A light-sensitive transfer material is disclosed, which comprises a substantially transparent support; a physical development nucleus layer for diffusion transfer process using silver halide emulsion on one side of said support; and a release layer and, a color material layer containing a dye or a pigment and a photoresist layer, or a photoresist layer containing a dye or a pigment, sequentially on the side of said support opposite from said physical development nucleus layer. An image-forming method employing this light-sensitive transfer material is also disclosed.. Further, a light-sensitive transfer material is disclosed, which comprises a substantially transparent support; a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer; and a release layer and, a color material layer containing a dye or a pigment and a photoresist layer, or a photoresist layer containing a dye or pigment, sequentially on the side of said support opposite from said physical development nucleus layer. An image-forming method employing this light-sensitive transfer material is still disclosed.

Various surprint-type proofs employing a photopolymer are known. These are described, for example, in JP-A-49-441 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,557) and JP-A-46-15326 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means "examined Japanese Patent Publication"); and JP-A-47-41830, JP-A-59-97140 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,625), JP-A-61-188537, JP-A-61-213843, JP-A-62-67529, JP-A-62-227140 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,145), JP-A-63-2040, JP-A-63-2037 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,258), JP-A-63-2038, JP-A-63-2039, JP-A-63-74052, JP-A-61-189535 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,053), JP-A-61-200535, JP-A-62-247384, JP-A-62-291634, JP-A-62-27735, JP-A-62-24737, JP-A-63-2038, JP-A-63-2039, JP-A-63-78788, JP-A-63-213838, JP-A-63-253941, JP-A-261351 and JP-A-63-298337 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means "unexamined published Japanese Patent Application"); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,712. The methods described in these references employ a light-sensitive material prepared by laminating the following layers on a substantially transparent support: a release layer; and dye- or pigment-containing color layer and a photoresist layer, or a photoresist layer containing a dye or pigment. In the methods described in these references, a light-sensitive material is exposed to light and developed to form a color pattern; this pattern, together with a release layer, is transferred onto an image-receiving layer by applying heat and pressure, and, if necessary, the transferred image is retransferred onto a final support by applying heat and pressure to form a color image. These image formation methods are advantageous in similarity to printed matters, rapidity in treatment, and possibility of a negative/positive common systems, for example.
In recent years progress in electronics and communication techniques is realizing preparation of direct digital color proof in the field of color proof, and ink-jet systems, sublimation transfer systems, color paper systems using light-sensitive silver halide emulsions, electrophotographic systems, and the like have been developed to be applied therefor.
However, these systems are far from perfect. Ink jet systems and sublimation transfer systems produce significantly inferior images. Color paper systems not only yield inferior similarity to printed matters compared to the surprint systems that employ a photolayer but also involve the troublesome maintenance of liquid for stable treatment. Electrophotographic systems that employ a liquid toner have problems with the vaporization of flammable organic solvents and with the cost in applications for printing where a large size of a color proof is required, although the similarity to printed matters is satisfactory next to conventional photopolymer systems.

Light-sensitive transfer material and image-forming method employing the same


A fork lift truck is provided comprising: a power unit including an operator's compartment and at least one equipment compartment; a pair of forks; a fork carriage assembly coupled to the forks; and a mast assembly. The mast assembly is coupled to the fork carriage assembly and the power unit for vertically moving the fork carriage assembly including the forks relative to the power unit. A hydraulic pump system is also provided. It has at least one hydraulic motor/pump assembly mounted in the at least one equipment compartment and at least one fluid reservoir located laterally of the mast assembly.

This invention relates to a rider reach truck with improved visibility.
A typical rider reach truck includes a power unit, a pair of forks, a fork carriage assembly coupled to the forks and an upwardly extensible mast assembly coupled to the fork carriage assembly and the power unit for vertically moving the fork carriage assembly including the forks relative to the power unit. The power unit includes an operator's compartment, typically located at the right rear of the truck, a battery compartment, and first, second and third equipment compartments.
The battery compartment, located immediately behind the mast assembly and forward of the operator's compartment, has a minimum height that is determined by the capacity of the battery.
The first equipment compartment includes the space on the left rear of the truck; the second equipment compartment includes the space above the battery compartment; and the third equipment compartment includes the space behind an operator's back rest in the operator's compartment. Within the first equipment compartment are a traction motor/brake assembly, a power steering motor, and a hydraulic fluid reservoir. During operation of the truck, the fluid within the fluid reservoir, which is located adjacent to the operator's compartment, increases in temperature. Heat from the fluid reservoir is transferred to the operator's compartment which causes the temperature in the operator's compartment to increase.
A plurality of hydraulic motor/pump assemblies and an electronic controller for controlling the traction motor of the motor/brake assembly are located in the second equipment compartment above the battery compartment. The motor/pump assemblies are relatively large. Hence, they result in a limited forward view near the front of the truck because of the overall height of the truck in the area in front of the operator.
Since the forward visibility of rider reach trucks near the front of the power unit is limited by the height of the truck, it would be desirable to reduce the height of the truck above the battery compartment as much as possible. It would also be desirable to reduce heat transfer from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the operator's compartment.

