A time-based switching method and system of SONET frames that utilize a common time reference is disclosed. Time is divided into a plurality of contiguous periodic time frames. A plurality of SONET frames is associated with a time frame; the plurality of SONET frames that are contained in each of the time frames is forwarded in a pipelined manner through the network switches. The system operates with high-speed wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) links. This switching method can be used to implement an all-optical SONET switching system.

This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for switching and grooming data units in a communications network in a timely manner while providing low switching complexity and performance guarantees, over a plurality of communications links with a plurality of transmission rates.
Circuit-switching networks are still the main carrier for real-time traffic, are designed for telephony service, and cannot be easily enhanced to support multiple services and carry multimedia traffic in their native packet formats. Circuit-switching is based on extremely accurate clock frequencies needed for byte-by-byte switching. This enables circuit-switching networks to transport data streams at constant rates with a small delay jitter. Finally, the clock accuracy for SONET requires a heightened amount of accuracy as line transmission speed increases.
Due to the statistical multiplexing of packet streams, packet switching networks handle bursty data more efficiently than do circuit-switching networks. However, current packet switches and routers operate asynchronously, and only provide "best effort" service in which end-to-end delay and jitter can be neither guaranteed nor bounded. Furthermore, statistical variations of traffic intensity in packet switching networks often lead to congestion that results in excessive delays and loss of packets, thereby significantly reducing the fidelity of real-time streams at their respective points of reception. Finally, since current packet switches and routers electronically process the header of each packet to be routed and switched, a high processing power is required and the scalability of the packet switching network is limited.
In circuit switches routing is time-based. A time period, called frame, is divided into very small slices of time, called slots, that contain only one byte of information. The absolute position of each time slice within each time period determines where its respective byte is routed.
Time-driven switching/routing, in accordance with some aspects of the present invention, supports more sophisticated and flexible timing than circuit switching. Consequently, time-driven switching provides better support of video-based multimedia applications. In accordance with the present invention, the size of time frames used for time-driven switching is larger than the size of time slots used in circuit switching; consequently, time-driven switching is far less complicated than circuit switching. In accordance with the present invention, time-driven routing is based on control information included in at least one of the headers and trailers of selected ones of the time frames, which current circuit switching cannot provide for.
In accordance with the present invention, time-driven switching/routing uses a Common Time Reference (CTR). The CTR, though used in time- driven switching, is not used in circuit switching. The above discrepancy between time-driven switching and circuit switching has far reaching implications during comparison of the two. For example, use of a CTR in a network deterministically ensures that time frames as defined by different nodes do not slip, thus enabling the deterministic pipeline forwarding of time frames. The above assurances of a CTR exist in contrast to the properties of a circuit switching network, where (1) there are time slot slips, and (2) deterministic pipeline forwarding is not possible.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,779 Yemini et al. disclose a switched network architecture that uses time. Time is used in order to determine when a plurality of switches can transmit over a predefined routing tree to one destination. This kind of tree is known as "sink" tree since the destination switch functions as a "sink" for the transmission from all switches. The time interval in which the plurality of switches transmits to a selected "sink" destination switch is called time band. In different time bands the plurality of switches are transmitting to a different single "sink" destination switch. Network switches change their configuration between time bands in order to build the proper "sink" tree during each time band. The present invention does use neither "sink" trees nor time bands for transmission over "sink" trees.
Yemini's invention may not be realizable in communications networks with end-to-end propagation delays that are not much smaller than the time band durations. In general, in Yemini's invention the end-to-end propagation delays introduce a non-trivial scheduling problem that may or may not have a solution. Furthermore, Yemini's invention does not discuss or specify how to take into consideration the link propagation delays and the end-to-end propagation delays. Consequently, general topology switched network cannot be built the way it is taught by Yemini's et al. invention.
Yemini's invention has another problem, which is congestion, that is the direct result of using "sink" trees. Data units received from different upstream switches contend for a single outgoing link towards the root of the "sink" tree. The present invention does not have any congestion. This is a direct consequence of using in the current invention completely different system operation principles and methods.
For example, in Yemini's et al. patent there is no pipeline forwarding: data units do not proceed in a lock-step fashion through the communications network, as it is the case in the present invention. The lack of pipeline forwarding leads to the above mentioned scheduling and congestion problems. Such problems are due to the fact that incoming time bands of Yemini's invention are not aligned in different input ports of the network's switches. Furthermore, it was not specified what are the temporal relationship of the same and different time bands on different "sink" tree switches when the link propagation delay and the end-to-end propagation delay are not zero. In contrast, time frames in the present invention are aligned with a Common Time Reference (CTR) on every switch.
Optical data communications using a single wavelength consist of the transduction of a single data stream into a series of pulses of light that are carried over an optical fiber. These pulses of light are of a single wavelength. Use of a single wavelength vastly under-utilizes the capacity of an optical fiber, which is capable of carrying a large number of signals each at a unique wavelength. Due to the nature of propagation of light signals, an optical fiber can carry multiple wavelengths simultaneously. The process of carrying multiple discrete signals via separate wavelengths of light on the same optical fiber is known in the art as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Many optical components, including, but not limited to, WDM multiplexers, WDM de-multiplexers, star couplers, tunable lasers, filters, waveguide grating routers (WGRs) are deployed in optical networks featuring WDM, and consequently used in the embodiments presented in this disclosure. [T. E. Stern and K. Bala, "Multiwavelength Optical Networks: a Layered Approach," Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, N.J., USA, ISBN 020130967X. R. Ramaswami and K. N. Sivarajan, "Optical Networks: a Practical Perspective," Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, Calif., USA, ISBN 1-55860-445-6. H. J. R. Dutton, "Understanding Optical Communications," Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, N.J., USA, ISBN 0-13-020141-3].
The present invention contains the novel combination of: (1) time-based switching and routing and (2) WDM technology. WDM includes the capabilities for (1) dynamic tunable wavelength transmission, (2) dynamic and static wavelength switching, and (3) tunable wavelength reception.
The increasing demand for communications capacity has led to general deployment of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), which requires extremely high capacity switches. Lambda or static wavelength switches address this need for extremely high switching capacity by switching a whole wavelength from an input optical fiber link to an output optical fiber link without requiring any processing of the transmitted data units. In accordance with the present invention, WDM with whole lambda_switching will be deployed in the network's optical core. However, switching of whole lambdas (e.g., lambdas of OC-192) is inefficient and costly because of three inherent problems it causes:                1. N square problem: the number of lambdas needed to accommodate all the possible connections among all access points is on the order of the square of the number of such access points. This will limit the size of the optical core.        2. Bandwidth mismatch problem: there is a substantial bandwidth mismatch when extremely high capacity backbone networks feed low capacity access links. As data leaves the core and is moved by packet switches towards the edge, buffers at access links frequently become congested, causing increased delays and dropped packets.        3. Traffic unbalancing problem: the traffic load across the network is not evenly distributed, i.e., it is not balanced. Thus, trying to satisfy the traffic load requirements using whole lambda_switching remains both inflexible and inefficient.
Adding the capability of switching_fractions oflambdas, or Fractional Lambda Pipes (FLPs), solves the above three problems. This approach, also called Fractional Lambda Switching (FLSw), will permit the optical core to be extended far closer to the network edges while reaching the lower speed network access devices with a bandwidth that matches their operation capability.
FLSw dynamically switches lambda fractions while carrying data units (e.g., IP data packets, and SONET STS1 frames), in a heterogeneous (mix of very high speed and very low speed links) meshed network, while providing deterministic performance guarantees. The size of fractional lambda pipes can be dynamically allocated to satisfy the specific needs of the access networks to which a fractional lambda pipe is connected. Small capacity FLPs can be used at the periphery to access low speed sub-networks, such as, cable modems, xDSL, VoIP gateways and wireless.
Fractional Lambda Switching (FLSw) combines the advantages of circuit switching and packet switching. FLSw is used for constructing a Fractional Lambda Pipe (FLP). A FLP is equivalent to a leased line in circuit switching. A FLP is realized by two simple elements:                1. A Common Time Reference (CTR™) throughout the network that is globally aligned with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); and        2. Pipeline Forwarding (PF™) of time frames (logical containers of data packets) across FLPs.
