Methods, materials, systems, and devices for stabilizing photoalignment patterns in liquid crystal diffractive waveplates (LCDWs) against radiation, mechanical, and electrical influences by creating a polymer network within the bulk of LCDW such as the polymer network does not affect the LC orientation pattern in the bulk of the DW and does not result in residual retardation and light scattering while being able to fast switching and relaxation with no haze at application of electric fields.

Photoalignment is a common phenomenon in interaction of polarized light with anisotropic molecules. It occurs in many ways—due to direct electromagnetic torque; photoisomerization; polymerization, etc., see, for example, Kunihiro Ichimura, "Photoalignment of Liquid-Crystal Systems," Chem. Rev. 100, 1847-1874, 2000; Oleg Yaroshchuk, and Yuriy Reznikov, "Photoalignment of liquid crystals: basics and current trends," Journal of Materials Chemistry, 48, 24959-25506, 2012; and Takahiro Seki, "New strategies and implications for the photoalignment of liquid crystalline polymers," Polymer Journal 46, 751-768, 2014. Photoalignment reveals itself in numerous ways—in nonlinear optics, photosensitivity, photoactuation. The new, fourth generation optics—diffractive waveplates (DWs),—is perhaps the most important modern application enabled by photoalignment processes, see N. Tabiryan, D. Roberts, D. Steeves, and B. Kimball, "4G Optics: New Technology Extends Limits to the Extremes," Photonics Spectra, March, 2017, pp. 46-50.
Among all different types of materials and processes, one could distinguish two main application requirements: irreversible and reversible photoalignment. Switchable optical components using liquid crystals (LCs) typically require irreversible photoalignment for the optics not to lose its functions when subject to light beams comprising wavelengths in the band of sensitivity of the photoalignment materials. Materials (cinnamates, chalcones and coumarins) and mechanisms known for irreversibility (cross-linking, photodegradation) typically require UV radiation for photoalignment. This imposes a strict limitation to the type of substrates for LC devices—transparency for UV wavelengths.
Photoalignment due to photoisomerization of azobenzene molecules with visible light of wavelengths in blue-green parts of spectrum is preferable for in situ photoaligment of LC cells, but also due to: strong anchoring that it provides for the LC molecules [Vladimir G. Chigrinov, Vladimir M. Kozenkov, Hoi-Sing Kwok, "Photoalignment of liquid crystalline materials," Wiley, 2008, 231 pages.]; high quantum yields ˜1 (and thus high efficiency) and related fast photoalignment [Svetlana V. Serak, Timothy J. Bunning, and Nelson V. Tabiryan, "Ultrafast Photoalignment: Recording a Lens in a Nanosecond", Crystals 7, 338 (1-9), 2017]; low-cost of azobenzene dyes; and wide availability of high power visible light sources, including coherent sources adequate for holographic recording.
Azobenzene-based photoalignment layers produce excellent quality for all variety of diffractive waveplates (DWs), including cycloidal DWs (CDWs), DW lenses, vector vortex DWs, arrays of DW lenses and vortices, beam shapers, etc. [Nelson Tabiryan, David Roberts, Diane Steeves, and Brian Kimball, "4G Optics: New Technology Extends Limits to the Extremes," Photonics Spectra, March, 2017, pp. 46-50], however, photoisomerization of azobenzene is reversible hence an ambient light can erase the patterning and render the optical component not functional.
Different ways have been found to stabilize photoalignment in azobenzene dye coatings. Incorporating reactive mesogenes in azobenzene dye solutions has proven to work [Qi Guo, A. K. Srivastava, V. G. Chigrinov and H. S. Kwok, "Polymer and azo-dye composite: a photo-alignment layer for liquid crystals", Liq. Cryst. 41, 1465-1472, 2014; Qi Guo, Abhishek K. Srivastava, Vladimir G. Chigrinov and Hoi Sing Kwok, Stabilized photoalignment layer for liquid crystal, U.S. Pat. No. 9,791,743 B2] particularly, when using monomer compositions possessing room-temperature LC phase [Elena Ouskova, Rafael Vergara, Jeoungyeon Hwang, David Roberts, Diane M. Steeves, Brian R. Kimball, Nelson Tabiryan, "Dual-function reversible/irreversible photoalignment material," Journal of Molecular Liquids, 267, 205-211, 2018]. The photoalignment pattern induced with visible light is stabilized by UV crosslinking the reactive mesogenes in the composition of the photoalignment layer. Subsequent exposure to light does not affect the pattern within certain exposure limits which is high enough for practical applications in case of the monomer compositions possessing room-temperature LC phase.
Passivation of the photoalignment pattern by a thin layer of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) overcoat on photoalignment layer is another solution for stabilization of LC orientation patterns [O. Yaroshchuk, V. Kyrychenko, Du Tao, V. Chigrinov, H. S. Kwok, H. Hasebe, and H. Takatsu, "Stabilization of liquid crystal photoaligning layers by reactive mesogens", Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 021902, 2009. Man-Chun Tseng, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Tetyana Bidna, Abhishek Kumar Srivastava, Vladimir Chigrinov and Hoi-Sing Kwok, "Strengthening of Liquid Crystal Photoalignment on Azo Dye Films: Passivation by Reactive Mesogens", RSC Advances 6,⋅48181, 2016] however, it does not allow in situ alignment in LC cells; coating LC cell substrates separately before assembly is not a simple task in case of patterning with high spatial resolution.
A possibility of creating the LCP layer in situ, in a LC cell due to diffusion of monomers from the bulk of a LC to the substrates is feasible [Junren Wang, Colin McGinty, Robert Reich, Valerie Finnemeyer, Harry Clark, Shaun Berry and Philip Bos, "Process for a Reactive Monomer Alignment Layer for Liquid Crystals Formed on an Azodye Sublayer," Materials 11, 1195, 2018], however, the process is rather sensitive to the materials and fabrication processes, and neither high quality, nor electrical switchability of the components produced using this technology have been demonstrated.
Whereas typical layer thickness of azobenzene dye photoalignment layers is only a few nanometers, the LCP layers for photostabilization prove to be considerably thicker resulting in undesirable residual retardation.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.
In the current study, we show an opportunity of stabilizing the photoalignment pattern in a LC by polymer network. Not only the network is simpler to produce and is not highly sensitive to the materials, it also provides structural stability in addition to the photostability of LC alignment pattern. The polymer network in the bulk of the LC can be optimized to prevent formation of long-lived disclination lines and transient states in the electrical switching process of diffractive waveplates thus also making feasible fast switching and transparency of polymer networked liquid crystal diffractive waveplates (PN-LCDW) both in normal and switched states.
Polymer stabilization of liquid crystalline materials has been widely known in the prior art as described, for example, in "Cross-Linked Liquid Crystalline Systems: From Rigid Polymer Networks to Elastomers (Liquid Crystals)" by D. Broer, G. P Crawford, S. Zumer (Editors), CRC Press, 2011. There is one fundamental issue that makes the effects of polymer networking of LCDWs hard, if possible, at all to foresee or predict. It relates to the critical nature of LC alignment induced by surface alignment layers in DWs. The stability of the LC alignment pattern is a complex function of the elastic constants of the LC along with the surface anchoring forces, cell thickness and the spatial scale of the LC molecular orientation modulation as described in the prior art [H. Sarkissian, B. Park, N. Tabirian, B. Ya. Zeldovich, Periodically aligned liquid crystal: potential application for projection displays, Mol. Cryst. Liquid Cryst., 451, 1-19, 2006]. Thus, the monomers, on one hand, shall not affect the state of LC orientation by changing material properties and, on the other hand, such an inevitable change over the course of polymerization, during which the LC is essentially converted into a gel, does not affect the material properties, such that the molecular orientation pattern is destabilized.
Another fundamental difference between the problem of stabilizing molecular alignment in DWs photoaligned with azobenzene dyes, compared to polymer stabilization of uniform LCs or cholesteric liquid crystals, is that the surface alignment forces in such DWs are changing at the influence of light. Such light-induced changes do not support the original alignment pattern, and moreover, they exert an aligning influence competing with the alignment forces of the bulk network.
Thus, there is no evidence in the prior art that polymer networks could photo or mechanically stabilize LCDWs. Moreover, prior art experiences indicated towards impossibility of such stabilization in LCDWs due to material parameters changing in the polymerization process.

Polymer networks stabilizing liquid crystal diffractive waveplates

Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Co.


