A computer implemented apparatus and method for modifying the playback rate of a previously stored audio or voice data file stored within a computer system without altering the pitch of the audio data file as originally stored. The present invention also maintains a high level of sound quality during playback. The present invention includes a double buffering system in order to perform all of the desired calculations in real time. A time stretching technique is employed upon the audio data file to decrease or increase playback rate which creates audio segments requiring joining processing. Junctions are smoothed by employing a cross-fade amplitude envelope filter and a compressor/limiter is used to maintain filter range. The system may operate on a desktop computer allowing for advantageous playback and audio data management options of stored voice and or sound data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of audio playback technology and techniques. More specifically the present invention relates to audio playback technology situated in a computer controlled environment running on a software driven platform.
2. Prior Art
Audio data is increasingly being used with and incorporated into the desktop computer environment allowing computer users more flexibility in data management. Audio data, in the form analog information signals stored on a flexible tape or in a digital format stored in a computer's memory or hard drive, can be retrieved from these storage mediums by the computer system and played through an internal computer speaker to an end user. Software control routines and programs residing on a typical desktop computer act to control, through a user interface, the interaction of the user and the audio data desired for playback. Special menus and display formats allow previously stored audio data to be accessed readily by the user, i.e. with a mouse and display screen.
Audio voice data is currently used in desktop computer systems in a variety of ways and for a variety of functions. For example audio voice data can be used for recording dialog sessions, such as instructions given to a secretary. Voice data located by displayable "tags" can be placed within a text document on a display screen to give personalized instructions on the proper way to amend a particular document when the tag is activated, such as by a mouse or other user input device. Voice data is also used as a means for dictation where a document is spoken into a dictation device for a typist or data entry secretary. Voice data can also be used for recording scratch notes by the user for future reference or reminders which can be accessed by the user interface software of the desktop computer. Voice data can be used to record meeting information or interview sessions and for recording class instructions for later playback. Also, voice data is effectively used over a computer system as a new means of electronic mail by voice message, instead of text.
Computer systems are a natural and progressive platform to interface with recorded voice data because computer systems offer an unlimited amount of avenues to access previously recorded data. For instance, a regular tape cassette player records voice data on a continuous playing tape, usually with two sides, A and B. In order to playback a certain portion of voice data, the cassette must cycle through all of the preceding tape segments before the target: portion is reached thus creating a large access delay for a target portion and also generating a good deal of wasted playback for unwanted voice segments. Further, if a particular voice segment is not localized or identified originally, one must play through all of the tape to locate the segment because of the serial nature of the tape medium. This is true because most tape storage mediums to not allow for easy marking of tape portions for playback at those tagged selections.
A computer system is uniquely designed to handle these problems. A computer system can "tag" selected portions of voice data and remember where in the storage medium they have been placed for easy and ready playback. A computer system is not limited to a tape storage device and can place voice data in a memory unit such as on board RAM or within a disk drive storage unit. Both memory storage devices named above provide for quick and easy access to any audio segment without wasted or excessive accessing as with a conventional cassette tape.
Audio and voice data also complements the computer system's use as an information processing tool. Voice data along with graphics and text provide more information available to a user in a "user-friendly" or "personalized" environment. Thus, instead of receiving tasks or lists of things "to do" a user might find a familiar voice carrying instructions for the user that were pre-recorded by another. Also, computer driven "voice-mail" creates more efficient and personalized way to transmit and receive office memos or other communications between users of interconnected computer systems.
Currently, audio or voice data can be stored directly into a computer memory storage unit in digital form. This provides an easy method for playback, however, does not allow for liberal voice storage capacity as 25 milliseconds of voice storage can consume up to 500 bytes of data depending on the storage format and the sample rate and sample size. Voice data can also be stored on a specialized tape or cassette player which interfaces to the computer system. The computer system would then control the accessing scheme and playback rates of the cassette player and the voice data would be fed by the player into the computer for processing and translation into digital form, if needed. Using at least these two storage and playback methods, voice or audio data can conveniently be incorporated into a computer system and used advantageously by a computer user.
Therefore, it is clear that voice and audio data will become one of the next information forms utilized heavily by modern computers. Devices and techniques that can manage effectively and process computer driven audio data wilt be inherently advantageous to these computer systems. The present invention is drawn to an apparatus and method to better provide access to prerecorded audio and voice data which is accessed by use of a computer system. The present invention allows users to move efficiently access previously stored audio data.
Even within computer systems that integrate audio data and user interfaces for playback, some inefficiencies do exist in the way in which audio data is selected. For instance, once a particular segment of audio data is reached, i.e. because it was previously tagged with a special locator, a user may only desire to listen to a particular phrase or data packet within the segment. Or a user may want to increase the playback rate of the audio data. Therefore, the user will playback the entire segment waiting for that desired phrase or data. In this case the user is "scanning" the tape segment for the desired portion. It is desirable, then, to provide a method and apparatus of speeding up the playback rate of unwanted audio data while at the same time providing intelligible playback audio so that the user can quickly identify the desired phrase. The present invention provides such a function and apparatus.
Some prior art systems allow users to listen to messages at double speed. This technique is accomplished by modifying the previously stored audio data. The result is that undesirable clicks and noises appear at the spaces where modifications occur, which may be separated by only 20-25 milliseconds. This creates unacceptable background noise and "hissing" sounds which reduces the quality of the sounds. Also, musicians use analog and digital sound processing units to change the pitch of an audio signal in real time without changing its duration; this is called Harmonizing. The processing hardware and software complexity required for Harmonizing makes it undesirable for desktop computer applications. Lastly, Time Domain Scaling is available to transform a sampled sound with a speed change into a sampled sound that has the pitch of the original sampled sound, but a different duration. Although the sound quality of these systems is high, they do not process the sound playback in real-time and therefore are not advantageous for use in desktop computer systems. The present invention operates in real-time to process the selected audio file for playback.
In some prior art systems that manipulate audio data, the playback speed of the stored audio data changes which causes perceptual problems and the audio data may not be understood by a listener. In many cases, playback speed is changed by doubling the rate that the audio information is presented to the user. These manipulations alter the duration of the playback sound. A side-effect of this kind of manipulation is a pitch change in the resulting playback sound. This pitch change is often referred to as a "chipmunk" effect because of the resultant high pitch sound of the playback voices when playback at high speeds. The playback data loses affect, gender information and is generally less intelligible than the original recording. This is a problem because playback audio data that cannot be understood is useless. What is needed in order to preserve this audio information during playback is a system to scale the resulting sound back to its original pitch while allowing for rapid playback rates for scanning purposes. The present invention provides for such functions.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient apparatus and method to speed-up and slow-down the playback rate of previously recorded audio data in a computer system environment without altering the playback pitch of that data. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an efficient apparatus and method to speed-up and slow-down the playback rate of previously recorded audio data in a computer system environment without altering the intelligibility of the playback data and eliminating undesirable "clicks and pops" in the playback. It is another object of the present invention to provide an efficient apparatus and method to speed-up and slow-down the playback rate of previously recorded audio data in real-time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide these functions on a desktop computer system without the need for specialized hardware. It is an object of the present invention to provide such functionality in an easy to use or "user-friendly" interface of the computer system. These objects and others not expressly stated will become clear as the present invention is expanded in the detailed description of the present invention.
3. Related U.S. Patent Application
The present application relates to a co-pending application concurrently filed with the present application and entitled, "Recording Method and Apparatus and Audio Data User Interface" invented by Leo Degen, S. Joy Mountford, and Richard Mander, Ser. No. 07/951,579, filed on Sep. 25, 1992, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The above referenced patent application is herein incorporated by reference.