The CTR is a reference clock used to realize pipeline forwarding of time frames, both within switches and across FLPs. The CTR™ is received via either the Global Positioning System (GPS), which is globally available at a low cost with an accuracy of 10–20 nanoseconds, or any other UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) distribution system such as the GLONASS (Russia) and, in the future, Galileo (Europe).
The common time reference or more specifically, the UTC second, is partitioned into time frames. The duration of a time frame is a link parameter—fast links might use shorter time frames, while slow links might use longer time frames. Contiguous time frames are grouped into time cycles, and contiguous time cycles are grouped together into contiguous super cycles. The duration of a super cycle is one UTC second, as shown in FIG. 2, and both the duration of time frames and the number of time frames in a cycle can be chosen for convenience. For example, a 1 Gb/s link might use time cycles of 100 time frames, each time frame having a duration of 125 μs; while a 10 Gb/s link might use time cycles of 1000 time frames, each time frame having a duration of 12.5 microseconds. For both links, each time frame will carry the same 15,625-byte payload, and there will be 80 time cycles in each super cycle or one UTC second, as shown in FIG. 2.
The common time reference can be realized by using UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), which is globally available via, for example GPS (Global Positioning System). By international agreement, UTC is the same all over the world. UTC is the scientific name for what is commonly called GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), the time at the 0 (root) line of longitude at Greenwich, England. In 1967, an international agreement established the length of a second as the duration of 9,192,631,770 oscillations of the cesium atom. The adoption of the atomic second led to the coordination of clocks around the world and the establishment of UTC in 1972. The Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) (see http://www.boulder.nist.gov/timefreq) is responsible for coordinating UTC with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Paris.
FIG. 3 shows an example of the pipeline forwarding of time frames—i.e., the data units transmitted and received during a time frame—, for a FLP™, through switches A, B, and C. The path through switches A, B, and C has been previously scheduled and no header processing is necessary once data units enter the FLP. The link between Switch A and B has a propagation delay of four time frames, i.e., data units transmitted by Switch A during time frame 1 take until time frame 5 (time frames 2 through 5) to reach the other end of the link between Switch A and Switch B. The data units are automatically switched to the proper output port of Switch B and then forwarded to Switch C during time frame 6, arriving at Switch C after three additional time frames (time frames 7 through 9). All data units are guaranteed to arrive at the end of their FLP at the same predetermined rate at which they entered the FLP.
Each FLP's switching schedule is simple, and repeats every time cycle and/or super cycle. Thus, FLPs, together with the predictability provided by the CTR and pipeline forwarding, eliminate the complexity of data packet header processing. Each FLP™ transports data packets of one protocol, such as IP, MPLS, ATM, FR, or FC. However, different FLPs may carry data units of different protocols, i.e., data units of different protocols can travel across a selected link.
Fractional lambda switches have significantly lower complexity than both packet switches and circuit switches with comparable switching capability for the following reasons:                1. Minimum switch fabric complexity is implemented using a Banyan network, which has the complexity of a.N.lgaN switching elements, where N is the total number of optical channels and 'a' is the size (number of inputs/outputs) of each switching element.        2. Optimal speed-up of the switch fabric that operates at the same speed as the optical channels (e.g., 10 Gb/s with OC-192 links).        3. Optimal memory access bandwidth is equal to the optical channel bandwidth—the switch architecture enables that, with only 3 input queues, a queue is never used for reading and writing at the same time, i.e., memory access with a speedup of 1.        4. (Very) small input memory for each optical channel (e.g., a 10 Gb/s channel requires 3 input queues with a total of 48 Kbytes of memory) and no buffering at the output port are needed.        5. (Very) simple control of the switch fabric suffices, since its configuration changes at a relatively low frequency (e.g., 80,000 times per second) and it is known in advance. This operation complexity is comparable to that of a T1 multiplexer.
Though highly efficient, a Banyan Network is subject to what is known as switch blocking: it may be impossible to connect an idle input with an idle output because a switching element is not available on the path between input and output. An interesting attribute of fractional lambda switching is the nearly complete elimination of blocking through Banyan-based switches.
Advances in optical transport have led to the realization of high-speed optical channels (e.g., OC-192 at 10 Gb/s); however, a single source transmitting to a single destination will not utilize the capacity of such channels. In accordance with the present invention, the following two basic requirements have been formed to enable the full utilization of such high capacity channels: (i) Grooming and degrooming: the need to aggregate (i.e., grooming) traffic from multiple sources into one optical channel and to separate (i.e., degrooming) an optical channel traffic to different destinations; (ii) Dynamic optical switching: the need to route portions from one optical channel (i.e., a lambda or a wavelength) on different optical paths to different destinations.
Dynamic all-optical switching is appealing for a number of reasons, stemming from the transparency of the transported data stream to the switching system itself; such reasons being: (i) intrinsically protocol independent (multi-protocol) transport; (ii) high scalability, since the transmission rate of each optical channel is transparent to the optical switching system; and (iii) no processing performed on switched data units, thus eliminating processing bottlenecks. Dynamic all-optical switching is possible when the optical switch reconfiguration time is significantly smaller than the time between two successive switch configuration changes.
The latest advances in optical switching have resulted in decreasing reconfiguration times of optical switch fabrics. However, taking full advantage of such advances for dynamic optical switching is not obvious, for several reasons: (i) Processing of in band control information, e.g., packet headers, is not possible; (ii) Dynamic optical storage is not available to assist in coping with output port contention and switch control and reconfiguration time; (iii) Optical switch reconfiguration time should be significantly smaller than the time between two successive reconfigurations.
Due to the above limitations it is not possible to realize an asynchronous packet switching system, and therefore, using time is necessary. However, time-based techniques deployed in circuit switching (e.g., SONET, based on byte switching, i.e., byte de-multiplexing and byte multiplexing) are not applicable to all-optical switches.
The most comprehensive solution to the above-mentioned problems is use of a common time reference (CTR™) for pipeline forwarding (PF™) in order to facilitate dynamic all-optical switching. CTR™ provides the synchronization needed to orchestrate the control of network switches while eliminating the need for optical storage and processing.
Dynamic All-optical Switching of Time Frames
Time is divided into time frames and any time frame of a sequence of incoming time frames over one optical channel can be optically switched to any outgoing optical channel. Such time frame switching is the basis of fractional lambda switching (FLSw). FLSw is used for constructing Fractional lambda pipes (FLPs), i.e., fractions of a wavelength. Each FLP™ transports data units of one protocol—such as, IP, MPLS, ATM, FR, FC, and SONET frames (e.g., STS1 frame)—, thereby realizing the desired protocol independent property of all-optical switching.
An all-optical switch realizes PF™ in two operational phases. Data units belonging to a whole time frame received from each of the optical channels during the first phase, Phase 1, are switched through the switch in the second phase, Phase 2. In a possible embodiment, if Phase 1 begins in time frame t, Phase 2 takes place in time frame t+1. In another embodiment, if Phase 1 ends in time frame t, Phase 2 takes place in time frame t+1. The 2 phase operation ensures that data units received from the various optical channels are aligned with the CTR before being switched. Phase 2 can be performed during either the time frame immediately following Phase 1, during time frame t+1—immediate forwarding operation, or at a later time frame—non-immediate forwarding operation.
Alignment involves aligning the beginning and end of each time frame from each optical channel with the beginning and end of the CTR™ time frames. Alignment can be performed either independently on each one of the channels carried by an optical link, or collectively on all of the channels carried by an optical link.
Alignment is needed because the propagation delay on optical links between switches is not an integer multiple of time frames. An optical alignment subsystem is part of the all-optical fractional lambda switch, operates on all the wavelengths carried by each optical fiber, and contributes to the realization of Phase 1 of the PF™. The optical alignment subsystem is based on a programmable optical delay line guaranteeing that the overall delay experienced through the optical fiber and the delay line is an integer number of time frames. Data units leave the switch at the transmitting end of a selected optical fiber aligned with the CTR™. When they arrive at the output of the optical alignment subsystem at the receiving end of the selected optical fiber, they are still aligned with the CTR™. The alignment system is comprised of a controller that detects time frame delimiters and adjusts the delay by using a programmable optical delay line (note: the alignment changes only when the propagation delay on the optical link changes).
The availability of a common time reference (CTR™) on a global scale for all network nodes enables the implementation of dynamic optical switches with a simple architecture. This architecture is used to realize fractional lambda switching (FLSw). FLSw is based on a common time reference (CTR™) for pipeline forwarding (PF™) of time frames. In FLSw, the synchronization provided by the CTR is leveraged to orchestrate the operation of subsystems within a switch and across the whole network.