Thin films or sharp edges in a fluid body are expressed in the display of a particle-based fluid-body simulation. The surface construction method is a method applied to a method for rendering calculation results on the screen of a display device using data that are obtained by calculation of a fluid-body simulation based on a particle method executed by a CPU or the like. The method has a first stage of allocating a concentration sphere to a particle that is a calculation object and computing an implicit function curved surface, and computing a plurality of base vertices (V0) for creating a fluid-body surface by the implicit function curved surface; and a second stage that is executed at least one time for adjusting a surface sharpness for each of the plurality of base vertices (V0) for creating the fluid-body surface that is computed in the first stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for constructing a surface that is used to increase the degree of freedom of the expression or the like of a surface shape in an expression of a fluid-body simulation implemented by a particle-based calculation, to a program for the method, and to a storage medium for storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A "particle-based simulation" is a simulation method for performing calculations relating to the behavior of each of a large number of particles, in which the object of the simulation is a group (aggregation) of numerous particles. "Spheres" having a constant diameter are usually used as the particles for calculation by computer. When the shape of the object is expressed by an aggregation of spheres, the degree of approximation or the spatial resolution varies depending on the method of determining the size (diameter) of the spheres. Varying the sphere diameter and varying the spatial resolution make it possible to control the calculation accuracy and the calculation speed in the computer simulation calculation.
The abovementioned particle-based simulation has been used in recent years to calculate collisions of numerous rigid bodies, and to calculate the behavior of fluids, particulate bodies, and the like, and to research simulations of collisions, flow, and the like on the screen of a computer display device. The results of this research are described in M. Tanaka et al., "Development of a rigid-body calculation method using a particle method, and application thereof to computer graphics," Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Papers of the 19th Computational Mechanics Conference, pp. 701-702, 2006, for example. Research of these simulation techniques is important for the technology that forms the foundation of computer graphics (CG).
In the calculation of a particle-based fluid-body simulation, since the particles as such express a fluid body, there is no need to perform interface tracking, and the flow of a free surface can easily be calculated. In the calculation of the surface of a fluid body, when the calculation results based on a particle method are rendered and displayed on a display screen, concentration spheres are allocated to a plurality of spheres obtained by calculation, and a curved surface of an implicit function is constructed to compute the surface of the fluid body. An example of this calculation is described in J. Blinn, "A generation of algebraic surface drawing," ACM Transactions on Graphics, 1 (3): 235-256, 1982, or in M, Muller, D. Charypar, and M. Gross, "Particle-based fluid simulation for interactive applications," In proc. Of SIGGRAPH Symposium on Computer Animation, pp. 154-159, 2003, for example. However, when the surface is calculated by such a calculation, it is difficult to express thin films or sharp edges that occur in the change state of the fluid body.
There has been a need for the ability to compute and display an expression of thin films or sharp edges in fluid body in the display of a particle-based fluid-body simulation.

Method for constructing surface of fluid-body simulation based on particle method, program for the same, and storage medium for storing program


A convection heating apparatus capable of providing effective, high speed cooking without the assistance of microwave energy. The oven apparatus includes an exterior cabinet, a door, and a cooking chamber having interior side walls, a back wall, and a lower jet plate. The oven further includes a blower for circulating gas through the lower jet plate into the cooking chamber. In addition, the oven includes a product support disposed within the cooking chamber above said lower jet plate. The product support is disposed on a rail that is positioned to hold the lower jet plate in place when air is circulated therethrough. Optionally, the oven further includes an upper jet plate disposed within the cooking chamber above the product support. Temperature controlled gas is circulated through the upper jet plate toward the product support and any food product disposed on the product support. The oven may also include means for imparting movement to the product support during cooking operations in order to provide a more even cooking of a food product. A catalytic converter material is disposed downstream from the blower and upstream from a return plate which controls the direction of gas flow from the cooking cavity and protects the catalytic converter material.

The oven disclosed herein relates primarily to ovens suitable for use in the commercial food service industry, such as fast food restaurants, and other food service application where there is great variety in the food products prepared, the need for speedy thermalization of food and space constraints. While various oven designs are known and available for commercial food service applications, there still exists a need for an efficient, cost-effective oven that provides high speed cooking of a wide range of food products. Convection cooking ovens, including ovens that utilize microwave, are available and well known. While such ovens meet the needs of certain commercial food service applications by providing rapid thermalization and cooking, the use of microwave complicates oven design and adds costs to the oven.
The present invention provides an oven that meets a need in the food service industry for an oven that is both cost-effective and provides rapid heating/cooking without the need for microwave energy to boost cooking speed.


A voltage regulator for powering a load with a predetermined temperature-stable voltage, including an output stage, a terminal of which provides a current to the load, at a reference voltage; and a current source including a first branch formed of transistors and of a first resistor connected in series between two supply terminals, and a second branch formed of transistors connected in series between the two supply terminals, the output stage including a bipolar transistor connected as a current mirror with a bipolar transistor of the second branch, and the two transistors of the current source are crossed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a regulator for powering a load with a predetermined voltage, stable in temperature and independent from possible variations of a supply voltage of the regulator. The present invention more specifically applies to a series regulator which can operate with a low supply voltage, for example, on the order of 2.2 volts and relates, more specifically, to a regulator implemented in the form of a circuit integrating bipolar transistors and MOS transistors.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a conventional series regulator.
The regulator generally includes an output stage 1 for supplying, on a terminal S, a temperature-compensated reference voltage Vref. Stage 1 is controlled by a current source 2 for providing a control current Ib, independent from possible variations of a supply voltage Vcc of the circuit. Voltage Vref is used to power a load Q, either directly, or via a resistive dividing bridge (not shown) connected between terminal S and the ground.
Stage 1 includes an assembly formed of two NPN-type bipolar transistors T1, T2 and of a resistor R1 for setting voltage Vref, by using the energy gap of silicon, independently from the temperature. Such an assembly is generally referred to as a "band gap" assembly. Transistor T1 is connected in series with a P-channel MOS transistor MP1 between a terminal E, receiving supply voltage Vcc, and the ground. The emitter of transistor T1 is connected to the ground and the source of transistor MP1 is connected to terminal E. Resistor R1 is connected in series with transistor T2 between terminal S and the ground. The emitter of transistor T2 is connected to the ground and connection node A of resistor R1 and the collector of transistor T2 is connected to the base of transistor T1. Terminal S is connected, via an N-channel MOS transistor MN2, to terminal E. The source of transistor MN2 is connected to terminal S and its gate is connected to the drain of transistor MP1 and to the collector of transistor T1.
The value of voltage Vref corresponds to the base-emitter voltage drop Vbe1 of transistor T1 plus the voltage drop in resistor R1 (Vbe1+I'.R1).
The current I' in resistor R1 is set by current source 2. This source 2 includes a first branch formed by a P-channel MOS transistor MP3, two NPN-type bipolar transistors T5, T3, and a resistor R3, connected in series between terminal E and the ground. A second branch includes a P-channel MOS transistor MP4 and two NPN-type bipolar transistors T6, T4, connected in series between terminal E and the ground. Transistor T4 is connected as a diode and as a current mirror on transistor T3, their bases being connected to the collector of transistor T4. Transistor MP3 is connected as a diode and as a current mirror on transistor MP4, their gates being connected to the drain of transistor MP3. Transistor MP1 is connected as a current mirror on transistor MP3, its gate being connected to the gate of transistor MP3. Transistor T6 is diode-connected and the bases of transistors T5 and T6 are connected to the collector of transistor T6. The function of transistors T5 and T6 is to limit the "Early" effect, as will be seen hereafter.
Transistor T2 of stage 1 is connected as a current mirror with transistor T4 of source 2, its base being connected to the base of transistor T4. Thus, neglecting the base currents, the collector current I of transistor T4 is, as a first approximation, equal to (Vbe4-Vbe3)/R3, where Vbe3 and Vbe4 represent the respective base-emitter voltages of transistors T3 and T4. This current I thus varies, like resistor R3, in a way directly proportional to temperature.
Voltage Vref, equal to Vbe1+I'.R1 (or I.R1), is thus temperature-compensated, since voltage Vbe1 varies in a way inversely proportional to temperature.
The operation of such a regulator is perfectly well known and will only be reviewed briefly. As a first approximation, a variation of supply voltage Vcc is compensated by a proportional variation of the on-state drain-source resistances of the MOS transistors. Indeed, the drain transistor MP4 is at a fixed potential corresponding to the sum of the base-emitter voltages of transistors T4 and T6. Thus, current I is, as a first approximation, maintained at a constant value according to resistance R3.
The approximation (I=[Vbe4-Vbe3]/R3) is only true for a low supply voltage Vcc of about 2.2 to 2.5 volts. Indeed, if voltage Vcc becomes higher, transistors T5 and T6, which introduce a collector-emitter voltage (Vce) in each branch to make the voltages Vce of the bipolar transistors and the drain-source voltages (Vds) of the MOS transistors negligible with respect to their respective "Early" voltages, are no longer sufficient. The "Early" voltages of the transistors depend on the technology used and are generally on the order of one hundred volts. When voltage Vcc becomes high, voltages Vce and Vds modify the collector currents of the bipolar transistors and the drain currents of the MOS transistors. In this case, the biasing currents of MOS transistor MP3, MP4, and MP1 are modified, which results in an increase of current I and, by this way, in an increase of voltage Vref.
As a specific example, assuming that transistors MP1, MP3, and MP4 have identical dimensions and exhibit a gate length of 12 .mu.m for a gate width of 20 .mu.m, voltage Vref set to approximately 1.2 volts increases by approximately 60 millivolts when voltage Vcc transits from approximately 2.5 to approximately 10 volts.
A conventional solution to reduce the variations of voltage Vref consists of increasing the gate lengths of transistors MP1, MP3, and MP4 to increase their respective drain-source resistances and thus reduce the voltages Vce of the bipolar transistors. A disadvantage of such a solution is that it is increases the size of the regulator implemented in an integrated circuit.
Further, it is not desirable to increase the number of assemblies that limit the "Early" effect (T5 and T6) since the base-emitter voltage drops introduced by transistors T5 and T6 in the branches of current source 2 increase the minimum supply voltage of the regulator.