Apparatus and method for playing back audio at faster or slower rates without pitch distortion


An apparatus, program product, and related methods for gravity stabilizing a suspended load are provided. The apparatus includes an center of gravity stabilized automated adjusting load bar in communication with a mobile cart which allows an operator to enable automated stabilization of a load. The adjusting load bar includes redundant first and second control and drive systems. A third control system can both monitor sensed data and the movement commands of first and second control systems, and can monitor the resulting physical movements. If a movement command and the resulting movement does not match or if there is an out of tolerance mismatch between movement commands of the first and the second control systems, the third control system can automatically detect this condition and shift into an emergency stop condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of load control, and particularly to the controlling and safely stabilizing a load being suspended under an overhead carrier. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system, apparatus, program product, and related methods for gravity stabilizing a suspended load.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modules or portions of the aircraft are assembled at various stages along an assembly floor. When the work in any particular stage is completed, an overhead crane extracts the module and delivers it to the next stage. Because components are being added at each staging area, the center of gravity of the module changes from stage to stage. The module needs to be lifted and transported along its center of gravity. Finding the center of gravity at each staging area can be extremely time-consuming. This directly affects the span of time to move a component via, for example, an overhead crane.
Load bars can be used as an interface between the overhead crane and the component being lifted. Conventional load bars, however, typically rely on turnbuckles to adjust the load bar, to allow the component to be lifted correctly, e.g., horizontal to the ground or in a level orientation. Moves of various components using such conventional load bars, for example, however, could result in the consumption of one hour or more to adjust the load bar and three hours or more to perform the move.
Further, each component staging area generally requires a separate spreader bar assembly to extract the module for each module version. Thus, if a component has, for example, three variants and six predicted lifts during the assembly process, it could potentially take up to eighteen different load bars to perform the required moves using the conventional equipment and methods. The requirement for eighteen load bars, in turn, besides being undesirable due to equipment costs, significantly increases floor space requirements.
Automated systems designed for centering a lifting device and used for extracting low value components such as, for example, mobile homes, etc., were examined, but found to have undesirable limitations. For example, one automated system that was examined utilized a lifting device which provided automated centering utilizing a pendulum or gimbal-type sensor device in conjunction with manual control. Such device, extracted using a single hook assembly, however, required significant deviation in the leveling of the component to be lifted prior to attempting to properly center itself above the component to be lifted. Further, such device did not provide either redundant control systems or a multi-level safety control system, or even adequate automated visual means of indicating an out of tolerance condition.
Recognized therefore by the Applicants is the need for a system, apparatus, program product, and method for safely lifting and stabilizing high-value components or modules such as aircraft modules that can be used universally across different versions having different centers of gravity, and which can, for example, provide accurate load level sensing, redundant control, and multi-level safety features.

