A method in which, during an optimal power calibration (OPC) process, an optical disk drive performs a plurality of write tests to an optical disk at a plurality of test powers and measures a corresponding plurality of modulation signal strength values of the optical disk for the plurality of write tests to generate a modulation signal strength versus power curve. The method then determines possible gamma lines corresponding to considered powers, and selects a considered power as a target power of the optical disk drive when a possible gamma line is substantially tangential to the modulation signal strength versus power curve at the considered power. According to the method, powers within a domain of the plurality of test powers are considered until a considered power is selected as the target power for the optical disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital electronic device, and more specifically, to an optical storage device capable of writing to an optical disk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical media is a popular data storage means having high storage density, reliable data stability, and good portability. Compact disks (CDs) and digital versatile disks (DVDs) have all but replaced traditional competing storage devices such as magnetic floppy disks and audio and video tapes. While digital devices used to read and write optical media, such as CD-ROM drives and DVD players, are complicated and highly precise, technological innovation has made these devices reliable and practical.
In the past, optical disk drives were mainly available to end users as read only devices. Most users were satisfied with simply receiving software, music, or movies on CDs or DVDs and gave little thought to using the devices as storage for themselves. Optical disk drives capable of writing were specialized and expensive pieces of equipment used mainly by media publishers to produce their products. More recently, writable optical disk drives, such as common CD-RW drives for use with computer systems, have become widely available to individuals. And as a result, the need to improve performance of these devices has increased considerably.
FIG. 1 shows a typical CD-RW drive 10 that is commonly used in computer systems. The CD-RW drive 10 is capable of reading, writing, and erasing data on a CD 12. The basic operations of CD-RW drives are well known in the art. Additionally, Van Der Zande et al. teaches operation of a writable optical drive in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,300, which is incorporated herein by reference.
A fundamental operation of the CD-RW drive 10 is an optimal power calibration (OPC) process in which the optimal recording power for a given CD is determined. The OPC process must be completed before recording to the CD can begin. The optimal recording power is determined by performing a series of recording tests to a power calibration area of the CD. A crucial value in the OPC process is the Orange Book gamma (γ) value, which relates recorded RF quality to recording power as follows:
                    γ        =                              (                                          ⅆ                m                                            ⅆ                                  P                  W                                                      )                                (                          m                              P                W                                      )                                                                (                      Eqn            .                                                              1                    )
where,
m represents the modulation amplitude of the RF signal;
PW is recording power; and
dm/dPW is a differential of modulation amplitude with respect to recoding power;
An optimal or target gamma value is written to a blank CD at the time of manufacture, and is read by the optical drive when recording is to be performed. Conventionally, during the OPC process, several recording powers as tested by writing to the power calibration area of the CD. The modulation amplitude of each test power is measured, the derivative of the modulation amplitude with respect to recording power is numerically determined along with other calculations according to Eqn. 1, and a gamma curve is generated. The target power is then determined from the gamma curve referencing the target gamma value.
The previously described procedure is illustrated in FIG. 2 showing a graph of measured modulation amplitude m and gamma value γ versus recording power. When performing the OPC procedure, microprocessors and control circuitry of a conventional optical diskdrive first measure modulation amplitudes for a series of recording powers to generate the modulation amplitude curve as indicated by numeral 20 in FIG. 2 (the 4 points shown being representative). The optical disk drive then calculates a gamma curve from the measured modulation data, as indicated by numeral 22. Then, to obtain the target power the optical disk drive references the target gamma and calculates or looks up the target power. Finally, optimal write and erase powers are determined as follows:
                                                                        P                W0                            =                              ρ                                                                                P                  T                                                                                P                E0                            =                              ɛ                                                                                P                  W0                                                                                (                  Eqns          .                                                    2                )
where,
PWO is the optimal recording power;
ρ is a recording constant;
PT is the target power;
PEO is the optimal erasing power; and
ε is an erasing constant;
The constants ρ and ε for respectively determining the optimal recording and erasing powers are written to the blank disk at the time of manufacture and read by the optical disk drive during the OPC process. During the OPC process, operations of a CD-R drive differ from a CD-RW drive mainly in that erasing power is irrelevant for the CD-R drive.
Conventional optical disk drives determine the optimal recording and erasing powers using circuitry incorporating Eqn. 1 and Eqns. 2. However, this method is highly sensitive to measurement noise. Specifically, as the gamma curve is related to measured modulation amplitudes by a differential function (Eqn. 1) and modulation amplitude measurement is susceptible to noise, the calculated gamma curve can contain serious errors. Errors in the gamma curve show up in determination of the target power and the recording and erasing powers. Curve fitting is usually employed to reduce the effects of this problem, however, at the cost of program space and computation time. Higher order curve fitting yields better results, but at the cost of optical drive processing resources and time. In conventional drives, lower order curve fitting is preferred, with the risk of determining erroneous recording and erasing powers being accepted for sake of recording speed. Another method of reducing errors in the gamma curve is to use a low pass filter to smooth the measured modulation signals. Generally, curve fitting and low pass filter smoothing require additional hardware and additional costs. Hence, the conventional method for determining optimal recording and erasing powers for an optical disk drive is inefficient.

Method for selecting optimal recording and erasing powers for an optical disk drive


An image forming apparatus in which an imaged sheet is discharged onto a stacking portion, includes a recording device for forming an image on a sheet, a discharge device for discharging a sheet on which the image was formed onto the stacking portion, a support means disposed downstream of the discharge device in a sheet discharging direction along a width-wise direction of the sheet to be discharged to support one surface of the sheet, and a shift device for shifting the support device between a support position to support the sheet to be discharged above the stacking portion and a retard position so as not to support the sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer and the like, and more particularly, it relates to an image forming apparatus in which a sheet on which an image is formed is discharged onto a tray.
2. Related Background Art
In many image forming apparatuses, a sheet on which an image is recorded by a recording means is generally discharged onto a discharge tray. Such a discharge tray has also been used widely in ink jet image forming apparatuses which have recently been progressed. In such ink jet image forming apparatuses, since the recording is effected by discharging ink droplets onto a sheet, there is no problem when the normal recording (for example, having recording density for standard sentences and graphs) is effected. However, in case of high recording density such as recording density in color recording, an adequate ink fixing time period is required. In such ink jet image forming apparatuses, if an image forming speed is increased, a next sheet will be discharged before the ink is fixed to the previously discharged sheet, with the result that a tip end or a rear surface of the next sheet is contacted with the previous sheet, thereby distorting the image on the previous sheet.
To avoid such inconvenience, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 1-235657, there has been proposed a method for promoting the drying of ink by using an infrared heater. When such a heater is used, the arrangement becomes complicated and the apparatus itself becomes more expensive. To avoid this, methods using no heater have been proposed.
For example, as shown in FIG. 21, a pair of opposed side rail members 50a, 50b are supported for pivotal movements around their pivot points 51a, 51b. Further, vertical walls 52a, 52b are provided with recesses 53a, 53b into which the side rail members 50a, 50b can be housed when the side rail members are rocked in directions indicated by arrows X. In this arrangement, a sheet S on which an image was formed is conveyed by a convey means (not shown) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 21. In this condition, as shown in FIG. 21, the side rail members 50a, 50b are held in a closed position where the sheet S is supported by the side rail members to maintain the sheet S above a discharge portion 54a of a discharge tray 54.
When the sheet S is discharged, the side rail members 50a, 50b are rotated toward the directions indicated by arrows X to an open position where the sheet is not obstructed by the side rail members, thereby permitting the discharge of the sheet S onto the discharge portion 54a. In this way, the ink image recorded on the preceding sheet S discharged on the discharge portion 54a can be dried during the recording of the succeeding sheet, thereby preventing the contamination of the imaged surfaces of the sheets (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,859).
In another example wherein the heater is not used, there is provided a movable support arm for permitting the discharge of a sheet after the sheet reaches a terminal position of a convey path, and, while the sheet is being moved along the convey path, the arm is selectively positioned to contact with a central portion of a back surface of the sheet. As a result, during the recording, the succeeding sheet is maintained above a discharge tray portion and the ink image recorded on the preceding sheet discharged on the discharge tray can be dried, thereby preventing the contamination of the imaged surfaces of the sheets (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,633).
However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques line the following problems. In the former conventional technique, depending upon various sheet sizes, the side rail members 50a, 50b must be shifted in the sheet width-wise direction to meet with the selected sheet size. This requires a complicated mechanism. Further, when a large size sheet such as an A4 size (294 mm.times.420 mm) is used, the side rail members 50a, 50b must be enlarged in a sheet discharging direction, thereby making the apparatus bulky.
On the other hand, in the latter conventional technique, although the problems rising in the former conventional technique can be solved, the operation of the movable support arm must be synchronous with the sheet conveying operation. This requires a complicated mechanism.