Enhanced visibility rider reach fork lift truck


An improved time discriminator system that is incorporated on a only a single gallium arsenide chip. The system includes a sensing stage, a ramping stage, a storage stage, a logic stage, and an output stage. An input signal is input to the sensing stage, which determines the length of successive time periods in the signal, and outputs corresponding control signals. The ramping stage generates dual ramping voltages on alternate periods of the input signal, corresponding to the successive period lengths. Values of the ramping voltages are sampled and held by a storage stage. Voltages held by the storage stage are subtracted from each other and amplified in a logic stage. The output stage resamples the signal coming from the logic stage, and outputs an analog signal that is proportional to the time difference between successive periods of the input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for measuring the time difference between successive periods in a waveform, and more particularly to a Gallium-Arsenide (GaAs) Differential Time Measurement Chip that implements time discrimination using only a single chip.
2. Background of the Invention
Electronic warfare systems sometimes require the demodulation of aperiodic, asynchronous frequency transients in pulsed radio frequency signals. Quantitatively determining the time differences in successive periods of a waveform is essential to many electronic warfare applications. For example, in radar systems of the type capable of tracking a moving target, information as to each movement of the target is contained in the reflected signal. Change in position of the target can be determined by sensing the time change of successive periods of the reflected signal. In response to the change, an antenna may be automatically repositioned.
Advanced systems generally require resolution of time period differences of less than 10 pico-seconds. The use of high speed counters, common to many systems, is impractical to resolve such small time differences because extremely large clock rates, nearing 10 GHz, would be required. Further, the requirement of 10 psec resolution precludes the use of discrete components to implement this function. As a result, it is desirable to implement the time discrimination function using only integrated components on a single chip.
The present invention represents an improved time discriminator that is incorporated on only a single GaAs chip. Monolithic design has numerous advantages over a discrete configuration. Improved resolution and reduced power consumption result from the better device matching and reduced parasitic capacitances. Further, the GaAs system possesses a fast switching time and high linearity. These advantages make monolithic design ideal for implementation of a time discrimination function.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,443 discloses a prior art time discriminator. However, the design disclosed therein does not lead itself to incorporation into an IC in a practical matter. In addition, the response of the known discriminator can be improved.

Circuit for measuring the difference between two successive periods in a waveform


A method for maintaining substantial reliability of color measurements obtained by a number of color measuring instruments includes by measuring color values of a set of master color standards on a master color measuring instrument at a master color lab, and measuring color values of sets of working color standards on the same instrument to determine calibration values. The working sets are provided to remote locations for use on remote color measuring instruments and the working sets are measured on the remote color measuring instruments to obtain color value measurements which are transmitted to the master color lab. The measurements from the remote instruments are compared with the calibration values obtained from measurements on the master instrument to generate profiles which are provided to the remote color labs. The profiles are applied to measured color values for the set of working color standards to obtain corrected color values. These values are transmitted to the master color lab and analyzed to determine compliance with specifications as to permissible deviations.

The present invention is directed to color measurement and, more particularly, to a method for establishing accuracy and consistency in the measurement of color measuring instruments located at a number of facilities.
Color measuring instruments are widely employed to determine whether the color of various articles being produced meets the specifications for the desired color of that product. Sometimes different manufacturers, and/or different locations of the same manufacturer, may be producing parts which are intended to have the same color so that they will match when assembled. Moreover, replacement parts should also have the same color as the originally produced parts.
If all production were to be measured by the same color measuring instrument, and assuming that the color measuring instrument were properly maintained and serviced, there would be no significant problem in ensuring that the measurement results are consistent for that instrument since it can be periodically checked using a set of color standards.
However, when production is taking place at a multiplicity of locations employing different instruments and even instruments of different manufacturers, consistency in measurements from instrument to instrument is unlikely, and, in fact, it is likely that there will be substantial deviation in the results which would be obtained from measurement of the same part on the different instruments. Unfortunately, there is even variation between sets of color standards used to measure the performance or calibrate the instruments. Some color measuring instruments tend to exhibit drift in the measurements which they will generate over a period of time. Obviously, if a manufacturer cannot be assured that all of the parts it is making which are intended to have the same color values can be tested to determine that they do so, there would be a need to match parts of the same color coming from different sources.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method for establishing management control over a series of color measuring instruments at remote locations to ensure that the measurements obtained by use of different instruments are accurate and related.
It is also an object to provide such a method in which the individual facilities making parts can certify to the customer that the parts produced meet the color specifications established for the part.
Another object is to provide such a method in which a master color lab can maintain supervisory control over the measurement techniques and instruments being employed at a multiplicity of locations and provide corrective action.
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a method for maintaining substantial reliability of color measurements generated by a number of color measuring instruments and thereby confirming the substantial uniformity of color of products produced at several facilities. Color values of a set of master color standards are measured on a master color measuring instrument at a master color lab, and thereafter color values of sets of working color standards are measured on the master color measuring instrument to determine calibration values based upon the deviations in values determined for the working set from the values determined for the set of master color standards. The sets of working color standards are provided to remote locations for use on remote color measuring instruments. The remote locations measure the sets of working color standards to obtain color value measurements which are transmitted to the master color lab.
The master color lab compares the measurements from the remote color measuring instruments with the calibration values obtained from measurements on the master color measuring instrument for that respective set of working color standards to generate remote instrument measurement profiles reflecting the variations in measurements attributable to each of the remote color measuring instruments. These remote instrument measurement profiles are provided to the remote color labs which measure color values for their sets of working color standards and apply the remote instrument measurement profiles to the measured color values to provide corrected color values which are transmitted to the master color lab. The corrected color values are analyzed to determine compliance with specifications as to permissible deviations.
In operation, the remote color measuring instruments are used to measure color values of articles to determine compliance with color specifications for the articles and to certify those articles which comply with the color specifications as being within the color specifications.
Periodically, the sets of working standards are remeasured on the remote measurement instruments and the remeasured color values are transmitted to the master color lab which analyzes the remeasured color values to determine that the instruments are in compliance with specifications as to permissible deviations. Desirably, the steps of comparing and analyzing are performed by computers, and the transmitting steps are performed by electronic transmission. The periodic remeasurement and analysis steps are performed at regular intervals.
In this manner, remote color measurement instruments located at a multiplicity of remote locations communicate with a computer at the master color lab, and the several steps are performed with respect to each of the remote measurement instruments to provide uniform color testing at the multiplicity of locations.