Voltage regulator generating a predetermined temperature-stable voltage


A heating and distributed-temperature-sensor cable permanently fixed in a wellbore that permits known amounts of heat to be introduced to subsurface formations and improved temperature measurement thereof. The heat is introduced into a target zone of the wellbore by forming the cable in two sections: an upper section that carries an electrical current without generating significant amounts of heat, and a lower section that generates heat from the electrical current. Continuous distributed-temperature-sensing is performed through measuring various scattering mechanism in optical fibers that run the length of the cable.

As oil reserves become ever more scarce and difficult to find, improved information on the downhole environment is becoming increasingly crucial to successful exploration and production. Knowledge of downhole temperature fluctuations helps to identify materials and flow rates downhole, and can thus be a particularly promising data set. Under certain temperature and/or pressure conditions, gas hydrates are known to dissociate, form, or be otherwise affected. Better understanding of the parameters of such behavior in the downhole environment will be an important advance toward more efficient exploration and development of underground resources. Specifically, such information would prove very helpful in developing gas hydrates and heavy oils as energy resources. Therefore, collecting and analyzing thermal measurements is important in both static and dynamic characterization of subsurface structures.
The stability of formation fluids, including hydrocarbons such as gas hydrates and heavy oils, is sensitive to variations in pressure and temperature. In this regard, gas hydrates dissociate or form when pressure and/or temperature conditions cross equilibrium borders. Conventional methods to model the thermal properties of subsurface formations (e.g., thermal conductivity, diffusivity and capacity measurements) require taking passive temperature measurements at several underground locations, and then performing core analysis in a laboratory (attempting to duplicate the downhole conditions in the laboratory) and comparing the results. However, laboratory core analysis of hydrate bearing zones is often difficult as the downhole conditions are not easily replicated. Further, the accuracy of the laboratory model is dependent upon factors such as coring conditions due to the dynamic dissociation/formation process of hydrates downhole, compaction factor differences under different pressures, and sometimes upon extrapolating data from missing core samples at certain depth intervals. In addition, when using passive temperature measurements taken at several underground locations downhole, the acquired data are interpreted under certain assumptions that increase the uncertainties (e.g., that heat flow is steady, that thermal disturbances from drilling or mud circulation are negligible).
Several commercial distributed-temperature-sensor (DTS) applications are available that give temperature measurements along the entire length of a cable for fire detection and temperature control in warehouses, and include high-temperature-resistant DTS cables. Such DTS cables consist of fiber-optic loops and use a variety of scattering phenomenon to sense the temperature along the length of the fiber-optic loops. The scattering phenomenon in optical fibers arise because temperature, pressure and tensile forces cause changes to the light frequency scattered by the optical fiber. Such scattering effects include Brillouin scattering, which results from temperature variations and strain within the optical fiber, and Raman scattering, which results only from temperature variations in the optical fiber.
Commercially available DTS equipment is useful in laboratory core analysis, however, applying laboratory-based active temperature measurement methods to in-situ subsurface formation measurement leads to many technical and logistical difficulties. In one example, a DTS cable is lowered into the flow of the completed well and continuous measurements are taken. However, this method reduces flow from the well because the DTS cable is obstructing a portion of the wellbore. Also, temperature measurements are highly influenced by the temperature of the material flowing by, and have less correlation to the property of the formation, itself.
In addition to the desire to accurately measure the temperature along the entire wellbore for better modeling of the subsurface formations, it is sometimes desirable to manipulate the formation fluids, by introducing heat into the wellbore to effect the dissociation or formation of hydrates. This is typically done by lowering a heating element into the wellbore and heating the formation adjacent to the heating element to induce the desired hydrate formation or dissociation. However, this introduces additional obstructions into the wellbore.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that there is a need for apparatus for introducing heat into subsurface formations, for example, for the use with distributed-temperature-sensor cable for subsurface modeling. An apparatus that combines these features would provide additional advantages.

Active cable for wellbore heating and distributed temperature sensing


Methods to improve autofocus in digital imaging systems, such as digital cameras, are disclosed. Embodiments may include, in response to locking of lens focus on a subject image, determining an initial subject focus distance and an initial attitude, and in response to a request for an exposure, determining a final attitude. Embodiments may also include determining a final target subject distance based on the initial subject focus distance and a focus correction distance, where the focus correction distance is based on the difference between the initial attitude and the final attitude. Embodiments may also include focusing the lens at the final target subject distance. Further embodiments may include after focusing the lens at the final target subject distance, exposing an image. Other embodiments may include determining the initial and final attitude with a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS)-based sensor or other sensor.

Digital imaging systems such as digital cameras continue to increase in popularity, providing users with the ability to capture images (i.e., take photographs) with relative ease. Digital imaging systems typically include a lens for directing the light comprising a digital image through a light path to an optical sensor array. Autofocus systems (as well as other automations such as automatic exposure or flash) are often an important part of digital imaging systems as they improve the user experience by making such systems easier to use. Whether an object in an image is 'in focus' (i.e., at the sharpest possible setting) for a digital imaging system depends on a number of factors, including the distance between the lens and the sensor array, the lens focal length, exposure aperture, and the distance to the subject. As subject distance can effect whether an object is in focus, some objects in an image may be 'in focus' while other objects may be 'out of focus'. Autofocus systems typically include a focusing motor that moves a portion of the lens of the digital imaging system in and out until the sharpest possible image of the desired subject is projected onto the optical sensor array. In manual focus systems, a user would turn a focusing ring on the lens until the image (or portion of an image) in the viewfinder appeared in focus.
Autofocus systems typically rely on active autofocus, passive autofocus, or a combination of the two, and utilize one or more autofocus sensors within the field of view. Active autofocus systems measure the distance to the subject (using, for example, sound or infrared signals) and adjust focus of the optical system accordingly. Passive systems analyze the incoming image itself and drive the lens back and forth searching for the best focus and can include both phase detection systems and contrast measurement systems. Complicated autofocus systems with many sensors can add significant cost and complexity to a digital imaging system, as autofocus sensors are relatively expensive and more accurate sensors (e.g., horizontal and vertical capability) are more expensive still. In all but the most expensive digital single-lens-reflex (DSLR) camera, there will typically be only a few autofocus sensors within the user's field of view. Because autofocus sensors do not completely cover the field of view, the subject that the user desires to be in focus may not lie beneath an autofocus sensor, making it difficult to focus on the subject. In this case, users typically rotate the camera until an autofocus point (typically the center autofocus sensor, as it is usually the most accurate) falls over the area of interest and then lock the focus. After locking the focus, the user then may recompose with the subject at the desired location in the frame and then take the exposure.
The solution of locking the autofocus and recomposing often provides unacceptable results, however, when the depth-of-focus (DOF) is small compared to the difference in subject distance between the scene composed as desired as the scene composed during focus lock. A user taking a portrait (where a very small DOF created by large apertures is often aesthetically desirable), for example, might lock focus on the subject's eyes but when the user recomposes, the plane of focus would be behind the eyes. Thus, if the DOF is too small the subject's eyes become out-of-focus and an undesirable photograph results. The DOF may vary depending on imaging sensor size, imaging lens focal length, exposure aperture, and subject distance. For close subject distances and/or large exposure apertures with small DOF, the problem is exacerbated and unacceptable focus shifts are introduced. There is, therefore, a need for an effective system to provide improved autofocus for digital imaging systems.