The invention provides a method of processing a sequence of operands to produce compiled code for a target data processor, the method comprising the steps of: automatically analysing a source code to produce a fist representation of that code in single static assignment form; transforming the first representation into a second representation by unlooping Φ nodes within the single static assignment form so as to create code suitable for tree pattern matching to be performed thereon; performing tree pattern matching on the second representation of the code; and re-looping the Φ nodes.

Programmers, whether writing for general purpose computers or specific data processors such as digital signal processors, DSP, choose to write in a high level programming language, such as C, because it is easily readable by a human and because the computer program may be automatically recompiled for different processors making it easier to reuse. These high level programs need to be translated into computer executable code. Typically this is done by a compiler in a multi phase process. In a first phase the high level language is processed to form a platform independent intermediate representation of the program. The platform independent representation might make explicit machine level constructs such as address calculation and the loading and storing values from memory, but the operations represented are generic and are available in the instruction set of all target processors. A second phase of processing takes these generic operations and converts them into platform specific machine instructions.
In practice all compilers can be divided into a part that is concerned with the source language often called the "front end" and a part that generates code and needs to know about the machine—the "back end" or "code generator". The two parts often communicate via a generic intermediate representation which is the representative form used herein. In many compilers the front-end runs for a period converting a piece of the high level program to intermediate representation then the back-end is called to generate machine instructions for that piece of the high level program, then the front-end runs again for the next piece of the high level program and so on.
An important part of the work performed in the code generator is "instruction selection" which chooses sequences of machine instructions to represent each generic operation in the intermediate representation. A simple approach is to replace each occurrence of a generic operation with a corresponding sequence of machine instructions in a one to one relationship. More sophisticated compilers seek to choose instructions according to the context of the generic operation within the intermediate representation depending on the operations surrounding or associated with that specific operation. Such a technique is implemented in compilers which perform "tree pattern matching". However, tree pattern matching has some limitations. More specifically it only works on tree like data structures and is limited to processing expressions in isolation. A closely related technique is directed acyclic graph, DAG, pattern matching. However, both of these techniques are limited to "straight line code" that is specifically they do not cope with code that contains loops.
The inability to handle loops is a significant drawback of tree pattern matching as the relationship of a generic operation to operations in previous and future iterations of the loop cannot influence the choice of machine instructions used to replace it. However it does not prevent the use of tree or DAG pattern matching to select instructions for the straight-line section of code within the loop.
Compilers have been the subject of much study since a poor compilation affects processor performance during task execution. Many techniques have been proposed to "optimise" compiler performance although in general such techniques result in executable code which is improved rather than optimised. Some of these require (or are much improved by) the transformation of the source code into a "single static assignment" form where every variable is only assigned once. Consider, for example, the code:Y=1Y=4X=Y
We can easily see that the first assignment is redundant and that the value in the third line of code comes from the second line of code. A compiler would have to perform a definition analysis to determine this, and such an analysis would be computationally expensive.
If however the same code was transformed into a single static assignment form, then we would have:Y1=1Y2=4X1=Y2
This representation of the source code makes it much easier to apply optimisation techniques such as sparse conditional constant propagation, global value numbering and dead code elimination.

Static single assignment form pattern matcher


There is disclosed an arithmetic unit which allows a combined multiply-add operation to be carried out in response to execution of a single computer instruction. This is particularly useful in a packed arithmetic environment, when a operand comprises a plurality of packed objects and the intention is to carry out the same arithmetic operation on respective pairs of objects in different operands. There is also provided a computer and a method of operating a computer to effect the combined multiply-add operation.

Arithmetic units are those which carry out an arithmetic operation in response to execution of an arithmetic instruction. Such instructions include an add instruction, a multiply instruction, a divide instruction and a subtract instruction. It is common to have in a computer system a so-called ALU (arithmetic logic unit) which is capable of implementing any one of these arithmetic instructions.
There are frequent occasions when it is required to multiply together pairs of objects and to add together the resulting products. This is presently done by effecting a multiplication operation on each pair of objects, storing the results of the multiplication operations in a register file and subsequently executing an addition instruction which recalls the earlier generated results from the register file and adds them together, finally loading the result back to the register file. One problem with this arrangement is that the length of the words resulting from the multiplication operations are much longer than the original operands. For example, the multiplication together of two 16 bit objects will result in a 32 bit word. It is therefore necessary to have available register capacity to store these results. One way round this problem which is currently used is to introduce rounding to reduce the word lengths prior to storage. This however can introduce rounding errors and can result in the multiplication not being carried out to adequate precision.
Another problem is the requirement to execute two instructions, a multiplication instruction followed by an add instruction. Not only do these instructions take up space in the instruction sequence stored in memory but they take time to execute.


A housing (10) of a portable electronic device includes an upper housing (11), a lower housing (12) and a protecting component (13). The upper housing defines a first latching member (1112) therein. The lower housing defines a second latching member (121) therein. The protecting component is assembled between the upper housing and the lower housing for preventing dust and vapor from entering the electronic device and defines a first latching portion (1313) corresponding to the first latching member and a second latching portion (1314) corresponding to the second latching member. The first latching portion and the second latching member respectively cooperate with the first latching member and the second latching member to assemble the upper housing, the lower housing and the protecting component together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to housings of portable electronic devices, particularly to a waterproof and dustproof housing of portable electronic devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and personal digital assistants (PDA) are widely used. Generally, a portable electronic device includes an upper housing and a lower housing assembled together to form a whole housing by means of latching, bolting, etc.
However, in assembly of a portable electronic device, an aperture is prone to exist between the upper housing and the lower housing. In use, vapor and dust may enter the portable electronic device through the aperture, and may cause damages to inner circuits of the portable electronic device.
Therefore, a new housing of portable electronic devices is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


A delta-sigma modulator may include a loop filter, a quantizer, an input gain element having a programmable input gain and coupled between an input of the delta-sigma modulator and an input of the loop filter, a feedforward gain element having a programmable feedforward gain and coupled between the input of the delta-sigma modulator and an output of the loop filter, and a quantizer gain element having a quantizer gain and coupled between the output of the loop filter and an input of the quantizer. The programmable input gain is controlled in order to control a variable gain of the delta-sigma modulator. The programmable feedforward gain is controlled to be equal to the ratio of the programmable input gain and the quantizer gain such that the delta-sigma modulator has a fixed phase response.

Vibro-haptic transducers, for example linear resonant actuators (LRAs), are widely used in portable devices such as mobile phones to generate vibrational feedback to a user. Vibro-haptic feedback in various forms creates different feelings of touch to a user's skin and may play increasing roles in human-machine interactions for modern devices.
An LRA may be modelled as a mass-spring electro-mechanical vibration system. When driven with appropriately designed or controlled driving signals, an LRA may generate certain desired forms of vibrations. For example, a sharp and clear-cut vibration pattern on a user's finger may be used to create a sensation that mimics a mechanical button click. This clear-cut vibration may then be used as a virtual switch to replace mechanical buttons.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a vibro-haptic system in a device 100. Device 100 may comprise a controller 101 configured to control a signal applied to an amplifier 102. Amplifier 102 may then drive a vibrational actuator (e.g., haptic transducer) 103 based on the signal. Controller 101 may be triggered by a trigger to output to the signal. The trigger may, for example, comprise a pressure or force sensor on a screen or virtual button of device 100.
Among the various forms of vibro-haptic feedback, tonal vibrations of sustained duration may play an important role to notify the user of the device of certain predefined events, such as incoming calls or messages, emergency alerts, and timer warnings, etc. In order to generate tonal vibration notifications efficiently, it may be desirable to operate the haptic actuator at its resonance frequency.
The resonance frequency f0 of a haptic transducer may be approximately estimated as:
                     f      0          =           1             2              π                               C                  M                                             (     1     )          where C is the compliance of the spring system, and M is the equivalent moving mass, which may be determined based on both the actual moving part in the haptic transducer and the mass of the portable device holding the haptic transducer.
Due to sample-to-sample variations in individual haptic transducers, mobile device assembly variations, temporal component changes caused by aging, and use conditions such as various different strengths of a user gripping of the device, the vibration resonance of the haptic transducer may vary from time to time.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a linear resonant actuator (LRA) modelled as a linear system. LRAs are non-linear components that may behave differently depending on, for example, the voltage levels applied, the operating temperature, and the frequency of operation. However, these components may be modelled as linear components within certain conditions. In this example, the LRA is modelled as a third order system having electrical and mechanical elements. In particular, Re and Le are the DC resistance and coil inductance of the coil-magnet system, respectively; and Bl is the magnetic force factor of the coil. The driving amplifier outputs the voltage waveform V (t) with the output impedance Ro. The terminal voltage VT (t) may be sensed across the terminals of the haptic transducer. The mass-spring system 201 moves with velocity u(t).
A haptic system may require precise control of movements of the haptic transducer. Such control may rely on the magnetic force factor Bl, which may also be known as the electromagnetic transfer function of the haptic transducer. In an ideal case, magnetic force factor Bl can be given by the product B·l, where B is magnetic flux density and l is a total length of electrical conductor within a magnetic field. Both magnetic flux density B and length l should remain constant in an ideal case with motion occurring along a single axis.
In generating haptic vibration, an LRA may undergo displacement. In order to protect an LRA from damage, such displacement may be limited. Accordingly, accurate measurement of displacement may be crucial in optimizing LRA displacement protection algorithms. Accurate measurement of displacement may also enable increased drive levels of the LRA. While existing approaches measure displacement, such approaches have disadvantages. For example, displacement may be measured using a Hall sensor, but Hall sensors are often costly to implement.