Method for maintaining uniformity among color measuring instruments


An alternating current electrical generator creates three different and distinct magnetic fields between would coil elements and rotating magnets, two fields of which are induced fields caused by magnet rotation. A plurality of magnets are positioned such that they extend outwardly from a rotating shaft. The magnets are circumferentially spaced around the shaft such that the north polar end of one magnet follows the south polar end of the next magnet or such that the polar end of one magnet follows a magnet with the same polar end. A plurality of stationary coil elements are positioned in spaced relation to the magnets. The coil elements each have electrical windings and metal cores which extend the lengths of the coil elements. The magnets rotate in spaced relation to the ends of the coil elements in such a way that the magnets' flux lines cut the cores located at the center of each of the coil elements. This induces alternating electric current that oscillates back and forth along the lengths of the cores. This oscillating current creates an expanding and collapsing set of magnetic flux lines which expand and contract through every inch of the coil element's windings. This expanding and collapsing magnetic field induces an expanding and collapsing magnetic field and an alternating electric field in the coil elements.

Alternating current generators are rotating devices which convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. To generate an electromotive force by mechanical motion, there must be movement between an electric coil and a magnetic field in a manner that will cause a change in the flux that passes through the coil. Fundamentally, the induced electromotive force is brought about by a change in the flux passing through the coil.
The use of electromagnets, magnets and magnet components in generators to create the magnetic field and its subsequent effect on electric coils to ultimately generate electric current is well known. Such magnetic generators operate by using the repelling forces created by the effect of changing polarities of both permanent and electromagnets. For instance, there are electrical generating devices which employ electromagnets which are fixed in position and which induce current by being selectively energized, as iron or other magnetic metal discs, bars, or similar elements are rotated at or around the magnets. Other systems employ electromagnet or permanent magnets which are rotated, by various means, in relation to iron cores or coils, inducing an alternating electrical current within the coils.
However, prior alternating current generators which employ rotating magnet systems are inefficient and generally fail to deliver adequate current, in relation to the mechanical effort applied.


The resin composition which contains thermosetting resin as Component (A), a thermoplastic resin as Component (B), and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin capable of dissolving the thermoplastic resin and a reactive diluent possessing at least one epoxy group as Component (C) in a ratio such that the proportions of Components (A), (B), and (C) fall respectively in the ranges of 30 to 96% by weight, 2 to 50% by weight, and 2 to 49% by weight, based on the total weight of the resin composition. The resin composition is capable of producing a molded article combining the highly satisfactory mechanical and thermal properties of a thermosetting resin and the highly satisfactory toughness of a thermoplastic resin.

In recent years, shaped articles of thermosetting resin and composite materials using matrices of thermosetting resin have been finding extensive applications in the general industrial field and the electric field because they exhibit highly desirable dimensional stability, heat resistance, mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and weather proofing properties.
Such molded articles of thermosetting resins have low toughness and impact resistance due to the low elongation and brittleness of the resin. Thus, improvement in these properties have been desired.
In order to improve the toughness and impact resistance of molded articles of thermosetting resins, a rubber component, plastic resin component or a filler have been incorporated into the thermosetting resins.
In the case of incorporation of the rubber component into the thermosetting resin, however, since the rubber component impairs the heat resistance and mechanical properties of the molded article in spite of its ability to improve the toughness and impact resistance of the molded article, the amount of the rubber component is limited. In some applications, it is incorporated into the thermosetting resin only in a low ratio and consequently has an insufficient effect in improving the desired properties. When the thermosetting resin is mixed with a thermoplastic resin, the thermoplastic resin is added to the thermosetting resin as fine powder, or the thermoplastic resin is dissolved in a solvent and subsequently the thermosetting resin is added to the resultant solution (mixture). When the thermoplastic resin is added to a thermosetting resin in a finely divided form, the produced composition lacks homogeneity, and tends to degrade the mechanical properties of the molded article obtained therefrom. When the mixing is effected with the aid of a solvent, the method has the disadvantage that the removal of the solvent from the produced composition is required; the procedure for the production of the composition is troublesome; and the solvent remaining in the produced composition in a minute amount impairs, for example, the heat resistance of the molded article.

Resin composition of thermosetting resin and thermoplastic resin


A stud welding apparatus comprises a feeder to receive a plurality of studs and feed the stud one by one with the stud being fed in advance of a weld portion thereof from an outlet of the feeder; and a welding gun to receive the stud as fed from the feeder through a feeding pipe to hold the stud and to weld the stud to a workpiece. The outlet of the feeder is provided with a shuttle loader wherein a hollow shuttle is loaded to a rod body of the stud to extend the length of a short stud, so that the shuttle loaded stud is lengthened as a whole to prevent the shuttle loaded stud from tumbling in the feeding pipe and/or a stud path in the welding gun.

In Japanese Application No. H7-171683, one example of a stud welding apparatus is described comprising a feeder for accommodating a plurality of rod-shaped studs having a welding part at one end and feeding one stud at a time, with the welding part head first, from an outlet thereof and a welding gun to which is connected a feeder pipe extending from the outlet of the feeder to receive a stud fed from the feeder, holding that stud at its tip with the welding part head first, and welding the welding part to a workpiece. This stud welding apparatus is provided with two escapes in the feeder, that is, with a stud queuing device so that stud feeding is speeded up.
In the stud welding apparatus cited in Japanese Application No. H7-171683 and in other conventional stud welding apparatuses, when feeding studs, it is necessary that the studs be at least of a predetermined length so they will not tumble in the feeder pipe or in the stud path of the welding gun. When the studs are short and tumble in the feeder pipe or welding gun stud path, the operation of sending studs in a suitable posture is hindered, and there is a danger of jamming inside the feeder pipe or welding gun stud path.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a stud welding apparatus by which, even when the studs are short enough to tumble inside the feeder pipe or welding gun stud path, studs can be sent in a suitable posture, and the danger of jamming inside the feeder pipe or welding gun stud path is eliminated.


