Disclosed is a system, method, and article of manufacture for maintaining consistent copies of data between a primary site and a secondary site.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to creating a consistent copy of data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disaster recovery systems typically address two types of failures, a sudden catastrophic failure at a single point in time or data loss over a period of time. In the second type of gradual disaster, updates to volumes may be lost. To assist in recovery of data updates, a copy of data may be provided at a remote location. Such dual or shadow copies are typically made as the application system is writing new data to a primary storage device. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), the assignee of the subject patent application, provides two systems for maintaining remote copies of data at a secondary storage device, extended remote copy (XRC®) and peer-to-peer remote copy (PPRC®).
These systems provide a method for recovering data updates between a last, safe backup and a system failure. Such data shadowing systems can also provide an additional remote copy for non-recovery purposes, such as local access at a remote site. The IBM XRC® and PPRC® systems are described in IBM publication "Remote Copy: Administrator's Guide and Reference," IBM document no. SC35-0169-02 (IBM Copyright 1994, 1996), which publication is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In such backup systems, data is maintained in volume pairs. A volume pair is comprised of a volume in a primary storage device and a corresponding volume in a secondary storage device that includes a consistent copy of the data maintained in the primary volume. Typically, the primary volume of the pair will be maintained in a primary direct access storage device (DASD) and the secondary volume of the pair is maintained in a secondary DASD shadowing the data on the primary DASD. A primary storage controller may be provided to control access to the primary DASD and a secondary storage controller may be provided to control access to the secondary DASD.
In the IBM XRC® environment, the application system writing data to the primary volumes includes a sysplex timer which provides a time-of-day (TOD) value as a time stamp to data writes. The application system time stamps data sets when writing such data sets to volumes in the primary DASD. The integrity of data updates is related to insuring that updates are done at the secondary volumes in the volume pair in the same order as they were done on the primary volume. In the XRC® and other prior art systems, the time stamp provided by the application program determines the logical sequence of data updates. In many application programs, such as database systems, certain writes cannot occur unless a previous write occurred; otherwise the data integrity would be jeopardized. Such a data write whose integrity is dependent on the occurrence of previous data writes is known as a dependent write. For instance, if a customer opens an account, deposits $400, and then withdraws $300, the withdrawal update to the system is dependent on the occurrence of the other writes, the opening of the account and the deposit. When such dependent transactions are copied from the primary volumes to secondary volumes, the transaction order must be maintained to maintain the integrity of the dependent write operation.
Volumes in the primary and secondary DASDs are consistent when all writes have been transferred in their logical order, i.e., all dependent writes transferred first before the writes dependent thereon. In the banking example, this means that the deposit is written to the secondary volume before the withdrawal. A consistency group is a collection of related volumes that need to be kept in a consistent state. A consistency transaction set is a collection of updates to the primary volumes such that dependent writes are secured in a consistent manner. For instance, in the banking example, in order to maintain consistency, the withdrawal transaction needs to be in the same consistent transactions set as the deposit or in a later consistent transactions set; the withdrawal cannot be in an earlier consistent transactions set. Consistency groups maintain data consistency across volumes. For instance, if a failure occurs, the deposit will be written to the secondary volume before the withdrawal. Thus, when data is recovered from the secondary volumes, the recovered data will be consistent.
A consistency time is a time the system derives from the application system's time stamp to the data set. A consistency group has a consistency time for all data writes in a consistency group having a time stamp equal or earlier than the consistency time stamp. In the IBM XRC® environment, the consistency time is the latest time to which the system guarantees that updates to the secondary volumes are consistent. As long as the application program is writing data to the primary volume, the consistency time increases. However, if update activity ceases, then the consistency time does not change as there are no data sets with time stamps to provide a time reference for further consistency groups. If all the records in the consistency group are written to secondary volumes, then the reported consistency time reflects the latest time stamp of all records in the consistency group. Methods for maintaining the sequential consistency of data writes and forming consistency groups to maintain sequential consistency in the transfer of data between a primary DASD and secondary DASD are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,615,329 and 5,504,861, which are assigned to IBM, the assignee of the subject patent application, and which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Typically, there is a lag between the time at which a primary storage device is updated and the time at which the secondary storage device is updated. For example, a bank customer may make a payment from a savings account into a loan account. There are two parts to this transaction-withdrawal from the savings account and payment to the loan account. The two parts of the transaction should be done and archived atomically. In some cases, the primary storage device may fail while a transaction is being performed. For example, data about the payment from the savings account may be sent to the secondary storage, while the withdrawal data is not sent due to system failure. In this, case, the primary storage device reflects both the withdrawal and payment, while the secondary storage device reflects only the payment. Thus, it is possible that after a disaster and recovery, only one part of the transaction is applied from the secondary storage device to the primary storage device, so that the restored account records reflect the payment in the loan account, but not the withdrawal from the savings account. In this example, the bank will lose money in the amount of the withdrawal from the savings account, which remains in the customer's account. Since the bank loses money, the bank will be unhappy with the disaster recovery.
In disaster recovery scenarios, the data restored from the secondary storage device needs to be consistent to provide value to a customer. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved creation of consistent copies at the secondary storage device.

Method, system, and article of manufacture for creating a consistent copy

Abstract: One or more backup components receive backup messages from the primary site describing transactions. Transactions received from the primary site at the backup components are referred to as “inbound transactions.” The backup components associate these inbound transactions with an identifier such that all transactions associated with a certain identifier comprise all of the activity on the consistency group for a certain period of time. The backup captain periodically notifies the backup components to pause (i.e., stop receiving inbound transactions temporarily), and once all backup components indicate that they have paused, the backup components are notified to resume receiving transactions and associate the newly received transactions with a new identifier.

Abstract: At the same time, the backup components are sending transactions to the secondary storage devices. Transactions sent from caches at the backup components to the secondary site are referred to as “outbound transactions.” The backup components send all transactions from the current outbound consistent transactions set, temporarily stop sending outbound transactions, and notify the backup captain that they have completed sending the current outbound consistent transactions set. When all backup components have completed sending the current outbound consistent transactions set, the backup captain causes consistent copies to be made at secondary storage and notifies the backup components to send the next outbound consistent transactions set.


A vehicle console assembly includes a console body having an opening formed therein and a drawer movably positioned within the opening for movement between a closed position within the console body and an open position extending from the console body. The drawer includes a slot formed therein for receiving a portable phone. A power cord is connected to the drawer for providing power to the portable phone. The power cord is hidden from view within the console body. A release lever mechanism is provided for selectively securing and releasing the phone from the slot.

In recent years, the use of portable phones has increased substantially. The term "portable phone" as used herein is intended to include wireless telephones, such as analog or digital cellular phones, PCS (personal communication systems), or other portable transmitter/receiver devices used for personal communication. Some such devices may be selectively plugged into power sources when not powered by a battery.
Portable phones are widely used in vehicles. However, most vehicles do not provide storage locations for the portable phones. Usually, the phones are simply laid across a seat or on the floor, or laid in a cup holder. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a structure for storing a portable phone in a vehicle wherein the portable phone and phone cord are normally hidden from view, while the portable phone is easily accessible to a vehicle driver for phone use.