Analog-to-digital converter-embedded fixed-phase variable gain amplifier stages for dual monitoring paths


An adaptable mobile phone case includes a main body, a phone cavity, a rotatable power plug that functions as a stand, a storage compartment, a removable compartment lid with a credit card pocket, a phone charger module, a phone case holder with a hook, a mounting hole, an extension connection port, an external connection port, a removable battery, a plurality of battery LEDs, a communication module, a phone charger lock button, a manual switch charging button, a cable canal, a storage access aperture. The phone case allows easy charging of an installed mobile phone, with an additional battery, can store cables and credit cards, can stand on its own for self-photographs, and supports flexible mounting options.

With the increasing proliferation of smart phones and increasing power consumption of large screen mobile phones, maintaining a charged state of a mobile phone, for example during travel, has become an increasing concern.
Generally, charging will require access to a 5 volt charging device and a charging cable. Which can be tedious to carry around. Sometimes a mobile phone may have access to a charging device or outlet, but lacks the cable needed to initiate charging.
Phone cases are available on the market that have inbuilt charging, and other phone cases support removable batteries. Yet, these solutions are not integrated, and generally prevent access to communication ports, and do not offer any space for storage of cables and other accessories.
As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved devices and methods for maintaining a mobile phone in a charged state.

Adaptable mobile phone case with battery and charger


A method of fitting a tire P and a removable tread support S on a one-piece wheel rim J, rim comprising a first rim seat, inclined outwards, and the tire P comprises a first bead and a second bead to be mounted respectively on the first and second rim seats, in which, before completion of fitting the support S on a rim bearing surface of the rim, the first bead is gripped at a given point and is moved radially outwards to radially separate this point on the first bead from the support S. The fitting of the support S on the rim bearing surface continues and the bead is released after completion of the fitting of the support S.

As described in the French patents FR 2 699 121, FR 2 713 557 and FR 2 713 558, such a rim has, seen in meridian section, a first seat whose axially outer end is on a circle with a diameter less than the diameter of the circle on which the axially inner end is situated (such a seat is said to be inclined outwards), a relatively wide rim bearing surface intended to receive a removable tread support ring, possibly a mounting well, and a second rim seat, a either identical to or different from the first rim seat. The rim, a tire having an adapted meridian carcass reinforcement profile and bead shape, and a removable support together form a rolling assembly which is of high performance in the case of running at low pressure or even zero pressure.
The patent FR 2 720 977 describes a method of mounting, on a single-piece rim, a tire comprising a first bead and a second bead which will be mounted respectively on the first and second rim seat, and a removable support. The mounting method is such that:    the support is, in a first step, placed inside the tire;    the second bead and the support are placed on the rim, from the side opposite to the second rim seat, until they are positioned on the rim bearing surface,    the process of fitting the support on the rim bearing surface is completed and the first bead is mounted on the first rim seat; and    the second rim is mounted on the second rim seat.
The document EP 1 048 496 A1 describes a device for implementing this mounting method in which the first rim and the support are simultaneously fitted on the rim by progressive application of an axial force against the first bead of the tire, itself being seated against the adjacent wall of the support. The tool applying the axial force is a freely rotating roller whereby this fitting takes place during a rotation of the rim which also drives the tire and support in rotation. This method is effective in the case of supports which, in the state in which they are fitted on the rim bearing surface, are in contact with the first tire bead or very close to it.
The document FR99/10108 presents similar rims adapted to receive lightened supports for the tire tread. In the mounted state, these supports are separated from the inner wall of the tire bead by an appreciable distance, for example about ten centimeters. In the case of the mounting of tire/support assemblies on such rims, it can be seen that the bead has difficulty in following the movement of the support during the fitting of the support on the adapted rim bearing surface. The first bead may lose contact with the pressing roller in the radially outward sense. In this case, the bead may contact the top of the support and there is a risk of contamination due to the lubricant used to facilitate running at low pressure or zero pressure.
As these rims usually have a circumferential well adjacent to the first rim seat (see FIG. 1), the first bead may position itself into this circumferential well during the fitting of the support on the rim bearing surface. There is then a great deal of difficulty in removing it from this position. If the bead remains positioned between the support and the pressing roller, the magnitude of the movement necessary for fitting the support imposes high flexion on the tire which may damage it. Finally, in each case, the correct fitting of the support may remain in doubt.


A printed circuit board and a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board are disclosed. Using a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, which includes: forming a multilayer board by alternately stacking circuit pattern layers and insulation layers such that a predetermined thickness of a partial area has only insulation layers stacked therein; and removing insulation layers from the partial area of the multilayer board, a printed circuit board can be manufactured that is suitable for a slim module.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
In step with the trends towards slimmer electronic devices, there is ongoing research aimed at decreasing the thickness of the printed circuit board. The conventional method included developments towards reducing the thickness of interlayer material to slim the printed circuit board. However, this may create a need for stiffness enhancement operations on each layer, in order to compensate for the lowered stiffness caused by reducing the thickness of the interlayer material in the board. There may also be problems of impedance changes in the electric currents, as well as problems in securing the insulation distance between layers.

Printed circuit board and manufacturing method thereof


A method is presented to estimate the productivity index, PI, and the well condition, s, of a pumping well utilizing the knowledge of pump runtime versus downtime. Runtime and downtime may be constantly and automatically recorded and transmitted to a central location. A model runtime is computed assuming the two unknowns, PI and s. The model is then compared with the actual runtime data. A nonlinear optimization technique is used to search for the unknown parameters such that the differences between the measured data and the numerically simulated data are minimized in a least-squares fashion. The proposed estimation procedure is an economical and accurate method for monitoring the behavior of a well resevoir system during runtime.

This invention relates to a method for analyzing the performance of a production well. In particular, the invention relates to a method for determining well productivity and skin damage utilizing pump runtime and downtime data.
Pumping wells are generally older wells with declining production. They are prime candidates for estimation of skin damage, fracture length, reservoir pressure, effective permeability, and other diagnostic information provided by pressure buildup curves. However, the necessity of removing the rods and pumps to place the conventional pressure gauge downhole and then measure pressure versus time, is an expensive process and rarely performed on a low producing well.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method which estimates well productivity during production.

Method for determining well productivity using automatic downtime data


A product stacking apparatus, and a method of using it, is provided, where the apparatus is located inline with a product conveyor, and includes a frame having at least one spanner connecting plates which together straddle the product conveyor, a drive roller, an infeed system driven by the drive roller, having carriers which move upstream to downstream relative to motion of the product conveyor, a hopper which receives a product from the infeed system, an automatic detainer which automatically opens the hopper so that a predetermined number of the products exits the hopper on the conveyor, an automatic dropgate mechanism, located between the infeed system and the hopper, which automatically releases the product into the hopper, and sensors which count products, allows for their accumulation and release, and prevents jamming of the product on the apparatus.

Products of all kinds are conveyed on a belt or other drive during processing. When many of the products are similarly or identically shaped, it is common to stack the products prior to packaging, so that many products may be packaged together. Stacking is also needed as a manner of counting identically shaped products, and grouping a certain number of products together before further processing.
In existing product processing procedures, operators are required to accumulate and count products that arrive at the operators' positions, one by one on a product delivery conveyor. Operators were then required to move the desired accumulated quantity to a location where shipping case loading could then be performed. Such a procedure expends valuable man hours and can be very tiring for operators.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow for automatic accumulation of products from a conveyor in a desired quantity, and release the accumulated products onto that same conveyor. It is a further object of the present invention to receive and release the products when they are stacked at a certain elevation. It is yet another object of the invention to provide an apparatus that accomplishes the above functions that is easily attached and removed from a conveyor.