A handheld, pen-like colorimeter for measuring the color of an object is provided. The colorimeter includes several light emitters, each with distinct color spectra, wherein the emission of each color is modulated at a specific frequency. These light emitters may be Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and/or lasers. The colorimeter also contains at least one light sensor which samples light reflected from an object illuminated by the light emitters. The rate of sampling is at least twice the modulation frequency of the emitted light. A microprocessor computes the fourier transform of the intensity of the reflected light over time, wherein the fourier transform provides the light intensity at each possible modulation frequency and determines the relative contribution of the reflected light from each light emitter, as well as the contribution of ambient light. A color value is calculated and a color name is selected and presented to the user.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for the measurement of the color of reflected and emitted light, and particularly to a handheld calorimeter.
2. Description of Related Art
Many fields of endeavor require quick accurate measure of the color of objects, or a comparison between objects. In addition, there are many color blind people that have difficulty accurately judging colors to varying degrees. There are also people who may not be color blind, but have simply not learned all of the subtle color variations and names. When these people read books, work on a computer, shop for clothes, etc., they may not always be able to tell the color of the objects at which they are looking.
Currently, handheld calorimeters are available for measuring the color of an object. These devices measure color by placing the tip of the probe against (or in close proximity to) the surface of the object being measured. The calorimeter generates a single measurement from three data points representing the reflectance of the three primary colors red, green, and blue (RGB). The single color value can then be compared to a preloaded table of color values.
However, current handheld calorimeters have several limitations. Current calorimeters cannot measure color at a distance and have problems handling ambient light. Current methods also have problems with changes in the intensity of artificial lights, such as florescent lights. In addition, the prior art requires recalibration by the user upon every use.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a handheld calorimeter that can measure the color of distant objects and can properly compensate for ambient light, without the need for constant recalibration.
The present invention provides a handheld, pen-like colorimeter for measuring the color of an object. The colorimeter comprises several light emitters, each with distinct color spectra, wherein the emission of each color is modulated at a specific frequency. These light emitters may be Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and/or lasers. The colorimeter also contains at least one light sensor which samples light reflected from an object illuminated by the light emitters. The rate of sampling is at least twice the modulation frequency of the emitted light. A microprocessor computes the fourier transform of the intensity of the reflected light over time, wherein the fourier transform provides the light intensity at each possible modulation frequency and determines the relative contribution of the reflected light from each light emitter, as well as the contribution of ambient light. The modulation frequency of the light emitters is adjusted to account for the modulation frequency of artificial, ambient light. A color value based on the fourier transform of the reflected light is calculated and then mapped to a list of color values from which a color name is selected and presented to the user.

International Business Machines Corporation


A shoulder support for a violin or similar string instrument secures to the periphery of the instrument by clamping on an axis generally aligned with the peripheral vertical edge, i.e., the rib, of the instrument. The support comprises a mounting device which clamps to the instrument and a padded rest which may be readily assembled to and disassembled from the mounting device. The position and orientation of the padded rest is adjustable relative to the mounting device and body of the string instrument. The mounting device may also include means for mounting a conventional chin rest on the upper portion of the instrument.

The invention relates generally to musical instruments and more specifically to a means for supporting a violin, viola or similar musical instrument upon the shoulder of a performer.
It is well known that the sound produced solely by the vibrating strings of a violin, viola or similar string instrument is all but inaudible. The strings depend upon the body of the instrument and the resonant cavity which it defines for augmentation. The body, especially the top plate and back plate, the cavity defined thereby and the F-hole openings in the top plate resonate at various points across the frequency spectrum of the instrument to provide this augmentation. It is thus apparent that the entire body of the instrument is intimately related to the overall loudness and quality of the sound.
Logically then, an instrument which has a portion of its top plate or bottom plate damped to prevent vibration will not generate the optimum sound which either it or the performer is capable of. Unfortunately, such damping routinely results from positioning the instrument against the shoulder and neck of the performer in order to play the instrument. To accomodate a violin under the chin of the performer, a chin rest is routinely secured parallel to the top plate of the violin. Such a device is commonly clamped to the vertical peripheral edge or rib of the instrument--a mounting arrangement which has generally been found to have a negligible affect on the sound produced by the instrument.
Means for supporting the instrument on the shoulder of the performer involve more difficult problems which have not been as easily solved. Differences as obvious as physical size and as subtle as personal style dictate that any such shoulder support should be adjustable. Numerous United States patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 755,977, 904,258, 1,431,077 1,971,552 and 3,683,098 are directed to such adjustable supports. However, the failure of these patented devices to gain wide acceptance indicates that such prior art devices are not without shortcomings. Bulk, adjustments which provide freedom of movement along unintended as well as intended lines of action and unnecessary complexity often prompted this lack of acceptance.
Instead of utilizing such devices, many violinists simply rest the instrument on their shoulder and place a handkerchief or other pad therebetween. Such an approach has obvious disadvantages; correct placement of the pad, dislodging of the pad and the generally unaesthetic appearance, to name but three. From a musical standpoint, however, a far more serious problem exists inasmuch as a portion of the back plate of the instrument is in contact with the pad or shoulder of the performer and will be damped--quantitatively and qualitatively interfering with the sound of the instrument.