Disclosed herein is an induction heating type fusing device for fixing toner image on a transfer material. The fusing device includes an exciting coil that induces induction magnetic field by applying AC current; a hollow heating member installed near the exciting coil; multiple magnetic members mounted inside the heating member in the longitudinal direction; and a drive section that moves the multiple magnetic members in accordance with the width of transfer material to be fixed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fusing device used for an image forming apparatus such as copy machine, printer, facsimile, and composite machine thereof. The invention also relates to a fusing device that can heat transfer material in accordance with its paper width.
2. Description of the Related Art
On an electro-photographic image forming apparatus such as copy machine, printer, facsimile, and composite machine thereof, latent image corresponding to an original is formed on a photosensitive material, toner is applied to the latent image to transform it into a visible image, the visible toner image is transferred on a recording paper (transfer material), and then the toner image transferred on the recording paper is fixed.
A fusing device for fixing toner image in a manner like the above includes a heating roller type fusing device in which recording paper having transferred toner image is heated and pressed while it is held and conveyed between a heating roller containing halogen heater or the like and a pressing roller for pressing the heating roller. This type of fusing device is widely utilized because of its simple construction and also because of excellent fixability onto transfer material. Both heating roller and pressing roller are made of core metal coated with rubber layer.
A fusing device like the above involves a problem of longer warming-up time (WUT) since heat cannot be transmitted easily because of thick rubber layer and accordingly heating time of the heating roller becomes longer.
To solve the above problem, an electro-magnetic heating type belt fusing device is utilized. This belt fusing device is constructed as follows: an endless fixing belt is passed between a heating roller and a fixing roller; there is provided a pressing roller that presses the fixing roller via the fixing belt; by applying high-frequency AC current to an exiting coil installed near the heating roller, induction flux is so induced that the heating roller generates heat and consequently the fixing belt is heated; and toner image on a transfer material is fixed while the transfer material is held and conveyed in a nip formed between the fixing belt and the pressing roller.
Since the heating efficiency of electro-magnetic heating type is high and the heat capacity of fixing belt is small, warming-up time decreases. In addition, power consumption (energy consumption) decreases.
However, because the heat capacity of fixing belt is small, temperature drop due to radiation is remarkable and the heat conductivity is low. Accordingly, if a recording paper narrower than the width of the fixing belt is fed, temperature increases at both edges of the fixing belt where no paper passes through because heat is not taken by the recording paper. This temperature increase is accelerated in case of continuous paper feeding.
For example, if a narrow recording paper such as A4R size is continuously fed, temperature of the edges where no recording paper passes through increases. Then, when a recording paper of A4 size is fed, uneven gloss is caused on the toner image formed at the edges, wrinkle is caused on the paper, or toner at the edges offsets onto the fixing belt, which results in a problem that favorable fixed image cannot be obtained. In some cases, the fixing belt may deform due to temperature difference.
A known technique for solving the problem by cooling the edges of the fixing belt is to supply air from a cooling fan.
Since the above problem is caused also on an electro-magnetic heating type fusing device that does not employ fixing belt, there have been disclosed preventive measures such as the fusing device as set forth in the Japanese Application Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-215954, where a center coil is provided at the center inside the heating roller and additional edge coil is also provided at each edge inside and energizing time of the three coils is controlled in accordance with the width of recording paper to be fixed.
The method where the edges of the fixing belt are cooled by air from a cooling fan is not favorable because power is needed for cooling. Besides, a method employing cooling as well as heating is not acceptable at all in the present days where energy conservation is strongly needed.
In the fusing device as set forth in the Japanese Application Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-215954, control of the energizing time of the three coils is very much complicated but still heating evenly in the axial direction is difficult. Besides, use of three coils increases cost.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


The apparatus for reduced-pressure refining of a glass melt includes a refining bank formed so that a reduced pressure is generated by a glass flow in it. The refining bank has a component, which is made from a refractory metal or refractory alloy acting as glass-contact material. The refractory metal or alloy contains molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and/or hafnium. The device of the present invention includes a protective gas reservoir for a protective gas and an automatically operating valve connecting the reservoir with the refining bank so that an inner side of the component that would otherwise be exposed when a pressure rise or a falling glass melt column occurs is protected from oxidation by the protective gas. A process for using the device during refining of the glass melt is also part of the invention.

The invention relates to a process and device for the reduced-pressure refining of a glass melt using a reduced-pressure apparatus, in which the glass melt is fed to a refining bank via a riser and is discharged again from the refining bank via a downpipe, a reduced pressure being generated by means of the glass flow in the refining bank.
The refining of the glass melt, i.e. the removal of gas bubbles from the glass melt, is used to eliminate bubbles. With small crucible melts, the rise of the gas bubbles out of the glass melt has already been accelerated by means of the application of a reduced pressure above the glass melt.
Devices for reduced-pressure refining of a glass melt using a reduced-pressure apparatus of the type mentioned in the introduction are known, for example, from documents U.S. Pat. No. 1,598,308, EP 0 908 417 A2 and JP 2-2211229 A. The first two of these documents disclose the use of ceramic refractory materials as glass-contact material, while the last of these documents discloses the use of platinum or platinum alloys as glass-contact material.
Both the use of ceramic refractory materials and the use of platinum and its alloys are associated with a range of drawbacks.
For example, ceramic refractory materials, when in contact with a glass melt, are subject to considerable wear and increased corrosion compared to platinum and its alloys. This entails firstly short plant operating times and a high outlay on maintenance and repair and secondly a high potential for the formation of glass defects (formation of cords, inclusions, bubbles in particular in the downpipe). Furthermore, heating presents problems for glass melts which cannot be heated directly by electrical means or can only be heated in this way with difficulty.
With regard to the formation of glass defects, it is preferable to use platinum or platinum alloys, but the capital costs which this incurs are very high.

Method and device for refining a glass melt using negative pressure


A cigarette filter has filter sections including filter materials individually wrapped with plug wrap paper, forming paper for wrapping the filter sections integrally, and tipping paper covering the forming paper so as to connect the filter sections to a cigarette section to form a cigarette, wherein activated charcoal and an inorganic mineral-based porous material carrying ferrous sulfate/L-ascorbic acid are contained as adsorbents in at least one of the filter materials and a space between the filter materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved cigarette filter capable of singularly adsorbing specified components contained in mainstream smoke.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 63-160659, for example, discloses a deodorizing agent (adsorbing agent) consisting of an inorganic mineral-based porous material carrying ferrous sulfate/L-ascorbic acid. The document also discloses an example of a filter for a cigarette in which the deodorizing agent is contained.
However, the adsorbent disclosed in the document is intended to adsorb mainly ammonia, and it is not described at all in the document what components of the mainstream smoke are removed in the case where the adsorbent is contained in the cigarette filter. In general, in the case of using a filter containing an adsorbent capable of unselectively adsorbing various components contained in the mainstream smoke, it is known to the art that the taste and flavor of the cigarette are adversely affected.


A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring a network connected appliance to use online services are disclosed. A method may include receiving an indication of a selected home automation system for a network connected appliance. The selected home automation system may be selected from multiple available home automation systems. The method may additionally include registering the network connected appliance to the selected home automation system. The method may also include enabling communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system.

In recent years, there has been rapid advancement in low cost home networking solutions as well as increasing consumer sophistication in deploying and maintaining home local area networks (LANs), such as wireless local area networks (WLANs). As a result, home local area networks are now ubiquitous and an increasing number of consumer products now offer networking capability supporting connectivity to a home local area network, as progress continues to be made toward the conceptual "connected home" in which a multitude of consumer devices within a home are interconnected via a network for purposes of information sharing and automation among multiple devices in a home. For example, many household appliances now offer network connectivity supporting connectivity to a home local area network as well as communication with devices outside the home local area network via the Internet.

System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring a network connected appliance to use online service


A semiconductor wafer is singulated to form a plurality of semiconductor packages. The semiconductor wafer has a semiconductor substrate, a metal layer, an adhesive layer, a rigid supporting layer, a passivation layer and a plurality of contact pads. A semiconductor package has a semiconductor substrate, a metal layer, an adhesive layer, a rigid supporting layer, a passivation layer and a plurality of contact pads. A thickness of the rigid supporting layer is larger than a thickness of the semiconductor substrate. A thickness of the metal layer is thinner than the thickness of the semiconductor substrate. An entirety of the rigid supporting layer may be made of a single crystal silicon material or a poly-crystal silicon material. The single crystal silicon material or the poly-crystal silicon material may be fabricated from a reclaimed silicon wafer. An advantage of using a reclaimed silicon wafer is for a cost reduction.

Semiconductor packages such as a common-drain metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) chip scale package (CSP) for battery protection application and a semiconductor power package usually have a semiconductor substrate thickness of one hundred microns or more. The semiconductor substrate contributes a significant amount of DC resistance. It is advantageous to reduce the semiconductor substrate thickness to be less than one hundred microns so as to reduce the DC resistance and to increase the electrical performance.
The mechanical strength of the semiconductor package decreases when the semiconductor substrate thickness decreases. In examples of the present disclosure, a rigid supporting layer having Young's modulus of 100 gigapascals or higher is added to increase the mechanical strength.

Semiconductor package having high mechanical strength

ALPHA ANC OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR (CAYMAN) LTD.


A sports equipment carrier for carrying golf clubs and the like having a tubular substantially rigid body comprised of a sidewall that is ribbed or honeycombed along its longitudinal length for producing a high strength-to-weight sports equipment carrier body capable of being used as a golf bag and which is convertible to a shipping container when a removable substantially rigid lid is attached. In one embodiment, the carrier has a plurality of pairs of axially spaced apart radially extending transverse and annular ribs distributed along the longitudinal length of the body. In another embodiment, the ribbed sidewall comprises a single spiraling rib. In a still further embodiment, the sidewall is comprised of radially extending honeycomb cells forming a honeycombed portion that extends about a periphery of the carrier body and which is distributed the entire length of the sidewall. The ribs or honeycombs can be integral with the sidewall with the sidewall and ribs or honeycombs constructed of high density polyethylene, a polyolefin, plastic material. The exterior of the carrier body can be covered with fabric that can be colored to provide an aesthetically pleasing exterior that also protects the carrier body. The carrier can also have storage pouches, a carrying strap, and wheels, all of which are removable to facilitate conversion of the carrier to a shipping container.