On-line package stacking apparatus and method


An alley for processing animals such as cattle or buffaloes is described which includes a pair of spaced-apart alleys at the entrance end of the alley and a single alley at the exit end of the pair of alleys at the entrance end of the alley. The outer side walls of the alleys are easily adjusted to vary the width thereof thereby enabling the alley to accommodate animals of different sizes. Rear-up prevention device mechanisms are also provided in each of the alleys to prevent the animals from raring up and falling over backwards. The alley may be either portable or stationary.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable or stationary animal alley or alleyway and more particularly to a portable or stationary animal alley or alleyway which includes a frame having first and second side-by-side alleys at the entrance end thereof which communicate with the entrance end of a third alley. The first and second alleys permit animals to enter the entrance ends thereof in a side-by-side relationship with those animals then being selectively individually moved to the entrance end of the third alley.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of animal alleys or alleyways have been previously provided to enable cattle producers and veterinarians to work on animals such as cattle, buffaloes, etc. for vaccinations, artificial inseminations, pregnancy tests, etc. In some cases, the alleys are used in auction barns wherein the cattle are moved through an auction ring for sale. To the best of applicant's knowledge, all of the prior art alleys only permit one animal at a time to enter the alley, which makes it difficult to efficiently handle the animals due to the reluctance of the animals to enter a place of confinement by themselves. Further, to the best of applicant's knowledge, the prior art alleys are not able to easily accommodate animals of different sizes nor do they include efficient rear-up preventer mechanisms which prevent the animals from raring up over backwards in the alley. It is also believed that the prior art alleys require more manpower than is desirable.


Sampling sufficiency determinations are performed using probability calculations and statistical analysis during a testing process of a population of items. For example, an auditing or reviewing process may involve testing a predetermined sample set of items from the population in order to draw statistical conclusions about the passing or failing rate of the population as a whole. During an ongoing testing process, probability calculations and statistical analyses may be performed regarding the likelihood of the population to pass or fail according to an acceptable failure rate, based on the test results of a subset of the sample set. The sampling sufficiency analyses may potentially allow determinations that the testing process may be stopped before the complete testing of the sample set, and that the population may be declared a passing or failing population within a desired level of confidence.

Although large scale testing, review, and auditing processes often provide valuable business and organization data, these processes may take substantial amounts of time and consume valuable organization resources. For example, performing an auditing process on a large set of business documents may require employees to individually review, classify, score, and record the result for each separate document. A typical large scale review may include thousands or even millions of documents, each of which may be complex and time-consuming to review and classify. For instance, assume a business wanted to audit a set of service contracts to confirm that its quality control processes (e.g., automated tools, employee training, internal reviews, etc.) were working adequately to ensure that the contracts were being structured properly, used the correct language, and were being filled out correctly by employees and clients. However, while preparing for the audit, the business determined that 20,000 contacts were available for review, and each contract would take a human auditor approximately 1-2 hours to review. Thus, a comprehensive audit of its service contracts would cost the business approximately 30 years in employee work time. As another example, an internal customer service review may involve analyzing written transcripts of customer-agent telephone conversations to identify certain characteristics and criteria of the customer interactions. As in the previous example, if the organization attempted a comprehensive review of every transcript, the cost in employee time and other organization resources may be very large. As yet another example, an organization may want to review each of a large number of customer survey responses to find specific responses within the customer feedback. As these examples illustrate, comprehensive testing, auditing, and reviewing processes for large scale projects is often a costly proposition.
Sampling and statistical analysis provide businesses a way to perform testing processes on large amounts of data without having to test each item in the population. Sampling is a well known technique in the field of statistical analysis by which a sample set of individual items within the population are tested for the purpose of drawing statistical inferences about the population as a whole. Thus, by reviewing a relatively small number of items (e.g., contracts, transcripts, etc.) selected at random from the population, it may be possible to reach valid statistical conclusions about the overall population with a high degree of certainty. However, in many cases, the cost of reviewing even a small percentage of the overall population of items may be significant. In the above example of service contract auditing, if only 5% of the contracts were reviewed, the overall cost to the company would still exceed one year in employee work time. Furthermore, the precision of statistical inferences generally depend on the size of the sample sets reviewed. Thus, organizations that are compelled to select larger sample sets to increase their data precision will further increase their testing costs. Finally, although some sample sets do yield valid statistical inferences about the population as a whole, other sample sets might only yield inconclusive results and will therefore require additional testing before an adequate inference can be drawn.


The present invention relates to an antibacterial or plant disease control composition containing caryolan-1-ol. According to the present invention, the caryolan-1-ol, as a volatile substance isolated from a Streptomyces sp. strain, has an excellent antifungal effect on various plant pathogens including Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora nicotinae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Rhizoctonia cerealis, Rhizoctonia solani and Gibberella moniliformis and the like, and has storage disease preventive and herbicidal activity, thereby being usable as an antibacterial composition and a plant disease control composition.

Crops face a number of environmental stresses such as wind damage or water damage during cultivation. Food production is significantly dependent on how well one controls biological factors such as diseases, pests, and weeds as well as physical factors due to unusual weather changes.
So far, chemical control systems based on organic synthetized pesticides have been mainly used as a method of controlling pests of crops. However, pesticide's abuse, toxicity, environmental pollution and adverse effects on the natural ecosystem are increasing as well as side effects of its reduction in drug efficacy due to the occurrence of drug resistance. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a biopesticide having an excellent plant disease control effect that can replace synthetic pesticides.
Biopesticides are products in which natural products, natural enemies and beneficial microorganisms derived from natural environment are selected and produced for agricultural use in order to remove diseases, insects and weeds in crops. Biopesticides include microbial pesticides, biochemical biopesticides and the like. Microbial pesticides are developed using microorganisms themselves such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and nematodes. Biochemical pesticides are developed using natural products derived from plants or microorganisms.
The present inventors have continuously conducted their research to find a substance having a strong antibacterial activity against a plant pathogenic bacterium. As a result, it has been found that a volatile substance derived from a Streptomyces sp. strain exhibits antibacterial activity and that the volatile substance is caryolan-1-ol, thereby completing the present invention.

Antifungal composition containing caryolan-1-ol

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION GYEONGSANG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY


This invention relates to pigment preparations containing. (a) a pigment, PA1 (b) a monohydroxy ether, a polyether polyol, and/or a polyester polyol, PA1 (c) a polyisocyanate addition product having an NCO content of <1.0 wt. % and 30 to 95 wt. % of ethylene oxide units arranged within polyether chains and derived from monofunctional alcohols (B) that is prepared at an NCO index of 100 to 600 by reacting. (A) a polyisocyanate component having an (average) NCO functionality of 1.7 to 6 and an NCO content of 5 to 65 wt. % with PA2 (B) 5 to 100 equivalent %, based on (A), of monohydric poly-ether alcohols having a molecular weight of 150 to 10,000 and an ethylene oxide unit content of 40 to 99.5 wt. %, PA2 (C) 0 to 20 equivalent %, based on (A), of a monofunctional isocyanate-reactive compound other than monohydric alcohol (B), PA2 (D) 0 to 50 equivalent %, based on (A), of an isocyanate-reactive tertiary amine compound, and PA2 (E) 0 to 20 equivalent %, based on (A), of a formative component containing at least two NCO-reactive groups.

