and adheres to a peeling-off belt, transferring paper is separated from the belt and thereby toner is peeled off from transferring paper, the peeling-off belt is cooled by a cooling fan and thereafter toner is removed therefrom. The transferring paper is tightly attached to the peeling-off belt, and a cleaning fan is provided so as to oppose to the peeling-off belt passing through the pressurizing portions of upper and lower heating rollers for heating the belt and moving to the cleaning portion in the belt cleaning apparatus. The temperature of toner is lowered in order to harden toner to an extent that the condensation of the image forming substance sticking on the peeling-off belt turns out to be larger than the sticking force between the image forming substance and the peeling-off belt member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for removing image forming substance from an image supporting body to which image forming substance is stably attached by means of an image forming apparatus such as copying machine, facsimile device, printer, press printing machine, etc. In particular, the method of and the apparatus for removing image forming substance from the image supporting body comprises peeling-off means in which a peeling-off member capable of exerting stronger sticking force than that between the surface of the image supporting body and the image forming substance on the image forming substance sticking to the surface of the image supporting body is brought into contact with the image forming substance on the surface of the image supporting body. After the image forming substance is heated and adhered to the peeling-off member the image supporting body and the peeling-off member are separated from each other, the image forming substance is peeled off and removed from the surface of the image supporting body.
2. Description of the Background
Conventionally, regarding the removal apparatus for removing the image forming substance such as toner from the copying paper as the recorded image supporting body, for instance, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2-55195/1990 discloses an image forming substance removing apparatus for removing thermally-fusable ink or toner mounted by use of the electrophotographic or thermally transferring method on a printing body constructed with a supporting body painted with peeling-off agent. The ink or toner sticks to the ink peeling-off member and is thereby removed from the printing body. The ink peeling-off member is superposed on the printing body and the superposed elements pass through between the heating roller and the pressurizing roller, and after being cooled, the ink peeling-off member is peeled off.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-64472/1992 discloses an eraser comprising an endless sheet having at least thermally-fusable resin on the surface thereof, a heating roller and a cooling roller for supporting and rotating the endless sheet, a pressing roller for pressing the paper (erasable paper) processed with peeling-off treatment on the surface thereof to the softened or fused thermally-fusable resin, and a driving portion for driving those elements in interlocking relationship therebetween.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-82983/1992 discloses an image forming substance removing apparatus comprising two (a pair of) rollers rotating in a state of being brought into pressurized contact with each other and causing paper to pass through the pressurizedly contacting portion, a heater for heating at least one of the above-mentioned two rollers, and a scratching unit for separating the paper passing through the pressurizedly contacting portion from the rollers.
And further, according to the present applicants' proposals of the image forming substance removing method, the recorded image supporting body supports at least one sort of water or water solution which is selected from the group consisting of water as an unstable agent, water solution including a surface active agent, water solution including water-soluble polymer, and water solution including surface active agent and water-soluble polymer. A peeling-off member is interposed and thereby the image forming substance is thermally or pressurizedly adhered to the peeling-off member so that the image forming substance is peeled off from the image supporting body. (For instance, refer to Japanese Patent Application No. 4-255916/1992.) According to this proposal, only the image forming substance can be removed without damaging the paper quality of the image supporting body comparatively.

Method of and an apparatus for removing image forming substance from an image supporting body


A receiver for a multi-channel system such as a HDMI system is presented. In accordance with the present invention, the receiver receives one of the plurality of channels and includes an analog portion, a digital-to-analog converter, and a digital control block that provides digital control signals to the analog portion. Equalization can be accomplished partially or wholly in the analog domain and digitally controlled by a digital control loop. A digital equalizer can also be included. A decision feedback equalizer can be implemented that sums an analog output signal into the analog data stream. Timing recovery can be accomplished by digital control of a phase interpolator or delay locked loop that receives a plurality of phases from a timing circuit coupled to receive a clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to multi-media receivers and, in particular, to a multi-channel interface such as a high-definition multi-media interface.
2. Discussion of Related Art
High-definition multimedia is becoming increasingly common-place. Continuously, consumers are demanding greater levels of quality in multimedia entertainment. High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) refers to a technology that is being developed to allow the seamless transfer of uncompressed digital audio and video data between devices. HDMI is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio and video interface. HDMI is utilized to interface between devices such as digital set-top boxes, DVD players, and televisions, or any other device that transmit or receive digital audio and video data.
The HDMI standard supports standard, enhanced, and high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. Further, HDMI systems transmit all ATSC HDTV standards and can support 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.
Conventionally, HDMI systems operate over a single cable through HDMI connectors, eliminating the need for the myriad of audio and video cables utilized in systems not utilizing HDMI technology. HDMI systems can support many formats of digital and non-digital television including high definition formats such as the 720p, 1080i, and 1080p formats. Baud rates in HDMI systems range from about 250 MHz to 1650 MHz. For data formats that do not require 250 MHz, pixel repetition is utilized to achieve the minimum 250 MHz baud rate. In addition, the HDMI technology is backwards compatible to the digital video interface (DVI) standard.
Conventional receivers for HDMI utilize an analog approach, equalizing with fixed equalization from a limited set of choices and providing for gross timing recovery from another set of limited choices. For example, it is not uncommon to have sets of three options for equalization and for timing recovery. This approach severely limits the performances of these receivers because of the inability to adapt to the operating environment of the system. This inability can become apparent in harsh environments, such as large attenuation across the cable or large amounts of timing jitter, or if the environment is changing due to, for example, temperature fluctuations or changes in the channel properties. Changes in channel properties can also occur, for example, through human interactions.
The lack of equalization options limits the ability of these receivers to provide the optimum amount of channel equalization, leading to significant degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the receiver. Minimal timing recovery options limit the amount of jitter that the receiver can track and correct, further leading to a degradation of the performance of the receivers. Together, these issues lead to an increased bit-error rate (BER), limit the cable length over which the receiver can successfully operate, and limit the ability of the receiver to cope with poor connectors and low quality board materials.
Therefore, there is a need for better performing receivers to receive data over multi-channel systems.