Methods for improved autofocus in digital imaging systems

International Business Machines Corporation


A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes depositing a first film on a workpiece film so that a resist is formed on the first film, processing the first film with the resist serving as a mask, depositing a second film along the first film, processing the second film so that the second film is left only on a sidewall of the first film, depositing a third film on the substrate, exposing a sidewall of the second film, depositing a fourth film along the sidewall and an upper surface of the third film, removing the fourth film except for only its part on the sidewall of the second film, depositing a fifth film on the substrate, planarizing the second to fifth films so that the upper surfaces of the films are exposed, and processing the workpiece film while the second and fifth films serve as a mask.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a line-and-space pattern with a microscopic pitch, and more particularly to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, suitable for the forming of a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure, gate electrodes or wiring patterns.
2. Description of the Related Art
Forming a wiring pattern of line-and-space includes a first pattern forming method by processing a wiring material film and a second pattern forming method by burying a wiring material in grooves of a wiring pattern formed on an insulating film. In the first pattern forming method, a mask is normally formed which has the same pattern as a wiring pattern of line-and-space that is resolvable by an exposure technique. A base film which is a conductive film is formed into a desired wiring pattern using the mask. In the second pattern forming method, a mask is normally formed which has the same pattern as a wiring pattern of line and space that is resolvable by an exposure technique. A base film which is an insulating film is patterned using the mask, whereby grooves are formed. A wiring material is buried in the formed grooves and thereafter, unnecessary wiring material is removed by a chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP) process, whereby a desired wiring pattern is obtained.
A pitch of obtained line-and-space patterns depends upon the resolution limit of the exposure technique in each of the above-described pattern forming methods. With recent acceleration of refinement, however, it has become more and more difficult to refine the pitch by the exposure technique. On the other hand, various methods have recently been suggested for forming a line-and-space pattern having a pitch exceeding the resolution limit of the exposure technique. For example, Japanese patent application publication, JP-A-2006-32648 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,312,158 propose a pattern forming method called "sidewall mask transfer method." In this method, mask films formed on sidewalls of a first pattern are left thereby to be used as a second pattern. This method can form a line-and-space pattern whose pitch is one-half of a pitch in the exposure technique. However, the aforesaid reduction of the pitch by the exposure technique is insufficient for miniaturization, and a further pitch reduction is necessitated.

Method of fabricating semiconductor device with reduced pitch


The assembly of devices for production of green tyres, consisting of a belt building drum, tread building drum, band drum for preparing a carcass and a forming drum and further includes devices for transferring particular components or assemblies of the components from one device to another, an apparatus for placing and holding a bead and the carcass assembly, stiching unit, and particular servisers for supplying materials to particular devices. The assembly of devices is arranged into two parallel transfer tracks 20 and 50 and includes the band drum 30 for preparing carcass assembly, the tyre building drum 130, the apparatus 150 for placing and holding the head and the carcass assembly on the first transfer track 20, the apparatus 150 is disposed between the said band drum 30 for preparing the carcass assembly, and the tyre-building drum 130. On the second transfer track 50 there are belt drum 60, band drum 70 for winding a tread around the belt and a first transfer ring 80 between the said belt drum 60 and band drum 70 for winding a tread all being movably disposed. There is an auxiliary track 90 arranged in a horizontal plane above the place 140 of assembly, the auxiliary track runs at right angles in relation to the first and second transfers tracks (20, 50). Under the auxiliary track 90 there is a second transfer ring for transferring a belt-tread assembly on the place 140 of assembly movably hand on the said track 90.

Recently, there are known several methods of green tyre production and the corresponding devices and assembling apparatus. Each of them shows some merits or advantages in comparison with the other, but also some shortcomings. Actually, the structural solution of particular devices, their arrangement and mutual interconnection determines the corresponding method of green tyre production.
Most of the tyre building lines are designed in the so-called single-line arrangement, where the intermediate products necessary for the green tyre production are supplied, pretreated and completed to the final product on tyre building drums, which are usually arranged on one longitudinal axis of the line. In a line with such an arrangement, it is very difficult to utilize new progressive elements concerning both the structural solution of its particular devices and introducing more progressive methods of green tyre production and optimization of the technological process of the production.
Also known are apparatus for green tyre production, the particular stations of which are arranged on several axes. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,525 discloses an apparatus for radial tyre production by a method in which the tyre carcass is formed to a cylindrical shape in advance and expanded on a shaping drum so as to wrap the bead core bundles with apices. Subsequently an inner liner is slipped into the carcass in a first transfer ring, the ply having a smaller diameter than that of the carcass cylinder and being pressed against its inner surface, thus creating a first assembly. During this time on a second band forming drum, sidewalls and reinforcing bands are formed into a cylindrical shape to wrap the bead cores so as to provide a second assembly of sidewalls having a smaller diameter than that of the first assembly. At that time the first transfer ring holding the first assembly and the second band drum are moved coaxially relative to each other. After the second assembly is arranged in a predetermined position within the first assembly, the second assembly is expanded and pressed against the first assembly, thus creating a third assembly. The first transfer ring and the shaping drum move to a determined position and the third assembly, disposed in the first transfer ring, is transferred onto the shaping drum. Then the shaping drum is expanded and the bead core holders move against each other to create a round form of the shaped green tyre. A belt-tread assembly which has been previously formed into a cylindrical shape on a further band drum, is supplied by means of a second transfer ring and attached to the third assembly during shaping. Herewith the green tyre production is completed. Servisers with the corresponding materials are assigned to all of the above drums.
This method can be accomplished on an apparatus which is arranged on two parallel axes, the first and the second band drum as well as a device for supplying the bead cores and plies being arranged on one axis, and the shaping drum and a drum for making the belt-tread assembly in advance being arranged on the second axis.
This method can be accomplished also on an apparatus, which is arranged on three parallel axes, where the second band drum is arranged on the middle axis.
EP 597125 B1 discloses an apparatus for tyre production comprising a band drum, a shaping (building) drum and a device comprising two belt forming drums which can be oscillated or cyclically moved, where the band drum and the device with two belt forming drums are disposed on one axis in opposing relationship. The shaping drum is disposed so that it can be reciprocated between a position on the aforesaid axis, and a stand-by position maintaining the parallel condition with respect to the above axis. The carcass and belt transfer units are disposed so that they can be reciprocated along the aforesaid axis between the band drum and the belt forming device.
EP 880436 B1 describes an apparatus for production of green tyres for vehicles, consisting of a first machine house with two coaxially disposed belt building shafts extending in a first horizontal main direction, where the first shaft is carrying a belt building drum and the second shaft is carrying a tread building drum, this drum being disposed at a greater distance from the first machine house along the first horizontal main direction. Drives for these shafts are independent. The apparatus further comprises a second machine house with a shaft rotating along a second horizontal main direction, which is parallel to the first horizontal main direction. The shaft of the second machine house is carrying two carcass shafts, which are arranged parallel to each other at a certain distance, where the first shaft is carrying a first carcass drum and the second shaft is carrying a second carcass drum. The shafts are driven independently and they are rotationally arranged in such a way that each of them can be brought onto the axis of the first horizontal main direction. The apparatus comprises a transfer track with transfer direction parallel to the first horizontal main direction, on which there are disposed a first transfer ring movable between the belt building drum and the tread building drum, and a second transfer ring movable between the tread building drum and a carcass drum, rotated in line with the axis of the first main direction. On the transfer track, there is disposed a unit for holding and placing the bead cores on the carcass drum, which is rotated in line with the axis of the first main direction. The apparatus further comprises servisers for particular components, a stitching device, disposed below the shaping drum, and a unit for removing the complete tyres.

Method and plant for the manufacture of green tyres


A pipelined CPU executing instructions of variable length, and referencing memory using various data widths. A writeback cache is used (instead of writethrough) in a hierarchical cache arrangement, and writeback is allowed to proceed even though other accesses are suppressed due to queues being full. Separate queues are provided for the return data from memory and cache invalidates, yet the order or bus transactions is maintained by a pointer arrangement. The bus protocol used by the CPU to communicate with the system bus is of the pended type, with transactions on the bus identified by an ID field specifying the originator, and arbitration for bus grant goes one simultaneously with address/data transactions on the bus.