Conventional sports equipment carriers are often bulky and are made of flexible fabric that generally offers little protection for the usually expensive sports equipment carried therein. Baggage handlers at airports, train stations, bus depots, and hotels frequently show little respect to travelers' luggage and sports equipment bags as they rush to load and unload baggage of all shapes and sizes. Expensive sports equipment within the baggage is often damaged by such rough handling.
Further, rain, sleet, snow, oil, grease and other liquids may seep into conventional flexible fabric sports equipment bags and damage the expensive equipment within. If the sports equipment is accidently stored when such moisture is present, further damage to the equipment may result.
Past proposals to provide a more rigid sports equipment bag for use in transit have met with limited success. For example, although the rigid polyethylene golf bag shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,299, provides somewhat adequate protection for the golf clubs during transit or shipment, it fails in many other respects. However, its handle, wheels, legs, struts, slide, cable, and a pulley remain attached to the exterior of the bag during travel, making the bag bulky and difficult to carry. Furthermore, these additional components, the golf bag's thermoplastic shell, and the golf bag's expanded interior, which is needed to carry additional accessories such as golf balls, golf tees, gloves and the like, add additional weight to the golf bag. Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a rigid sports equipment carrier made with a high strength to weight ratio structure which is lightweight and which provides significantly increased protection to the equipment therein during shipment and transit.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,001 discloses a golf bag having a generally cylindrical lower portion and a generally cylindrical rigid upper portion. The rigid upper portion has first and second halves vertically hinged along a side and a latch on a side opposite the vertical hinge. The rigid bag disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,001 may also have a rigid body. However, the golf bag disclosed does not have a high strength to weight ratio structure nor does it have any detachable pouches. Thus, it is another object of the present invention to provide a sports equipment carrier which is fitted with detachable pouches to provide a less bulky carrier for greater ease in handling during shipment and transit.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a liquid-resistant sports equipment carrier to prevent damage of the sports equipment stored therein.

Sports equipment carrier having high strength to weight ratio rigid outer section


A surface texture measuring instrument includes: a movement-estimating unit for estimating a movement condition of a drive mechanism based on a scanning vector command issued by a scanning vector commander to calculate an estimated operation state quantity; and a correction-calculating unit for correcting a detection value of a drive sensor in accordance with the estimated operation state quantity calculated by the movement-estimating unit. The movement-estimating unit includes: a nominal-model setting unit in which a nominal model representing signal transfer function of the scanning vector command from the issuance of the scanning vector command to a reflection on a movement position of the scanning probe is stored. The correction-calculating unit includes a correction-amount calculating unit that calculates a correction amount for correcting a measurement error generated on account of deformation during the drive of the drive mechanism based on the estimated operation state quantity; and a measurement data synthesizing unit that synthesizes the detection value of the drive sensor and a detection sensor and the correction amount calculated by the correction-amount calculating unit to acquire a measurement data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface texture measuring instrument.
Specifically, it relates to, for instance, a surface scanning measuring instrument that scans an object surface to measure a profile, surface roughness, waviness and the like of an object to be measured.
2. Description of Related Art
A surface scanning measuring instrument that scans an object surface to measure a three-dimensional profile of an object has been traditionally known.
FIG. 20 shows an arrangement of a measurement system 100 as an example of a surface scanning measuring instrument that utilizes a scanning probe 130.
The measurement system 100 includes: a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) 110 that moves a scanning probe 130; a console 150 for manually operating the CMM 110; a motion controller 160 for controlling the operation of the CMM 110; and a host computer 200 that operates the CMM 110 through the motion controller 160 and processes the measurement data obtained by the CMM 110 to calculate the dimension and profile of the object W.
The CMM 110 includes: a table 111; a drive mechanism 120 vertically provided on the table 111 to three-dimensionally move the scanning probe 130; and a drive sensor (not shown) for detecting the drive amount of the drive mechanism 120.
The drive mechanism 120 includes: two beam supports 121 extending in Zm-axis direction (substantially vertical direction) from both sides of the table 111, the beam supports being capable of slide movement in Ym-axis direction (i.e. along the sides of the table 111); a beam 122 supported on upper ends of the beam supports 121, the beam extending in Xm-axis direction; a column 123 provided on the beam 122 in a manner slidable along the Xm-axis direction and having a guide in the Zm-axis direction; and a spindle 124 slidable in the column 123 in the Zm-axis direction, the spindle holding the scanning probe 130 at the lower end thereof.
The drive sensor includes a Ym axis sensor that detects the movement of the beam supports 121 in the Ym-axis direction, an Xm axis sensor that detects the movement of the column 123 in the Xm-axis direction and a Zm axis sensor that detects the movement of the spindle 124 in the Zm-axis direction.
As shown in FIG. 21, the scanning probe 130 includes a stylus 131 including a contact piece (measurement piece) 132 at a distal end thereof and a holder 133 that holds a base end of the stylus 131 in a manner slidable in Xp, Yp and Zp directions within a predetermined limit.
The holder 133 includes a slide mechanism (not shown) that has an xp slider, yp slider and zp slider capable of movement in mutually orthogonal directions and a probe sensor (not shown) that detects the displacement of the slide mechanism in the respective axis directions and outputs the detected displacement.
The stylus 131 is supported by a slide mechanism in a manner capable of slide movement relative to the holder 133 within a predetermined limit.
Incidentally, such an arrangement of the scanning probe 130 is disclosed in, for instance, Document 1 (JP-A-05-256640).
In thus arranged instrument, scanning movement of the scanning probe 130 is conducted along the object surface S while the contact piece 132 is in contact with the object surface S with a reference retraction Δr.
At this time, the movement locus of the scanning probe 130 can be obtained based on the drive amount of the drive mechanism 120.
It should be noted that, though the movement locus of the scanning probe 130 represents a movement locus of the contact piece 132, the contact point of the contact piece 132 against the object surface S resides at a position being offset by a predetermined distance (ΔQ) relative to the movement locus of the center of the contact piece 132.
Accordingly, after obtaining the position of the contact piece 132 by summing the position of the scanning probe 130 detected by the drive sensor and the displacement of the stylus 131 detected by the probe sensor, the position of the contact piece 132 is corrected for the predetermined offset value (ΔQ) to calculate the position of the object surface S.
At this time, it should not be neglected that inertia force is applied on a component that is driven with acceleration when the object surface S is to be scanned by a surface scanning measuring instrument.
For instance, when the object W shows a circular or arc profile, centrifugal force is generated on account of circular motion, which causes deformation of the drive mechanism 120 (the spindle 124) as shown in FIG. 22.
When such deformation is induced by acceleration, the value detected by the drive sensor contains an error corresponding to the deformation.
For instance, when the centrifugal force is generated, the detection value of the drive sensor is biased toward an interior of a circle in accordance with outward deformation of the spindle 124, which manifest itself as, for instance, a radial displacement as shown in FIG. 23.
Incidentally, L1 represents a diameter of a ring gauge and L2 represents a measurement data in FIG. 23.
Such a problem is very prominently recognized when a high-speed scanning measurement has to be conducted with a large-size CMM 110 for measuring, for instance, a body of a vehicle.
In this regard, for instance, Document 2 (JP-A-07-324928) discloses the following method for correcting a measurement error caused by acceleration.
Specifically, a correction value representing deformation characteristics of a measurement slider is obtained in advance in the form of a function of the position and acceleration of the measurement slider.
The function of acceleration and deformation characteristics can be obtained by, for instance, measuring a diameter-known ring gauge at a variety of levels of acceleration and various positions within a measurement area.
When an object is measured, in addition to obtaining a detection data by sensors, a correction value is identified based on acceleration during the measurement to correct the detection data with the correction value.
A correct measurement value is thus obtained by canceling a measurement error generated by acceleration.
In order to obtain the acceleration during measurement, the Document 2 discloses: twice differentiating the measurement value of the position of the measurement slide (paragraph 0037, claim 12); and detecting the acceleration of the measurement slider by providing acceleration sensors (paragraph 0047, claim 13).
Though the acceleration is identified by twice differentiating the position of the measurement slider according to one of the methods of the Document 2, the resolution of the acceleration is deteriorated in reverse proportion to square of sampling frequency when the position detection value is differentiated twice.
For instance, when the sampling frequency is increased by ten times, the resolution of the acceleration to be detected is deteriorated to one hundredth. Consequently, the resolution of the correction amount is also deteriorated to one hundredth.
As discussed above, it is not practical to acquire the acceleration by differentiating the position twice and is insufficient to meet the demand for high-speed and highly accurate measurement.
Further, though the acceleration of the measurement slider is obtained by twice differentiating the position of the measurement slider, what should be considered during the actual measurement is acceleration and deformation on the distal end or probe of the spindle 124. Accordingly, accuracy of correction is limited in principle when the acceleration is obtained on the measurement slider.
Incidentally, though the Document 2 also shows acquisition of the acceleration of the measurement slider by providing acceleration sensors, no required performance and installation method are not mentioned therein, which proves that the method is practically inapplicable.
For instance, considering actual measurement of acceleration by an acceleration sensor, when a circle of 100 mm diameter is scanned at a scanning velocity of 10 mm/sec, approximately 50 μG centripetal acceleration is generated. However, it is difficult to provide an acceleration sensor capable of detecting 50 μG acceleration for each of movement axes (totaling three).
Furthermore, it is impossible to provide such acceleration sensors around the probe unit.
Accordingly, it is not possible for a traditional arrangement to accurately measure a deformation caused during scanning measurement and such deformation cannot be compensated.
Thus, the profile of the object cannot be accurately obtained during high-speed measurement, so that the measurement speed is limited to a level that causes no deformation in order to conduct an accurate measurement.
Especially, since there has been a growing demand for a large-size CMM for measuring a large-size object at a high speed, a solution for the above problem has been eagerly desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide a surface texture measuring instrument capable of overcoming the traditional problem and conducting a high-speed and high-accuracy scanning measurement.