A circuit configuration having a number of electronic circuit components. The operating state of the circuit components can be set to a reset or erase state by a predetermined control signal applied to the respective circuit component in which state a data content of the circuit component assumes a logic zero value. For the purpose of chronologically successive resetting the data contents of all the circuit components, a selection circuit is provided which is activated to allow the writing of the logic zero value to the circuit components. The selection circuit has a number of opening stages corresponding to the number of circuit components. The opening stages are connected in series one after the other and each circuit component is respectively assigned an opening stage of the selection circuit. Each opening stage with the exception of the first opening stage is activated or driven by an opening signal which is generated by the immediately preceding opening stage, for the purpose of outputting a control signal to the associated circuit component. Following the resetting of the associated circuit component, the opening stage in turn outputs an opening signal for the purpose of driving or activating an immediately succeeding opening stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit configuration having a number of electronic circuit components. The operating state of the circuit components can be set to a reset or erase state by a predetermined control signal which is applied to the respective circuit component, in which state the data content of the circuit component assumes a logic zero value.
For various reasons, it may be necessary to erase individual registers or the complete content of a semiconductor memory integrated on a microprocessor chip or of a further circuit component. Particularly in smart card applications, it may be desirable, as protection against the unauthorized read-out of confidential data, to provide actively operating protective measures for preventing a read-out of secret data in the event of a hacker attack, for example, even when the clock supply of the microprocessor is disconnected. When the microprocessor is switched on, all of the registers are, as a rule, preassigned a defined value that is exchanged for different data contents in the course of data processing, which data contents may, under certain circumstances, also include confidential or personal values. In order to preassign a predetermined, defined value to the registers, the latter are usually provided with a separately provided reset input. The reset input passes, for example, to a switching transistor that brings the register value to a defined potential. In the case of a random access semiconductor memory having a multiplicity of memory cells, the provision of separate reset inputs for each memory cell would greatly increase the area requirement. In addition, this procedure requires a large driver power for resetting the memory since, for example, 256.times.8 transistors must be driven simultaneously. Such a configuration would contradict not only the desire for a maximum integration level of a semiconductor memory but also a construction of the selection circuits which saves current and is as simple as possible. An active protective measure against unauthorized access to confidential data that might furthermore be conceived of is, by use of the microprocessor, to address successively all the relevant memory cells of the semiconductor device and subsequently to overwrite every addressed memory cell with the logic zero value. However, such a solution is not successful in preventing unauthorized data access in all cases, since it is possible to inhibit the clock supply, the microprocessor stops and cannot perform any tasks.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,266, there is known a selection circuit with a chain of n-delay elements, whose first RESET is selected by an internal reset signal, and a multiplicity of n-reset-drivers, each of which is selected by a delay element. The purpose of the phase-shifted selection is to reduce the current peaks caused by the reset signals.
A chain of "flash-clear" circuits which are addressed chronologically delayed successively, whereby the circuit is activated by a start signal by a starting circuit is disclosed in European Patent Application EP 0 574 094 A, corresponding to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,054,000 and 5,047,985. The reference further shows, with respect to the circuit, a simplified version of the "flash-clear" circuit with a ring oscillator. The ring oscillator has an oscillating holding function for generating clock pulses which are used for setting the erase time with a counter for counting the number of output clock pulses of the ring oscillator, and a m-bit counter for counting the number of memory cell groups.
International Patent Application WO 82 022 74 A discloses a configuration for the automatic erasing of the data contents in data banks of a particular circuit. An "emergency circuit", which after actuation in a first step controls the erasing of all data information in the data bank and then, in a second step, the erasing of all program information in the data bank. This particular circuit configuration serves primarily for erasing a data bank before unauthorized access or sabotage occurs without physically destroying it. The circuit configuration has a bistable flip-flop operable by an emergency button, whose output signal activates the address generators controlled by the system clock, that is to say, all addresses are generated, which can occur in the connected data memories. The address generators operate in parallel to one another.
A configuration for protecting data against unauthorized access in a control unit of a coin-operated automated machine is disclosed in Published, Non-prosecuted German Patent Application DE 41 35 767 A. Sensors detect any attempt at opening the housing that protects the control unit. The sensors which detect a mechanical or chemical access, a change in ambient temperature, as well as an operating voltage, are connected to a sensor technique with its own power supply. The data in the data-relevant components are erased by an erasing circuit when accessing the control unit.

Circuit configuration having a number of electronic circuit components


A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a negative terminal, first to fourth capacitor elements coupled to the negative terminal, first and second positive terminals connected to the first to fourth capacitor elements, and a package resin covering the first to fourth capacitor elements. Each of the first to fourth capacitor elements has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and each of the first to fourth capacitor elements includes a negative electrode provided at the first end and a positive electrode provided at the second end. The first to fourth capacitor elements are stacked in this order. The positive electrodes of the first and fourth capacitor elements extend in a first direction from the respective negative electrodes of the first and fourth capacitor elements. The positive electrodes of the second and third capacitor elements extend in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, from the respective negative electrodes of the second and third capacitor elements. This solid electrolytic capacitor has a small leakage current.