This invention is directed to digital computers, and more particularly to improved CPU devices of the type constructed as single-chip integrated circuits.
A large part of the existing software base, representing a vast investment in writing code, database structures and personnel training, is for complex instruction set or CISC type processors. These types of processors are characterized by having a large number of instructions in their instruction set, often including memory-to-memory instructions with complex memory accessing modes. The instructions are usually of variable length, with simple instructions being only perhaps one byte in length, but the length ranging up to dozens of bytes. The VAX.TM. instruction set is a primary example of CISC and employs instructions having one to two byte opcodes plus from zero to six operand specifiers, where each operand specifier is from one byte to many bytes in length. The size of the operand specifier depends upon the addressing mode, size of displacement (byte, word or longword), etc. The first byte of the operand specifier describes the addressing mode for that operand, while the opcode defines the number of operands: one, two or three. When the opcode itself is decoded, however, the total length of the instruction is not yet known to the processor because the operand specifiers have not yet been decoded. Another characteristic of processors of the VAX type is the use of byte or byte string memory references, in addition to quadword or longword references; that is, a memory reference may be of a length variable from one byte to multiple words, including unaligned byte references.
The variety of powerful instructions, memory accessing modes and data types available in a VAX type of architecture should result in more work being done for each line of code (actually, compilers do not produce code taking full advantage of this). Whatever gain in compactness of source code is accomplished at the expense of execution time. Particularly as pipelining of instruction execution has become necessary to achieve performance levels demanded of systems presently, the data or state dependencies of successive instructions, and the vast differences in memory access time vs. machine cycle time, produce excessive stalls and exceptions, slowing execution.
When CPUs were much faster than memory, it was advantageous to do more work per instruction, because otherwise the CPU would always be waiting for the memory to deliver instructions--this factor lead to more complex instructions that encapsulated what would be otherwise implemented as subroutines. When CPU and memory speed became more balanced, the advantages of complex instructions is lessened, assuming the memory system is able to deliver one instruction and some data in each cycle. Hierarchical memory techniques, as well as faster access cycles, and greater memory access bandwidth, provide these faster memory speeds. Another factor that has influenced the choice of complex vs. simple instruction type is the change in relative cost of off-chip vs. on-chip interconnection resulting from VLSI construction of CPUs. Construction on chips instead of boards changes the economics--first it pays to make the architecture simple enough to be on one chip, then more on-chip memory is possible (and needed) to avoid going off-chip for memory references. A further factor in the comparison is that adding more complex instructions and addressing modes as in a CISC solution complicates (thus slows down) stages of the instruction execution process. The complex function might make the function execute faster than an equivalent sequence of simple instructions, but it can lengthen the instruction cycle time, making all instructions execute slower; thus an added function must increase the overall performance enough to compensate for the decrease in the instruction execution rate.
Despite the performance factors that detract from the theoretical advantages of CISC processors, the existing software base as discussed above provides a long-term demand for these types of processors, and of course the market requires ever increasing performance levels. Business enterprises have invested many years of operating background, including operator training as well as the cost of the code itself, in applications programs and data structures using the CISC type processors which were the most widely used in the past ten or fifteen years. The expense and disruption of operations to rewrite all of the code and data structures to accommodate a new processor architecture may not be justified, even though the performance advantages ultimately expected to be achieved would be substantial. Accordingly, it is the objective to provide high-level performance in a CPU which executes an instruction set of the type using variable length instructions and variable data widths in memory accessing.
The typical VAX implementation has three main parts, the I-box or instruction unit which fetches and decodes instructions, the E-box or execution unit which performs the operations defined by the instructions, and the M-box or memory management unit which handles memory and I/O functions. An example of these VAX systems is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,160, issued Oct. 17, 1989 to John F. Brown and assigned to Digital Equipment Corporation. These machines are constructed using a single-chip CPU device, clocked at very high rates, and are microcoded and pipelined.
Theoretically, if the pipeline can be kept full and an instruction issued every cycle, a processor can execute one instruction per cycle. In a machine having complex instructions, there are several barriers to accomplishing this ideal. First, with variable-sized instructions, the length of the instruction is not known until perhaps several cycles into its decode. The number of opcode bytes can vary, the number of operands can vary, and the number of bytes used to specify an operand can vary. The instructions must be decoded in sequence, rather than parallel decode being practical. Secondly, data dependencies create bubbles in the pipeline as results generated by one instruction but not yet available are needed by are subsequent instruction which is ready to execute. Third, the wide variation in instruction complexity makes it impractical to implement the execution without either lengthening the pipeline for every instruction (which worsens the data dependency problem) or stalling entry (which creates bubbles).
Thus, in spite of the use of contemporary semiconductor processing and high clock rates to achieve the most aggressive performance at the device level, the inherent characteristics of the architecture impede the overall performance, and so a number of features must be taken advantage of in an effort to provide system performance as demanded.

Processor system with writeback cache using writeback and non writeback transactions stored in separate queues


An optical pick-up feeding device (100) includes a bracket (1) defining an opening (10), a carrier (41) supporting an optical pick-up (3), a stepping motor (42) having a worm screw (420) for driving the carrier, a pair of guide rails (43) for guiding the carrier, and a connecting body (44) for transmitting driving force from the worm screw to the carrier. A slot (446) and a beam (447) are defined at a front end of the connecting body. A protrusion (445) extends horizontally outwardly from a middle of the beam. The protrusion can elastically bend into the slot when a force is applied on the protrusion. When the protrusion collides with an inside wall of the bracket at the opening, the protrusion presses the beam to bend into the slot, thereby translating the force of the collision into elastic deformation force of the beam. This reduces vibration of the optical pick-up.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an optical pick-up feeding device which can smoothly and steadily move an optical pick-up along a radial direction of an optical disc.
2. Description of Related Art
A Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) such as an optical disc can record or reproduce information in the form of electronic data to or from concentric tracks of the optical disc. The optical disc is loaded on a turntable by a disc loading device, and is then rotated by a rotating device. During rotation, an optical pick-up device travels along a radial direction of the optical disc and projects a laser beam onto a track of the disc. The information is thus recorded or reproduced to or from the optical disc.
A typical optical pick-up feeding device for feeding an optical pick-up is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,445,673. The optical pick-up feeding device comprises a bracket, with an opening being defined in a center of the bracket. A pair of guide shafts are mounted at opposite sides of the opening respectively. A carrier supporting an optical pick-up is movably mounted on the guide shafts. A stepping motor is mounted on the bracket. The stepping motor has a worm screw, which is parallel with the guide shafts. The stepping motor drives the worm screw, which causes the carrier to move along the guide shafts. The optical pick-up can thus direct its laser beam to a correct track of an optical disc.
The carrier needs to move fast, in order to carry the optical pick-up to a position where the laser beam can search for and aim on a particular track according to a command input from a user. When the carrier moves to an inmost track or an outmost track, the carrier maybe collide with other parts of the optical pick-up feeding device such as a wall bounding the opening or an opposite spindle motor. The optical pick-up is a highly precise device, and even a slight collision can hinder the laser beam from finding the correct track. This typically leads to delays in receiving the information from the optical disc.

Optical pick-up feeding device with buffer


A chromatic processor and a computational process which includes the steps of assigning values to wavelengths of a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; using electromagnetic emitters for emitting waves having some of those wavelengths; expanding the number of waves available to the computational process by controlling the electromagnetic emitters input to a blended wave output; and combining some of the available waves in order to obtain new wave(s) representing new value(s).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of computing and processing, and particularly, to methods and system for using electromagnetic waves for performing mathematical and logical operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
State of the art data processing and computational technologies have been enabled by the advances made in electronics, leading to increasing speed and power of digital computers. However, serious problems exist. First, power consumption and heating rise due to rising clock frequencies. Secondly, the strides made in the processor technology are becoming increasingly redundant as more bottlenecks are being reached due to the disparity between processing units and memory. Thus, there is a need for a new process and system for mathematical and logical computation that increases computational power while consuming less electricity, emitting less heat and allowing for more data to be processed in a single cycle.


Spatial redistributors and methods of redistributing signals in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes an array of channels configured to receive and retransmit a signal, where each of a plurality of independently operating channels in the array includes: at least one antenna element; an RF chain configured to apply at least a time delay to the received signal prior to retransmission; control circuitry configured to control the time delay applied to the received signal by the RF chain; and a reference oscillator. In addition, the array of channels is configured to redirect a signal received from a first set of directions for retransmission in a second set of directions; and the control circuitry of the channels in the array of channels coordinates the time delays applied to the received signal across the array of channels to control the wave front of the retransmitted signal.