An apparatus and method of propagating a size of a cluster within a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The method includes a gateway within the cluster maintaining information of access nodes within the cluster. The gateway determines a cluster size based on the maintained information, and transmits routing packets that include the cluster size of the gateway. An apparatus and method of balancing clusters of a wireless mesh network is also disclosed. The method includes the gateway of each cluster originating beacons, wherein the beacons include a size of the cluster of the gateway. The access nodes of each cluster, re-broadcasts beacons received from the gateway of the cluster. A connecting access node selects which cluster to connect to at least in part based on the size of each of the clusters.

Wireless mesh networks are gaining popularity because wireless infrastructures are typically easier and less expensive to deploy than wired networks. A wireless mesh network configuration includes gateways and access nodes that form the wireless mesh. Each access node typically has multiple possible routing paths through the mesh network, and attempts to select the best routing path. The best routing path, however, can vary over time. In addition to selecting the best routing path, access nodes can also select the optimal operating channel based on multiple metrics, such as, interference, noise level, airtime quality and path quality.
The routing of many access nodes can naturally select a majority of the routing paths through a minority of the gateways. That is, the routing of the mesh networks can become unbalanced in that the number of nodes routing through one gateway may be disproportionately large compared to the number of nodes routing through another gateway.
The access nodes and gateways communicate with each other over wireless links. Therefore, the access nodes and gateways typically suffer from self-interference. That is, the access nodes and gateways tend to be somewhat proximate to each other, and typically, can receive at least some transmission signal energy (unintended) from each other. The unintended signal energy interferes with the intended transmission signals, resulting in self-interference.
Wireless networks are also susceptible to interference due to signals generated by electronic devices that are not associated with the networks. The types of interference signals can vary over time as the electronic devices are turned on and off, and relocated.
It is desirable to have a method and apparatus for providing selection of routing paths through wireless mesh networks and channel selections that are adaptable to characteristics of the wireless mesh network. It is also desirable to balance a size of clusters within the wireless mesh network.

Balancing clusters of a wireless mesh network


The invention is a method for the development of assays for the simultaneous detection of multiple bacteria. A bacteria of interest is selected. A host bacteria containing plasmid DNA from a T even bacteriophage that infects the bacteria of interest is infected with T4 reporter bacteriophage. After infection, the progeny bacteriophage are plating onto the bacteria of interest. The invention also includes single-tube, fast and sensitive assays which utilize the novel method.

The invention relates generally to platforms for the development of assays for the simultaneous detection of multiple bacteria and, more specifically, the use of the T4 bacteriophage, and related T even bacteriophages, in assays for the simultaneous detection of human pathogenic bacteria.
Bacteriophage within the T even family infect many diverse bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Aeromonas spp., Burkholderia spp., Pseudomonas spp., Acinebacter spp., Vibrio spp., Klebsiella, spp., Citrobacter spp., Proteus spp., and Serratia spp. These bacteria are all important as causes of food spoilage, and human and animal illness. Many of these pathogens (E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Aeromonas, Vibrio) cause serious foodborne illness in humans. Foodborne illness accounts for 75 million illnesses in the U.S. each year. In addition, several of the pathogens described above (Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia spp.) are considered as Category A select biological agents, capable to be used as biological weapons. Therefore rapid and simple detection methods are needed to ensure the safety of the public from these pathogens.
In traditional reporter bacteriophage assays, a temperate bacteriophage is screened against many different bacteria to determine its host range, followed by genome sequencing, and creation of a genetically modified bacteriophage. This process typically takes years, and needs to be repeated for every new assay and bacteriophage. Additionally, the methods used to create the genetically modified bacteriophage typically resulted in the incorporation of an antibiotic resistance gene into the bacteriophage chromosome, which is not advantageous since it is possible for the genetically engineered temperate bacteriophage to transfer the antibiotic resistance gene to its host.
The method described in this invention eliminates many of the traditional reporter bacteriophage creation steps, uses a lytic bacteriophage (lytic bacteriophage kill their host, so there is no worry about transferring virulence genes to the host), does not incorporate an antibiotic resistance gene into the bacteriophage chromosome, and allows for the creation of multiple detection assays within a matter of weeks to months as opposed to years. This also significantly decreases the cost of development.
The advantages of this system over other systems are numerous. Since bacteriophage are only capable of growing in viable bacteria, the reporter bacteriophages used in this system are capable of distinguishing between viable and non-viable bacteria. This is a major advantage over conventional PCR assays and ELISA techniques. In addition, the technique requires only the addition of the reporter bacteriophage to the sample of cells (the cells can be isolated from complex sample matrices using standard immunomagnetic separation techniques or other methods), followed by assaying for the reporter protein. This significantly decreases the labor intensiveness of the method, as compared to other methods like PCR and ELISA. The use of a β-galactosidase gene in this method allows for calorimetric detection of the signal, making the test instrument-free, which is another advantage over conventional rapid microbiological detection methods. Finally, the method described in this invention, in which multiple assays can be produced from a single bacteriophage, is advantageous and cost effective because the assays can be produced based on a standardized platform, without the need to completely genetically and phenotypically characterize new bacteriophage for every new test.
One disadvantage of the currently available reporter bacteriophage assays is the need for an instrument to detect the reporter protein of interest, which limits the ability of these methods to be used in the field. The present invention also includes a single-tube apparatus hat employs the reporter bacteriophage platform in an assay that is simple and easy to perform, inexpensive and fast. This reporter bacteriophage assay is self-enclosed, and detected using a choice of substrates. One class of these substrates (calorimetric substrates) allows for the production of a visible colorimetric product, eliminating the need for instrument based detection.

Template reporter bacteriophage platform and multiple bacterial detection assays based thereon