As electronic devices operate at high speeds or high frequency, solid electrolytic capacitors used for power supply lines for CPUs are demanded to have large capacitance and low impedance in order to improve noise rejection and transient response over a broad bandwidth from low frequencies to high frequencies, such as 1 MHz.
FIG. 23 is a top view of conventional capacitor element 341. FIG. 24 is a bottom view of conventional solid electrolytic capacitor 701 including capacitor element 341. FIG. 25 is a side cross-sectional view of solid electrolytic capacitor 701 at line 25-25 shown in FIG. 27.
Each capacitor element 341 has a rectangular shape, and includes a valve metal plate and separator 350 that divides the valve metal plate into positive electrode 342 and negative electrode 343. Negative electrode 343 includes a dielectric oxide layer provided on the valve metal plate, a solid electrolyte layer made of conductive polymer provided on the dielectric oxide layer, and a negative electrode layer provided on the solid electrolyte layer.
Negative electrodes 343 of plural capacitor elements 341 are stacked such that positive electrodes 342 extend alternately in opposite directions from negative electrodes 343. Positive electrodes 342 of capacitor elements 341 are stacked and welded to positive flat portion 368 of positive terminal 344. Negative electrodes 343 are bonded to negative flat portion 349 of negative terminal 345 with a conductive adhesive. Positive terminals 344 and negative terminal 345 are located on a lower surface of stacked capacitor elements 341.
Capacitor elements 341 are stacked such that positive electrodes 342 extend alternately in opposite directions from negative electrodes 343. This arrangement allows currents to flow through capacitor elements 341 adjacent to each other in directions opposite to each other, and cancels magnetic fields produced by the currents, thus providing capacitor 701 with a small equivalent series inductance (ESL).
Stacked capacitor elements 341 are covered with package resin 346 by molding, such that positive terminal 344 and negative terminal 345 are exposed closely to each other at a lower surface, mounting surface 347 of package resin 346. This structure reduces a length of a path of a current flowing between capacitor elements 341 and lands of a circuit board, accordingly reducing an equivalent series resistance (ESR) and the ESL, impedance of capacitor 701.
In solid electrolytic capacitor 701, side surfaces of negative electrodes 343 of stacked capacitor elements 341 are bonded to a negative electrode coupler provided along the side surfaces of negative electrode 343 with conductive adhesive agent.
In conventional solid electrolytic capacitor 701, capacitor elements 341 may be displaced when capacitor elements 341 are mounted to positive terminals 344 and negative terminal 345, or when stacked capacitor elements 341 are pressurized to be bonded. In this case, positive electrodes 342 of capacitor elements 341 can be connected electrically with negative terminal 345, and prevent positive terminal 344 and negative terminal 345 from being located close to each other, accordingly preventing the impedance from being small.
In conventional solid electrolytic capacitor 701, during a molding process of external resin 346, timing when melted material of external resin 346 flows inside gap 348 between positive electrodes 342 of capacitor elements 341 is different from timing when the melted material flows outside gap 348. This may cause the melted material of external resin 346 to deform positive electrodes 342 to deform by molten external resin 346, and may damage a portion of the dielectric oxide layer or the solid electrolyte layer of negative electrode 343 facing positive electrode 342, thereby increasing a leakage current.
In solid electrolytic capacitor 701, the distance between capacitor elements 341 and mounting surface 347 is small, and accordingly, a portion of external resin 348 that covers a surface of negative flat portion 349 facing mounting surface 347 is thin. The area of negative flat portion 349 covered with external resin 348 is large in order to provide a large capacitance. This structure may cause external resin 348 to be removed from a surface of negative flat portion 349 facing mounting surface 347 due to a rapid temperature change during soldering in a reflow process, thus producing a crack in the resin. This crack may allow oxygen to pass easily through it from an outside of external resin 348, hence increasing an electric resistance of the solid electrolyte layer made of conductive polymer and the ESR, impedance, of the solid electrolytic capacitor.


An illumination apparatus includes a first light-guide plate, a second light-guide plate and a base. Each of the first and second light-guide plates and the second light-guide plate includes a light-emitting surface, a side surface connecting the corresponding light-emitting surface, a micro-structure pattern, a circuit layer integrated with the corresponding side surface, and a color light source disposed on the corresponding side surface and electrically connecting the corresponding circuit layer. The region where the light from the color light source of first light-guide plate orthogonally emitting from is different from the region of where the light from the color light source of second light-guide plate orthogonally emitting from. The base includes a cavity for accommodating the side surfaces of the first and second light-guide plates and electrically connecting the corresponding circuit layers.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an illumination apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an illumination apparatus including multiple light guide plates.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, the light source of the illuminations are fluorescent lamp tubes, cold cathode fluorescence lamps (CCFLs), and light emitting diodes (LEDs). When the fluorescent lamp tubes or the cold cathode fluorescence lamps are used as the illumination light source, the application products possess the disadvantages of large weight, short lifetime, and low space utilization due to the limitation of the lifetime and the dimension of the light source itself. Besides, since there is trace mercury vapor or solid state mercury within the lamp tube, when the lamps are thrown away or repaired, it is necessary to recycle the lamp tubes to prevent the environment from being polluted.
Accordingly, in the public place, the light emitting diodes are gradually used as the light sources in illumination apparatus, the exhibition lamps or bill lamps. The methods for emitting light beams of illumination apparatuses may be generally mono-color illumination. However, design flexibility of mono-color illumination is limited and is not enough for the illumination apparatuses for both illumination and decoration purposes.