Support for violin or similar string instrument


A three-terminal liquid crystal (LC) lens cell includes a center-biased symmetrical quadratic electrode network that has a center electrode electrically coupled to a bias voltage source, and a first and a second network electrode circuit. The respective bias voltage terminus of each network electrode circuit is coupled to the bias voltage source, and the respective control voltage terminus of each network electrode circuit is electrically coupled to a selectively variable lens focus control power supply. Each network electrode circuit further includes respective pluralities of network electrodes electrically coupled together in series and quadratic gradient network biasing resistors respectively electrically coupled therebetween to provide a symmetric quadratic voltage pattern. Each LC cell further is typically thin-film resistor biased, having an optically transparent electrically resistive planar layer disposed in electrical contact with each electrode in the center-biased symmetrical quadratic electrode network.

Electro-optic devices such as liquid crystal cells are used in optical signal processing to control the passage of light beams through the processor. Optical signal processing is used in laser communication systems, optical recording and reading systems, and optical computing and associated interconnection architectures. One element commonly used in optical processing systems is a lens for focusing light beams on a particular point or in a desired pattern.
Liquid crystal (LC) cells used in optical processors typically control the passage of a light beam used in the signal processing. Although electro-optic devices such as LC cells typically have many desirable characteristics, such as rapid response, to date electro-optic liquid crystal lenses have proved to be rather cumbersome, requiring a large number of LC pixels (e.g., 100 or more independently controlled pixels in a device having a pixel pitch of about 100 .mu.m) with an associated grid of control electronics. Each independently controlled pixel requires an associated driver to generate signals to control the pixel in coordination with other pixels to provide the desired lens focusing effect. In addition to the complexity of the control electronics, such devices often exhibit substantial attenuation of the light passing through the lens as a result of the non-ideal focusing resulting from the non-quadratic index variation caused by the electric fields in the EO device resulting from the respective discrete voltages applied to respective electrodes.
It is an object of this invention to provide a high quality electro-optic lens (e.g., with a diffraction limited spot) that is compact, robust, readily fabricated, does not require extensive control electronics, and that efficiently focuses the light passing therethrough.


An image data file contains a plurality of layers of representative shapes of a target object to be plotted. Under control of a CPU, a CRT display unit displays the representative shapes retrieved from each layer. When one of the shapes is selected using a keyboard or a mouse, the representative shapes in the next lower layer relative to the selected shape is displayed. Ultimately, the shape of the target object is displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plotting and editing apparatus for use in plotting and editing applications. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a plotting and editing system for computer aided design systems.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various computer aided design tools and systems have been developed and utilized. These apparatuses, generically called CAD, support the plotting and editing of drawings. CADs permit easy plotting of drawings and are capable of storing the result of the plot and retrieving the stored contents of the plots for subsequent correction or editing.
One disadvantage of the conventional CAD apparatus is that when part of a drawing is to be corrected, that part must be plotted separately. This takes time and lowers the efficiency of plotting.
Another disadvantage is that when part of a previously plotted drawing needs to be corrected to create a new drawing with the conventional CAD apparatus, it takes considerable time and effort to search for the applicable drawing among the numerous drawings stored.
A further disadvantage with the conventional CAD apparatus is that it only supports plotting and the related operations and fails to address the applicability of the target object to be plotted. Illustratively, the conventional CAD apparatus is incapable of checking to determine if the plotted object is conducive to mass production. That is, if the plotted target object was unchecked and was actually produced, the process could turn out to be too costly, or the availability of necessary parts could be impracticably low.


A scanning device includes a scanning mechanism, a memory, a processing mechanism, and a scan rate adjustment mechanism. The scanning mechanism scans a media sheet having an image thereon at a variable scan rate, to yield raw data. The memory temporarily stores the raw data. The processing mechanism converts the raw data within the memory into processed data. The raw data is removed from the memory as the raw data is converted. The scan rate adjustment mechanism adjusts the variable scan rate, based on one or more of an amount of free space within the memory, a fill rate at which the raw data is filling the memory, and a removal rate at which the raw data is being removed from the memory, so that the memory does not become completely full.

A scanning device, such as a scanner, typically optically scans a media sheet having an image thereon, where the image may include text, to generate an electronic version of the image. The electronic version, for instance, may be a JPG file or a TIF file. The scanning mechanism of a scanning device, such as an optical sensor, may be relatively moved vis-à-vis the media sheet, such as on a swath-by-swath (e.g., line-by-line) basis. The raw data from the optical sensor is temporarily stored in a memory buffer. A second mechanism removes the raw data from the memory buffer to generate processed data that can represent the electronic version of the image on the media sheet.
The scanning mechanism, however, may generate the raw data more quickly than the second mechanism is able to convert the raw data into the processed data. This can mean that at some point during scanning of the media sheet, the memory buffer becomes full. At this time, the scanning mechanism typically stops scanning, until there is sufficient space within the memory buffer to store raw data, at which point the scanning mechanism starts scanning again. However, such stopping and restarting of the scanning mechanism can result in artifacts being generated within the electronic version of the image on the media sheet, because it can be difficult to start scanning at the precise location at which scanning had previously stopped.

Adjusting scan rate within scanning device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


There is described an electronic communications method between a first party and a second party, with assistance from at least a plurality of trustees, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party having a selling reservation price (SRP) and the second party having a buying reservation price (BRP) may be committed to a transaction if a predetermined relationship between SRP and BRP is established, but not otherwise. The method begins by having each of the parties transmit shares of their respective reserve prices to the trustees. These shares are such that less than a given number of them does not provide enough useful information for reconstructing the reserve prices while a sufficiently high number of them allows such reconstruction. The trustees then take some action to determine whether the predetermined relationship exists without reconstructing SRP and BRP. If the predetermined relationship exists, then the trustees provide information that allows a determination of the sale price according to a given formula. Otherwise, the trustees determine that no deal is possible. As used herein, "sale" is merely respresentative as the transaction may be of any type including, without limitation, a sale, lease, license, financing transaction, or other known or hereinafter created financial commercial or legal instrument.