The disclosed press processing method and device can chamfer work, for instance by pressing a chamfering tool against the work at a predetermined contact pressure, without detecting the pressing force of the chamfering tool against the work or without feedbacking the detected pressing force to a robot controller. The press processing device used being mounted on automatic mechanical processing means such a multi-joint robot, comprises: a processing section (e.g., grinder) (11) held by a support body (12) in such a way that pressure caused by a dead load of the processing section is not applied to a processing portion (e.g. blade) (11d) of the processing section (11); a constant torque applying section (e.g., servomotor) (16) for pivoting the processing section in a predetermined direction at a constant torque; and a mounting member (20) for mounting the constant torque applying section to a robot arm (R). The work (W) is processed by the processing section (11) in such a state that the processing portion (11d) of the processing section (11) is pressed against the work under a constant pressing force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press processing method and a press processing device, and more specifically to a method and device for processing work by pressing a processing portion against the work at a constant force or torque generated by a constant torque applying means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, the mechanical products or parts are generally chamfered or rounded (referred to as chamfered, simply hereinafter) in order to reduce the stress concentration and to improve the fatigue resistance, the mechanical characteristics, the fitness or engagement characteristics, the assembling characteristics, the external appearance thereof, etc. Here, since this chamfering work needs a skill, the work is often replaced with a robot having a hand to which a grinder is mounted.
Here, whoever, when performed by a grinder mounted on the hand of a multi-joint robot (referred to as robot, simply hereinafter), since this chamfering work must be made by rotating a blade at a low speed and by applying a constant pressure against work to be chamfered, various problems arise due to the characteristics of the multi-joint robot. For instance, since the straight motion of the robot is a zigzag motion when seen microscopically, as shown in FIG. 7, a uniform chamfered surface cannot be obtained. In more detail, in the zigzag motion of the robot arm, when the blade is moved toward work, since the pressing force of the blade increases, the chamfering quantity increases. On the other hand, when the blade is moved away from work, since the pressing force of the blade decreases, the chamfering quantity decreases.
The non-uniformity of the chamfering quantity causes not only a degradation of the external appearance of the products but also a reduction of the strength of the products.
To overcome these problems, various improvement methods have been so far made, when work is chamfered by use of a robot.
For instance, as shown in FIG. 8, Japanese Published Unexamined (Kokai) Patent Application No. 63-196367 has proposed such an automatic chamfering control method that: an electromagnetic variable compliance mechanism d is provided between a wrist a of a robot provided with a locating function and a tool holder c having a chamfering tool b; a displacement gage e and a force sensor f are both arranged at the movable portion of the compliance mechanism d; the tool b is fed in the work w direction by the variable compliance mechanism d; the contact position between the chamfering tool b and the work w is detected by the force sensor f and further stored; the pressing force of the chamfering tool b against the work w is detected by the force sensor f; the variable compliance mechanism d is so controlled that the pressing force can be set to a previously determined set value; the feed rate of the chamfering tool b relative to the work w is detected by the displacement gage e; and the feeding motion of the chamfering tool b is stopped on the basis of the stored contact displacement, whenever the chamfering quantity has reached a predetermined value.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, Japanese Published Unexamined (Kokai) Patent Application No. 61-109663 has proposed such an automatic profiling method that: when work is polished or ground by a multi-degree-of-freedom robot having a grinder g at its finger end, the rotational torque .tau. of a grinder g is measured by use of a torque meter h or a current value or a rotational speed of a motor m for driving the grinder g; two orthogonal component forces F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 of the grinding resistance force generated during grinding work are measured in the form of moments based upon an arm length x as M.sub.1 =F.sub.1 .multidot.x, and M.sub.2 =F.sub.2 .multidot.x; the spacial coordinates of the contact point between a grinding portion i of the grinder g and the work w and direction ratio of the contact surface are both obtained by a computer j; and the positions and direction of a rod arm k are so controlled that the torque, the spacial coordinates of the contact point, and the contact surface are all set to predetermined values, respectively.
In the above-mentioned prior art methods, however, since the additional procedure of detecting the pressing force of the chamfering tool against work and the rotational toque of the grinder must be both detected and further feedbacked to a robot controller, the control processing is complicated and thereby the processing device is large-sized. As a result, another problem arises in that the installation cost increases. Therefore, there exists a need of a processing method and a processing device, which can achieve the chamfering work under a constant force, without complicating the chamfering method and device.

Press processing method and press processing device


A signal processing circuit for eliminating noise from an input binary signal includes a measurement part and a signal output part. The measurement part measures the cumulative period of time of at least one of high-level and low-level states of the input binary signal for a predetermined period of time after the polarity of the input binary signal is inverted. The signal output part outputs at least one of high-level and low-level signals in accordance with the cumulative period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to signal processing circuits and demodulator circuits, and more particularly to a signal processing circuit for eliminating noise from an input signal obtained as a result of binarizing, or converting into binary form, a PSK (phase shift keying)-modulated wobble signal and to a demodulator circuit for demodulating the wobble signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, tracks provided for information recording and reproduction on a recording-type optical disk such as a CD (compact disk) or a DVD (digital versatile disk) meander radially to form a wobble. An optical disk unit includes an optical head that opposes the surface of the disk attached to the optical disk unit. The optical head records information on the disk by emitting a laser beam thereonto, and outputs a reproduction signal corresponding to information recorded on the disk by receiving a reflected light therefrom. The information reproduced by the optical head includes a signal resulting from the wobble formed on the disk. Hereinafter, this signal is referred to as a wobble signal. The optical disk unit extracts the wobble signal from the information reproduced by the optical head.
The wobble is formed sinusoidally on the disk in accordance with digital address information indicating positions on the disk. Therefore, the wobble signal extracted by using the optical head has a sinusoidal waveform. Accordingly, in order to obtain the address information indicating positions on the disk, it is necessary to convert the sinusoidal wobble signal accurately to digital data.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional signal processing circuit 100 for converting the sinusoidal wobble signal to a digital signal. FIG. 2 is a timing chart of signals in the signal processing circuit 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the signal processing circuit 100 includes an edge detector circuit 102. The sinusoidal wobble signal extracted by using the optical head is supplied to the edge detector circuit 102 as indicated by (a) of FIG. 2. The edge detector circuit 102 first compares the supplied sinusoidal wobble signal with a zero level. Then, the edge detector circuit 102 generates a binary signal that is HIGH (at a high level) when the sinusoidal wobble signal is above the zero level and is LOW (at a low level) when the sinusoidal wobble signal is below the zero level as indicated by (b) of FIG. 2. Thereafter, the edge detector circuit 102 generates a pulse-like edge signal corresponding to the rising and falling edges of the binary signal as indicated by (c) of FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, a counter circuit 104, a latch circuit 106, and a digital low-pass filter (LPF) 108 are connected to the edge detector circuit 102. The edge signal generated in the edge detector circuit 102 is supplied to the counter circuit 104, the latch circuit 106, and the digital LPF 108. A reference clock signal is supplied to the counter circuit 104. The counter circuit 104 counts the number of reference clock pulses, and is cleared to zero, or sets the count value of the reference clock pulses to zero, as indicated by (d) of FIG. 2 when the edge signal is supplied from the edge detector circuit 102 to the counter circuit 104.
The counter circuit 104 is connected to the latch circuit 106. The counter circuit 104 supplies its count value to the latch circuit 106. The latch circuit 106 latches the count value when the edge signal is supplied from the edge detector circuit 102 to the latch circuit 106. The latch circuit 106 is connected to the digital LPF 108. The digital LPF 108 is supplied with the count value that is supplied to the latch circuit 106. When the edge signal is supplied from the edge detector circuit 102 to the digital LPF 108, the digital LPF 108 performs digital low-pass filtering on the count value supplied from the latch circuit 106 so as to eliminate noise components from the count value. The signal processed in the digital LPF 108 is demodulated so that the address information converted to the wobble signal is extracted.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a variation over time of the sinusoidal wobble signal resulting from the wobble formed on the disk, the sinusoidal wobble signal being extracted in the optical disk unit. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a variation over time of the wobble signal extracted in the optical, disk unit when the wobble formed on the disk is PSK-modulated in accordance with the address information of the disk.
Normally, noise is superimposed on the sinusoidal wobble signal resulting from the wobble formed on the disk. Therefore, the wobble signal crosses the zero level a plurality of times near the crossing points of the wobble signal and the zero level as shown in FIG. 3. If the wobble is PSK-modulated, in some cases, the wobble signal based on the PSK-modulated wobble, at the time of phase inversion, goes above the zero level when the wobble signal should be maintained at or below the zero level or goes below the zero level when the wobble signal should be maintained at or above the zero level as shown in FIG. 4.
Accordingly, in the configuration of binarizing the wobble signal by comparing the wobble signal with the zero level and extracting the address information converted to the wobble signal based on the number of the rising and falling edges of the binary wobble signal as in the conventional signal processing circuit 100, the number of falling and rising edges is affected by the noise. Therefore, according to the above-described conventional method, it is difficult to detect the address information with accuracy based on the wobble signal.