A method forms a gate conductor over a substrate, forms spacers (e.g., nitride spacers) on sides of the gate conductor, and implants an impurity into exposed regions of the substrate not protected by the gate conductor and the spacers. Then the method forms a silicide on surfaces of the exposed regions of the substrate. The method forms a conformal protective layer (e.g., an oxide or other similar material) over the silicide, the spacers, and the gate conductor. Next, the method forms a non-conformal sacrificial layer (e.g., nitride or other material that can be selectively removed with respect to the protective layer) over the protective layer. A subsequent partial etching process partially etches the sacrificial layer such that relatively thinner regions of the sacrificial layer that are over the spacers are completely removed and the relatively thicker regions of the sacrificial layer that are over the substrate are not removed. The next step in the method removes only those portions of the protective layer that cover the spacers, without removing the portions of the protective layer that cover the silicide. As the spacers are now exposed and the silicide is protected by the protective and sacrificial layers, the method can safely remove the spacers without affecting the silicide.

The embodiments of the invention generally relate to transistor manufacturing and more particularly to a method of removing sidewall spacers after silicide has been formed.
A gate sidewall spacer is generally used to space the source/drain diffusions and silicide away from the device channel region (the shallow extension implant bridges the gap). Once silicide is formed, the spacer is typically left in place where it may adversely affect subsequent processes. For example, the spacer crowds the limited area between closely spaced gates leaving inadequate room to form good CA contacts. Also, the presence of the spacer forces the stress liner further from the device channel thereby limiting the effectiveness of stress transfer to the channel.
The problem with simply stripping the nitride spacer after silicide formation is that etchants suitable for nitride removal also erode silicide. Use of a sacrificial nitride deposited preferentially on the silicide has been attempted but the beneficial effect of protecting the silicide tends to be overwhelmed by the need to etch longer to remove both the spacer and the additional nitride from the gate sidewall. The net result is the same or more silicide erosion than the case where no sacrificial nitride is used.
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment of the invention provides a method of forming an integrated circuit transistor. The method forms a gate conductor over a substrate, forms spacers (e.g., nitride spacers) on sides of the gate conductor, and implants an impurity into exposed regions of the substrate not protected by the gate conductor and the spacers. Then, the method forms a silicide on surfaces of the exposed regions of the substrate.
The method forms a conformal protective layer (e.g., an oxide or other similar material) over the silicide, the spacers, and the gate conductor. Next, the method forms a non-conformal sacrificial layer (e.g., nitride or other material that can be selectively removed with respect to the protective layer) over the protective layer. Because it is non-conformal, the sacrificial layer comprises relatively thinner regions that are over the spacers (e.g., the non-horizontal surfaces) and relatively thicker regions that are over the substrate and the top of the gate conductor (e.g., the horizontal surfaces).
The non-conformal nature of the sacrificial layer allows a subsequent partial etching process to partially etch the sacrificial layer. For example, the partial etching process could be continued only for a limited time such that the relatively thinner regions of the sacrificial layer that are over the spacers are completely removed and the relatively thicker regions of the sacrificial layer that are over the substrate are not removed (while the thicker regions may be thinned somewhat). The partial etching of the sacrificial layer only exposes portions of the protective layer that cover the spacers. Because the portions of the protective layer that cover the spacers are now exposed, the next step in the method can remove only those portions of the protective layer that cover the spacers, without removing the portions of the protective layer that cover the silicide (which, at this stage of processing, are still covered by the remnants of the thicker portions of the sacrificial layer). The removing of the portions of the protective layer that cover the spacers comprises a selective etching process that attacks protective material and does not attack sacrificial material. As the spacers are now exposed and the silicide is protected by the protective and sacrificial layers, the method can safely remove the spacers without affecting the silicide. The removing of the spacers comprises a selective etching process that attacks spacer material and does not attack protective material. This process that removes the spacers can simultaneously remove the remnants of the sacrificial layer if they are formed of the same material. The protective layer can remain in place or can be replaced by an insulator layer.
These and other aspects of the embodiments of the invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments of the invention include all such modifications.

International Business Machines Corporation

Infineon Technologies North America Corporation

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Ltd.


A spatial transmit diversity method includes transmitting data at a selected rate from a first antenna and awaiting an acknowledgement indicating successful receipt by the receiving terminal of the data transmitted at the selected rate from the first antenna. The data are then transmitted at the selected rate from a second antenna upon failure to receive an acknowledgement of successful receipt by the receiving terminal of the data transmitted at the selected rate from the first antenna within a predetermined time interval.

Hard-wired local area networks (LANs) have developed significantly since the inception of the Ethernet over two decades ago. Today, hard-wired LANs which are relatively inexpensive, fast, and reliable are widely available for both private and public applications. Businesses, educational institutions, governmental and other public entities have all significantly benefited from the ability of hard-wired LANs to electronically exchange information between physically separated network terminals. However, hard-wired LANs are clearly subject to the constraints imposed by the required physical infrastructure, and, in particular, to limitations on the mobility of individual network terminals as a consequence of the immediate availability or unavailability of the appropriate physical interconnect.
In view of the limitations on hard-wired LANs, as well as significant advances in wireless communication technologies, the development of standardized wireless LANs (WLANs) has been the next logical step. One particular standard which defines protocols for WLANs is ANSI/IEEE Std. 802.11 Wireless LAN Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications. This standard is one of the ANSI/IEEE 802 family of standards applicable to both local and metropolitan area networks. Additionally, ANSI/IEEE Std. 802.11 is associated with a number of released, and proposed (draft) supplemental standards, including draft supplemental standard ANSI/IEEE Std. 802.11e MAC Enhancements for Quality of Service.
Quality of service (QoS) considerations are critical for supporting multimedia (audio/video) applications which require increased control over transmission rates, latency and error rates. QoS over a WLAN presents considerable challenges since changes in the wireless medium may significantly affect each of these parameters and consequently the quality of the presentation at the receiving terminal. In addition, different data categories require different priorities and different transmission strategies. For example, voice transmissions are more tolerant to latencies and data errors than multimedia transmissions in which data errors and latency are able to impede generation of a smooth, high quality presentation. On the other hand, text and relatively static display data have an even higher tolerance to errors and latency and therefore typically do not require the utilization of complex QoS mechanisms.
Even in view of draft supplementary standard ANSI/IEEE Std. 802.11e, many problems remain to be resolved with respect to the actual implementation of QoS principles in WLAN systems. Addressing these problems in a cost efficient manner has become a priority in the WLAN industry since consumers increasingly expect information processing systems to both support high-quality multimedia applications and provide the higher degree of convenience afforded by wireless communications.
One problem that is often encountered in wireless communication systems, such as wireless LANs and cellular telephony, is multipath fading. Multipath fading occurs when a signal is transmitted in an environment including one or more reflectors, which cause the signal to take multiple paths from the transmitting node to the receiving node. The direct signal from the transmitting node to the receiving node and each of the reflected signals normally differ in phase and/or amplitude when reaching the receiving node, and therefore constructively and destructively combine resulting in distortion. The problem of multipath fading is compounded when reflective or absorptive objects within the transmission environment and/or one or more of the transmitting and receiving nodes themselves are moving.