Multi-terabit SONET switching with common time reference


The present invention is directed to certain novel compounds represented by structural Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms thereof, wherein R1, R5, R6a, R6b, R7, R8, R9, X, b, k, m, and n, and the dashed lines are described herein. The invention is also concerned with pharmaceutical formulations comprising these novel compounds as active ingredients and the use of the novel compounds and their formulations in the treatment of certain disorders. The compounds of this invention are serotonin agonists and antagonists and are useful in the control or prevention of central nervous system disorders including obesity, anxiety, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, sleep disorders, sexual disorders, migraine, conditions associated with cephalic pain, social phobias, and gastrointestinal disorders such as dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract motility.

There exists a substantial correlation for the relationship between 5-HT2 receptor modulation and a variety of diseases and therapies. To date, three subtypes of the 5-HT2 receptor class have been identified; 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C. Prior to the early 1990's the 5-HT2C and 5-HT2A receptors were referred to as 5-HT1C and 5-HT2, respectively.
The agonism or antagonism of 5-HT2 receptors, either selectively or nonselectively, has been associated with the treatment of various central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Ligands possessing affinity for the 5-HT2 receptors have been shown to have numerous physiological and behavioral effects (Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 11; 181, 1990). In the recent past the contribution of serotonergic activity to the mode of action of antidepressant drugs has been well documented. Compounds that increase the overall basal tone of serotonin in the CNS have been successfully developed as antidepressants. The serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) function by increasing the amount of serotonin present in the nerve synapse. These breakthrough treatments, however, are not without side effects and suffer from delayed onset of action (Leonard, J. Clin. Psychiatry, 54(suppl), 3, 1993). Due to the mechanism of action of the SSRIs, they effect the activity of a number of serotonin receptor subtypes. This non-specific modulation of the serotonin family of receptors most likely plays a significant role in the side effect profile. In addition, these compounds often have a high affinity for a number of the serotonin receptors as well as a multitude of other monoamine neurotransmitters and nuisance receptors. Removing some of the receptor cross reactivity would allow for the examination and possible development of potent therapeutic ligands with an improved side effect profile.
There is ample evidence to support the role of selective 5-HT2 receptor ligands in a number of disease therapies. Modulation of 5-HT2 receptors has been associated with the treatment of schizophrenia and psychoses (Ugedo, L., et al., Psychopharmacology, 98, 45, 1989). Mood, behavior and hallucinogenesis can be affected by 5-HT2 receptors in the limbic system and cerebral cortex. 5-HT2 receptor modulation in the hypothalamus can influence appetite, thermoregulation, sleep, sexual behavior, motor activity, and neuroendocrine function (Hartig, P., et.al., Annals New York Academy of Science, 149, 159). There is also evidence indicating that 5-HT2 receptors mediate hypoactivity, effect feeding in rats, and mediate penile erections (Psychopharmacology, 101, 57, 1990).
Compounds exhibiting selectivity for the 5-HT2B receptor are useful in treating conditions such as tachygastria, hypermotility associated with irritable bowel disorder, constipation, dyspepsia, and other peripherally mediated conditions.
5-HT2A antagonists have been shown to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and migraines (Koek, W., Neuroscience and Behavioral reviews, 16, 95, 1996). Aside from the beneficial antipsychotic effects, classical neuroleptic are frequently responsible for eliciting acute extrapyramidal side effects and neuroendocrine disturbances. These compounds generally possess significant dopamine D2 receptor affinity (as well as other nuisance receptor affinity) which frequently is associated with extra pyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia, thus detracting from their efficacy as front line treatments in schizophrenia and related disorders. Compounds possessing a more favorable selectivity profile would represent a possible improvement for the treatment of CNS disorders.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,914,421; 4,013,652; 4,115,577; 4,183,936; and 4,238,607 disclose pyridopyrrolobenzheterocycles of formula:     where X is O, S, S(═O), or SO2; n is 0 or 1; R1 is various carbon substituents, and Z is a monosubstituent of H, methyl, or chloro.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,550 discloses pyridopyrrolobenzheterocycles of formula:     where X is O or S; R1 is C1-4 alkyl or cyclopropyl; R2 is H, CH3, OCH3, Cl, Br, F, or CF3; and (A) is —CH2—, —CH(CH3)—, or —CH2CH2—.

Substituted heterocycle fused gamma-carbolines


Machines and methods designed for use in harvesting vine-borne crops that is particularly suited for use in wet fields with narrow rows. The machines are relatively compact, and provide for vine borne crops to be severed, separated, cleaned and sorted along a straight path of a single vertical plane. The machines and methods incorporate a blower and adjustable conveyor system for efficient removal of unwanted dirt, trash, vegetation and debris from the crop without re-depositing such removed refuse on the cleaned crop. The machines and methods also provide an upward airstream that blows through the mesh/openings of the conveyors to provide agitation for recovery of additional crop from previously-shaken vines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to machines and methods for harvesting food crops, and more particularly, to an improved small-scale machine and related methods for separating larger volumes of vine-borne crops from their vines while effectively removing unwanted dirt, vegetation and debris, minimizing damage to the fruit itself, and promoting better sorting of fruit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vine-borne crops have traditionally been harvested and processed by hand. However, such manual harvesting and processing was often tedious, time-consuming and expensive.
Various machines, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,305, have been developed over the years to automate part, or all, of this process. These machines are able to harvest vine-borne crops from the ground at much faster speeds than humans. However, these machines were often inefficient in other aspects of the harvesting process. Early harvesting machines severed entire plants and dropped them upon the ground, with the desired crops remaining affixed to the plants. Then, collection devices would retrieve the mixture of vegetation, dirt and debris for processing. Human sorters would then be required to sort through the mixture to separate the crops from the rest, and extract the former. The human sorters had to quickly process these mixtures to prevent a backlog. As a result, some suitable crops were lost because they were too far entangled within the plants, or simply overlooked by the human sorters.
Various devices have been developed over the years to improve the mechanized harvesting process, and to minimize the need for human sorters. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,257,218, 4,335,570, and 6,257,978 all disclose harvesting machines utilizing at least one form of agitating device (such as vibrating shaker heads or conveyor belts) to dislodge tomatoes from the vines. Several harvesting machines, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,257,978 and 6,033,305, also utilize forced air pressure systems to further remove dirt and debris.
Unfortunately, larger is not always better. While wider and larger machines are generally capable of harvesting and processing a higher volume of vine-borne crops, many road and/or field situations make it impossible or impracticable to use or bring these large machines in to perform the desired harvesting. Such machines are also more difficult to maneuver. Such limited maneuverability may require the machine operator to spend additional time repositioning the machines to process each row of crops, or cause the machines to inadvertently trample one or more rows. In addition, larger machines tend to weigh more, and the added weight not only affects maneuverability (e.g. turning), it also makes the larger, heavier machines unusable in moist or muddy fields where they tend to bog down. It is therefore desirable to provide a smaller scale machine that is capable of harvesting larger volumes of vine-borne crops.
In addition, the design of many existing large and small-scale machines may cause damage to the fruit by imparting numerous drops and/or turns during processing. Many machines require the fruit to drop a distance of several feet over the course of processing through the machine, and to make several turns during the process. Each drop and each turn provides another point where the fruit may be damaged, so it is desirable to minimize the number and/distance that the fruit drops through the machine, and to minimize the number of turns the fruit makes as it travels through the machine.
Effective separating and sorting of harvested fruit is also important. More efficient removal of dirt, vegetation, trash and debris as well as more accurate sorting of fruit is possible when the harvested materials are widely dispersed, and not bunched together. Another unfortunate side effect of machines in which the fruit makes multiple turns is that the fruit and associated trash and debris tends to bunch together. Rather than the fruits being evenly spaced upon the conveyors (so that they may be easily examined and processed), these comers cause the fruits to become crowded as they are transported onto an intersecting conveyor sometimes forming windrows, making them more difficult to inspect and sort. This bunching makes removal of the trash and debris more difficult, and once removed, the bunching of the harvested fruit makes sorting more difficult as well. Furthermore, each turn involves a drop from one conveyor to another, risking additional damage to the fruit, and requiring more maintenance and cleanup from breakage. Transverse turns also tend to increase the overall width and size of the harvester machine. All of these consequences make it even more desirable to minimize the number of turns the fruit makes as it travels through the machine.
Several variations of cleaning systems for removal of dirt, vegetation, trash and debris have been implemented in existing machines, each with their own drawbacks. Suction fan systems used on some harvesting machines tend to be expensive, noisy, prone to plugging in wet conditions, at times unreliable, and need significant power. Many machines developed to harvest tomatoes in wetter climates do not utilize suction fans on the harvester for these reasons. Machines which use only a blower for removal of dirt, vegetation, trash and debris suffer from problems related to inadequate space for the air to vent and drop out this refuse, making it difficult to control where all the refuse is going. In many cases, the refuse winds up settling back onto the freshly harvested crop, defeating the purpose of the cleaning blower. On some foreign machines, this problem is solved by placing the blower at the rear of the machine, allowing the blown refuse to vent out the rear. However, it is preferable to be able to clean the crop before it reaches the rear of the machine, to allow room for manual and electronic sorting at the rear of machine. Otherwise, the crop stream would need to change directions in order to come back up the side of the machine for sorting. This would add to the width and bulk of the machine, making it larger and less maneuverable.
It is therefore desirable to provide a small-scale vine-borne crop harvesting machine capable of processing a large volume of crops that is usable in narrow, wet field situations where larger machines would bog down. It is further desirable that dirt, vegetation, trash and debris be effectively removed early in the harvesting process so that the sorting of crop on the machine may be accomplished at or near the rear, to avoid adding width and bulk to the machine.