Over the last two decades, the development of mm-wave silicon ICs for communications and sensing has accelerated to answer demands for higher data rates and greater spatial selectivity. It is well known, however, that the higher the carrier frequency, the higher the propagation path losses. The short wavelength of mm-waves can also mean that objects like trees and light posts become obstacles that can block a signal. Therefore, mm-wave communication systems are typically line-of-sight and are designed to accommodate the high absorption of walls and other obstructions at these frequencies.
In many mm-wave communication systems, it can be advantageous to utilize antennas with highly directive characteristics (significant gains) to achieve long distance communication. The short wavelength of mm-waves enables the use of a very large number of antennas in a small region. Large antenna arrays can provide highly directional beamforming gains, which can help overcome some of the propagation path loss and increase link reliability. Moreover, larger antenna arrays can transmit multiple streams via spatial multiplexing.
Transmit beamforming is typically performed by controlling the amplitude and/or phase of signals provided to multiple antenna elements. Receive beamforming is also typically performed by modifying the gain and phase of signals received at multiple antenna elements and then summing the modified signals. An important prerequisite in many beamforming architectures is a phase coherent signal, which means that there is a defined and stable phase relationship between the RF carriers of the signals utilize by the RF chain of each of the antenna elements. The term RF chain is typically utilized to refer to components that process RF signals. For example, an RF chain may convert a digital baseband signal into an RF analog signal in a transmitter or may convert an RF analog signal to a digital baseband signal in a receiver (e.g. a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) and antenna amplifier or a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)). A variety of phased array beamforming architectures have been proposed for use in mm-wave communication systems including: digital beamforming arrays; analog beamforming arrays; and hybrid beamforming arrays.
The term digital beamforming array typically refers to a beamforming array, where beamforming is achieved through the adjustment of the amplitude and/or phase of the baseband signals provided to each antenna element in the digital domain by a digital signal processor. In this configuration, each antenna is connected to its own RF chain. The provision of a dedicated RF chain for each antenna element is considered by many to be prohibitive from both a cost and a power consumption perspective at mm-wave frequencies.
The term analog beamformer is typically used to describe a beamforming system that utilizes a single RF chain to generate an RF analog signal that is provided to a network of phase shifters that control the phase of the RF signals that are fed to each of the antenna elements. A disadvantage of analog beamforming is that a single RF chain typically can only support a single-stream transmission.
The term hybrid beamforming architecture is typically utilized to describe a beamformer constructed by concatenation of one or more low-dimensional digital beamformers with one or more analog beamformers (typically implemented using phase shifters). Hybrid beamforming architectures can be fully connected, partially connected, or hybrid connected. In a fully connected configuration, each RF chain is connected to each of the antenna elements in the array. In a partially connected architecture, each sub-array of antennas is only connected to a single RF chain. In a hybrid connected architecture, each sub-array of antennas is connected to a subset of the RF chains. Fully, partially, and hybrid connected mm-wave hybrid beamforming architectures are described in Zhang, Didi, Yafeng Wang, Xuehua Li, and Wei Xiang. "Hybridly connected structure for hybrid beamforming in mmWave massive MIMO systems." IEEE Transactions on Communications 66, no. 2 (2017): 662-674, the disclosure of which including the disclosure related to various hybrid beamforming architectures is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. It has been reported that a hybrid beamforming architecture need only utilize twice the number of RF chains as the total number of transmitted data streams for it to achieve similar performance as a fully digital beamforming scheme regardless of the number of antenna elements in the system.
Beamforming architectures typically are based on a centralized aggregation (e.g. summation), or distribution of a signal across the array. Therefore, many beamforming architectures require signal connectivity between elements of an array, which in turn leads need for physical connectivity in a centralized fashion.

Spatial redistributors and methods of redistributing mm-wave signals


In order to reproduce the content output before, an MFP includes an HDD to store data which includes a plurality of page data having corresponding page numbers, an instruction accepting portion to accept a page number of one of the page data to be displayed on a projector, a display control portion to cause the page data of the accepted page number to be displayed on the projector, a history storing portion to store, for each of the page data displayed, history information in which the page number of the page data, the actually displayed time of the page data, and the actually displayed order of the page data are associated with each other, and a redisplay control portion to cause the plurality of page data to be displayed on the projector based on the history information on the condition that the history information is designated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, a display control method, and a display control program. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing apparatus operatively connectable with a display apparatus such as a projector, and a display control method and a display control program performed in the data processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a projector is employed in a conference or for a presentation. The projector receives an input of an image and throws the image onto a screen. When there are two or more pages to be displayed on the projector, the presenter predetermines in which order the plurality of pages of images are to be displayed, to cause the images to be displayed according to the predetermined order. The images, however, may be displayed each for a different period of time and in an order different from the predetermined order according to the actual progress of the conference or the presentation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-171526 discloses a teleconferencing system in which a session for managing connection between conference systems, a file used during the conference or generated as a record of the conference, reference to a resource related to the conference, and history information such as a file access performed by a conference participant are managed to allow the participants to perform GUI operations to establish connection of the conference systems without being aware of the call addresses of the individual conference systems, and to make an easy access to the information such as the file related to the conference from the conference systems. With the conventional teleconferencing system, however, the files accessible from the history information remain unchanged before and after the conference, which means that it is not possible to acquire the document modified according to the actual content of presentation.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-035384 discloses an image processing system in which, for an electronic document for presentation having images of a plurality of pages, a presentation time is acquired for each page of the electronic document, and the images of the plurality of pages are united into one image while being allocated in accordance with the acquired presentation times, and the resultant page is output. In allocation of the images, the sizes of the respective pages are calculated to correspond to their presentation times. With the conventional image processing system, however, the sizes of the images of the plurality of pages are determined in accordance with the time spent for presentation. Although it is possible to know the time spent in the presentation for each page by seeing the single image, it is not possible to know the order in which the images were used in the presentation. Further, the images of the pages that were not used in the actual presentation are displayed as well, suppressing the content of the actual presentation from being represented accurately.

Data processing apparatus, display control method, and display control program embodied on computer readable medium

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A quick connector coupling comprising a female connector body, a tubular male member, a primary retainer and a secondary latch/verifier. The female connector body has a through bore and transverse slots open to the bore. The male tubular member with an annular upset extends into the through bore. The primary retainer is disposed within the slots and releasably connects the male member to the connector body. The secondary latch/verifier is disposed in the slots and is releasably coupled to the connector body and moveable between latched position in which it precludes release of the primary retainer and an unlatched position. In one form, the secondary latch includes a retainer beam arranged to move the secondary latch to its unlatched position on insertion of the male member. In another form the secondary latch/verifier includes externally positioned verifier and additional latch to releasably retain the male member.

This invention relates to fluid line systems which include quick connector couplings, and more particularly to a quick connector coupling having a secondary latch/verifier.
In automotive and other fields, quick connector couplings, which generally include a male member received and sealingly retained in a female connector body, are often utilized to provide a fluid connection between two components or conduits, thus establishing a fluid line between the two components. Use of quick connector couplings is advantageous in that a sealed and secured fluid line may be established with a minimum amount of time and expense.
A number of methods and mechanisms exist for securing the male member and female connector body of a quick connector coupling together. One type of retention mechanism involves the use of a retainer disposed within the connector body. The retainer has load-bearing members extending between a radial face formed within the connector body and an enlarged upset formed on the male member, thereby securing the male member within the connector body. One drawback of this type of retainer is that separation of the coupling is usually difficult to attain. A special release tool or sleeve is often required to disconnect the joint.
Another type of retention mechanism involves use of a retainer in the form of a retention clip inserted through slots formed in the exterior of the connector body. Beams extending through the slots are poised between the male member upset and the rearward surfaces defining the slots, thereby preventing disconnection of the coupling. Due to the physical appearance of such retainers, they are referred to in the trade as "horseshoe" retainers. An example of this type of retainer is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,792, to Kalahasthy et al., which is herein incorporated by reference. The "horseshoe" retainer, disclosed in the '792 Patent, permits easy release of the coupling without significantly increasing the complexity of the coupling. The quick connector coupling of the present invention is an improvement of the type of retainer disclosed in the '792 Patent by using a secondary latch/verifier which prevents unintentional release of the coupling, provides verification that the coupling is properly connected and prevents the disconnection of the coupling should the primary horseshoe retainer fail.

Secondary latch/verifier for a quick connector


A CMOS image sensor may include an active pixel sensor array and a noise canceller array corresponding to the active pixel sensor array. A method of operating such an CMOS image sensor may involve generating a varying reference signal that mirrors noise external to the active pixel sensor array, outputting the varying reference signal to the noise canceller array, and using the varying reference signal in the noise canceller array to cancel noise both internal to and external to the active pixel sensor array.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to signal generators and methods for generating signals, which may be employed by image sensors. More particularly, one or more aspects of the invention relate to complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors and methods of operating CMOS image sensors having improved noise reduction and/or elimination properties and improved image quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image sensors may be employed in various fields, e.g., robotics, transportation, automobiles, satellite-based instrumentation, navigation, etc. Image sensors may include a two-dimensional array of pixels formed on a semiconductor substrate, and such a pixel array may correspond to an image field of an image frame.
Image sensors may include a photoelectric conversion element that is capable of accumulating a quantity of electrical charge corresponding to an amount of detected energy, e.g., visible light, etc. For example, each pixel of a pixel array may include such a photoelectric conversion element and when photons impact a surface of the photoelectric conversion element, free charge carriers may be produced. These free charge carriers may then be collected by the respective photoelectric conversion element. The collected charge carriers may then be converted to an output signal, e.g., a voltage or a current, corresponding to the respective quantity of collected free charge carriers. Each of the pixels of the pixel array may output a respective output signal and each of the output signals may be supplied to an output circuit and employed to generate an image corresponding to the amount of detected energy.
Various types of image sensors are known, e.g., charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors and CMOS image sensors. In comparison to CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors may be advantageous because, e.g., CMOS image sensors may be fabricated using, e.g., standard CMOS processes, may be integrated with other CMOS devices and circuitry on a single chip enabling miniaturization of devices, may employ relatively low operating voltages, and may consume relatively less power. In comparison to CCD image sensors, however, CMOS image sensors generally need to employ a high resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting an analog signal received from an active pixel sensor (APS) to a digital signal.
The quality of image(s) produced by an image sensor may be directly related to a signal to noise (S/N) ratio of the image sensor, e.g., the higher the S/N ratio of an image sensor, the higher the quality, e.g., resolution, of images produced by that image sensor. In an attempt to reduce noise and increase the S/N ratio, CMOS image sensors may employ, e.g., ADCs that perform correlated double sampling (CDS). Such an ADC that also performs CDS may reduce noise characteristics corresponding to aspects of the ADC itself. However, such ADCs that perform CDS may not reduce and/or eliminate other types of noise, e.g., power supply noise generated by a portion(s) of the respective pixel other than the respective ADC.
Demand for image sensors capable of producing higher resolution images is increasing. One reason such demand is increasing is that as chip sizes are decreasing, the negative impact of noise on image quality increases. Therefore, designs and/or structures for image sensors having improved noise reduction and improved image quality are desired.