Methods and systems for implementing transmit diversity over a wireless medium and networks using the same


A bypass conductor is provided for use in a miniature type circuit breaker. In one embodiment, the bypass conductor can include an elongated flat strap positioned in a circuit breaker housing. A first end of the bypass conductor is positioned to be adjacent to a contact arm in an open circuit position of the circuit breaker to receive current flow, especially high transient current flow. A second end of the bypass conductor is electrically coupled and/or mechanically connected to a load terminal of the circuit breaker to provide a path for current between the first and second ends. In this manner, the bypass conductor provides an alternate path for electrical current through the circuit breaker. The bi-metallic components and other sensitive elements within the circuit breaker can therefore resist the loss of useful life and other adverse operational effects caused by a high transient current event.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to circuit breakers, and more particularly relates to miniature type circuit breakers including a bypass feature for directing relatively high and damaging transient currents away from sensitive components in the circuit breaker to resist damage to those components.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers of the type having an operating mechanism and trip means, such as a thermal trip assembly and/or magnetic trip assembly, which are automatically releasable to effect tripping operations and manually resettable following tripping operations are common and generally well known in the art. Examples of such circuit breakers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,849,747, 4,933,653 and 5,008,645. Such circuit breakers, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cminiaturexe2x80x9d circuit breakers, have been in use for many years and their design has been refined to provide an effective, reliable circuit breaker which can be easily and economically manufactured on a large scale. In addition, circuit breakers of this type are utilized in conjunction with ground fault mechanisms as well.
In operation, the bimetallic and other electrically sensitive components of the circuit breaker can be subjected to relatively high transient currents, such as when the circuit breaker is tripped to interrupt current through the circuit breaker. These high transient currents can be phase currents on the order of 9 kA or higher. In a relatively short period of time, then, these high transient currents can damage the components encased within the circuit breaker. This damage can reduce the useful life of the circuit breaker and/or adversely affect the proper functioning of the circuit breaker once the high transient event has occurred.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus for use in conjunction with a circuit breaker that can provide a bypass of the normal circuit path, especially for relatively high, potentially damaging transient currents. Such an apparatus is needed to resist damage to the sensitive components of the circuit breaker and thereby improve the reliability of the breaker, its useful life, and the general safe condition of the circuit breaker during its operation to interrupt current flow.
The present invention has met the above-mentioned needs by providing an apparatus for use in conjunction with a circuit breaker that permits at least a portion of a high transient current to bypass the normal current path through the circuit breaker.
The apparatus of the present invention provides a bypass conductor for use in a circuit breaker including first and second ends and a middle portion positioned in the circuit breaker housing. The first end is structured to be adjacent to a contact arm of the circuit breaker in an open circuit position of the circuit breaker to receive current flow, especially during a high transient current event. The second end of the bypass conductor is electrically coupled and mechanically connected to a load terminal in the circuit breaker to provide a path for a transient current between the first and second ends. The bypass conductor is preferably made of a metal such as copper or another suitable metal alloy or electrically conductive composite. In the invention, the bypass conductor provides an electrical path with a resistance that is reduced relative to the normal current path through the circuit breaker.
The apparatus of the present invention can further include an insulator such as glass tape, for example, positioned and applied to resist conductivity between electrically conductive elements in the circuit breaker and the bypass conductor of the present invention. The middle portion of the bypass conductor is preferably form-fitted around an insulated base portion of the circuit breaker.
A method for bypassing the sensitive bimetallic components in a circuit breaker is also provided by the present invention. The method includes providing a bypass conductor including first and second ends and a middle portion. The method also includes positioning the bypass conductor within the circuit breaker so that its first end is adjacent to the contact arm in an open position of the circuit breaker. Then, during a high transient current event, the method includes directing at least a portion of high transient current to the bypass conductor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative path for current flow through a circuit breaker.
It is a further object of the present invention to resist damage to bimetallic components among other sensitive components employed within a circuit breaker.
It is a further object of the present invention to improve the reliability and useful life of a circuit breaker.
It is a further object of the present invention to improve the electrical interruption capacity of a typical miniature circuit breaker by increasing the magnitude of current that can pass through the circuit breaker without substantially damaging its sensitive components.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention and by reference to the figures and claims appended hereto.