A wind warning system. The system includes: an alarm module configured to provide a audio signal; a power module configured to provide power to the alarm module; and a trigger module configured to trigger actuation of the alarm module. There is also a wind-speed sensor module configured to provide a signal to the trigger module when wind is detected having a speed higher than a predetermined threshold. The trigger module includes an electrically conductive protruding member. The wind-speed sensor module includes: a shaft member; a fan rotatably and slidably coupled to the shaft member; and a bias member coupled to the shaft member and in mechanical communication with the fan. Additionally, there is: a vertical shaft coupled to the shaft member; a tower rotatably coupled to the vertical shaft member. Moreover, there is an adjustment device that selectably adjusts a tension of the bias member, thereby altering a threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind speed and direction monitoring systems, specifically a wind warning system that sounds an audible alert upon detection of strong winds.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use wind direction and speed monitoring systems to predict wind speeds associated with hazardous weather conditions. High winds associated with thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other sever weather phenomena frequently result in severe property damage, personal injury, and death. It is well known that advance warning of destructive wind speeds is crucial to minimizing potentially devastating outcomes. Individuals are frequently caught unaware of fast approaching and rapidly changing bad weather conditions. As a result, they aren't afforded sufficient lead time necessary to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and safeguard valuable equipment. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,554, issued to Carrell, discloses a severe weather detection apparatus for detecting severe weather and method of detecting and warning of approaching severe weather conditions is provided. The severe weather detector apparatus includes a barometric pressure sensor and computerized means for calculating the rate of change in the barometric pressure. By monitoring and deriving a value representative of the rate of change in the barometric pressure over time, a threshold is established and compared to the current rate of change in the barometric pressure. The derived rate of change is compared to a value stored in the device which reflects approaching severe weather conditions. Rates of change which may indicate the approach of severe weather activate a voice-enunciated alarm that announces the potentially dangerous barometric activity. The severe weather detection apparatus is portable and suitable for battery power and installation in the same manner as a home smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector. A reduced voltage 'sleep-mode' is included to allow the device to operate for extended periods of time without maintenance or user intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,276, issued to Grindle et al., discloses a system for monitoring the wind speed experienced at a particular residential location includes a roof housing with a cup-type anemometer having three or four concave cups attached to a rotatable vertical shaft. The cups resist the wind, causing the cups and shaft to rotate at a rate proportional to the wind speed. Shaft is rotatably joined to a dynamo which converts the mechanical energy derived from rotation of the shaft into electricity. Voltage from the dynamo is then transferred to rechargeable batteries which power the system. An array of solar panels is also utilized to recharge the batteries. The shaft includes a mark detectable by a photomicrosensor through which the shaft extends, allowing the photomicrosensor to count the number of shaft revolutions. This data is sent at fixed time intervals to a logic circuit housed within a display unit. The logic circuit calculates wind speed according to the number of shaft revolutions detected within a fixed time interval. An LED on the display unit corresponding to an appropriate Beaufort Scale wind classification is then activated and the wind speed is digitally displayed. An audible alarm within the display unit is activated if the wind speed exceeds a predetermined speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,738, issued to Hendrickson, discloses a wind speed indicator includes a series of spaced individual indicia provided on a member which is rotatable in response to movement of air caused by the wind. The indicia may take the form of individual dots spaced equally about the circumference of a circle centered on the axis of rotation of the rotatable member so that, when the rotatable member is rotated, the dots cooperate to define a virtual ring when rotated above a predetermined angular velocity in response to a predetermined threshold wind speed. Additional series of individual indicia, such as dots, are formed about succeeding smaller concentric circles and are spaced farther apart. As wind speed increases, additional virtual rings are apparent to indicate when wind speed has exceeded additional predetermined thresholds. The indicia can either be provided on an impeller which is directly rotated by the wind, or on a rotatable member which is rotatably driven in response to rotation of a separate impeller rotatably driven by the wind. In a preferred form, the components are incorporated into a system resembling that of a weather vane in order to simultaneously provide an indication of wind direction and an indication of wind speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,815, issued to Wittry, discloses an improved digital wind-speed meter based on a digital optical tachometer that may also be used independently to measure the angular velocity of propellers or fans. The improved wind-speed meter consists of a turbine mounted between two bearings and containing a polished metal cylinder with alternate reflecting and non-reflecting peripheral regions to change the light reflected by lamp into a light guide, e.g. plastic rod, which conducts light to the digital optical tachometer. The turbine head, containing a mounting tube may be rotated about this tube's axis to change the direction of the display relative to the wind direction. By changing the direction of the display in this way, the wind-speed meter provides easier and more convenient use than existing wind-speed meters when measuring the wind speed produced by fans or propellers, or the airspeed of wind-propelled craft such as sailboats and gliders.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,633, issued to Peet, II, discloses an apparatus for measuring wind speed and direction includes: a wind vane having a permanent magnet, an anemometer having a permanent magnet and a ferromagnetic member, and a stationary housing having radially and axially mounted reed switches. As the anemometer spins, the anemometer magnet closes the radially mounted reed switch once per revolution. This produces a signal having a frequency proportional to wind speed. The wind vane magnet rotates around the housing to a point determined by the wind direction, producing enough flux to keep the axially mounted reed switch closed. The ferromagnetic member is interposed between the magnet in the wind vane and the axially mounted reed switch once per revolution. This draws flux away from the axially mounted reed switch, allowing it to open. The result is a second output signal having a phase difference, relative to the first output signal, that depends on the wind direction. The direction of the fluid flow is determined by computing the phase difference. The housing has a mounting assembly including tapered, grooved mounting members, and a locking collar with a circumferential land to engage the grooves. The housing may be mounted at any azimuthal angle. Calibration compensates for the mounting angle.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D279,293, issued to Sutz, discloses the ornamental design for a windmill.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being: difficult to install/operate, limited applicability, expensive and/or otherwise fails to detect winds associated with approaching storms, and/or fails to provide users sufficient lead time to take precautionary measures to protect themselves from strong wind speeds.
What is needed is a wind warning system that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.


An operating device for an electric cook-top is disclosed having a rotary control operating unit, which is retained in position in a magnetic rotary manner on an outer surface of the cook-top. In one embodiment, the rotary control is provided with a contact switch for signal transmission of a switching process to a control unit mounted below the outer surface. In one embodiment, the contact switch is a contact switch with a capacitive coupling through the outer surface.

DE 19833983 A1 generally discloses a rotary control as a power control or operating device for an electrical appliance, for example for a hob or cook-top.
DE 29605163 U1, discloses a rotary control having an optical waveguide that is used for indicating the transfer of the rotary position of an operating unit. The optical waveguide channels light in the vicinity of the rotational axis of the rotary control. The light is fed from below into the optical waveguide in the downwards direction as a function of the rotary position. Beneath an outer surface in the vicinity of the rotation axis of the rotary control, a light source is provided along with photosensitive sensors for detecting position of the rotary control. The sensors record the light passing through the optical waveguide and emitted at the underside of the operating unit as a function of the rotary position of the rotary control at different locations . DE 10212954 A1 describes the use of an operating unit with microprocessor, which detects the rotary position of a rotary toggle of the operating unit relative to an angle-stable bearing device or outer surface on which the rotary toggle is mounted, and relays it to a receiver located below the outer surface. These operating devices are particularly suitable for use with electrical heating appliances with an outer surface (such as a cook-top), because these devices make it possible to for a user to operate the electrical heating appliances by means of operating units located on the glass ceramic plate and without it being necessary to provide openings in the glass plate.
Known operating devices are considered disadvantageous in that they only permit the recording or detecting of one angular position or one position change. Thus, it is difficult to implement more complex functions than the power control of, for example, a hob or cook-top.
The problem of the invention is to provide an aforementioned operating device and a method able to avoid the prior art problems and, in particular, an operating device for an electrical appliance, which is superior to the prior art with respect to operability or operating method.

Operating device for an electrical appliance and method for operating an electrical appliance


A light emitting diode (LED) driving circuit is provided. The LED driving circuit includes: at least one LED driving module, coupled to the at least one LED series, for driving the corresponding LED series; and a voltage regulating module, coupled to the at least one LED driving module, for providing a regulation signal according to an output signal from the at least one LED driving module, wherein an input voltage of the at least one LED series is regulated according to the regulation signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light emitting diode (LED) driving technology, and in particular relates to voltage regulation technology for driving transistors in an LED circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light Emitting diode (LED) driving chips are popularly used in display apparatuses such as LED televisions. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the LED driving chip in the prior art. The LED driving chip 110 comprises a plurality of LED driving modules 112. an LED series 130, having a plurality of LEDs connected in series and between a voltage source Vsupply and an LED driving module 112. The LED driving module 112 is used to drive the LED series 130.
Note that, in the prior art, a variable resistor Rad disposed between the voltage source Vsupply and the LED series 130 for adjusting the voltage drop across the LED driving module 112. Specifically, the components in FIG. 1 satisfy the following equation: Vsupply=ILED×Rad+VLEDs+V112, where "ILED" denotes the current across the LED 130 and "VLEDs" denotes the voltage across the LED 130. With a given specification for the LED 130, both of the values of "ILED" and "VLEDs" are constant. Therefore, when the value of the variable resistor Rad is calibrated, the voltage drop V112 across the LED driving module 112 will be accordingly calibrated.
However, the prior art fails to calibrate the voltage drop across the LED driving module 112 within a proper range automatically. Thus, the present invention provides a new circuit to solve this issue.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Light emitting diode driving circuit and system


Certain example embodiments relate to an electronic device, including a user interface, and processing resources including at least one processor and a memory. The memory stores a program executable by the processing resources to simulate a view of an image through at least one viewer-selected product that is virtually interposed between a viewer using the electronic device and the image by performing functionality including: acquiring the image; facilitating viewer selection of the at least one product in connection with the user interface; retrieving display properties associated with the at least one viewer-selected product; generating, for each said viewer-selected product, a filter to be applied to the acquired image based on retrieved display properties; and generating, for display via the electronic device, an output image corresponding to the generated filter(s) being applied to the acquired image. The electronic device in certain example embodiments may be a smartphone, tablet, and/or the like.