Center of gravity sensing and adjusting load bar, program product, and related methods


A method for facilitating communication between parent telephones and child telephones in a cordless telephone system. The method includes steps of dividing a plurality of channels into groups and assigning each parent telephone to one of the groups. When a child telephone is registered with one of the parent telephones, the child telephone may scan only the channels in the group assigned to the parent telephone with which the child telephone is registered, rather than the entire plurality of channels in the cordless telephone system.

The present invention relates to a cordless telephone.
In the ETSI Committee in Europe, specifications called CT-2 are under investigation as standards for digital cordless telephone.
In the CT-2 system, there are provided 40 channels in an 800 MHz band. For example, while talking over the telephone, a parent telephone and a child telephone are connected by a channel and the channel is used for transmission and reception by being time shared in the transmission frame T and the reception frame R as shown in FIG. 7. All the prepared 40 channels are talking channels with control data transmitted and received as attached data to the speech data. Hence, there exists no independent control channel.
In the CT-2 system, telephones can be used versatilely than with ordinary cordless telephones by having them previously registered. More specifically, for example as shown in FIG. 8, if a plurality of child telephones 11 to 1j are previously registered with a parent telephone 21, the parent telephone 21 can manage both an outgoing call and an incoming call through a line wire for any of the child telephones 11 to 1j. Further, if a child telephone 11 is previously registered with a plurality of parent telephones 21 to 2i, the child telephone 11 can send a call to and receive a call from a line wire through any of the parent telephones 21 to 2i.
The cordless telephone on the CT-2 system individually has a narrower service area than that of the cordless telephone on the general cellular system but is simpler in system structure and economical in terms of the telephone charges. Hence, if it is used within an office block or the like, it can provide means for simple communications despite up the narrowness in service area.
When an outside call comes in to the above described CT-2 system, it is unknown to the child telephone which parent telephone (of those, with which the child telephone is registered) will request the child telephone to receive the call and which channel the parent telephone will use. Therefore, the child telephone on standby must repeat sequential receiving of all of the 40 channels to get ready for a request from a parent telephone for receiving an incoming call.
Then, however, the battery power supply to the child telephone is greatly consumed. Hence, the usable period of time of a once charged battery becomes considerably short.
Therefore, a method which alternately performs a scan mode and a sleep mode is considered. The scan mode scans all of the channels sequentially only once. The sleep mode stops, for a fixed period of time, the operations of all of the circuits except the system controller. By using this method, the battery can be suppressed from being consumed because even the system controller consumes little power during the period in the sleep mode.
In such case, however, any appreciable effect cannot be obtained unless the period in the sleep mode is set sufficiently long as compared with the period in the scan mode. Further, since as many as 40 channels are sequentially received in the scan mode, the time required for the scan mode becomes relatively long.
Thus, in order to effectively suppress the power consumption of the battery, the cycle of the scan mode plus the sleep mode becomes considerably long. Then, when a request for receiving an incoming call is transmitted from a parent telephone, a long time elapses before the child telephone accepts the request for receiving a call, and therefore this method has little practicability.
Furthermore, since there are as many as 40 usable channels for talking, the degree of freedom in selecting a channel becomes high for both the child telephone and the parent telephone. Accordingly, it is difficult, conversely, to select one channel out of them. Hence, a long time is taken, for example, in receiving an incoming call as described above.