Circuit breaker with bypass for redirecting high transient current and associated method


A tool member is arranged to provide a compressed air discharge into a fluid filled chamber to direct fluid from the chamber into one of a plurality of irrigation tools. The irrigation tools are arranged for frictional engagement within a socket of the tool member.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to oral hygiene tool structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved oral irrigation apparatus wherein the same is arranged to direct fluid to an individual's mouth for prevention of oral disease.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The oral regions of the mouth require frequent and periodic care to include brushing and the like. Prior art has developed various devices to direct pressurized fluid into oral regions of the mouth in streams or pulses to provide for irrigation of the mouth and its cleaning. Further, individuals utilizing oral braces and the like utilize fluid directed cleaning to provide for proper massaging cleaning about the brace area.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a portable oral irrigation apparatus arranged to direct fluid under pressure to various portions of an individual's mouth. Prior art structure is exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,257,433; 4,803,974; 4,787,845; 4,903,687; and 4,793,331.
The examples of the prior art, while of effectiveness in a limited range, fail to provide for the portable and ease of manipulation of the structure of the instant invention and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A drive assistance system is provided for assisting an operation of a driver of a vehicle in a manner that does not cause disturbance for the driver, based on image information derived from an external apparatus such as roadside cameras or the like. The image information is provided for the driver by a liquid crystal display unit, and the provision of the image information is accompanied by a provision of supplemental information from a headup display unit that draws driver's attention to the provision of the image information from the liquid crystal display unit in an appropriate manner.

A vehicular information system disclosed in Japanese patent document JP-A-2001-357498 uses a technique that changes an information provision style for a driver of a vehicle depending on a condition whether a driver's gazing point detected by a gaze detector falls in a predetermined area that defines a driver's view around an obstacle in front of the vehicle when a location of the obstacle relative to the vehicle is detected by an obstacle detector.
The technique in the above disclosure uses a liquid crystal display device disposed on an instrument panel and a headup display device that displays an image on a lower portion of a windshield. However, when information is displayed on the liquid crystal display for the driver, the position of the liquid crystal display far out of the driver's view makes it difficult for the driver to quickly recognize the provision of the information when the driver is involved in a driving operation. That is, the information on the liquid crystal display may be prone to be overlooked by the driver.
On the other hand, though the headup display is positioned in the driver's view, the driver's attention may be distracted from the driving operation when the image in the headup display contains a complicated form of information. That is, the information in the headup display may be served in an inappropriate manner for the driver due to the form of the information provided therein. Therefore, the technique in the above disclosure copes with the above-described problems by employing an operation scheme that provides obstacle information for the driver based on an assumption that provision of the obstacle information is required for the driver when the detected obstacle is not within the driver's view that is defined as a predetermined area around the driver's gazing point.
However, the information about an obstacle in a dead angle of the driver cannot be provided for the driver by the vehicle information system that employs the above-described operation scheme because the obstacle is not in the driver's view for all the time. In other words, the information about the obstacle in the dead angle of the driver cannot be provided for the driver in a manner that does not distract driver's attention inappropriately or a manner that does not tend to be overlooked.

System and apparatus for drive assistance


A pulse Doppler radar motion sensor system and method for sensing target motion within a gated region is provided with approximately constant response versus target distance. The sensor includes a transmitter for transmitting a sequence of RF bursts comprised of a number of cycles at the transmitter frequency. The transmitted burst width alternates at a pattern frequency to provide a pattern of varying burst widths. The sensor includes a receiver responsive to the transmitted bursts and burst echoes from moving targets within its sensing field. The receiver produces a pattern frequency with a signal amplitude representative of the difference in moving target response for two different range gated regions defined by the transmitted burst widths. This difference is detected to provide a range invariant target motion response in a sharply defined region. Another mode provides a quadrature receive channel for target direction determination. Yet another mode time sequences the transmitted bursts to provide multiple range cell operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic sensors, and more particularly to radar motion sensors based on pulse echo range gating.
2. Description of Related Art
Continuous Wave CW Doppler radar motion sensors emit a continuous wave, radio frequency RF carrier and mix the transmitted RF carrier with the return echos to produce a difference frequency equal to the Doppler shift produced by a moving target from which the carrier is reflected. CW Doppler sensors have a number of deficiencies that limit their wide spread application, including: 1) lack of a definite range limit, which leads to false triggers on distant clutter; 2) extremely high sensitivity at close range, causing false triggering on nearby small objects likes insects and on vibration; 3) high current consumption due to the CW operation making battery operation impractical; and 4) inability to co-locate sensors due to mutual interference.
Range limiting or gating of the Doppler radar can be implemented with either amplitude modulation AM or frequency modulation FM. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,944 by Adrian, a range limited FM Doppler proximity fuzing system for the U.S. Navy is disclosed. In this system, the range limit is related to FM bandwidth, and for short ranges of for example less than 3 meters, a high FM bandwidth, for example greater than 100 megaHertz is required. A main shortcoming with FM Doppler is response lobes that extend beyond the range limit. In other words, the range limit is not an absolute cut-off, just a substantial reduction in response. Another deficiency is the lack of range precision in low cost implementations. FM deviation in microstrip type oscillators is not well defined. In spite of these limitations, FM Doppler provides a response amplitude versus target distance that is much more uniform than seen in CW Doppler. The Adrian patent describes this technology in detail.
AM, or pulse, Doppler motion sensors have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,537 by Follen, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,164 by McEwan, and others. In pulse Doppler, a short pulse is transmitted and its echo is mixed with either the transmitted pulse or a local oscillator such that either the pulse timing or its width defines the range gated region. With amplitude modulation, response beyond the gated region is zero because there is no leakage as in FM Doppler. While pulse Doppler exhibits excellent gating characteristics, its voltage response versus range varies with 1/R.sup.2, where R is equal to the range to the target. This 1/R.sup.2 characteristic occurs with CW Doppler as well. Thus a target at 10 meters range and a small object like an insect at 1 centimeter range may produce the same response. This problem with small objects and with nearby vibrations makes radar motion sensing too unreliable for many applications.
AM (pulse) and FM Doppler have been combined advantageously by Tresselt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,655, and by McEwan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,600. Pulse FM Doppler combines the best of both modulation techniques, resulting in zero response beyond range cutoff, and more uniform response within the gated region. The limitations with pulse FM Doppler include 1) difficulty in accurately controlling FM deviation, 2) an overly wide spectrum due to the combination of modulations, leading to regulatory constraints with for example the Federal Communication Commission FCC, and 3) the response within the gated region tends to vary with 1/R.
Accordingly there is a need for an improved radar motion sensor technology for commercial uses, and particularly for low power and short range applications.