Glass has long been incorporated into buildings and other structures for aesthetic purposes. For example, design architects designing buildings oftentimes will desire a particular coloration, amount of visible light transmission, amount of visible light reflection, and/or other aesthetic properties for a given project, e.g., to enhance its aesthetic appeal, set it apart from other projects, comport with a particular "neighborhood feel," etc.
Glass exhibits multiple effects, many of which are subtle. Yet even subtle effects can have a profound impact on aesthetics if magnified over a broad area as in the case of, for example, an office building with many stories. Although more easily perceivable aspects such as stated coloration can at some level be grasped by design architects, it oftentimes is difficult to gauge how minor changes in transmission and/or reflection might affect a project. Of course, even with a property as seemingly simple as coloration, there are many fine gradations that may not be readily appreciated.
Moreover, "off-axis" properties related to transmission, reflection, coloration, haze, and the like, also can have a profound impact on the overall aesthetics of a project. In other words, although properties such as coloration, transmission, and reflection typically are reported as nominal values, such nominal values generally assume an orthogonal viewpoint and thus do not fully and accurately reflect how a façade (for example) might be perceived when viewed at an angle, or how the outside of a building might be viewed when standing or looking at an angle.
To help combat these issues, design architects may have on-hand a collection of sample products. Additionally, some architects order sample products that are built to their specifications. Unfortunately, however, it oftentimes is difficult to maintain a large collection of samples. For example, such collections can become outdated fairly quickly, e.g., as technology related to functional coatings (e.g., low-emissivity, antireflection, and/or other coatings) continues to advance, as building certifications and standards change, etc. The storage requirements for a meaningful collection of samples also may be problematic.
When it comes to ordering sample products, and even those that are built to precise specifications, there is unfortunate waste created. It also has been found that there oftentimes is a large divergence between what a design architect thinks is being ordered and what actually is being delivered. It has been observed that this discrepancy has led to increasing frustration on the part of architects in terms of the sample delivery and disposal approach. It also has been observed that architecture firms across the board are moving to eliminate their sample libraries.
The assignee of the instant application has developed a "glass calculator" that provides precise optical information for a range of configurable products. This glass calculator allows users to specify types of glass, glass thicknesses, coatings, coating locations, spacer configurations for insulating glass (IG) units, etc. Once specified, the glass calculator generates and displays detailed information about the optical properties expected for the custom configuration. The glass calculator has proven to be a valuable tool for glass fabricators. Unfortunately, however, design architects may not be able to fully understand the detailed output of the glass calculator. Moreover, in the design realm, "seeing is believing"—and the calculator cannot take the place of actual samples in this respect. And because the glass calculator was created with fabricators in mind, it is not easy or intuitive for design architects to quickly solve design challenges in a format and "language" that is meaningful to them.
Thus, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for tools designed to help design architects visualize the performance of windows, including when standing "outside" the window and "looking in," and when standing "inside" the window and "looking out."
Certain example embodiments help address these and/or other concerns. For instance, certain example embodiments apply augmented reality (AR) techniques so that an electronic device can be used as if it were a window. In certain example embodiments, the user can select aspects of the window. The user uses the device to "frame" an object or objects, e.g., by placing the device between the user and the object or objects and looking "through" the device (using cameras, displays, and/or other hardware elements of and/or coupled to the device) as if the device were a frame for the object or objects. "Framing" in certain example embodiments involves image processing based on a determination of the orientation of the user's gaze relative to the device and an object. One or more cameras (e.g., a 360 degree camera, two 180 degree cameras, and/or the like) are used to help determine where a human user is looking and what a human user is looking at, e.g., using face and/or eye-tracking algorithms. Once determined, the object(s) being imaged is/are displayed on a display, with a custom filter being applied thereon to simulate the effects of the window. The filter is custom-generated in some instances based on specifications related to the selected aspects of the window, as well as the user's position and/or orientation relative to the virtual window (and may in some instances be driven by or at least involve spectrum data).
It is noted that the use of two-sided fish eye cameras on mobile devices in general is rare, and that certain example embodiments make use of this rare arrangement. For instance, certain example embodiments isolate processing of the transmitted image of a glass sample through a filter that is applied only to the target-facing camera (or camera view), and likewise isolate processing of the reflected properties related to the image from the user-facing camera (or camera view).
Certain example embodiments relate to an electronic device, comprising a user interface, and processing resources including at least one processor and a memory. The memory stores a program executable by the processing resources to simulate a view of an image through at least one viewer-selected product that is virtually interposed between a viewer using the electronic device and the image by performing functionality comprising: acquiring the image; facilitating viewer selection of the at least one product in connection with the user interface; retrieving display properties associated with the at least one viewer-selected product; generating, for each said viewer-selected product, a filter to be applied to the acquired image based on retrieved display properties; and generating, for display via the electronic device, an output image corresponding to the generated filter(s) being applied to the acquired image. The electronic device in certain example embodiments may be a smartphone, tablet, and/or the like.
Certain example embodiments relate to methods of using the electronic device described herein. Similarly, certain example embodiments relate to non-transitory computer readable storage media tangibly storing a program that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, performs such methods. Still other example embodiments relate to the program per se.
The features, aspects, advantages, and example embodiments described herein may be combined to realize yet further embodiments.

Augmented reality system and method for substrates, coated articles, insulating glass units, and/or the like


A lens drive device for use with at least one lens may include a movable body holding a lens, a fixed body movably holding the movable body, and a drive mechanism for driving the movable body in the optical axis direction. The drive mechanism may include a drive coil fixed to the movable body and a plurality of drive magnets which is fixed to the fixed body and magnetized so that magnetic poles are different from each other in the optical axis direction. The fixed body may include an outer peripheral side magnetic member and an end face side magnetic member and an inner peripheral face of the outer peripheral side magnetic member and a side face of the drive magnet are faced each other through a predetermined space. The drive coil is disposed between the drive magnet and the inner peripheral face of the outer peripheral side magnetic member.

A lens drive device has been conventionally known in which a photographing lens for a camera that is mounted on a cellular phone or the like is driven. The lens drive device is provided with a lens holder, which holds a plurality of lenses and is moved in an optical axis direction, and a drive mechanism part for driving the lens holder in the optical axis direction (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-198948). In the lens drive device described in this Patent Literature, a drive coil which is wound around in a square shape is fixed to an outer peripheral side of the lens holder and two drive magnets are disposed so as to interpose the drive coil from both sides in the optical axis direction.
In recent years, in a market of a camera which is mounted on a cellular phone or the like, requirement for making a camera thinner has been further increased and, in order to meet the requirement, requirement for making a lens drive device used in a camera thinner has been also increased. However, in the lens drive device described in the above-mentioned Patent Literature, two drive magnets are disposed so as to interpose the drive coil which is fixed to the lens holder from both sides in the optical axis direction. Therefore, when the device is made thinner, a space in the optical axis direction between two drive magnets becomes narrow. As a result, in the lens drive device, when the device is made thinner, it is difficult to secure a required stroke of the lens.


A control system is disclosed for a worksite. The control system may have a sensor located onboard a haul machine to generate a first signal indicative of a load of material lost, and a locating device to generate a second signal indicative of a location of the haul machine. The control system may also have a controller configured to determine a location at which the load of material was lost based on the first and second signals, and to determine a quantity of the load of material. The controller may also be configured to determine a repair needed at the worksite, to calculate a value of performing the repair, and to selectively dispatch a cleanup machine to perform the repair or to move the load of material to a stockpile location based on the value.

Machines such as haul trucks, wheel loaders, scrapers, and other types of heavy equipment, are used to perform a variety of tasks. Some of these tasks involve carrying large, awkward, loose, and/or heavy loads along rough and uneven roadways. And because of the size of the machines and/or poor visibility provided to operators of the machines, these tasks can be difficult to complete effectively. In fact, it is not uncommon for part of the load to fall from the machine along its travel route. This lost load may or may not be noticed by an operator of the machine, and the operator may be unable to reload the material or clear the roadway without help from another machine and operator. A lost load can result in low productivity and efficiency, as well as the potential obstruction of roadways.
One attempt to manage lost loads is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,441 (the '441 patent) that issued to Gudat et al. on Sep. 29, 2009. In particular, the '441 patent describes an automated lost load response system for a machine. The response system has a first sensor situated to detect the contour of a road surface forward of the machine, and a second sensor situated to detect the contour of the road surface rearward of the machine. The response system also has a controller that determines if a portion of a load carried by the machine is lost based on a comparison of signals from the first and second sensors. The controller further determines a location of the lost load, and whether the lost load is potentially hazardous based on a height and/or size of the lost load. The controller then provides a load loss warning to a service facility, which may then arrange for cleanup, salvage, or repair necessitated by the lost load.
Although the response system of the '441 patent may effectively determine when a load is lost from a machine, it may do little to resolve the situation. In particular, the solution to the lost load may still need to be determined manually and without all of the information required to do so effectively.
The disclosed worksite control system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.