Signal processing circuit for noise elimination and demodulator circuit using the same for accurate demodulation


An electromagnetic flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of a fluid. The flowmeter has a measuring tube made of ceramics and defining a fluid passage therein for the fluid, electrodes having ends exposed to an interior of the measuring tube through holes which are formed in a wall of the measuring tube, a magnetic field generating device disposed around the electrodes, and a case encasing the measuring tube, the electrodes and the magnetic field generating means. A ratio t/R between a wall thickness t and a mean radius R of the measuring tube is determined such that stress generated in the measuring tube by the fluid in the measuring tube does not exceed the rupture stress of the measuring tube. The measuring tube can have flanges on both axial ends thereof, a radial height of the flange from an outer surface of the measuring tube is not greater than the wall thickness of the tube when the tube is made of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and not greater than a value three times as large as the tube wall thickness when the tube is made of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. The electrodes may be made from Ni or an Ni alloy and are secured to the measuring tube by press-fitting into holes formed in the tube wall or by jointing. The electromagnetic flowmeter thus obtained exhibits high strength and reliability and high degree of gas-tightness in the tube portions around the electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic flowmeter of the type which has a measuring tube, electrodes formed on the measuring tube, a magnetic field generating means surrounding the electrodes and a case which encases the measuring tube, electrodes and the magnetic field generating means. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an electromagnetic flowmeter which features a specific form of the measuring tube effective in improving resistance to thermal impact and a novel construction of the electrode portion which provides superior gas-tightness.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electromagnetic flowmeter is a device in which a magnetic field is perpendicularly applied to a conductive fluid flowing in a measuring tube so as to induce an electric current, whereby the flow rate of the fluid is measured by signals from electrodes which detect the induced electric current.
As discussed in a magazine MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp. 27-34, a typical conventional electromagnetic flowmeter has a measuring tube which is made of a stainless steel or like material and which is lined at its inner side with an insulating lining material such as a natural rubber, synthetic rubber or a fluororesin. In recent years, measuring tubes are also broadly used which are made of non-conductive ceramics such as alumina (referring to as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 hereinafter), in order to acquire greater levels of resistance to heat, corrosion and wear. In the known measuring tube made of a stainless steel, electrodes are secured to the measuring tube by inserting the electrodes into holes formed in the tube wall and then fixing them by means of an adhesive so as to obtain gas-tightness. When Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is used as the tube material, electrodes associated with the tube are made of platinum which has sufficient resistance both to heat and corrosion at temperatures at which Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 are suitably sintered. Such electrodes can be secured in a gas-tight manner to the tube by, for example, a method which is disclosed in the specification of WO 83/02000 (PCT/EP82/00097), wherein holes of the same diameter as the electrodes are formed in the wall of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 measuring tube before sintered, inserting the platinum electrodes into the holes and then sintering the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 tube and the electrodes thereby integrating them.
These known electromagnetic flowmeter were not designed with sufficient consideration of the necessity for reducing a temperature difference which is established by the flowing fluid during the measurement between the inner and outer surfaces of the measuring tube. Consequently, a risk has been encountered that the ceramics measuring tube may be cracked due to application of excessively large thermal stress. Ceramics measuring tubes, therefore, could not be used in plants in which large thermal stress is caused on the measuring tube. For the same reason, use of ceramics measuring tubes has been restrained from being used in such fields that handle deleterious matters.
In case of the measuring tubes made of stainless steel, it has been difficult to maintain gas-tightness for a long time because the electrodes are secured to the measuring tube simply by an adhesive. On the other hand, in the case of a ceramics measuring tube in which the electrodes are held by shrink fit due to shrinkage of tube after the sintering, unduly large thermal stress is generated in the portions of the ceramics measuring tube holding the electrodes, with the result that the strength of the ceramics measuring tube is impaired. Furthermore, any defect in the boundary between the measuring tube and the electrode causes a reduction in the gas-tightness. It is also to be noted that the ceramics measuring tube cannot stand for use in an environment where heat cycles are applied to the tube, because repetition of heat cycles undesirably reduces the shrink fit force with which the electrodes are held, with the result that the gas-tightness is lost before long.