This invention relates to pigment preparations, a process for their preparation, a process for pigmenting organic macromolecular material, especially plastics based on polyurethane, and the use of pigment preparations comprising polyisocyanate addition products for pigmenting polyurethane foams.
Polyurethanes that can be used as paint binders or coating material, for example, for textiles, are produced in a wide range in the form of one- or two-component systems, in a highly flexible or rigid form, with or without a solvent content. If such materials are pigmented, it is a problem finding a suitable pigment vehicle in which the pigments can be dispersed in high concentration without flocculation and which is compatible with the various polyurethanes so that a specific pigment paste need not be tailored for each specific system. For the two-component systems that are customary in the paint industry, the only available pigmenting vehicle is usually the relatively low viscosity polyol component, in which not only carbon black or organic pigments such as phthalocyanines but also inorganic pigments such as iron oxide yellow or iron oxide red cannot be dispersed without flocculation and thixotropy. Not only does this make every grind problematical and uneconomical, but it also continues to have an adverse effect on flow, gloss, depth of shade, hiding power, and gloss durability of the cured paint films even after the isocyanate component has been added.
Polyurethane coating materials for textiles comprise very high molecular weight species which have only limited miscibility with one another (one- or two-component systems) and their viscosity alone makes it impossible to achieve high pigment concentrations.
In addition to these homogeneous polyurethanes, cellular polyurethanes, which can vary in their elasticity from rigid to extremely flexible foams, have attained great importance. These foams are mainly colored shortly before foaming in a mixing head in which polyols and polyisocyanates are intimately mixed with color pastes in the absence or presence of auxiliaries. The binders in these color pastes are usually polyester or polyether polyols which, however, have a pigment-holding capacity so low, especially with respect to carbon black, that the color pastes have high viscosities at carbon black concentrations as low as 10 to 18%. A normal addition of a color paste in a proportion of 3 to 5% by weight, based on the sum of all the ingredients of the foam, which is too low to affect the mechanical characteristics of the foam to any great extent, does not produce a deep color but, for example, in the case of carbon black, gives only a grey coloration.
To achieve deep colors in the material to be pigmented, to ensure meterability in the production of the material, and to minimize the effect of the binder on the mechanical characteristics of these materials, especially foams, it would be desirable to obtain readily pumpable pastes having high pigment contents.
A combination of good color-paste pumpability and flowability, coupled with the desired high pigment contents, also plays an important role in the production of the color pastes. Highly viscous and/or nonflowable pastes can be industrially produced only on roll mills or in kneaders; production using continuous stirred bead mills is not possible.
It is an object of the present invention to provide pigment preparations which have a very low viscosity and also good flow properties throughout the entire production process, especially in continuously stirred bead mills, and thus are particularly economical to produce.
The literature discloses several attempts to achieve these goals. German Offenlegungsschrift 3,115,651 discloses adding a polyvinylpyrrolidone to the polyether polyol binder as a viscosity-reducing additive German Offenlegungsschrift 3,803,810 discloses a copolymer of .alpha.-olefin and .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated dicarboxylic esters as binder additive. Further known additives for polyester polyol or polyether polyol binders include organotitanium compounds (German Offenlegungsschrift 4,236,709) and oil-modified polyurethanes (European Patent Application 603,546). German Offenlegungsschrift 2,402,839, by contrast, uses a carbodiimide-functional resin as pigment vehicle.
The prior art pigment preparations, however, have some disadvantages. For example, some additives or binder systems usually work only with certain pigments. Furthermore, the pigment tends to agglomerate in the known preparations, so that the desired color strength cannot be achieved in the material to be colored. With some of these preparations, undesirable agglomeration or aggregate formation occurs as a consequence of the dilution effect of the paste, for example, during the foaming process of polyurethane, the result of which is again that the desired color depth is not achieved. In addition, it is necessary to increase the color strength of the polyurethane foam to be pigmented while at the same time improving the viscosity and flow behavior of the preparation.
It has now been found that such disadvantages can be overcome with the pigment pastes of the invention.


Packaging apparatus for helically wrapping articles with a stretchable flexible film of wrapping material. A first conveyor (11) transports unwrapped articles towards a wrapping material applicator (13) and a second conveyor (12) transports helically wrapped articles. The first and second conveyors are spaced apart and the wrapping material applicator (13) is disposed between the first and second conveyors. The wrapping material is applied between the first and second conveyors to wrap an article disposed in space between the conveyors. The applicator has a rotary ring (14) supported in rotation by a fixed guide ring. Wrapping film reels are mounted on the rotary ring and unwound around tensioning rollers. Relative motion of the guide and rotary rings is converted into rotation of the tensioning rollers by a gear train so the wrapping material is stretched prior to application to the articles. The packaging apparatus may be used to wrap any material around any sort of article.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging articles.
It is known to package articles by wrapping them in flexible sheet material such as, for example, highly stretched synthetic plastics film. An article, or a group of articles, is typically enclosed between two sheets of material or a folded single sheet and the material is heat sealed at overlapping edges.
A continuous process for wrapping articles in material of this kind is described in international patent application WO 90109316 which discloses a longitudinal wrapping machine whereby articles are wrapped by winding a continuous web of wrapping material around the articles in a direction generally transverse to their direction of movement along the machine. This results in the articles being wrapped by a helical continuous web of material. The machine has an upstream conveyor that is separated from a downstream conveyor by a rotary ring-type web applicator whose rotary axis is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyors. The articles are fed to the applicator by the upstream conveyor and as they pass through the ring of the applicator at a predetermined speed it rotates and dispenses the wrapping material. As a result, the articles are wrapped by a continuous helical band of material. The wrapped articles pass to the downstream conveyor which carries them to a cutting station. A longitudinal web of material disposed on the conveyors passes through the applicator and is transported under the articles at the same rate. This web serves to bridge the gap between the upstream and downstream conveyors and thus supports the articles as they pass continuously between them.
The machine referred to above has been used successfully in commercial applications but is relatively complex. There is a desire to simplify the machine and to improve its versatility.


A wrist exerciser includes an upper casing member and a lower casing member that are mounted to each other to enclose a rotor therebetween. The upper casing member has a top opening, which exposes a portion of the rotor. The rotor has opposite sides on which two opposite axles are mounted respectively. The axles are rotatably coupled to an outer ring. The outer ring comprises a resiliency device. The side of the rotor that faces the resiliency device is provided with a movable catching mechanism that is releasably, selectively, and operatively coupled to the resiliency device. Thus, when the rotor is initially rotated or is towed to take a linear movement by being put in contact with a fixture surface, the resiliency device builds up compression spring force, which, when the rotor is released, causes the rotor to rotate in a reversed direction and gaining auxiliary starting power and initial rotation speed. Further, the movable catching mechanism is disengageable from the resiliency device by a centrifugal force acting thereon induced by high speed rotation of the rotor so as to allow for regular operation of the wrist exerciser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wrist exerciser that is in the form of a hollow sphere inside which a rotor is rotatably support so that by manually rotating the hollow sphere, the rotor is rotated inside the hollow sphere to thereby effect exercising of hand and wrist related muscles, and in particular to a wrist exerciser that is configured to auto-start the rotor by generating an initial auxiliary starting force acting on the rotor to facilitate regular operation of the wrist exerciser.
2. The Related Arts
A wrist exerciser is helpful in exercising hand and wrist related muscles, and is of particular therapeutic effect for rehabilitation. Examples are disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 135058 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,311. Such devices are suitable for operating with one hand to exercise the wrist muscles. The operation of the wrist exerciser is initiated by providing an effective starting force and/or torque to a rotor inside the hollow casing and thereafter, the rotor can be further rotated with forces applied by wrist muscles. Thus, the initial starting of the rotor is an important issue for operating the wrist exerciser.
The starting of the wrist exerciser is conventionally initiated by forcibly pulling a pull rope that is wound around a circumferential groove defined in the rotor. Examples are shown in the above mentioned Taiwan and US patents. A drawback of this type of wrist exerciser is that the pull rope may easily get deviated out of the circumferential groove of the rotor, leading to incorrect and imprecise rotation of the rotor and thus failure starting of the wrist exerciser. Even when the rotor is correctly started, the rotor can gain no large starting force and initial speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,914 and Taiwan Patent No. 364383 teach a rack-and-gearing based starting mechanism for starting a wrist exerciser. Sufficient initial starting force and rotational speed can be gained by forcibly pulling the rack with respect to the rotor. However, it is difficult to mate the rack with the gearing after each time the rotor is stopped for the rotor does not always stop at a fixed angular position. A user has to adjust the relative relationship between parts of the wrist exerciser in order to allow engagement of the rack and the gearing. This is certainly troublesome. Further, the rack must be forcibly driven in order to ensure sufficient torque acting upon the rotor. This is not only difficult for certain users but may also hurt the user for the rack that is forcibly pulled may easily contact the hand of the user that holds the wrist exerciser.
US Design D464,687 discloses an electric starter that has a friction roller, which is engageable with rotor of the wrist exerciser for applying a driving force thereto. An obvious drawback is that ready engagement between the friction roller and the rotor is not easily ensured, which makes the operation difficult for certain users. In addition, the friction roller is electrically driven and, once getting in contact with a user's hand that holds the wrist exerciser, may hurt the user's hand. Further, the rotor is not maintained in a specific orbit, and this limits the driving force applied by the friction engagement to the rotor. Thus, similarly, the electric starter cannot ensure a large starting force.
Further, all the conventional wrist exerciser and/or the starting mechanism thereof are operated with two hands and are not suitable for handicapped persons that have one hand available. In addition, the precise engagement required between the conventional starting mechanism and the rotor of the wrist exerciser makes it difficult for the blind to operate the conventional wrist exercisers.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a wrist exerciser that is provided with an auxiliary starting force for efficiently and easily starting the operation of the wrist exerciser with either both hands or a single hand so as to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional devices.

Wrist exerciser with auxiliary starting force


A display apparatus and a method of displaying an image by the display apparatus are provided. The display apparatus and the method include displaying a first content image on the display apparatus, detecting a first touch from a bezel of the display apparatus, displaying a folding area on a first edge of the first content image in response to a location of the first touch, and moving the first content image to the folding area from an adjacent folding area of the first content image, which contacts the folding area, in response to holding time of the first touch.