In the past two decades, many secure transactions have been devised that compute quantities from certain hidden data without revealing all such data. For instance, Yao (in the Proceedings of Foundations of Computer Science Conference, 1982) presented a solution to the so-called Two-Millionaire problem that involved this approach. In this problem, two millionaires wish to know who is richer without revealing their respective monetary worth. In Yao's solution, the parties engage in cryptographic exchange, each encoding in a special manner the amount of money he/she owns. At the end of the exchange, one of the millionaires is in possession of information indicating which of the two is the richer one and can then, without proof, announce the result to the other.
In another example, Goldreich, Micali, and Widgerson presented the first of a series of cryptographic protocols for secure multi-party computation. This protocol enabled n parties (whose majority is honest), where party I has a secret input x.sub.i, to evaluate .function. on their private inputs, without revealing these inputs more than absolutely necessary. At the simplest level, the parties compute y=.function.(x.sub.1, . . . ,x.sub.n) without revealing more about the x.sub.i 's that is implicitly revealed by the value y itself. More sophisticated and precise definitions of this protocol were-later described, for instance in the work Micali and Rogaway.
In the past, traditional physical proximity has encouraged sellers and buyers to negotiate in good faith. Physical proximity creates enough circumstantial evidence of an enforceable agreement, and also requires a considerable investment of time and effort on both sides, thus reducing the buyer's temptation of negotiating just for "curiosity" without any serious intentions of buying. Such goals, however, are more difficult to achieve where business transactions are carried out more and more at a distance (e.g., over an electronic network). Consider the example of purchasing a house over the Internet. Photographic information of a piece of property is readily available over the Internet, and digital signatures may help in signing a contract. However, in this new setting, it is possible for a seller to negotiate with many potential buyers simultaneously and at a distance so that the various buyers may not be aware of each other. The seller can then use one buyer's offer for obtaining better offers from others, even with stringent time constraints. At the same time, the new setting makes it very convenient for uncommitted buyers just to shop around for a seller's "true" price, and then possibly sell this information to others.
There remains a need in the art to provide cryptographic protocols that enable parties to negotiate and consummate business and other transactions electronically.


Technology is provided for a cable management enclosure. The cable management enclosure includes an elongate bottom panel having a first end portion and a second end portion. A front panel is coupled to the first end portion and has at least one elongate aperture positioned to receive a cable. An end panel is coupled to the second end portion and a cover is coupled to at least one of the bottom panel, the front panel and the end panel. The cover includes a top panel and a pair of side panels. An elongate grommet is mounted in each of the elongate apertures.

Capital and operating expenses for data centers have become an increasing part of IT organizations' budgets over time. Data centers are complex facilities including many rows of data storage server racks. Each server rack has a footprint which consumes real estate, power, and cooling resources. With all the power, cooling, and cabling infrastructure, data centers are expensive facilities to operate. Thus, each server rack's footprint should be used efficiently in order to reduce costs and maximize profit. The more storage devices housed within a server rack, the more efficient the use of the footprint. However, server racks must also be designed to provide adequate cooling, prevent interference (e.g., EMI/RFI) among devices, and facilitate safe and efficient deployment and maintenance of the systems.
While existing rack designs are functional, there is still room for improvements in many aspects of server rack design. For example, many servers and other computer systems contain components mounted on sliding trays or device sleds, which allow technicians to easily access and replace the components without having to open the chassis of the computer system. In some cases, a pair of elongate conductors are provided to continuously power the device sleds as they are extended from the system chassis. Thus, measures for preventing inadvertent exposure to the conductors should be considered. Furthermore, in order to facilitate extending the device sleds from the chassis, communication cables, which are often connected at the front of each sled, must be at least as long as the desired travel length of the sled. This causes the cables to occupy a considerable amount of space when the sled is fully inside the chassis. This excess cable length (e.g., service loop) should be managed to prevent stress on associated connectors and to prevent interference with air-flow in the chassis.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed embodiments. Further, the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the embodiments. Moreover, while the disclosed technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to unnecessarily limit the embodiments described. On the contrary, the embodiments are intended to cover all suitable modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims.


End-to-end packet losses of one or more traffic streams transmitted across a congested network may be reduced by setting the bandwidths of the corresponding traffic streams at critical values thereof at one or more control points along the network topology. The critical value of the bandwidths may be determined by monitoring buffer occupancy at the control point(s). Buffer occupancy may be determined by periodically sweeping down from a maximum bandwidth value according to a monotonically decaying exponential function.