A water surface mesh is determined for a scene to be rendered. This water surface mesh includes a grouping of geometric shapes such as triangles that represents the surface of the water. This water surface mesh is then used to create a refracted or reflected mesh. The refracted or reflected mesh shows an effect produced by the water surface's refraction or reflection of light. The relationship between the water surface mesh and the refracted or reflected mesh is then used to determine how to illuminate elements within the scene. This eliminates some previously necessary steps during rendering, and enables an accurate depiction of caustics within a scene that can be performed in real-time.

Water surface caustics (e.g., light patterns generated by light refracted or reflected off of a water surface within a scene, etc.) affect the way objects above and below a water source are illuminated within a scene. Accounting for accurate water surface caustics during rendering is time and resource-intensive, and cannot currently be accurately performed in real-time. As a result, current real-time renderings result in unrealistic water surface caustics within a scene. There is therefore a need to more efficiently address realistic water surface caustics during rendering.

Realism of scenes involving water surfaces during rendering


A device and method for scrambling and de-scrambling audio and voice communications including radio, cellular telephone, and conventional telephone communication. The audio communication can be scrambled using, for example, time varying pseudo-random spectral modification. Continuous data containing synchronization information is transmitted with the scrambled signal to eliminate time lags that occur with synchronization bursts and without detrimentally affecting audio quality.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication systems, and in particular, to scrambled voice communications.
B. Problems in the Art
Radio frequency communication is proliferating. Examples include overland delivery systems, law enforcement and military networks, dispatch systems (e.g. taxis), inter-warehouse communication, and in-house security. The ability to wirelessly communicate over distances is advantageous and valuable for many applications.
Technology has produced, for example, hand-held battery powered transceivers which provide good audio quality and large area coverage. However, transmissions from these transceivers can be received by third parties.
A problem for a substantial number of radio frequency communication applications is, therefore, lack of privacy. This, in some instances, also involves security considerations.
This problem is widely acknowledged in the art. A variety of attempts have been made to address this problem. One principal method is to modify the radio frequency transmission so that it is unintelligible to eavesdroppers. The terms "encryption" and "scrambling" are used regarding these methods.
A discussion of these terms and some current systems and methods for "encryption" and "scrambling" can be found at, for example: Mailey, T. P. "How Scramblers Protect Mobile Communications", Cellular and Mobile International, Spring 1992 (pages 44-50); Kelley, S., and Wallace , H., "Split-Band Scrambling Furnishes Voice Security", Mobile Radio Technology, May 1988 (pages 18-28); McKernan, E. J. and Scott, B., "A Rolling Code Scrambler Gathers Diverse Functions", Mobile Radio Technology, Jul. 1989 (pages 42-58). The above listed articles are incorporated by reference concerning their background information.
These articles make it clear that extremely high security usually involves digital encryption techniques. The difficulties with these techniques include complexity and cost as well as the need for separate and costly equipment. Audio quality and limitations on distance for such communications may also come into play. The lowest cost and perhaps simplest techniques, such as voice scrambling using frequency inversion, can prevent casual eavesdropping, but those with sufficient skill and equipment can quite easily decode such scrambling methods.
One method which is generally seen as a reasonable compromise is voice scrambling of the analog signal containing the voice, using time-varying pseudo-random spectral modification of the voice signal. Its advantages include a better level of security than simpler frequency inversion techniques, as well as being less costly than digital encryption methods It can also be easily incorporated into many radio transceivers, including retrofitting existing units.
One requirement of such techniques is that there be synchronization between transmitter and receiver to allow scrambled communications to be de-scrambled. For example, before the receiver can decode it must know the scrambling sequence of the transmitter. It also must recheck synchronization or resynchronize from time to time.
This is not a trivial matter. Problems include loss of access to the transmitted signal due to vagaries in the radio frequency channel or interference, or even time delays in initially accessing the transmitted signal (for example, time delays involving cellular telephone voting systems and trunking grouping in multiple channel dispatch systems). The present state of the art therefore primarily uses an initialization packet and thereafter periodic (fixed or randomly spaced) bursts of information that contain synchronization code. These bursts are short broad band signals. Therefore, during the burst, the channel carrying the voice communication is interrupted to send data, including synchronization information. While this method does broadcast synchronization information periodically, the bursts occupy and therefore replace the voice for those periods. Other problems still exist.
First, if the receiver misses the initialization synchronization information, it must wait until the next burst. This time lag may result in loss of critical information. Secondly, if for whatever reason the receiver loses synchronization, a time lag will exist until the next synchronization information is received--again risking loss of information. Third, the use of periodic synchronization codes can affect audio quality. For example, sending entire initialization codes at certain intervals disrupts the audio portion of the signal, therefore substantially reducing audio quality. Also, there are practical limits on how frequently the bursts can be sent. There is therefore room for improvement in the art.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to improve over the problems in the art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide effective mid-level security scrambling without substantial negative effect on audio communication quality.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce or eliminate time lags relating to synchronization.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide continuous synchronization information as long as the transmitted signal is present.
Another object of the present invention is to provide immediate entry synchronization and to reduce or eliminate late entry synchronization problems.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate loss of information.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a cost effective, economical and efficient system and method of such radio communication.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method which is relatively easily installed in transceivers, receivers, or transmitters, including retrofitting.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.