Currently, various services and functions provided by a display apparatus have been extensively used. In addition, a large size display apparatus has been extensively used and has been used in school, at work, by government, and the like.
When teachers lecture using lecture material via a display apparatus, they may write on a whiteboard. Upon writing on the display apparatus, the teacher may not intuitively differentiate the writing on the display apparatus from manipulation of page transfer or page turn, and thus, the lecture material may be unintentionally selected or a page may be unintentionally transferred. In addition, when the teacher writes on the whiteboard using a large size display apparatus, they may move the lecture material to the right or left on the display apparatus to a desired point and make writing on the whiteboard on the display apparatus.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Display apparatus and method of displaying image by display apparatus


A scanning probe microscope system (100) includes an objective lens (147), a clamping circuit (404), a tip deflection measurement circuit (421), a cantilever (136), and a probe (137) for modifying and inspecting an object (102) disposed on a stage (129).

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,308,974 and 5,418,363 issued to Elings et al. disclose a method in which a first scan to obtain the topography of a sample surface is used to guide a subsequent second scan for some other task related to the topography. As is standard in SPM applications, this topography represents a simple false surface of the object that is a function (i.e., there is only one z coordinate value for each pair of x,y coordinate values) when in fact the true surface of the object may be a complex surface that is a non-function (i.e. for at least one pair of x,y coordinate values, there is more then one z coordinate value). In other words, the topography is itself a function. The second scan is then performed along the topography, along a fixed (i.e., constant) offset of the topography, or along a function of the topography. However, such an approach is inadequate and inappropriate for use in SPM applications, such as nanomachining and the dynamic measurement of induced parametric change.
In particular, in nanomachining it is the complex desired surface which is the target not the pre-existing topography. Indeed, simple mathematical considerations demonstrate that simply adding or subtracting a fixed amount from an original topography can only reproduce the topography.
Furthermore, in nanomachining and other SPM operations, it is often necessary to perform an operation on an object or a surface or subsurface structure of the object that has a true surface or volume which is not a function. However, such a true surface or volume can never be accurately scanned by a simple offset from the true surface or volume because complex back and forth or in and out motions are required to accurately follow the true surface or volume.

Object inspection and/or modification system and method


A method of and an apparatus for controlling a data storage system according to a temperature which thermally expands a write head pole tip of a write head includes supplying the write head with a predetermined warming current in a low temperature environment, so as to prevent a degradation of a writing characteristic of a signal in an initial writing stage. Therefore, errors due to a degradation of a signal level written in a sector of an initial writing mode do not occur by performing a warming write using the predetermined warming current so that data existing in a storage system before performing a writing mode is not erased, and by sufficiently thermally expanding the write head pole tip of the write head until a saturation state before writing starts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for controlling a data storage system, and a medium, and more particularly, to a method of and an apparatus for controlling a data storage system according to a temperature at which a write head pole tip thermally expands, by supplying the writing head with a predetermined warming current in a low temperature environment, so as to prevent degradation of writing characteristics of a signal on a disk in an initial writing stage, and a medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive writes data received from a host computer or reads data written on a hard disk using a magnetic head. Nowadays, since hard disks are manufactured to have a large capacity and a small size, the number of bits that can be fit on each track, i.e., BPI (bit per inch), and the number of tracks that can be fit on the disk, i.e., TPI (tracks per inch), increase, and therefore, more sophisticated and rapid method and mechanism for controlling a head position are needed.
Typically, at a low temperature, the hard disk drive shrinks, and a coercive force increases due to its magnetic physical characteristics. As a result, it becomes difficult to write the data on a medium in comparison with a normal or high temperature case.
Further, a pole tip of a writing head thermally expands due to a high temperature inside the hard disk drive. Because of this, in an initial writing stage, the pole tip shrinks at the low temperature and then thermally expands at the high temperature due to a writing current. The pole tip thermally expands until it reaches a saturation state when the writing current is continuously applied to the pole tip for a predetermined time.
The pole tip shrinks at the low temperature as shown in FIG. 1A. If the writing current starts flowing through the writing head by a writing command, the pole tip keeps expanding during the initial writing stage as shown in FIG. 1B. Then, after a temperature of the pole tip has been sufficiently raised due to the writing current applied for the predetermined time, the pole tip thermally expands until the saturation state as shown in FIG. 1C.
Due to the foregoing, a flying height of the writing head from a disk surface of the medium becomes changed. Therefore, the flying height in the initial writing stage increases temporarily until the pole tip thermally expands, and so a level of a signal written in an initial writing sector is reduced when the signal is reproduced. Because of this, repeated errors appear when the data written in a sector of the initial writing sector is reproduced. Especially, at the low temperature, reading errors occur more frequently in the initial writing sector.
To solve the above problem, a conventional dummy write method has been introduced. As shown in FIG. 2, the pole tip of the writing head expands by performing dummy write method in a gap between sectors before the writing head reaches a target sector (for example, a sector 100). However, in the dummy write method performed in the hard disk drive, a number of bytes which are dummy written are changed according to a head position of the writing head with respect the disk surface of the medium. The average number of bytes which are dummy written is about 1.5 track * a number of data sectors * 6 bytes. Then, when the number of bytes which are dummy written is small, according to the head position, initial writing characteristics of the writing head degrade.
Even if the number of bytes which are dummy written is sufficiently large, and then the above problem may be solved, a delay in a writing time still occurs.

Method of and apparatus for controlling data storage system according to temperature, and medium


The present invention relates to a method for removing moisture from powder to be used in an additive manufacturing process for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of at least one layer of a powder bed provided on a work table, which parts corresponds to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, characterized in that said method comprising the steps of: providing at least a first powder tank and at least at least a second powder tank, providing a predetermined amount of powder on a movable table inside said first powder tank, heating the top surface of the powder in said first powder tank to a predetermined temperature interval for removing moisture from said powder, raising said movable table a predetermined distance, moving a predetermined thickness of the powder material from said first powder tank to said second powder tank.

Related Field
The present invention relates to a powder pre processing method for additive manufacturing according to the preamble of claim 1.
Description of Related Art
Freeform fabrication or additive manufacturing is a method for forming three-dimensional articles through successive fusion of chosen parts of powder layers applied to a worktable.
An additive manufacturing apparatus may comprise a work table on which said three-dimensional article is to be formed, a powder dispenser, arranged to lay down a thin layer of powder on the work table for the formation of a powder bed, an energy beam for delivering energy to the powder whereby fusion of the powder takes place, elements for control of the energy given off by the energy beam over said powder bed for the formation of a cross section of said three-dimensional article through fusion of parts of said powder bed, and a controlling computer, in which information is stored concerning consecutive cross sections of the three-dimensional article. A three-dimensional article is formed through consecutive fusions of consecutively formed cross sections of powder layers, successively laid down by the powder dispenser.
In additive manufacturing it is important to control the powder distribution. It is desirably to distribute a predefined amount of powder over a predetermined area. This requires a well defined method and apparatus for repeatedly removing a predetermined amount of powder from a powder storage to a powder distributor device. One problem that may arise is that the powder may have more or less of built in moisture. Said moisture may affect the flowability of the powder which in turn may affect the smoothness and thickness of the applied powder layer on the work table. Moisture in powder material for additive manufacturing may also affect the material properties of the final 3-dimensional product in an undesirable way.

Powder pre-processing for additive manufacturing


A device is described comprising at least one processor, a storage component, a power source, a switch, a primary electrode, and a secondary electrode, the at least one processor for directing the power source to charge the storage component, for controlling a switch to provide an electrical pathway from the storage component to a resistive load at the earliest when the voltage reaches a first value, and for controlling the switch to disable the electrical pathway from the storage component to the resistive load. The device includes the at least one processor for directing the power source to recharge the storage component, for determining a time of recharge, wherein the time of recharge is the time required to restore the voltage to the first value, for comparing the time of recharge with time values, and for using information of the comparing to adjust the first value.

Pet training and containment is essential for pet owners. One of the most common humane and effective training methods is electrical stimulation of the pet animal. Short electrical pulses are used to communicate desired behaviors. Currently, there is very little variance in stimulation delivery methods. Most typical methods deliver a pre-determined charge directly from the output of a transformer with an assumption that the proper charge is delivered successfully.

Method and apparatus for applying, monitoring, and adjusting a stimulus to a pet


The present disclosure relates to a reception apparatus, a reception method, a transmission apparatus, a transmission method, and a communication system capable of identifying ID information from an image captured with gated imaging. A reception apparatus of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a gated imaging unit that emits pulsed light to a subject existing at any given distance, and performs gated imaging by receiving reflection light of the pulsed light from the subject by controlling exposure timing on the basis of a time it takes for the emitted pulsed light to reciprocate the any given distance; and an identification unit that identifies ID information transmitted as an optical signal by a transmission apparatus existing in an imaging direction of the gated imaging on the basis of a plurality of time-series images obtained by cyclic gated imaging with the gated imaging unit.