Many communication networks, such as the Internet, rely on packet switching technologies (e.g., X.25, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode, etc.) to transport variable or uniform blocks (usually termed packets or cells) of data between nodes. The term packet will be used herein to collectively refer to any such block of information. Such networks generally perform two major functions: routing and congestion control. The object of routing is to deliver, correctly and sometimes in sequence, the packets from a source to a destination. The object of congestion control is to maintain the number of packets within the network (or a region or sub-network thereof) below a level at which queuing delays become excessive. Due to finite resources, packets may be dropped rather than queued.
In essence, a packet switched network is a network of queues communicatively coupled together by communication links (which may be made up of various physical media). At each network node (e.g., a switch or router), there exist one or more queues of packets for each outgoing link. If the rate at which packets arrive and queue up exceeds the rate at which packets are transmitted, queue size grows without bound and the delay experienced by a packet tends towards infinity.
In an ideal case, network throughput, and hence network use, should increase to an offered load up to the physical capacity of the network and remain at capacity if the load is further increased. This ideal case, however, requires that all nodes somehow know the timing and rate of packets that will be presented to the network with no overload and no delay in acquiring this information; a situation which is not possible. If no congestion control is exercised, as the load increases, use increases for a while. Then, as the queue lengths at various nodes begin to grow, throughput actually drops. This is due to the fact that the queues are constrained to a finite length by the physical size of the memories in which they exist. When a node's memory (i.e., its queues) is full, it must drop (i.e., discard) additional incoming packets. Thus, the source is forced to retransmit these packets in addition to any new packets it might have. This only serves to worsen the situation. As more and more packets are retransmitted, the load on the network grows and more and more nodes become saturated. Eventually, even a successfully delivered packet may be retransmitted because it takes so long to get to its destination (whereupon it may be acknowledged by the destination node) that the source actually assumes that the packet was lost and tries to retransmit it. Under such circumstances, the effective capacity of the network can be virtually zero.
Contrary to what one might believe, the solution to this problem is not simply to allow the queue lengths to grow indefinitely. Indeed, it has been shown that even where queue lengths are allowed to be infinite, congestion can occur. See, e.g., John Nagle, "On Packet Switches with Infinite Storage", Network Working Group, Internet Engineering Task Force, RFC 970 (1985). One reason that this is true is that packets are often coded with an upper bound on their life, thus causing expired packets to be dropped and retransmitted, adding to the already overwhelming volume of traffic within the network.
It is clear that catastrophic network failures due to congestion should (indeed, must) be avoided and preventing such failures is the task of congestion control processes within packet switched networks. To date, however, the object of such congestion control processes has been to limit queue lengths at the various network nodes so as to avoid throughput collapse. Such non-TCP techniques require the transmission of some control information between the nodes and this overhead itself tends to limit the available network bandwidth for data traffic. Nevertheless, a good congestion control process maintains a throughput that differs from a theoretical ideal by an amount roughly equal to its control overhead.
Even these "good" congestion control processes, however, are not good enough. Studies of traffic flow across the Internet show that bandwidth of the various communication links is underutilized even in the presence of congestion. That is, even though excess capacity exists on the communication links that couple various nodes of the Internet to one another, packets are still being dropped within the network. One reason that conventional congestion control processes have failed in this fashion is that such processes do not take into account the true nature of network traffic.

Method for reducing packet loss by phase transition identification in communication networks


A switching regulated power supply operates over a broad range of input voltage and frequency, and outputs direct current power for computer equipment and the like. The power supply can be paralleled with identical power supplies, thereby satisfying any predetermined power requirement. A charge pump bulk voltage balancing circuit balances voltage on capacitors in an input rectifier and filter circuit. A flux sensing circuit senses magnetizing current in the secondary of a power transformer and the integrated signal is incorporated into pulse duration modulation to achieve dynamic flux balancing of the power transformer through a feedback loop. Output voltage of the power supply connects to a control supply of the power supply, providing power feedback to the control supply to maintain the operating parameters of the power supply as long as the output voltage does not fall below a predetermined level. The power feedback permits the control supply of the power supply to operate the power supply when input voltage is interrupted for a brief time interval. A base drive circuit separates the base drive control signals and power for reliability and drives each of the power transistors through separate transformers. A timing generator provides timing signals used for pulse duration modulation of the power transistors' base switching signals.

The present invention relates generally to a power supply, and more particularly, pertains to a switching regulated power supply for computer equipment and the like.
The following list of patents are believed to be relevant to the subject matter of the present application:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,185, "Volt-Second Unbalanced Compensated Two Core Power Transformer", James M. Gregorich, Apr. 25, 1972;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,903, "Volt-Second Balancing Means For A High Frequency Switching Power Supply", Philip W. Koetsch et al., Mar. 25, 1975;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,286, "Switching Power Supply Common Output Filter", Glenn C. Waehner, Oct. 28, 1975;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,526, "DC-To-DC Converter" Yasuiji Kamata et al., Jan. 27, 1976; and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,786, "Transformer Saturation Control Circuit For A High Frequency Switching Power Supply", Joseph C. Jensen, Apr. 12, 1977.
In the field of switching regulated power supplies, it has been a general practice to utilize a fairly small capacitor, in the range of a few microfarads, in series with the primary winding of a power transformer. The current pulses through the primary winding are balanced by this capacitor, and a voltage charge develops across the capacitor if there is any unbalance. In practical power supply circuits the optimum size selection of this capacitor must be compromised, resulting in the disadvantage that the capacitor does not prevent saturation of the power transformer but only limits the degree of saturation of the power transformer. Since direct current cannot pass through the capacitor, there is a limit as to the amount of flux that can be developed in one direction in the power transformer. Also, the power transistors of the capacitively balanced switching regulated power supply are subjected to an excessive stress level, and while the power transistors may survive this stress level, the power transistors are subjected to incremental cumulative damage.
Furthermore, the capacitor is an expensive electrical component, physically quite large, and decreases the margins of operation because the capacitor operates by building a voltage across itself. This voltage subtracts from the voltage that is available to drive the power transformer and therefore, all the input voltage is not impressed across the transformer primary windings. The voltage drop across the capacitor can be minimized by increasing the capacitor size, but this increases the stress levels the power transistors must withstand.
Prior art switching regulated power supplies have typically been designed for specific power and load requirements. As a consequence, if a larger power requirement is necessary, it was usually necessary to develop a corresponding power supply meeting that power requirement. The prior art power supplies have not lended themselves to modularized paralleling to satisfy larger power requirements.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art power supplies by providing a switching regulated power supply for modular connection and having charge pump bulk voltage balancing and dynamic flux balancing.