Worksite control system for managing lost loads


A method and system for performing document image correction using a document reader is disclosed. The method includes generating a document image representative of a document having a deformation; decoding an optical pattern embedded in the document from the document image to determine an optical signature for the document; receiving document classification data associated with the optical signature; and applying an image correction technique to the document image based on the document classification data to generate a corrected document image. A document capable of being read by a document reader is also disclosed. The document includes a substrate and an optical pattern embedded on the substrate. The optical pattern is part of a background pattern printed on the substrate. The optical pattern defines an optical signature unique to the particular class of document and is associated with document classification data for the document.

There are many known methods to authenticate a document such as a scratch off lottery ticket, on-line lottery ticket, receipt, bet-slip, admission ticket, delivery slip, etc. to help prove that the document is authentic. For example, the most basic methods include imposing or embossing a visible seal on the document, using a watermark, using a color shifting ink, etc., all of which are readily visible to a person viewing the document. Other methods include the use of microprinting or heat or light sensitive ink.
One technique for document authentication includes encoding authentication information and other data into optical identifiers or other markings printed or embedded on the document. In addition to document authentication, optical identifiers may be used to provide copyright protection or to encode additional information such as information relevant to a particular lottery game in the case of a printed lottery ticket.
Optical identifiers may include, for example, printed one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcodes or embedded optical patterns that define optical signatures for the document. Exemplary optical signatures for use in authenticating lottery tickets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,252,222 and 7,364,091 which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Optical signatures may be defined by variety of optical patterns that may be printed or embedded using a variety of types of ink or printing techniques. For example, certain optical patterns may be printed using infrared responsive ink that is invisible under white light.
To process an optical identifier or other marking, a document reader including a scanner or camera is used to capture a digital image of the document. An inexpensive camera, linear sensor, or contact image sensor may be used to provide this image capture functionally. Once the document reader has captured a digital image of the document, various processes and analyses are performed on the document image to determine, for example, if the document is authentic. These processes may include decoding authentication information or other data encoded into an optical signature or barcode. An exemplary document reader is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/200,367 which is incorporated by reference for all purposes.
Proper analysis of optical identifiers and other markings using a camera-based document reader requires a substantially flat and undistorted image of the optical identifier or other marking. This presents a challenge as images captured by the reader may become distorted due to folds and wrinkles in the document placed in the document reader. Thus, document readers must be able to provide a corrected document image that removes imperfections caused by folds or wrinkles in the document scanned by the reader.
In the general case of image deformation on a slope, the image may be corrected using known trapezoidal correction techniques or other known techniques. However, to apply these techniques correctly, geometric information about the document such as the initial shape and size of the document must be known. This presents a further challenge due to documents varying widely in shape, size, and color. For instance, instant scratch off lottery tickets are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
Document size and shape may be determined using optical identifiers or other markings printed or embedded on the document, such as the game number in the case of lottery tickets. For example, the optical identifiers or other information embedded on the document may be linked or associated with geometric or other document information stored in a database. However, decoding the optical identifiers or other markings when the correct shape and image resolution of the document are unknown is a problem in its own right. Indeed, the optical identifiers may be so distorted that they cannot be properly read or scanned by the document reader.
The use of optical identifiers with more robust orientation marks in conjunction with a quiet zone may be capable of being decoded despite the presence of folds and wrinkles in the document image. For example, certain one-dimensional or two-dimensional bar codes may be capable of being decoded by a document reader despite imperfections in the document image caused by folds and wrinkles in the document placed in the reader. However, these robust optical identifiers usually take up significant document space and may be undesirable for use in many documents. For instance, such robust identifiers may not be desirable for use on instant lottery tickets because of their impact on space available for instant ticket graphics and play area.
Thus, a need exists for enabling image correction of documents in an optical reader that overcomes these deficiencies. The present disclosure provides a document having an optical pattern that is decoded by the optical reader to determine an optical signature associated with geometric or other information about the document. The optical pattern may be a part of the background pattern of the document or otherwise camouflaged to the holder of the document. The document reader uses document classification information associated with the optical signature to apply image correction techniques and to provide a corrected document image.

Optical signature to enable image correction


A head unit for an ultrasonic probe includes a connecting section, an element chip and a supporting member. The connecting section is configured to electrically connect the head unit to a probe main body of the ultrasonic probe. The element chip is configured to be electrically connected to the probe main body through the connecting section. The element chip includes a substrate and an ultrasonic element array. The substrate defines a plurality of openings arranged in an array pattern. The ultrasonic element array includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, with each of the ultrasonic transducer elements being provided in each of the openings of the substrate. The supporting member supports the element chip.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a head unit, an ultrasonic probe, an electronic instrument, and a diagnostic device.
2. Related Art
An ultrasonic diagnostic device for testing the inside of a human body, for example, has been known as a device in which ultrasonic waves are emitted toward a target and reflected waves are received from the boundary between different acoustic impedances inside the target. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-142555, a technique in which ultrasonic beams are emitted by arranging piezoelectric elements in a matrix array pattern has been disclosed as an ultrasonic probe used for an ultrasonic diagnostic device.