Gated imaging is known as a technique capable of sharply imaging only the subject located at a specific distance by emitting pulsed light and exposing the image sensor only for a specific period of time to the reflection light. The gated imaging is also referred to as Active Gated Imaging, Active Imaging, Range-gated Active Imaging, or the like (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).
The basic principle of gated imaging will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows an airship 10 flying at a height D1 (for example, 100 m) from the ground equipped with a gated imaging apparatus 20 having an effective Field of View (FOV) oriented toward the ground to detect a subject (suspect) 2 approaching a monitor target object 1 of a building or the like existing on the ground.
In the case of FIG. 1, after pulsed light is emitted, the image sensor incorporated in the gated imaging apparatus 20 is caused to receive light (caused to be exposed) for a minute time around time T1=(2×D1)/c. Here, c denotes the speed of light.
According to the gated imaging described above, even if there is a fog 30, smoke, or the like between the ground and the airship 10, it is possible to capture an image of the object existing at the distance D1 from the gated imaging apparatus 20 as a clear image. Therefore, the subject (suspect) 2 approaching monitor target object 1 can be detected on the basis of the captured image.

Reception apparatus, reception method, transmission apparatus, transmission method, and communication system

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


A plastic-made cap for a vial having a lip, the cap being useful as a separation-preventing cap for a plug that seals up an opening of the vial, includes a top wall portion having an outer circumference and centrally defining an opening, and a cylindrical skirt portion extending downwardly from the outer circumference of the top wall portion and being open at its lower end. The skirt portion has an inner diameter (a) greater than an outer diameter (b) of the lip of the vial. The skirt portion is provided on its inner wall with plural ribs formed in a direction perpendicular to the top wall portion. The plural ribs are arranged in pairs at equal angular intervals between the respective pairs of ribs. Further, engagement claws are arranged between the respective pairs of ribs such that the engagement claws can be brought into engagement with an underside of the lip of the vial.

As storage containers for various medicaments such as drugs, so-called vials have been widely used over years. As these vials, two types are employed, one being glass-made vials and the other plastic-made vials. Of these, the glass-made vials are equipped with very high gas barrier properties compared with the plastic-made vials, and therefore, are used as medicament containers for which high gas barrier properties are required.
After a medicament is stored in such a vial, its mouth is sealed with a plug such as a rubber plug. When the vial is subjected to treatment such as heat sterilization, the plug may slip out of the vial mouth due to a rise in the internal pressure of the vial. It is, therefore, a common practice to fit a cap, which is made of aluminum or a plastic, on the mouth of the vial such that the cap encloses the plug therein and extends onto an underside of a lip of the mouth to keep the plug in close contact with the mouth, to prevent the separation of the plug and to assure the sealing of an interior of the vial (JP-A-2007-282891).
An aluminum-made cap is crimped at a lower part thereof below the lip of the mouth of the vial by making use of its superb deformability, and therefore, is equipped with excellent separation-preventing properties. An aluminum-made cap is, however, accompanied by a problem that fine aluminum particles occur and scatter through its contact with other aluminum-made caps and also by a problem that segregated disposal of aluminum is difficult after its use. There is, accordingly, a tendency to avoid the use of aluminum-made caps in recent years.
A plastic-made cap, on the other hand, is free of such problems of the aluminum-made cap, but due to the lower deformability of a plastic than aluminum, is accompanied by a problem that its engagement with a vial cannot be as tight as that available from an aluminum-made cap. Described specifically, when an aluminum-made cap is crimped at a lower part thereof on a lip of a vial mouth, the lower part is caused to deform along the lip and is readily crimped by making use of its excellent deformability. In the case of a plastic-made cap, on the other hand, the cap is provided with engagement claws, and upon capping, these claws are brought into engagement with a lip of a vial mouth. The above-described problem of the plastic-made cap can be attributed to the above-mentioned difference in structure.
The plastic-made cap easily separates from the vial because the engagement between the vial and the plastic-made cap is not tight as described above. This problem can be solved if the engagement between the vial and the cap is made tight. However, the capping itself becomes harder as an attempt is made to establish tighter engagement. As appreciated from the foregoing, the cap and the vial are both required to have high dimensional accuracy. If a cap and a vial are both made of plastics, their dimensional accuracy can be improved to certain extent because they can be molded into predetermined shapes while taking into consideration even shrinkage deformations which take place upon cooling.
On the other hand, a glass-made vial has a dimensional error greater by one digit than a plastic-made vial because it is produced while adjusting its shape. No matter how much the dimensional accuracy of a plastic-made cap is improved, its application to a glass-made vial still involves a problem that the separation of the cap can be hardly prevented to sufficient extent. Under these circumstances, extremely high dimensional accuracy is required for both of a glass-made vial and a plastic-made vial to bring the plastic-made cap into tight engagement with the glass-made vial compared with the engagement of an aluminum-made cap. There is, however, a limitation to how much the dimensional accuracy of the glass-made vial can be improved. Even if plastic-made caps are provided with high dimensional accuracy, they are hence accompanied by a problem that, when they are applied to glass-made vials, the percentage of acceptable plastic-made caps is extremely low because of large dimensional errors of the glass-made vials.


Test apparatus and method of testing kinetic switches. The test apparatus utilizes an RFID device attached to a high speed centrifuge on which the kinetic switches are mounted for testing. Sensors monitor the operation of the kinetic switch for movement from a first position to a second position. In addition, the speed of the centrifuge at the time of the movement is determined. This information may be transmitted in real time as received by the RFID device or saved in RFID memory and transmitted to determine the force applied to the kinetic switch at the time of the movement so that the acceptability of the kinetic switch can be determined.

Kinetic switches are used in various applications such as kinetic ordnance, flight recorders, missiles, guided and unguided rockets, aircraft applications and other critical applications. Kinetic switches may be hermetically sealed with inert gas for high reliability, aggressive environmental applications and they may be available in numerous sizes and packages. Kinetic switches may be un-damped, air damped or fluid damped. They may be normally open or normally closed. Kinetic switches are available as acceleration/Inertia/impact switches for applications involving acceleration, spin, impact, recoil, directional sensing vibration and g-time products available Kinetic switch designs may be tailored to specific electronic and environmental requirements. These switches are designed to respond to acceleration/deceleration in excess of a predetermined value.
Kinetic switches may be used to generate a wake-up signal to a dormant circuit in response to the beginning of an impact event, thereby activating the circuit. In its simplest embodiment, the kinetic switch may be a simple on/off switch that switches from one position, for example off, to a second position, on in response to an acceleration or deceleration event such as an impact event. An impact event may be an object striking the ground from the air, the impact causing the kinetic switch to activate a circuit. A kinetic switch may be used to trigger the inflation of an airbag in a vehicle in the event of an impact event exceeding the threshold limits of the switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,154,175 describes one such kinetic switch which comprises a snap mechanism provided between an input element and an output element to provide a bistable switch having two discrete positions. A first position P1 is indicative of the input state being below a given threshold, or "off" position, and a second position P2, which is indicative of the input state being at or above the threshold, or "on" position. The snap mechanism maintains a positive reacting force throughout the operating stroke of the output element. A disc in the snap mechanism deflects as the input increases until a maximum threshold force is applied to the disc at which point the disc "snaps" over. A stem provides the input element (receiving a force F) and the output element. A structure supports a snap element connected to a stem. The snap element, which may be a flexible disc, has a concave configuration with the stem in the first position P1. Upon the force F reaching a threshold force, the snap element is deflected to a convex configuration that moves the stem to the second position P2 or on position. Stops limit the travel of the stem.
Regardless of the design of the kinetic switch, it must operate reliably for its intended function, particularly for some of the critical applications described above. To assure that these kinetic switches properly operate, they are tested to assure that they switch from a first position to a second position when the predetermined set point is reached. The predetermined set point may vary from one design to the next, but the switch must reliably function when the predetermined set point is reached.
Kinetic switches are tested by placing them on a centrifuge and rotating them at high speeds. One or more kinetic switches may be tested simultaneously by mounting the switches to the centrifuge. As the centrifuges are accelerated up to speed, the switches are monitored to determine if they switch from a first position to a second position as the centrifuge reaches the predetermined speed. Each switch is connected to a test circuit that determines whether the switches in fact switch from a first position to a second position as the predetermined speed is reached, generating a signal or signals. The signal or signals are transmitted to a computer monitoring the testing via a slip ring or slip rings, which enable the transfer of signals across a rotating surface. The computer may be used to store the data indicative of the force at which each switch is activated.
One of the problems currently faced is that as the kinetic switch requirements have become more stringent, some of the forces reaching 80,000 Gs with centrifuge speeds reaching in excess of 26,000 rpm, slip ring wear also is accelerated. The slip rings are utilized to transmit data from test circuits evaluating the performance of each of the rapidly rotating kinetic switches as the rotational speed increases. Further reduction in slip ring life will result as kinetic switches requiring even higher G-forces are developed. Furthermore, chatter resulting from slip ring wear results in transmission of erroneous test data, which may lead to kinetic switches being rejected when in fact they should be accepted. Transmission of test data using wireless monitors is also not a viable solution since these wireless monitors require on-board transmitters requiring on-board batteries to transmit the test results. Of course, the batteries include chemical components which will not survive the high speeds of centrifugation for extended periods of time, experiencing premature failure and frequent replacement as well as messy and inconvenient clean-up.
What is needed is a device that can monitor the operation of kinetic switches during testing and transmit the measured test data to a recording device so that each of the tested kinetic switches and be tested to determine acceptable operation at a predetermined speed. The device must be able to both determine switch operation and transmit data indicating whether the switch operation occurs at the predetermined speed without the use of a self-contained power supply, while also eliminating the use of slip rings as a communication device.