Analog scrambling with continuous synchronization


A finder optical system includes an erecting optical system, an eyepiece optical system, and a light metering optical system. An optical axis of the light metering optical system is non-parallel to an optical axis of the eyepiece optical system. The light metering optical system includes a first lens having positive refractive power and a second lens having negative refractive power in this order from a side of the erecting optical system to a side of an image sensor, and the second lens is a prism body reflecting a light flux incoming from an incident surface off an inner reflection surface and outputting the light flux from a light outputting surface.

1. Field of Art
The present disclosure relates to a finder optical system and an image pickup apparatus including the same. The present disclosure specifically relates to a finder optical system and a light metering optical system which are suitable for an image pickup apparatus such as a single-lens reflex camera. The finder optical system includes an eyepiece optical system and a light metering optical system. The eyepiece optical system allows an observer to observe an object image formed on a focusing screen. The light metering optical system is configured to re-image the object image formed on the focusing screen on an image sensor to provide an electronic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a finder optical system in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-93888, an electronic image is obtained by re-imaging an object image formed on a focusing screen on an image sensor in a light metering optical system via an erecting optical system. The finder optical system has a function of recognizing a face of an object and adjusting focus and exposure, a function of moving a focusing point along with movement of the object, and a function of displaying the object image in real time on a liquid crystal screen provided on a back surface of a camera body. The finder optical system in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-93888 also includes on a light exit side of a pentagonal prism a light path dividing unit. The light path dividing unit is a half mirror for dividing a light path into a path for guiding light to the image sensor via the light metering optical system and a path for guiding light to an eyepiece optical system.
Also is known a camera light metering apparatus in which light receiving lenses constituting an eyepiece optical system and a light metering optical system are arranged side by side on a side of a light exit surface of a pentagonal roof prism. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-74042, a light metering lens including an inner reflection surface is used as the light metering optical system to guide a light flux exiting from the pentagonal roof prism to a light receiving element.
To pick up a bright and high-quality electronic image at the time of picking up an image by forming an object image on the image sensor with use of the light metering optical system, a bright light metering optical system and a high-pixel-number and large-sized image sensor are required.
On the other hand, to observe the object image formed on a focusing screen in a bright state, a large-diameter lens needs to be used for the eyepiece optical system.
To pick up a high-quality image in real time and observe a bright object image via the eyepiece optical system, the light metering optical system including the large-sized image sensor and the large-diameter eyepiece optical system must be arranged side by side on the light exit side of an erecting optical system. However, the image sensor and the eyepiece optical system mechanically interfere with each other, which makes it difficult to dispose both of them.
As shown in the light metering apparatus in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-74042, by inclining an optical axis of the light metering optical system toward an optical axis of the eyepiece optical system, mutual interference can be avoided easily. However, when the object image formed on the focusing screen is re-imaged on the image sensor in a state in which the optical axis of the light metering optical system is inclined toward a normal line of the focusing screen, asymmetric curvature of field and astigmatism occur depending on an image height, which makes it difficult to pick up a high-quality image.

Finder optical system and light metering optical system and image pickup apparatus including the same


This invention is to distinguish a position of a measurement cell without using a position sensor that is an electric component, and comprises a cell switching mechanism that switches a measurement position where the measurement cell is located on an optical path and an evacuating position where the measurement cell is evacuated from the optical path so as to make a first moving speed from the measurement position to the evacuating position different from a second moving speed from the evacuating position to the measurement position, and a distinguishing mechanism that detects speed information relating to the first moving speed and the second moving speed by the use of a measurement light and distinguishes the measurement position and the evacuating position.

As a conventional analyzing device, for example, as shown in the patent document 1, there is a spectroscopic analyzing device that measures concentrations of a chemical solution used for semiconductor manufacturing device such as a semiconductor cleaning device. The spectroscopic analyzing device comprises a measurement cell that houses a chemical solution, a light irradiating part that irradiates a measurement light on the measurement cell, a light detecting part that detects a transmitted light having passed through the measurement cell and a calculating device that calculates a concentration of the chemical solution based on a light intensity signal obtained by the light detecting part. The spectroscopic analyzing device is configured to conduct a correction on the light irradiating part or the light detecting part by periodically switching a measurement position where the measurement cell is located on an optical path and an evacuating position where the measurement cell is not located on the optical path by relatively moving the optical path formed between the light irradiating part and the light detecting part and the measurement cell.
In order to relatively move the optical path and the measurement cell, the spectroscopic analyzing device comprises a switching mechanism for switching the measurement cell between the measurement position and the evacuating position. In addition, a position sensor is provided as an electrical component using magnetism or light in order to detect the position of the measurement cell switched by the switching mechanism.
However, in the case that the measurement cell is arranged inside of, for example, the semiconductor manufacturing device, the inside environment is a chemical solution atmosphere and some of the chemical solutions are flammable. As mentioned above, in the case that the measurement cell is arranged in a flammable gas atmosphere, it is generally advisable to avoid using an electrical component in the gas atmosphere as much as possible. As a result of this, usage environment is limited such that the position sensor, which is the electrical component that is used to detect the position of the measurement cell, cannot be used in the flammable gas atmosphere.
Meanwhile, in the case that no position sensor is arranged, the position of the measurement cell cannot be detected in controlling the switching mechanism so that it is not possible for the analyzing device to detect whether the measurement cell is normally switched by the switching mechanism.