Head unit, ultrasonic probe, electronic instrument, and diagnostic device


An alignment mark formed on a surface of substrate for aligning with a mask through an irradiation of alignment light, which comprises a step formed with a concave portion and a convex portion and a metallic film deposited along the concave portion and the convex portion. A light absorption layer is formed over at least one of the concave portion and the convex portion reflecting the step, the light absorption layer lying over the concave portion having a different thickness from that of the light absorption layer lying over the convex portion when the light absorption layer is formed over both the concave portion and the convex portion, the light absorption layer comprising a material capable of absorbing at least a portion of wavelength region of the alignment light. The light absorption layer is desirably formed in a larger thickness on the convex portion of the step as compared with that on the concave portion. Desirably, the light absorption layer is a resist capable of absorbing a portion of wavelength region of the alignment light, or a resist containing a material capable of absorbing a portion of wavelength region of the alignment light.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an alignment mark useful in the formation of pattern using typically a lithography technique in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in particular to an alignment mark to be used in the formation or processing of a resist pattern and to the manufacturing method of the alignment mark.
Further, this invention relates to an exposing method using the above mentioned alignment mark and to a semiconductor device to be manufactured using the exposing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of semiconductor device, miniaturization of unit structure (cell) constituting the device contributes to the saving of manufacturing cost of the device of high performance and large scale. In an effort for realizing the miniaturization of cell, the parties concerned to the manufacture of semiconductor device are making an extensive effort on the technique and research of semiconductor device.
In order to realize the fine working of the device cell, it is imperative to improve working techniques such as an anisotropic etching to the vertical direction. Additionally, a further development of technique with respect to fine resist-patterning such as an optical lithography is also demanded.
Regarding the formation of resist pattering, the resolution can be improved by the following techniques. First, it is desired to select as an exposure light a ray of shorter wavelength such as g-line, i-line, extreme ultraviolet ray. It is also possible to improve the resolution by using an improved irradiation method, such as a converted irradiation. Now, owing to the development of a photomask which capable of controlling not only the distribution in intensity of transmitted light but also the phase of light, the resolution of pattern is becoming more improved.
Additionally, it is also required in order to achieve a fine patterning a mask pattern over a pattern preliminarily formed on the surface of underlying substrate with accuracy. Namely, a high accurate alignment is required. For the purpose of achieving this high accurate alignment, alignment systems of various type have been developed.
There are two typical alignment systems, i.e., a system wherein the alignment is individually performed to each exposure area which has been formed in advance by dividing a substrate into several chips; and a system wherein the alignment is performed all over the substrate at first, and exposure is performed on all exposure area. According to the former system, each exposure area formed by dividing a substrate into several chips is provided with alignment marks, so that the alignment between a mask and a chip is performed by detecting the location of the alignment marks immediately before irradiating an exposure light to each chip. Subsequently, an alignment light for transferring the mark pattern to the substrate is sequentially moved to the exposure area of each chip thereby performing the exposure.
On the other hand, according to the latter system, the alignment mark is put on two or more locations of the substrate. In an operation of aligning a mask with a substrate, a stage carrying substrate is moved to a mark-detecting position to sequentially detecting the alignment marks, and then on the basis of the extent of movement of the stage, the alignment between the mask and the substrate as a whole is performed. Subsequently, the exposure all over the exposure area of substrate is performed.
In detecting the location of alignment mark, an optical detecting system instead of a needle-contacting system is generally employed. Accordingly, in this respect, the above mentioned two alignment exposure systems belong to the same optical alignment system.
An optical alignment system generally employed is an image processing method, which can be performed as follows. Namely, in one method an alignment light is first irradiated onto the regions of alignment marks on a mask and substrate. Then, the intensity profile of reflected light or transmitted light of the alignment light irradiated to the mask and substrate is measured with an area sensor. In another method, a mask alignment mark and a substrate alignment mark are first scanned with focusing alignment light. Then, an intensity change of scattered light of the alignment light scanning the mask mark and the substrate alignment mark is measured with a detector. From this intensity profile thus obtained, a waveform corresponding to the mark per se or the step of the mark is detected, and then the location of the mark is measured on the basis of the waveform. After measuring the locations of mask mark and the substrate (wafer) mark, the magnitude of relative misregistration between these marks is determined on the basis of the measured locations.
Recently, a new alignment method called "heterodyne method" using diffraction light of alignment light has been put into practical use. According to this heterodyne method, a mask and a substrate, each having a diffraction grid pattern or checkerwise lattice pattern as an alignment mark, are employed, and an alignment light is irradiated to the mask and substrate to detect a diffraction light. Based on the phase of this detected diffraction light, the magnitude of relative misregistration between the mask and substrate is measured.
These optical alignment methods may be applied to a substrate with high reflectivity such as a substrate covered with a metallic film such as aluminum film, a substrate having a transparent material layer on a metallic film mentioned above, or a substrate having alignment marks of a transparent material formed on a metallic film mentioned above. There is a problem however that when these optical alignment methods is applied to a substrate with high reflectivity as mentioned above, the alignment accuracy becomes much lowered as compared with a substrate with low reflectivity such as a LOCOS substrate or a gate substrate.
Specifically, in the case of a substrate with high reflectivity having a metallic film on its top surface, the reflectance of convex portion or concave portion constituting an alignment is almost the same as that in the periphery thereof, and the reflection intensity is highly influenced by the surface roughness of metallic film. Accordingly, when an image processing treatment is performed on a high reflectance substrate, only a reflection intensity profile of large noise can be obtained, causing a waveform corresponding to the step of the mark to be buried within the noise. Therefore, it is quite difficult to detect the waveform corresponding to the step of the mark from the reflection intensity profile, thus resulting in the lowering of alignment accuracy.
On the other hand, in the case of performing the positional detection from the data on intensity or phase of diffracted light, the changes of intensity or phase due to differences in the height of step or in cross-sectional shape may be caused to increase, if the difference in reflectance between the convex portion and the concave portion is small, thus giving rise to the generation of random offset portion in the measured value in each alignment mark.
Followings are explanations on the problem of lowering of alignment accuracy in a high reflectance substrate. As one example of using heterodyne method for a high reflectance substrate, X-rays proximity lithography was employed. In the heterodyne alignment method using X-rays proximity lighography, there is another problem in addition to the problems mentioned above that a multiple reflection of alignment light to be generated between the substrate and mask tends to become more conspicuous when a high reflectance substrate is used, thus making it one of reasons for the degradation of accuracy.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an alignment system. FIG. 2 shows an incident light projected onto the marks of the mask and substrate; and a diffracted light from these marks.
In the alignment using the system shown in FIG. 1, HeNe laser beams 3a and 3b are projected onto the mask alignment mark 1 at same incident angle in XZ plane. Additionally, HeNe laser beams 4a and 4b are projected onto the substrate mark 2 at the same incident angle as mentioned above in XZ plane. Thereafter, the phase difference between a detecting light 5 diffracted at plus first order direction in YZ plane at the mask alignment mark and the detecting light 6 diffracted at plus first order direction in YZ plane at the substrate mark 2 is measured, and then the registration between the mask and the substrate is adjusted. Namely, an accurate measurement of a phase difference between the light 5 detected from the mask mark and the light 6 detected from the alignment mark leads to the improvement of alignment accuracy.
However, according to this system, multiple reflection 14 and 14a will be caused to generate between the mask 8 and the substrate 9 as shown in FIG. 2, so that disturbance light 11 and 12 will be generated. The disturbance light 11 is mingled with the light 5 detected from the mask mark and the disturbance light 12 is mingled with the light 6 detected from the alignment mark. If such a disturbance light is mingled with the detected light, the signal accuracy of alignment will be deteriorated.
The multiple reflection 14a can be vanished by providing a shade film 10 to the mask, so the mingling of the disturbance light 11 with the detected light 5 is prevented.
The influence of this disturbance light on the detected light 6 can be confirmed by measuring the noise to be generated when only GAP (a space between the mask and the substrate) is caused to change. Changing only of GAP can be effected for example by moving a substrate stage in Z direction while preventing the mask and substrate stages from being moved in XY direction. FIG. 3 illustrates the generation of noise at a cycle of .lambda./2 (.lambda.: wavelength of HeNe laser) in an alignment signal which originally should be indicating a constant value. When this amplitude in intensity of the detected light is converted to misregistration of alignment, it corresponds to 0.1 .mu.m or more of misregistration. From this fact, it can be seen that if an disturbance light is mingled with the detected light, it is no more possible to accurately measure the position of the mark.
In an ordinary exposure method other than the X-ray proximity lighography, it can be generally said that a delicate non-uniformity in the cross-sectional shape of alignment mark also tends to become a cause for the deterioration in alignment accuracy. This problem will be discussed below.
In the case of a high reflectance substrate, the reflectance of convex portion of an alignment mark is almost the same as that of concave portion because of its low transmittance. Additionally, the reflectance of the side wall of the mark also is almost the same with those of the convex and concave portions. Therefore, the phase of diffracted light is much influenced by the change in cross-sectional shape of the mark. In the heterodyne method where the detection of relative misregistration between the mask and the substrate is performed according to the phase, any change in cross-sectional shape of mark may be a cause of deterioration in alignment accuracy.
As explained above, when an alignment method generally employed in the formation of pattern is applied to a high reflectance substrate having a metallic film such as aluminum film deposited thereon, only an alignment of very poor accuracy is obtainable as compared with a low reflectance substrate according to the technical level of today. Therefore, in the manufacture of a semiconductor device using a metallic film such as aluminum film for the formation of metallic wiring, it is required for the purpose of improving alignment accuracy to take countermeasures such as thickening the wiring; increasing the number of wiring; or increasing the manufacturing steps for forming the wiring.
The problems pertinent to a high reflectance substrate have been explained in the above description. However, it is also difficult to obtain an alignment signal of high signal to noise ratio (S/N) in the case of performing an alignment between an underlying substrate of very low reflectance and a mask. Therefore, it is also difficult to obtain an alignment of satisfactory accuracy in this case.
In the occasion of applying an image processing treatment using a reflected light to an underlying substrate of low reflectance, an alignment light is first irradiated onto the substrate thereby obtaining a reflection intensity profile. Then, the location of mark is detected from the minimum value of reflection intensity appearing near the vicinity of the step of the alignment mark, thereby performing the alignment of it with the mask. However, in the case of low reflectance substrate, the reflection intensity of the background is very low so that its minimum value is caused to disappear, thereby making it difficult to detect even the location of mark.
As explained above, when the image processing treatment is applied to a high reflectance underlying substrate, the S/N ratio of alignment is caused to be much deteriorated as compared with other kinds of underlying substrate. In particular, in the case of the manufacturing process of semiconductor device, the formation of a metallic wiring would be very difficult or complicated.
On the other hand, in the case of low reflectance underlying substrate, it is conceivable, for the purpose of improving alignment accuracy, to improve the optical alignment system or the resolution of a detecting device. However, nothing have been successful to achieve such an improvement up to date.

Alignment mark, manufacturing method thereof, exposing method using the alignment mark, semiconductor device manufactured using the exposing method


An elastic surface wave gyroscope includes two transducers attached on a piezoelectric substrate to generate elastic surface waves having different frequencies on the piezoelectric substrate, and two pair of reflectors for reflecting the different elastic surface waves toward the generators to produce two different standing waves, and another pair of reflectors for reflecting an elastic surface wave caused by a Coriolis force to produce a third standing wave, and a detector for detecting an electric signal corresponding to the third standing wave. This gyroscope has a high detection sensitivity.