Method for a cordless telephone with division of channels into groups of channels


An image reading apparatus includes: a cover; a conveyor disposed to the cover and including a conveyance mechanism; a first platen configured to come into contact with a first side of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; a first presser disposed below the first platen for pressing a second side of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism toward the first platen; a movable reading device for reading an image of the document on a document table while moving below the document table; a stationary reading device disposed above the first platen for reading an image of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; and a first urging member for urging the first presser toward the first platen. The first platen and the first presser are spaced from each other when the document cover is opened.

There have been known scanners, printers, photocopiers and multi-function devices having multiple functions including scanning, printing, photocopying and/or faxing, each of which includes: a platen, e.g. of transparent glass, for placing a document thereon; a reader unit including an image sensor arranged below the platen and to read an image of a document while moving below the platen; and an automatic document feeder (ADF) disposed above the reader unit and including a stationary image sensor for reading an image of a document being conveyed.
For the image reading apparatus having such movable and stationary image sensors, it is required to carry out shading correction before reading images on both the movable and stationary image sensors.
In this connection, there has been proposed a technique for performing white level correction (e.g., shading correction) by arranging a fixed abutment member having a slant surface in a position facing a stationary image sensor such that the stationary image sensor is configured to read a white reference formed on the abutment member.


A pharmaceutical composition contains cyclosporine as the active ingredient. More specifically, the composition is an orally administered pharmaceutical formulation in the form of a spontaneous emulsion comprising cyclosporine, ethanol ethyl oleate and polyoxyethylene glycerol trioleate. A method for preparing an orally administered pharmaceutical composition involves first dissolving cyclosporine in ethanol. Polyoxyethylene glycerol trioleate and an oil component are then added, mixed and diluted in an aqueous media to form a spontaneous emulsion.

Cyclosporines are a group of nonpolar cyclic oligopeptides, which have a broad spectrum of useful pharmacological activities, particularly immuno-suppressive activity and anti-inflammatory activity. The major cyclosporine metabolite is cyclosporine A. Cyclosporine A is a neutral, lipophilic, cyclic endecapeptide with a low aqueous solubility and a molecular weight of 1200 daltons.
Cyclosporine inhibits T cell activation and causes suppression of cell-mediated immune response. Cyclosporine has been used for suppression of immunological responses caused by tissue and organ transplantation, for example, transplantation of the heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, bone marrow, skin and cornea, and especially the transplantation of foreign tissues and organs. In addition, cyclosporine is useful for the suppression of hematological disorders such as anemia, various autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and idiopathic malabsorption syndrome, and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and rheumatoid disorders. Cyclosporine is also useful in treatment of protozoal diseases such as malaria and schistosomiasis, and has recently been used in chemotherapy.
Cyclosporine is highly lipophilic and hydrophobic. Therefore, cyclosporine is sparingly soluble in water, and well dissolved in an organic solvent such as methanol, ethanol, acetone, ether, chloroform and the like. Due to the low water-solubility of cyclosporine having the above-mentioned properties, when cyclosporine is administered orally, its bioavailability is extremely low and may be greatly influenced by the conditions of each individual patient. Accordingly, it is very difficult to retain an effective therapeutic concentration. Moreover, cyclosporine may show considerable side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Thus, cyclosporine is very difficult to formulate into a preparation for oral administration due to its low water solubility. Accordingly, numerous studies have been extensively conducted to discover a preparation suitable for the effective oral administration of cyclosporine, which can provide a suitable uniform dosage and appropriate bioavailability.
Previously, the preparations suitable for oral administration of sparingly water-soluble cyclosporine have usually been formulated in the form of an emulsion or microemulsion pre-concentrate (Table 1). Such formulations are commercially available under the names 'Sandimmune' and 'Neoral.' Both formulations are available in solution for oral use or in soft gelatin capsules. The 'Sandimmune' formulation contains cyclosporine in olive oil with the surfactant Labrafil. However, the resulting liquid formulation is administered as an aqueous dilution which makes it very difficult to adapt the subject to its administration and to provide a uniform dosage for oral administration.
The 'Neoral' formulation is a microemulsion pre-concentrate which contains cyclosporine in an anhydrous oily vehicle, medium chain triglycerides, surfactants, glycerol and alcohol.
Another commercially available cyclosporine formulation is marketed under the tradename 'SangCya'. 'SangCya' is a formulation of cyclosporine, the surfactant Tween 80, ethanol, and glycols. Upon dilution, 'SangCya' forms droplet sizes between 200 to 300 nm, which may represent a micellar solution. Recently, however, studies indicate that 'SangCya' has a lower bioavailability upon dilution than other commercially available cyclosporine formulations.
TABLE 1Comparison of Various Cyclosporine FormulationsFormulationPhysical StateDroplet SizeSandimmunePrecipitate  2-5 μmNeoralMicroemulsion 30-50 nmSangCyaMicellar solution200-300 nm