Signal generator and method for generating signals for reducing noise in signals


A method is for filtering tomographic 3D images of an examination object. The examination object is imaged by using a volume model that divides the volume of the examination object into a multiplicity of three-dimensional image voxels with individual image values, wherein the image value of each voxel reproduces an object-specific property of the examination object in this volume. After the reconstruction of the total volume for each voxel, variances are calculated in a prescribed region or radius R in order to determine contrast jumps and their spatial orientation with their tangential planes T. The image values in the tangential plane T are filtered with a two-dimensional convolution, and subsequently the original voxel data are mixed in weighted fashion with the filtered voxel data.

Methods for suppressing noise in volume data are known in principle. Thus, noise can be effectively reduced with the aid of linear low pass filtering. However, in this case, there is a reduction in the sharpness of the data material and thus in the quality of the imaging of small structures. This simple approach can therefore be used only in a limited way to improve the image material.
Another method is based on two- or three-dimensional, iterative filtering of the data material, information relating to the position and orientation of edges being input in each step. Reference may be made by way of example in this context to T. Chan, S. Osher, and J. Shen; The digital TV filter and non-linear denoising; http://citeseer.nj.nec.com/article/chan01digital.html, 1999, Tech. Report CAM 99-34, Department of Mathematics, UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif., 1999; IEEE Trans. Image Process., to appear [Call date May 15, 2003] or Winkler G., Hahn K., Aurich V.; Recent Developments in Edge-Preserving Smoothing; Institute of Biomathematics and Biometry, GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Neuherberg, 1998.
Because of the "central limit" theorem, these above-named methods lead to a Gauss-type filter characteristic that for radiologists frequently does not correspond to the customary image impression of diagnostic images and is therefore rejected. A further problem resides in the run time of such algorithms which, because of many iterations, is in the range of minutes per axial section, and therefore renders the method clinically inappropriate.
Nevertheless, there is still a requirement to find a possibility of dose optimization so that the radiation load on patients owing to diagnostic methods can be kept as low as possible or reduced.

Method for filtering tomographic 3D images after completed reconstruction of volume data


An input apparatus disposed on a core unit of a steering wheel has an operable body. The operable body has multiple straining bodies that have a transfer surface part. The transfer surface part has a displacement transfer surface formed thereon, and the displacement transfer surface has a detector for detecting a displacement of the displacement transfer surface according to an operation force applied to an operation surface. The straining bodies and the operable body are arranged such that a portion of the operable body extends towards a rim of the steering wheel from, or across, a line connecting two straining bodies that are positioned closer to the rim than other straining bodies.

A technique for installing a vehicular input apparatus that can input operation information for operating in-vehicle devices at a position on a steering wheel of a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-298285.
The inventor of the present disclosure has already filed an application JP-2010-200887 regarding an input apparatus that includes a straining body and a strain detector. The straining body has a displacement transfer surface for transferring an operation force to a periphery of an operation surface that locates a position of the operation force on the operation surface. The strain detector detects a displacement of the displacement transfer surface. The input apparatus disclosed by the inventor in a prior filing may be installed on a steering wheel.
According to the inventor's study regarding how close the input apparatus may be positioned to a rim (i.e., a gripping portion) of the steering wheel, the straining body that is positioned on or around the periphery of the operation surface may interfere with the installation of the input apparatus on the steering wheel. When the installation position of the operation surface is not sufficiently close to the rim of the steering wheel due to such interference, it may be difficult for a driver of the vehicle to operate the operation surface when the driver is gripping the rim of the steering wheel with their hands (i.e., a gripping state).


In an example, a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter includes a switched capacitor digital-to-analog converter (DAC) first array to sample an input signal and to convert a sample of the input signal to a digital value represented by a plurality of bits, the first array including a first group of capacitors representing at least some of the plurality of bits, a switched capacitor DAC second array including a second group of capacitors representing at least some of the plurality of bits, wherein at least one bit of the plurality of bits represented by the second group of capacitors is represented by at least two capacitors, and wherein each of the two capacitors is configured to be selectively connected to a selected one of at least two reference potentials such that the at least one bit represented by the second group of capacitors is switchable between at least three states.

Generally, successive approximation register (SAR) analog to digital converters (ADC) can generate a digital code representing the magnitude of an input voltage (VIN). SAR ADCs can operate in two phases, namely a sampling phase and a bit trial phase. During the sampling phase, the input voltage can be acquired. During the bit trial phase, the input voltage can be compared against test voltages to determine whether the input voltage is greater than or less than the respective test voltages. SAR ADCs can operate bit by bit, comparing the input voltage initially to an analog voltage value corresponding to the most significant bit (MSB), deciding upon the value of the MSB and thereafter comparing the input voltage to an analog voltage value representing a combination of the selected MSB and a candidate value for the next lower bit position. The bit trial process operates incrementally across all bit positions from the MSB to the least significant bit (LSB) position until a complete digital code is generated that corresponds to the input voltage.

Techniques for reducing offsets in an analog to digital converter


Provided are a method and system for payer-centric payment using a mobile terminal through which payment is made while information about a payer is not released to a participating store. Specifically, a terminal of the participating store transmits payment information including a payment amount and participating store identification information to an auxiliary terminal, the auxiliary terminal transmits the payment information to the mobile terminal of the payer, the mobile terminal of the payer transmits the payment information and information about a payment means to pay the payment amount to a payment processing system, and finally, the payment processing system pays the payment amount by using the payment means and then transmits information about a result of payment processing to the mobile terminal of the payer and the terminal of the participating store.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for payer-centric payment using a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a method and system for payer-centric payment using a mobile terminal through which information is exchanged and payment is made by using local area wireless communication between an auxiliary terminal connected to a terminal of a participating store through wireless communication and a mobile terminal of a payer so that personal information about the payer is not released to a participating store and simultaneously the payer can make payment by himself/herself without temporal and spatial limitations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent times, problems such as the release of personal information and credit card skimming when a payer makes payment for a product or service purchased online, have emerged as serious social problems.
In related offline payment methods, a payer generally presents a credit card to a participating store, credit card information is read by a credit card reader at the participating store, and then, a payment amount is input and payment is made. Thereafter the credit card is returned to the payer.
In this case, payment is substantially made by allowing the participating store to use the credit card so that credit card information is inevitably released to the participating store. Due to inherent problems of the related offline payment methods, the payer is constantly at risk of credit card skimming or release of personal information.
In particular, due to the release of personal information, fraudulent use of a citizen registration number or sending of indiscreet, illegal or obscene spam e-mails or spam text messages has been known to happen, which can lead to serious social problems. In addition, by inappropriate use of the personal information, people are receiving to their home or mobile phone one two or even several telesales calls per day, and these kinds of complaints of mobile phone or telephone subscribers are increasing.

Method and system for payer-centric payment using mobile terminal


An image forming apparatus features a toner removing unit which forms a cleaning electric field to remove toner adhering to a transfer member. The cleaning electric field electrostatically moves the toner adhering to the transfer member to an image bearing member while the transfer member is in contact with an inter-image area, wherein, a time when the toner removing unit forms the cleaning electric field is T1 in the case where the detection toner image is formed prior to the formation of the cleaning electric field in the inter-image area with which the transfer member is in contact, and a time when the toner removing unit forms the cleaning electric field is T2 in the case where the detection toner image is not formed in the inter-image area with which the transfer member is in contact, where T1 is longer than T2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to removal of toner adhering to a transfer member, in an image forming apparatus in which a detection toner image is formed in an inter-image area between toner images formed repeatedly in an image bearing member, and in the image forming apparatus in which a transfer member contacting the image bearing member to transfer the toner image on the image bearing member to a recording material contacts the inter-image area of the image bearing member.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, demand for stabilization of image quality is increasing in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Therefore, in forming repeatedly the plural toner images on the image bearing member, the detection toner image is formed in the inter-image area between the toner images on the image bearing member to increase a frequency of control of toner image forming conditions based on the detection result of the detection toner image, and thereby the stabilization of the image quality is achieved.
On the other hand, when the toner image on the image bearing member is transferred to the recording material, the transfer member being in contact with the image bearing member is also in contact with the inter-image area where the toner image transferred to the recording material does not exist. Therefore, generation of vibration caused by contacting and separating the transfer member to and from the image bearing member can be prevented to narrow the inter-image area, and the number of images formed per unit time can be increased in the image forming apparatus.
When the transfer member is in contact with the inter-image area, a fog toner or the detection toner image adheres to the transfer member in the inter-image area. In order to remove the adhesion toner, a cleaning electric field is formed while the transfer member is in contact with the inter-image area. The cleaning electric field causes the toner adhering to the transfer member to be electrostatically moved to the image bearing member.
However, because the toner removal from the transfer member to which the detection toner image adheres is not sufficiently performed, there is generated a problem that the toner adheres to the recording material surface with which the transfer member is in contact.