This invention relates to an elastic surface wave gyroscope for detecting a Coriolis force generated on the surface of a piezoelectric substrate by the interaction of a surface oscillation caused by an elastic surface wave of the piezoelectric substrate and a rotary motion of the piezoelectric substrate by converting it into a voltage.
A known gyroscope which uses elastic surface waves is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent publication No. 6-281465.
Specifically, this publication discloses an elastic surface wave gyroscope constructed such that a pair of inter-digital transducer for generating elastic surface waves of the same frequency (hereinafter, "driving IDTs") with an inter-digital transducer for detecting a Coriolis force (hereinafter, "detecting IDT") arranged therebetween ,and a pair of reflectors provided on the outsides of the driving IDTs for reflecting elastic surface waves toward the detecting IDT are so formed on one surface of a piezoelectric substrate to have a specified positional relationship to each other.
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the detecting IDT, the pair of driving IDTs and the pair of reflectors formed on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate of the elastic surface wave gyroscope.
Distances d1, d2 between teeth of comb-shaped electrodes D1, D2 of the detecting IDT 101 and the driving IDTs 102 formed on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate 100 are equal (1/2 of a wavelength .lambda. of the elastic surface wave). The reflectors 104, 105 are constructed by grating radiators in which 100 line electrodes D3 are arranged at specified intervals (approximately .lambda./2).
In the piezoelectric substrate 100, standing waves of elastic surface waves are generated by causing the respective driving IDTs 102, 103 to generate elastic surface waves propagating in outward directions therefrom and by reflecting these elastic surface waves toward the detecting IDT 101 by the reflectors 104, 105. The detecting IDT 101 is formed such that the teeth of the respective comb-shaped electrodes D1, D2 are located in predetermined positions corresponding to the nodes of the elastic surface wave (standing wave).
In the above elastic surface wave gyroscope, when the piezoelectric 100 undergoes a rotary motion with the standing wave of the elastic surface wave generated on the surface thereof, an elastic surface wave (standing wave) is generated caused by a Coriolis force and phase-shifted by 90.degree. from this elastic surface wave along the vertical direction with respect to a direction of oscillation cause by this elastic surface wave. Accordingly, the detecting IDT 101 detects a voltage corresponding to the oscillation of the elastic surface wave converted by the piezoelectric effect.
The above elastic surface wave gyroscope generates the standing elastic surface waves between the driving IDTs 102, 103 by reflecting the elastic surface waves of the same frequency generated by the driving IDT 102, 103 toward the detecting IDT 101 by the reflectors 104, 105. Since the Coriolis force generated by the interaction of the elastic surface wave and the rotary motion of the piezoelectric substrate 100 is phase-shifted by 90.degree. from the elastic surface wave, it is difficult to dispose the reflectors 104, 105 in positions where they have a sufficient reflection characteristic for both the elastic surface waves generated by the driving IDTs 102, 103 and the elastic surface wave caused by the Coriolis force.
If the reflectors 104, 105 are disposed in positions where they satisfactorily reflect the elastic surface waves generated by the driving IDTs 102, 103, the elastic surface waves caused by the Coriolis force are not sufficiently reflected toward the detecting IDT 101 by the reflectors 104, 105. In some cases, the elastic surface wave may be absorbed or reflected in such a manner as to attenuate an incident wave. Thus, it is difficult to detect a voltage corresponding to a sufficient Coriolis force (standing wave) by the detecting IDT 101.
Further, the elastic surface wave gyroscope detects only the Coriolis force by separating it from the elastic surface wave by disposing the teeth of the comb-shaped electrodes D1, D2 of the detecting IDT 101 in the predetermined positions corresponding to the nodes of the standing wave. Accordingly, detection accuracy depends on the accuracy of the mutual positional relationship of the detecting IDT 101, the driving IDTs 102, 103 and the reflectors 104, 105, making it difficult to manufacture a high accuracy or precision elastic surface wave gyroscope.
More specifically, unless the spatial phase difference between the driving IDTs 102, 103 and the detecting IDT 101 is precisely 90.degree., the signal detected by the detecting IDT 101 contains signal components corresponding to the elastic surface waves generated by the driving IDTs 102, 103, causing a detection error.
On the other hand, the position accuracy of the detecting IDT 101, the driving IDTs 102, 103 and the reflectors 104, 105 depends on an electrode fabrication technique on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate. Accordingly, there is a limit to accuracy improvements.
Further, since the elastic surface wave gyroscope is constructed such that the standing waves of the elastic surface waves are generated on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate, and the magnitude of the Coriolis force (standing wave) generated by the interaction of the surface oscillation caused by this standing wave and the rotary motion of the piezoelectric substrate is detected, the magnitude of the standing wave of the elastic surface wave needs to be stabilized in order to stabilize a detection sensitivity with respect to a temperature change.
For example, if the temperature characteristic of an oscillating frequency of a high frequency oscillator for generating high frequency waves to be applied to the driving IDTs 102, 103 and that of a reflection frequency of the reflectors 104, 105 differ, the frequency of the elastic surface waves generated on the piezoelectric substrate 100 and the reflection frequency of the reflectors 104, 105 differ, with the result that the reflection characteristic of the reflectors 104, 105 for the elastic surface waves is reduced. In other words, the phase relationship between progressive waves of the elastic surface waves propagating to the reflectors 104, 105 shifts from a predetermined phase relationship which enables the generation of the standing wave, with the result that the reflectors 104, 105 cannot act to generate a suitable standing wave from the elastic surface waves.
This causes a reduction in the amplitude characteristic of the standing waves of the elastic surface waves and also a reduction in the detection sensitivity of the Coriolis force. The above publication discloses only the construction of the detecting IDT 101, the driving IDTs 102, 103 and the reflectors 104, 105 formed on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate, but does not disclose a method for stabilizing the temperature characteristic of the elastic surface waves to prevent a reduction in the detection sensitivity.


A system for providing access to shared multimedia content within a defined room environment includes a hub and a plurality of remote connection devices. The hub, configured to provide a wireless network having a frequency of 60 GHz and compatible with the IEEE 802.11ad protocol, delivers the wireless network via a plurality of radio transceivers and has at least one local device connection. The local device connection includes an interface to an associated wide area network.

Increasingly in the global corporate environment, collaboration, both local and remote, is essential and requires interactivity between participants to a degree beyond the current capabilities of conferencing and teleconferencing technologies. The significance of group ideation and remote collaboration in the corporate environment has made the meeting room ubiquitous. For example, by one estimate, there are approximately 67 million meeting rooms worldwide. Further, the individuals participating in meetings are increasingly reliant on mobile user devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, e-readers, etc. to carry digital content.
Issues individuals face within these collaborative meeting environments include the lack of a staple product to display, present, and collaborate around content and the myriad connected adapters such as HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, MiniDisplayPort, Thunderbolt, USB, etc. necessary to achieve connectivity with user devices. Existing collaborative presentation systems rely on a direct cabled or wired connection connected physically to the users' computers or tablets. Existing wireless presentation systems require software packages to be downloaded to enable laptops or computers to communicate with existing presentation systems. The software packages may force a user device to change the settings and configure the user device for specific formats or applications to be used with the user devices. Individuals or corporate policies are generally averse to downloading unfamiliar software that may change the format of their devices or the characteristics of the content they are sharing in the collaborative environment. Translation software may be needed with tablets and smartphones to format the data being utilized to meet some of the presentation system's throughput requirements. The formatting may enforce undesirable changes on the look and feel of the presented data.
Currently, matrix-switching systems require a hard-wired or cabled/wired connection to reliably transmit and receive the required bandwidth of data to and from the devices connected thereon. In addition, accessing and controlling the peripheral devices connected to typical wired matrix-switching systems requires multiple input devices. That is, currently, no single command and control device can control the data presentation, the matrix-switching and the connected peripheral devices.
While wired connections may be capable of handling the large amount of bandwidth needed to send and receive information between all connected devices in a conferencing environment, corresponding wireless systems do not. Due to the limited bandwidth capabilities of currently available wireless systems, wireless applications cannot handle the amount of two-way information being sent from hard-wired matrix switches to peripheral computing and multimedia devices. That is, conventional wireless technology does not support a broadband signal with the necessary bandwidth requirements to send unbuffered and uncompressed collaborative multimedia data without latent pauses, causing disruption of the ideation, communication or sharing of data and information. For example, wireless systems typically achieve transmission rates of 700 Mbps and are not capable of transmission rates greater than 3 Gbps necessary to maintain uncompressed high-definition video conferencing (HDVC).
Cabling and wired systems create a great deal of installation and life-cycle costs to configure and reconfigure a meeting room (e.g. floor coring or trenching, inserting floor stubs or poke-thru devices, installing shallow-raised or raised flooring, cable trays, behind-wall wireways, etc.). Connecting all peripheral devices to a matrix-switching system requires a large amount of wire that often has to be hidden and trenched to give a clean aesthetic look to the meeting room. Wiring a meeting room is inconvenient and costly; problems compounded when moving or modifying meeting spaces resulting in opening up walls, floors, and ceilings to remove or add wires and cables. The effects are often disruptive and may cause meetings to take longer than necessary.
Currently, wireless connectivity is preferred over wired connectivity within corporations, educational facilities, and other types of organizations. However, currently available wireless presentation systems (e.g. Apple TV, InFocus LiteShow III, Barco Clickshare, etc.) are not collaborative and do not control multiple peripherals simultaneously. These wireless systems are designed for an individual to present or send content or data to a single peripheral device that is solely controlled by the individual. That is, to present a counterpoint during a meeting or presentation by taking over a connected peripheral device, a first individual must surrender control to a second individual; a wireless version of "passing the cord."
Security issues prevent many facilities from using a wireless system for fear that the signal, communication, data, ideation, information, and the like, may be compromised by surveillance outside of the enclosed environment or other wireless security fears. Consequently, many collaborative workspaces default to wired infrastructures with cables and wires for connectivity to insure data and communication security. In today's work environment, where user device technologies allow for individuals and teams to access information and data immediately, a secure wireless environment is necessary for individuals and teams to communicate, share, collaborate and ideate around electronically presented data while simultaneously controlling access to the signal.

System for providing access to shared multimedia content