Memories, systems, and methods for forming memory cells are disclosed. One such memory cell includes a charge storage node that includes nanodots over a tunnel dielectric and a protective film over the nanodots. In another memory cell, the charge storage node includes nanodots that include a ruthenium alloy. Memory cells can include an inter-gate dielectric over the protective film or ruthenium alloy nanodots and a control gate over the inter-gate dielectric. The protective film and ruthenium alloy can be configured to protect at least some of the nanodots from vaporizing during formation of the inter-gate dielectric.

Integrated circuits are interconnected networks of electrical components fabricated on a common foundation called a substrate. The electrical components are typically fabricated on a wafer of semiconductor material that serves as a substrate. Various fabrication techniques, such as layering, doping, masking, and etching, are used to build millions of resistors, transistors, and other electrical components on the wafer. The components are then wired together, (i.e., interconnected) to define a specific electrical circuit, such as a processor or a memory device.
There is a general desire to reduce the sizes of the various components in integrated circuit fabrication. Reducing size is generally accompanied by a reduction in cost, as more and more devices can be fabricated on a single substrate, and a reduction in power requirements, as less power is needed to switch smaller components. However, this size reduction does not come without a cost. As integrated circuit devices become smaller and smaller, charge leakage and parasitic capacitance between components become increasingly problematic. An example of the detrimental impact of charge leakage and parasitic capacitance can be seen in Flash memory devices.
Flash memory devices are one particular class of memory devices that have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Non-volatile memory is memory that can retain its data for an extended period without the application of power. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Changes in threshold voltage of the cells, through programming of a charge storage node, such as a floating gate, trapping layers, or other physical phenomena, determine the data state of each cell. By defining two or more ranges of threshold voltages to each correspond to individual data states, one or more bits of information may be stored in each cell. Common uses for Flash memory and other non-volatile memory include personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, digital media players, digital recorders, games, appliances, vehicles, wireless devices, mobile telephones, and removable memory modules. The uses for non-volatile memory continue to expand to cover more devices and larger amounts of memory.
For a Flash memory device utilizing floating-gate memory cells, where a level of charge stored on the floating-gate affects its threshold voltage, a reduction in size means less volume for charge storage. If the same material were used for the floating gates of two differently sized memory cells, the smaller memory cell would be capable of storing less charge. As a result, the smaller memory cell will have a smaller difference in its possible threshold voltages relative to the larger memory cell. Furthermore, any charge leakage, such as stress-induced gate leakage, would have a larger impact on the threshold voltage of the smaller memory cell. In addition, due to parasitic capacitive coupling to floating gates of adjacent memory cells, more margin may be required to avoid a false reading of the data state of the memory cell. Compensating for leakage and parasitic capacitance concerns with a smaller range of threshold voltages makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish between differing data states of smaller memory cells.
The inventors have appreciated that for the reasons stated above, and for other reasons that will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative structures and their processes in the formation of integrated circuit devices.

Fortification of charge storing material in high K dielectric environments and resulting apparatuses


A system and method is provided for displaying a padlock. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a padlock, a card and a back plate, wherein the card includes a front side, a back side and an aperture sized to receive at least a body of the padlock, and the back plate is configured to be attached to the back side of the card (e.g., via coupling portions). Once the padlock is placed in the aperture and the back plate is attached to the card, the padlock is secured (e.g., between at least one retaining tab and the back plate) and ready to be displayed (e.g., on a hook, on a shelf, on a display rack, etc.).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to padlocks, or more particularly, to a system and method for displaying a padlock.
2. Description of Related Art
Padlocks are commonly sold in hardware and home improvement stores. A padlock is generally packaged in plastic, or what is commonly referred to as a "clam shell package." A clam shell package generally includes two pieces of clear, pre-formed plastic (e.g., a front contoured sheet and a back sheet). Once the item (e.g., a padlock) is placed between the two pieces of plastic, the plastic sheets are fused together at their edges.
One drawback of a clam shell package is that it is generally very difficult to open, often times requiring the use of either a knife or scissors. In fact, clam shell packages are so difficult to open, over 6,000 Americans per year visit the emergency room after opening (or attempting to open) a clam shell package.
Another drawback of a clam shell package is that it does not allow the consumer to touch or feel the item without first removing the item from its package. This is important because some consumers are more comfortable buying an item after they have had an opportunity to touch it. By touching the item, the consumer may be able to detect certain features, e.g., whether the item is solid or hollow, plastic or metal, sturdy or flimsy, etc. Because a clam shell package is difficult to open, a consumer generally has to buy the item, take it home and destroy the package (e.g., with a knife or scissors) in order to touch the item. If the consumer is dissatisfied with the item, the consumer then has to return the item to the store. The item is then sent back to the manufacturer, where it is inspected and repackaged. Not only does this result in a waste of time for the consumer, but it also results in a waste of time and money for the store and the manufacturer.
A potential solution would be to construct a package that can be easily opened, thereby allowing the consumer to open the package in the store. While this would allow the consumer to touch the item before buying it, it would also increase the risk of pieces being lost (e.g., instructions, warranties, fasteners, keys, etc.), or subsequently selling an item with missing pieces. Not only is such a situation frustrating to the consumer, but it also reflects poorly on the store and the manufacturer.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method for packaging a padlock that overcomes at least some of the foregoing drawbacks. For example, it would be beneficial to retain a padlock in a package that would allow a consumer to touch and feel at least a portion of the padlock without having to remove the padlock from its package.

System and method for displaying a padlock

Hampton Products International Corporation