Image forming apparatus which can optimize cleaning time of transfer member contacting inter-image area of image bearing member


A self-contained electronic monitoring unit for attachment to a device, such as a water filter, designed to be used until the occurrence of a predetermined event such as a predetermined number of uses, includes transducer for providing distinct outputs such as different audio output signals. A programmed integrated circuit and use detecting means such as electrical contacts detect each use of the device and monitor when the device is operational, when the end of life event is imminent and has occurred. The integrated circuit is programmed to operate the transducer to produce output signals during each use of the device informing the user that the device is operational, that the predetermined event or end of useful life is imminent and that the useful life has expired. The unit includes a battery for supplying power to the transducer and integrated circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic units for monitoring the useful life of devices designed for limited use such as water filters, for example, and more particularly to such units which provide signals informing the user of the current status of the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices, such as disposable household water filtration cartridges, are designed for a limited useful life based on a number of discrete uses or elapsed time of use and perhaps additional factors such as flow rate, output water quantity, etc. Such cartridges are generally designed to filter a given quantity of water e.g., a certain number of fills of a specified container. However, there is no practical way for a consumer to manually keep track of the total number of container fills to determine when the filter cartridge is used up so that it may be replaced with a new cartridge. As a result most consumers will continue to use the filter until the water quality has degraded to the point of offending his or her sense of taste or smell. By that time the filter apparatus itself, rather than the used up cartridge, may be blamed for the poor water quality.
There have been several attempts to solve the problem of water filter cartridge overuse. U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,533 discloses a water filter in which water flowing through the cartridge completes an electric circuit between a battery and a visual or audio annunciator. Battery lifetime is selected so that the battery will run down and ceases to energize the annunciator when the filter cartridge is used up. However, the life of a battery will vary with factors in addition to the operating time of the filter such as temperature, non-operating time, etc. In addition, the indicator of the '533 patent does not inform the consumer when the end of the useful life of the cartridge is imminent so that a replacement cartridge can be obtained if not already on hand. Present devices require user participation and are prone to neglect if not used correctly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,451 describes a home sink mounted water purification system which incorporates a purity sensing circuit including a pair of electrodes inserted in the filtered water for measuring current flow and/or a flow meter coupled to a timer for indicating the total quantity of filtered water. Visual indicators inform the operator that the water has acceptable levels of purity or that the apparatus should be serviced as a result of (a) the water purity falling below a preset level or (b) a predetermined quantity of water having been dispensed.
The '451 circuit dependent upon the incoming water quality is somewhat complex, does not count the number of uses of the cartridge and like the '533 device does not signal the consumer that the end of the cartridge life is imminent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,054 discloses a tabletop water purifier which measures the time that the filter element is operational and also measures the efficiency of the filter element in removing dissolved solids. When the operational time reaches a predetermined amount or when the filter element efficiency drops below a preset value the operator is informed via a light signal of a potential requirement for change of the element i.e., end of its useful life.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,677 discloses a water filter apparatus which utilizes water pressure sensors to measure the pressure drop across a filter element and to activate a water shutoff valve upon reaching a preselected differential pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,098 discloses an automatic water quality monitor for installation between a water filter and a conventional drinking water faucet. The monitor measures the total dissolved solids ("TDS") in the filter output and intermittently energizes a green light emitting diode ("LED") as long as the TDS is below a given value and energizes a red LED if that level is exceeded.
In addition to water filter elements, there are many other devices designed for use until a predetermined event has occurred such as (1) the last use of a given number of uses or (2) the expiration of a predetermined period of time or (3) the passage of a preset volume of material etc. There is a need for a small compact monitoring unit which may be fitted to such devices to inform the consumer or operator of the status of the device and particularly of the imminent end and the end of the useful life thereof.

Electronic monitoring unit for monitoring number of uses of cartridge


A data processing device includes a data receiving unit to receive data, a plurality of input queues that are associated one-to-one with transmission sources of data received by the data receiving unit and that each store data from the associated transmission source, and a data sorting unit to read data stored in each of the plurality of input queues from each of the input queues, and store the data in an output queue such that higher priority data is to be processed first.

In recent years, systems that obtain various data collected at each of a plurality of production sites via a network such as the Internet and centrally manage the data have been widely used. Checking the centrally managed data enables the conditions of each production site to be obtained. In addition, when trouble occurs, the data can be effectively used for efficient identification of the cause, or the like.
Note that, in transmitting and receiving data via a network, the upper limit of the data size that can be transmitted in one process is determined by a communication protocol or the like, and data having a larger size than the upper limit is divided before being transmitted. The divided data after being received are put together and merged into the original state. In addition, in management of data collected at production sites, data from one production site are desired to be managed together so that the production site from which each piece of data has been collected can be readily identified. Thus, a data processing device that processes data in a system for obtaining and managing data from respective production sites, for example, includes a buffer for each production site so that data transmitted from the same transmission source can be held together, and data collected from one production site are thus stored in one buffer. This is convenient when merging divided data, and facilitates management of data obtained from the same production site.
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes an information processing device that processes requests, which are data from a plurality of clients. The information processing device described in Patent Literature 1 provides queues associated with the individual clients and, upon receiving a request, stores the request in a queue associated with the client indicated by identification information included in the request. Application of the configuration of Patent Literature 1 enables data from one transmission source to be held together and processed.


There is provided a method of operating, a diversity antenna system and arrangement for a mobile station such as mobile phone having a general ground element, the diversity antenna arrangement including at least a pair of antenna elements. Each antenna element comprises a generally L-shaped radiating element, and a conductive leg portion being operatively coupled to the generally L-shaped radiating element.

In the simplest definition of the term, the diversity technique in the design of an antenna is a means of achieving reliable overall system performance through the use of an additional antenna. System performance may be characterized by signal strength, signal to noise ratio, data rate, error rate, or other factors. Of particular importance to wireless data systems is to achieve high data rates with low error rates.
In wireless or radio communications, particularly in mobile radio communications, antenna diversity is a well-known technique for mitigating fast fading caused by multipath signal propagation. In order to obtain diversity gain, at least two signals carrying the same information but with different fading characteristics (low signal correlation) are needed. Polarization diversity, which is one of the commonly used diversity techniques, utilizes the independent fading of vertically and horizontally polarized signal components. It is a potential technique for handsets, because large antenna separations are not required.
Thus, it is known that not only phase changes but polarization changes take place in a multipath signal environment, and therefore polarization diversity has been utilized to further improve the rate of data transfer in cluttered environments. Polarization diversity means the use of two antennas oriented such that in areas where antenna one has higher gain in one polarization, antenna two has higher gain in the orthogonal polarization. In general, polarization diversity is achieved by two antennas having orientation such that the polarization axes are approximately orthogonal. Furthermore, the main beams of the antennas can point to different directions and the antennas can be spaced some distance apart, in which case also angle and space diversities are utilized to decorrelate the signals. Again, by suitable signal processing, the average signal to noise ratio can be increased using polarization diversity compared to a single antenna system, as well as increased average signal to noise ratio compared to, for example, spatial diversity antenna systems.
One approach has used a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) as an antenna applied in the polarization diversity technique. FIG. 1 depicts two square-shaped planar inverted-F antennas (100) (PIFAs or alternatively referred to as short-circuited patch antennas) positioned and fed as in FIG. 1 by a feed probe (104) and short circuit (105). The antennas (100) can be used to obtain good diversity gain (5–9 dB) in a personal mobile communication terminal (PMCT). This has been confirmed with radio channel sounder measurements. The size of a ground plane (103) is approximately 40 mm×100 mm (width×length). The size of antenna elements (101, 102) is approximately 16 mm×16 mm×7 mm (length×width×height).
However, the wireless devices tend to be designed for being, possibly, comfortably carried by the user. This trend has driven a need for designing relatively small, light and handy wireless devices for users.
This has for one's part created new challenges for antenna design and technique. For an example, compared to the typical internal antennas currently used in small PMCTs, such as mobile phones, the PIFAs of FIG. 1 are clearly larger, possibly, too large for the mobile phone application.
In view of various inherent limitations of antennas and wireless communications devices, it would be desirable to avoid or mitigate these and other problems associated with prior art. Thus, there is a need for a technique to provide more compact diversity antenna arrangement.