Test device for kinetic switches and method of testing kinetic switches


A virtual object for use in an object oriented environment; the virtual object comprising at least a user-sensible aspect and further comprising at least a functional aspect; the said user-sensible aspect being encapsulated as a user-sensible encapsulation, separately from the functional aspect, which is encapsulated as a functional encapsulation.

Some applications are graphics based, and may, using what is commonly termed virtual reality, give an illusion of 3D space by situating virtual objects on a virtual 3D grid. Using immersion equipment, users can interact with this virtual environment. Additionally or alternatively, the 3D space can be projected on to a substantially flat or 2D surface such as a computer visual display unit (VDU), so that virtual objects are viewed on substantially 2D computer screens, yet nevertheless, an illusion of solidity is maintained, and such virtual objects have, in addition to height and width, an apparent depth. These objects may move with respect to backgrounds or scenes, which may be substantially stationary, though often may be viewable from different angles, and if the viewing angle is changed, the whole scene is rotated in consequence. Alternatively, as with flight simulators for example, the background may constantly change in a dynamic manner.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows schematically the inter-relationships between clients and server in networked computing environments, networked computing comprises a plurality of remote terminals or clients interacting with the same computer application, the bulk of which usually runs on a host computer known as the server. The clients and the server are interconnected via a network. The individual clients are often at a considerable distance from each other and from the host server.
Now the speed at which a computer application runs is a function of both the complexity of the software, and the capability of the hardware. In networked computing however, particularly with data-intensive, heavy applications, the speed at which applications run is often limited by the time required for necessary data to be transferred between the networked computers. The data transfer time is a function of the bandwidth of the data transfer lines, and of the volume of data that requires transporting. Clearly there is a desire to limit the quantity of data that is transported between the client and the server, and efficient programming and data compression techniques are used to facilitate this data limiting.
The Internet is a multiclient computing environment that potentially allows many users to interact with each other using the same application, enabling a large number of players to play the same adventure game for example. To facilitate multiplayer interaction in a 3D virtual graphic environment, in real-time, it is required that interactions by one user at one client, are transmitted to the server and to other clients fast enough that correct sequencing is maintained, thus preferentially the moves of one player appear instantaneously on the monitors of all other players. Increasing the running efficiency, and, in particular, achieving real-time updating of high-resolution 3D graphical displays to multiple users is a challenging aim.
Apart from games and the like, virtual reality has also been applied to various areas of human endeavor, replacing real world experimentation where, due to economic, safety and other considerations, it has been deemed preferable to use simulations rather than the real thing. Examples of this include anatomical simulations of the human body for pedagogic purposes in the training of doctors and surgeons, object design for manufacturing and virtual prototyping, guidance for installation and trouble-shooting for computer peripherals such as printers, and battle field simulation for training the military, such as flight simulators for training aircraft pilots, tank drivers and artillery personnel.
As computer programs have got more sophisticated, comprising larger quantities of code, structural programming has given way to Object Oriented Programming (OOP). The object oriented programming approach breaks down problems into groups of related parts that take into account both the code and the data related to each group. The groups are then organized into a hierarchical structure and translated into subgroups called objects. Virtual objects are logical entities that encapsulate both data and the code that manipulates that data.
Object oriented programming has been applied with success to virtual reality computer applications. A virtual object in a virtual reality environment can be programmed as a computing object in the sense of object oriented programming, thus the appearance or form of the object, its behavior or function, and its location data may be encapsulated together into a quasi-autonomous entity. Programming in this manner provides a modular construction that facilitates comprehension of complex programs, for updating and the like. It also avoids the problems associated with sharing files between different aspects of a program. In multiple-user, real-time networked applications however; the traditional object oriented programming approach has been found to be somewhat inadequate. By encapsulating the display and interaction characteristics of an object with those characteristics that describe function and behavior, the objects comprise large amounts of data. Transferring such large amounts of data between networked computers requires considerable resources in terms of bandwidth and/or transfer time.
Traditionally, in virtual reality, the placing of objects within a scene is accomplished by constructing the scene in 3D space on a Cartesian grid comprising orthogonal axes, or some other coordinate system appropriate for the specific application. A centroid is then defined for each object within the scene, and the centroid of each object is then plotted onto the coordinate system. When an object is moved, the centroid thereof is repositioned, and the object is redrawn at its new location. In some applications, the whole scene may be redrawn. Thus the positions of objects are defined with respect to the grid, and different objects within close proximity may not be directly aware of each other.
A useful software platform for virtual reality applications is GInIt. This has been disclosed; see Shmueli and Elber, [Shmueli O. and Elber G., Managing Data and Interactions in Three Dimensional Environments. Software for Communication Technologies—3rd Austrian-Technion Symposium, Lintz, Austria, April 1999] which is incorporated herein by reference.

Control of interactions within virtual environments

Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.


A request for a first video may be received from an end user device. A video size for the requested first video may be determined. An unused onscreen location to place the requested first video, within one of a plurality of composite mosaic video streams, may be determined. The unused onscreen location may correspond to a location for insertion of video content for output to an onscreen location of an output device. Information identifying the unused onscreen location may be transmitted to a content source of the requested first video. The requested first video based upon the unused onscreen location information may be received from the content source. The requested first video then may be placed with at least one second video into a composite video stream based upon the unused onscreen location, and the composite video stream may be transmitted to the end user device.

Television distribution systems operate on allowing multiple streams of content to be sent downstream via multiplexing. For digital television channels, through multiplexing, each physical radio frequency (RF) channel can carry several digital streams of video programming material from different services (e.g., HBO, CBS, ESPN, etc.). Traditionally for an end user with a television and/or set top box to receive a signal from a content provider, the end user can only see as many video programs on a screen at one time as there are tuners available on the respective system.
For picture-in-picture capability, the end user traditionally needs two tuners to display two streams of video on a screen simultaneously (since the receiving device is typically configured to only locate and decode one of the streams in the channel, even if multiple streams are multiplexed in that channel). As such, if a multiplexed signal on a single physical RF channel included a program stream for one service (e.g., ESPN) and a program stream for another service (e.g., NBC), an end user would still need at least two tuners associated with her end television to simultaneously display both programs. Such two-tuner systems have included recording devices, such as a video cassette recorder (VCR) device associated with the end television of the user. One tuner in the television may tune to and receive the content stream of one service (e.g., HBO) and a second tuner, in the television or another device such as a VCR, may tune to and receive the content steam of another service (e.g., NBC), and the television or other device may allow for simultaneous display of both content streams (with one appearing in a smaller window on the display of the television).
FIG. 1 is an example of a picture-in-picture screen 100 with two tuners to display two streams of content. The display 101 environment shows content 103 received through the tuner of the television and content 105 received through the tuner of an associated second device, such as a VCR. For each stream of content, a separate tuner is needed in the traditional system.
This kind of dual-image presentation may be used for advertising barker channels. A barker channel is one type of television service or station that has historically been used for advertising and/or promotional purposes. Content and/or service providers may utilize a barker channel for advertising a service offered, such as a sports package of all football games, or promoting a product for sale, such as a continuous infomercial. For example, a user tuning a television to a barker channel may see a continuous, repeating, advertisement for latest video on demand offerings.
A barker channel may include a video and an audio stream where a portion of the content on the screen for the barker channel is the video. The video of a barker channel often only takes a quarter or less of the entire display screen, such as shown in FIG. 2A. However, a full screen video may be transmitted for the channel.
Approaches to transmitting barker channels transmit each barker video, which generally takes up less than a quarter of the entire display, on its own full-sized video stream with the area of the video stream that is unused simply being black. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate such examples. As shown for each example 200a, 200b, and 200c in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, respectively, each different barker video 203a, 203b, and 203c, is transmitted to an end user's equipment, such as a television and/or set-top box, as a separate entire video 201a, 201b, and 201c, respectively. The portion of the video 201a, 201b, 201c not used for the barker video 203a, 203b, 203c, respectively, is transmitted as black.
There is always a need for increased bandwidth and/or more efficient usage of existing bandwidth.

Multiple video content in a composite video stream