A character font generation apparatus generates a font of a character for the output of the character to an output unit. First, whether the character specified through the operation of an input unit can be output in a desired font based on a predetermined resolution of the output unit or not is determined. If the result of the determination is no, a stroke of the character is omitted to reduce the size of the character, to allow the correct output according to the predetermined resolution. The stroke omission is performed with reference to contents of a memory storing various information necessary for the character font generation and a priority determination rule indicating various information for determining the priority of stroke omission, so as to maintain the balance and to preserve the shape (contour) of the character.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for character font generation within limitation of character output media, and a computer readable storage medium storing a character font generation program. More particularly, it relates to a method and an apparatus for character font generation and a computer readable storage medium storing a character font generation program, for simplifying a collection of strokes constituting a character according to the limitation of output media receiving the character.
2. Description of the Background Art
In Nikkei Electronics, 1997. 4. 7 (no. 686), p.137-147, a technique for developing a multi-gray scale Japanese font in dots by a method of surface integral is described.
In the method of surface integral, a gray-scale value of a character is determined with use of an outline of the character, by first obtaining a correction value based on a value of an area surrounded by the outline in each pixel, and then determining a final gray-scale value by adding the correction value to a predetermined basic gray-scale value.
A method of developing dots with an intermediate gray-scale, such as the above mentioned method of surface integral, however, cannot be employed when the gray-scale level of dot is insufficient and in some cases a generated character may be crushed or blurred as a whole and becomes illegible.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a method and an apparatus for character font generation capable of generating a character font allowing an output of an easily recognizable character, regardless of any limitation of character output media; and a computer readable storage medium storing a character font generation program.
To achieve the above mentioned object, the method of character font generation according to the present invention includes the steps of determining whether a character can be output in a desired font to an output unit having a predetermined resolution, and of omitting a stroke of the character so as to make the size of the character a size permitting output thereof according to the predetermined resolution, in response to determining that a character cannot be output. The omission in the step of omitting is performed so as to maintain the balance of the character and preserve the shape (contour) of the character.
Thus, the stroke is omitted to allow the output of the character according to the resolution of the output unit while the balance of the character is maintained and the shape (contour) of character is preserved. Therefore, the character can be output without being limited by the resolution of the output unit.
In addition, even though the stroke of the character is omitted, as the balance and the shape (contour) thereof are maintained, the typeface is preserved in the output character and the visibility of the character is not deteriorated.
The method of character font generation described above may further include a reduction step and a generation step in the step of omitting.
In the reduction step, the character is reduced until each stroke of the character comes into contact with one of another stroke, a circumscribing frame containing a body size area of the character and a splitting frame splitting the body size area into a plurality of character areas based on the configuration of the character.
In the generation step, a character area balance database (hereinafter also referred to as DB) including a ratio of the size of the splitting frame to the size of the circumscribing frame and contact information regarding manner of contact of a stroke with each line of splitting frame in each splitting frame for each character area is generated based on the result of reduction in the reduction step.
In addition, in the step of omitting, which stroke of the character is to be omitted is determined based on the contact information and the stroke is omitted until the size of the character becomes the size allowing output thereof, while the ratio of the size of each character area in the character area balance database is maintained.
Thus, the omission of the stroke in the step of omitting is performed based on the contact information while the ratio of the size of splitting frame to the size of circumscribing frame of each character area indicating the balance of the character is maintained. Therefore, the balance of the character, that is a typeface, is maintained without being changed in the omission process of the stroke. In addition, as the omission of the stroke is performed according to the contact information of each splitting frame, a stroke relating to the shape (contour) of the character is easily and securely maintained.
The contact information according to the method of character font generation described above may include a number of contacts between an edge portion of the stroke and the splitting frame line, a number of contacts between an edge line having a length corresponding to the width of the stroke and the splitting frame line and a number of contacts between a lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line.
Thus, which stroke is to be omitted can be determined based on the number of contacts between the edge portion of the stroke and the splitting frame line, the number of contacts between the edge line corresponding to the stroke width and the splitting frame line and the number of contacts between the lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line. Therefore, the priority (weighting) of the stroke omission can be flexibly determined case by case, and the output character with strokes omitted and superior visibility can be readily obtained.
In the determination of the stroke to be omitted described above, when the contact information indicates the contact of the lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line, if the distance between the character and the circumscribing frame line is shortest at this lengthwise line of the stroke, the stroke will not be omitted. Otherwise, the omission of the stroke may be determined based on the contact information of the adjacent stroke.
Hence, when the lengthwise line of the stroke contacts with the splitting frame line and the distance between the character and the circumscribing frame is shortest at this lengthwise line, the stroke is determined not to be omitted. In other words, the stroke relating to the shape (contour) of the character is determined to be preserved. Otherwise, the omission is determined based on the contact information of the adjacent stroke. In other words, the weighting regarding the omission of the inner stroke of the character is determined in detail.
Thus, the stroke can be omitted to provide an improved visibility while the shape (contour) of the character is securely preserved.
In the desired font mentioned above, the stroke width of the character can be set according to the total number of the strokes of the character.
Thus, the stroke width in the output character font is set according to the total number of the strokes. Therefore, at the output of the character, a uniform density of color can be obtained for all characters regardless of the total number of the strokes, whereby the visibility is improved.
One of a plurality of splitting patterns previously prepared is applied for splitting the body size area as described above based on the configuration of the character, and the plurality of splitting patterns may be generated as combinations of at least one specific splitting pattern.
Thus, the plurality of splitting patterns are each prepared as a combination of a specific splitting pattern. Therefore, preparation of a specific splitting pattern alone and not the plurality of splitting patterns is required, whereby the storage capacity necessary for preparing the splitting pattern is reduced.
The apparatus for character font generation according to the present invention includes a determination unit for determining whether a character can be output in a desired font to an output unit having a predetermined resolution, and an omission unit for omitting a stroke of the character so as to make the size of the character the size allowing output thereof according to the predetermined resolution according to the determination of xe2x80x9coutput not allowedxe2x80x9d by the determination unit. The omission is performed so as to maintain the balance of the character and preserve the shape (contour) of the character.
Thus, the stroke is omitted to allow the output of the character according to the resolution of the output unit while the balance of the character is maintained and the shape (contour) of character is preserved. Therefore, the character can be output without being limited by the resolution of the output unit.
In addition, even though the stroke of the character is omitted, as the balance and the shape (contour) thereof are maintained, the typeface is preserved also in the output character and the visibility of the character is not deteriorated.
In the apparatus for character font generation described above, the omission unit may includes a reduction unit and a generation unit as set forth below.
The reduction unit reduces the character until each stroke of the character comes into contact with one of another stroke, and includes a circumscribing frame containing a body size area of the character and a splitting frame for splitting the body size area into a plurality of character areas based on the configuration of the character. The generation unit generates a character area balance database including a ratio of the size of the splitting frame to the size of the circumscribing frame and contact information regarding a manner of contact of a stroke with each line of splitting frame in each splitting frame for each character area based on the result of reduction by the reduction unit. The omission unit, thus determines which stroke of the character is to be omitted based on the contact information and omits the stroke until the size of the character becomes the size allowing output thereof, maintaining the ratio of the size of each character area in the character area balance database.
Thus, the omission of the stroke by the omission unit is performed based on the contact information while the ratio of the size of splitting frame to the size of circumscribing frame of each character area indicating the balance of the character is maintained. Therefore, the balance of the character, that is the typeface, is maintained without being changed in the omission process of the stroke. In addition, as the omission of the stroke is performed according to the contact information of each splitting frame line, a stroke relating to the shape (contour) of the character is easily and securely maintained.
The contact information in the apparatus of character font generation described above may include the number of contacts between an edge portion of the stroke and the splitting frame line, the number of contacts between an edge line having a length corresponding to the width of the stroke and the splitting frame line and the number of contacts between a lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line.
Thus, which stroke is to be omitted can be determined based on the number of contacts between the edge portion of the stroke and the splitting frame line, the number of contacts between the edge line corresponding to the stroke width and the splitting frame line and the number of contacts between the lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line. Therefore, the priority (weighting) of the stroke omission can be flexibly determined case by case, and the output character with strokes omitted and superior visibility can be readily obtained.
In the determination of the stroke to be omitted in the apparatus for character font generation described above, when the contact information indicates the contact of the lengthwise line of the stroke and the splitting frame line, if the distance between the character and the circumscribing frame line is shortest at this lengthwise line of the stroke, the stroke will not be omitted and otherwise the omission of the stroke may be determined based on the contact information of the adjacent stroke.
Hence, when the lengthwise line of the stroke contacts with the splitting frame line and the distance between the character and the circumscribing frame is shortest at this lengthwise line, the stroke is determined not to be omitted. In other words, the stroke relating to the shape (contour) of the character is determined to be preserved. Otherwise, the omission is determined based on the contact information of the adjacent stroke. The weighting regarding the omission is determined in detail.
Thus, the stroke can be omitted to provide an improved visibility while the shape (contour) of the character is securely preserved.
In the desired font in the apparatus for character font generation mentioned above, the stroke width of the character can be set according to the total number of the strokes of the character.
Thus, the stroke width in the output character font is set according to the total number of the strokes. Therefore, at the output of the character, a uniform density of color can be obtained for all characters regardless of the total number of the strokes whereby the visibility is improved.
In the apparatus for character font generation described above, one of a plurality of splitting patterns previously prepared is applied for splitting the body size area as described above based on the configuration of the character, and the plurality of splitting patterns may be generated as combinations of at least one specific splitting pattern.
Thus, the plurality of splitting patterns are each prepared as a combination of at least one specific splitting pattern. Therefore, preparation of a specific splitting pattern alone and not the plurality of splitting patterns is required, whereby the storage capacity of the apparatus necessary for preparing the splitting pattern is reduced.
In the computer readable storage medium storing a character font generation program for causing a computer to perform the method of character font generation according to the present invention, the method of character font generation includes the steps of determining whether a character can be output in a desired font to an output unit having a predetermined resolution, and, of omitting a stroke of the character so as to make the size of the character the size allowing output thereof according to the predetermined resolution according to the determination of xe2x80x9coutput not allowedxe2x80x9d in the step of determining. The omission is performed so as to maintain the balance of the character and preserve the shape of the character.
Thus, the stroke is omitted to allow the output of the character according to the resolution of the output unit while the balance of the character is maintained and the shape of character is preserved. Therefore, the character can be output without being limited by the resolution of the output unit.
In addition, even though the stroke of the character is omitted, as the balance and the shape thereof are maintained, the typeface is preserved also in the output character and the visibility of the character is not deteriorated.
In the computer readable storage medium storing a character font generation program for causing a computer to perform the method of character font generation described above, the step of omitting in the method of character font generation may further includes a reduction step and a generation step. In the reduction step, the character is reduced until each stroke of the character comes into contact with one of another stroke, a circumscribing frame containing a body size area of the character and a splitting frame splitting the body size area into a plurality of character areas based on the configuration of the character. In the generation step, a character area balance database including a ratio of the size of the splitting frame to the size of the circumscribing frame for each character area and contact information regarding a manner of contact of a stroke with each line of splitting frame in each splitting frame is generated based on the result of reduction in the reduction step. In addition, in the step of omitting, which stroke of the character is to be omitted is determined based on the contact information and the stroke is omitted until the character becomes the size allowing output thereof while the ratio of the size of each character area in the character area balance database is maintained.
Thus, the omission of the stroke in the step of omitting is performed based on the contact information while the ratio of the size of splitting frame to the size of circumscribing frame of each character area indicating the balance of the character is maintained. Therefore, the balance of the character, that is the typeface, is maintained without being changed in the omission process of the stroke. In addition, as the omission of the stroke is performed according to the contact information of each splitting frame, a stroke relating to the shape (contour) of the character is easily and securely maintained.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for character font generation within limitation of character output media and computer readable storage medium storing character font generation program


A low gate-to-drain capacitance merged finFET and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a plurality of fins on a substrate. The method further includes forming at least one dummy gate structure intersecting the plurality of fins. The method further includes forming a gap between sidewalls of the fins and an insulator material, which exposes portions of the substrate. The method further includes merging the fins together with semiconductor material formed within the gaps and over the insulator material.

As integrated circuits continue to scale downward in size, the finFET (fin field effect transistor) is becoming an attractive device for use with smaller nodes, e.g., the 22 nm node and beyond. In a finFET, the channel is formed by a semiconductor fin and a gate electrode is located on at least two sides of the fin. Due to the advantageous feature of full depletion in a finFET, the increased number of sides on which the gate electrode controls the channel of the finFET enhances the controllability of the channel in a finFET compared to a planar MOSFET. The improved control of the channel allows smaller device dimensions with less short channel effects as well as larger electrical current that can be switched at high speeds. A finFET device generally has faster switching times, equivalent or higher current density, and much improved short channel control than planar CMOS technology utilizing similar critical dimensions.
Given the control of the conducting channel by the gate, which "wraps" around the channel, very little current is allowed to leak through the body when the device is in the off state. This allows the use of lower threshold voltages, which results in optimal switching speeds and power. However, the 3D nature of finFETs and the multiple fins making up the transistors introduce a large number of new parasitic resistance and capacitances to be considered. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.

Low gate-to-drain capacitance fully merged finFET


Various implementations described herein are directed to generating a map using radar data. In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may have stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to receive radar data for a marine environment proximate to a vessel, where the radar data are received from a radar sensor disposed on or proximate to the vessel. The computer-executable instructions may further be configured to cause the computer to generate a map of one or more substantially stationary objects in the marine environment based on the radar data.

This section is intended to provide background information to facilitate a better understanding of various technologies described herein. As the section's title implies, this is a discussion of related art. That such art is related in no way implies that it is prior art. The related art may or may not be prior art. It should therefore be understood that the statements in this section are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Various forms of marine electronics data may be received, processed, and/or displayed using a computing device disposed aboard a vessel. Marine electronics data displayed using the computing device may assist an operator of the vessel with navigation and/or other functions. The marine electronics data may include, for example, sonar data, chart data, radar data, and/or navigation data.
In one scenario, chart data for a marine environment surrounding the vessel may be unavailable to the operator, such as for marine environments which have yet to be charted. In another scenario, chart data received by the computing device may not be up-to-date. In such scenarios, the computing device may not be able to display accurate chart data to assist the operator with navigation of the vessel in the marine environment.


An image recording device, comprises: a recording head which discharges an ultraviolet-ray curable ink, which is cured as irradiated with ultraviolet rays; an ultraviolet light source which generates ultraviolet rays to cure the ultraviolet-ray curable ink; a first heating section which heats the ultraviolet-ray curable ink on a recording medium after an irradiation of the ultraviolet rays; a pressure section which pressurizes the recording medium after an irradiation of the ultraviolet rays; and a controller which controls the first heating section to start heating the ultraviolet-ray curable ink on the recording medium after the last discharge of the ink to an arbitrary area on the recording medium, a first predetermined time between the last discharge and the starting heat is predetermined, and controls the first heating section to heat the ultraviolet-ray curable ink within a second predetermined time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording device that discharges a photo-setting ink to form images and a method for recording images.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ink jet recording systems include several recording methods those which use various types of ink, such as water-soluble ink, oil-soluble ink, solvent-soluble ink and ultraviolet-ray curable ink, respectively.
In recent years, the ink jet recording system of the active energy ray curing type has come into the spotlight as an image forming method that can form images even on a base material which poorly absorbs ink. As such an ink, there are two types, namely, one is the solvent type in which a reactive monomer is diluted in water, a water-soluble solvent or an organic solvent selected from various organic solvents and the non-solvent type with which no solvent remains after curing thereof. Among those inks, an ink prepared by diluting a reactive monomer with water is recently in the spotlight in view of tendency of favoring free of volatile organic compositions (VOC), easiness in the preparation of ink and safety issues. In particular, the ink of a type that contains non-volatile water-soluble solvent is in the spotlight because, once the dehydration property of this type of ink has been improved, the curing property thereof will be improved accordingly, whereby it is expected that improvement in the high-speed printing and thus high printing productivity can be realized with this type of ink.
However, on the other hand, in addition to high productivity, there has been coming up also with a need to print images on a paper, such as a copying paper, that is not provided with an ink-image forming layer. As a result, further demands for improving the curing performance of the ink have been raised.
As such an ink of the active energy ray curable type, aqueous inks of the ultraviolet-ray curable type are desirably used. In order to improve the curing performance of such aqueous inks, it is proposed, for example, JP Tokukaihei 7-224241), where the cationic polymerization system is employed, to heat an aqueous ink for 5 to 30 min. at a temperature in a range of 80° C. to 170° C. to thereby achieve the curing and dehydration of the ink in a short period of time (see the paragraph of [0022] in JP Tokukaihei 7-224241).
Besides, a printing method that allows to improve the dehydration performance of an ink is disclosed in JP Tokukai 2000-117960. In this reference, a recording medium that has a given wetting characteristic with pure water and satisfies a property with regard to the absorbable ink volume and an ink to be used for the recording medium are taught (see the paragraphs [0008] to [0010] of JP Tokukai 2000-117960). Furthermore, it is described in this reference that the ink comprising the predetermined materials must be used and a step for removing the used solvent must be included, when an aqueous ink comprising an ultraviolet-ray curable substance was used. Besides, in this step for removing the used solvent, it is described that any of evaporation, drying by heating and washing with water can be employed (see the paragraph [0028] of JP Tokukai 2000-117960), and it is specifically described that washing with water is employed in case of the recording medium that has resistance against heating by means of a microwave oscillator, a far infrared lamp or the like and water (see the paragraph [0075] of JP Tokukai 2000-117960).
By the way, in JP Tokukaihei 7-224241 mentioned above, there is no description on the specific heating section and method for curing and dehydrating the ink in a short period of time and on the improvement of the dehydration performance of the ink.
On the other hand, in JP Tokukai 2000-117960 mentioned above, it is described that a predetermined heating method is carried out in order to improve the dehydration performance of an aqueous ultraviolet-ray curable ink. However, according to that method, there has been such a fear that, if too much severe condition was applied for the dehydration and a recording medium with less strength like a copying paper was used when more faster high-speed printing was required, the recording medium may be folded to cause a trouble in the course of moving the recording medium.


An optical object identifying device has a light-emitting device, a first photodetector and a second photodetector. In the optical object identifying device, an angle of 10 to 30 degrees is formed between the optical axis of the light-emitting device and the surface of the sheet to be identified. Also, an angle of 10 to 30 degrees is formed between the optical axis of the first photodetector and the surface of the sheet. Further, an angle of approximately 90 degrees is formed between the optical axis of the second photodetector and the surface of the sheet. Thus, the light-emitting device, the first photodetector and the second photodetector are arranged in the optimum positions, so that the first photodetector and the second photodetector can obtain two output values varied with each of many types of sheets.

The present invention relates to an optical object identifying device that detects the type of an object in a noncontact manner and a printing apparatus that employs the device.
Generally, copiers and printers, which carry out recording processes while conveying recording media, have advanced in high-function, high-speed processing and high resolutions. The recording media to be used include a variety of types such as regular paper, glossy paper, OHP (Overhead Projector) sheets and so on. When printing is carried out on such a variety of types of recording media by a printer or the like (e.g., a printer of an ink-jet recording system), which is an image recording apparatus, it is required to form a high quality image by executing recording control in accordance with conditions of the recording medium, specifically, differences in the permeation rate and the time of drying of the ink depending on the type of the recording medium.
There are, for example, a first example of prior art and a second example of prior art as a device for detecting the types of the recording media of papers such as printing paper, resin films or sheets and so on.
In the first example of prior art, as shown in FIG. 10, a light-emitting device 41 and a photodetector 42 have been arranged at a prescribed angle with respect to a sheet 43 in order to reflect light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 on the sheet 3, and then to enter part of this reflected light into the photodetector 42. The quantity of light incident on the photodetector 42 has differed depending on the type (surface condition) of the sheet 43, and therefore, the type of the sheet 43 has been identified on the basis of this difference. Reference should be made to, for example, JP 10-198174 A.
In the second example of prior art, as shown in FIG. 11, one light-emitting device 41 and two photodetectors 42a and 42b have been arranged at prescribed angles with respect to the sheet 43, respectively. Specifically, a light-emitting device 41 and a first photodetector 42a have been arranged at same angle θ with respect to a direction perpendicular to the sheet 43, and a second photodetector 42b has been arranged at an angle θ/2 which is a half of the angle θ of the first photodetector 42a. The first photodetector 42a has received regular reflection light from the sheet 43, and the second the photodetector 42b has received diffuse reflection light from the sheet 43. Then, the type of the sheet 43 has been identified by a variance in the value of the quantity of light incident on the two photodetectors 42a and 42b depending on the sheet 43. Reference should be made to, for example, JP 2001-180843 A.
However, there are various types of sheets including regular paper, glossy paper, OHP paper, mat paper, a luster film, an inkjet postcard and so on. Thus, it has been difficult for the above-stated first and second examples of prior art to accurately identify all these types. Only the three types of regular paper, glossy paper and OHP paper have been able to be identified at the most.

Optical object identifying device and printing apparatus


Devices implementing light communications use waveguides to efficiently collect wavelength-specific light used for the light communications and propagate that collected light to a sensor. More particularly, light comprising a plurality of wavelengths and collected from one or more entrances propagates along a TIR waveguide until disrupted by a diffusive element, which effectively directs the propagating light to one or more sensors. Each sensor detects a subset of the plurality of wavelengths. In so doing, the solution presented herein increases the amount of light available for the light communications and/or reduces the number of sensors needed for the light communications, e.g., by providing light collected from multiple different locations to a single sensor. The waveguide solution presented herein may be implemented inside a device and/or along an exterior surface, e.g., housing or casing, of a device.

WiFi is a wireless technology that uses electromagnetic waves to wirelessly connect multiple devices within a particular area to each other and/or to connect one or more wireless devices within a particular area to the internet. While WiFi has been incredibly useful and popular in recent years, it is expected that the need for more bandwidth will soon lead to replacing WiFi or complementing WiFi with alternative wireless technologies.
Light Fidelity (LiFi), which uses light within certain wavelength ranges for the local area wireless communications, represents one alternative wireless technology that may replace or complement WiFi. LiFi systems rely on visible, infrared, and/or near ultraviolet spectrum waves. By modulating a light source, e.g., a light emitting diode, a LiFi transmitter transmits high speed signals detectable by a photodetector. The photodetector converts the detected light to electrical current, which is further processed by the receiver to interpret the detected light.
The visible light spectrum is ˜10,000 times larger than the radio frequency spectrum. LiFi is therefore expected to increase the bandwidth achievable by WiFi alone by a factor of 100. Further, LiFi tends to be more suitable in high density and/or high interference environments, e.g., airplanes, office buildings, hospitals, power plants, etc. Thus, considerable focus has recently been given to improving LiFi technology and/or adapting LiFi technology for specific applications and/or devices.

Multi-channel light communications via waveguides