Spontaneous emulsions containing cyclosporine


A motor vehicle anti-theft device adapted to disable the brake pedal of the vehicle. The device includes a tubular strut with an opening sized to receive the pedal arm of the brake pedal and a lock bar which may be slid forwardly following movement of the pedal arm into the opening to trap the pedal arm in the opening. The device further includes an actuator rod and a strut rod interconnected by a gear and rack structure so that rearward movement of the actuator rod generates forward movement of the strut rod to plant a foot carried on the forward end of the strut rod against the fire wall of the vehicle following entrapment of the pedal arm. A lock structure is provided to preclude retraction of the lock bar and to preclude retraction of the strut rod.

This invention relates to locking devices for motor vehicles and more particularly to a motor vehicle anti-theft device which disables the brake pedal of the motor vehicle.
Many anti-theft devices have been proposed to prevent the theft of motor vehicles. The prior art devices include alarm devices which sound an audible signal upon an attempt to force entry into the vehicle, various devices to disable the steering mechanism of the vehicle, various devices to preclude operation of the control pedals of the vehicle, and various devices interlocking a control pedal and the steering wheel to preclude operation of either. However, the alarm devices are relatively easily defeated by a knowledgeable thief and the various devices disabling the control pedal and/or steering wheel are relatively easily defeated by suitable shearing or snipping tools.
This invention is directed to the provision of an improved anti-theft device and methodology for a motor vehicle.
More specifically, this invention is directed to the provision of an improved anti-theft device and methodology for a motor vehicle which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which is very difficult for even a very experienced and knowledgeable thief to defeat.
The invention anti-theft device is of the type that disables a control pedal of the vehicle to preclude operation of the control pedal. According to the invention, the device includes an axially extending strut structure having a forward foot portion; a disabling structure mounted to the strut structure and configured to be positioned on opposite sides of a portion of the pedal assembly to disable the pedal assembly; means mounting the strut structure for axially forward movement relative to the disabling structure; and means for locking the strut structure and the disabling structure against contracting axial movement. With this arrangement, and following positioning of the disabling structure on opposite sides of the pedal assembly portion, the strut structure may be moved axially forwardly relative to the disabling structure to move the foot portion into engagement with the vehicle fire wall whereafter the strut structure may be locked relative to the disabling structure to totally disable the pedal.
According to a further feature of the invention, the disabling structure includes a lock member movable relative to another portion of the disabling structure; the locking means includes a key lock having first and second extendable strikers movable to retracted positions by the key; the first striker is operative when extended to preclude movement of the lock member; and the second striker is operative when extended to preclude axial movement of the strut structure relative to the disabling structure. This arrangement allows a single key to be utilized for locking the lock member as well as the strut structure.
According to a further feature of the invention, the pedal assembly includes a pedal arm and a pedal pad; the disabling structure is intended to be positioned on opposite sides of the pedal arm; the disabling structure defines an opening sized to receive the pedal arm and having an entrance throat; and the lock member comprises a lock bar mounted for movement between an open position in which the entrance throat is open to allow insertion of the pedal arm into the opening and a closed position in which the bar obstructs the entrance throat to trap the pedal arm in the opening. This arrangement provides a simple and inexpensive means of trapping and disabling the pedal arm of the pedal assembly.
According to a further feature of the invention, the disabling structure includes an axially extending tubular member; the opening is defined in the tubular member; the lock bar is mounted for sliding movement within the tubular member between its open and closed positions; and the strut structure comprises an elongated strut rod including a rearward portion mounted for sliding movement within the tubular member and a forward portion extending forwardly from the forward end of the tubular member and attached to the foot portion. This arrangement provides a compact and inexpensive package.
According to a further feature of the invention, the device further includes a lock housing rigidly secured to a rearward end of the tubular member and defining a key lock cavity receiving a double striker key lock; the lock bar functions at its forward end, with the lock bar in its closed position, to block the entrance throat of the opening and includes a rearward end positioned proximate the key lock cavity and defining a detent structure; a first striker of the key lock is operative when extended to coact with the lock bar detent structure to lock the lock bar in its closed position; and the second striker of the key lock is operative when extended to preclude contracting axial movement of the strut rod relative to the tubular member. This arrangement provides a simple and positive locking arrangement with respect to both the lock bar and the strut rod.
According to a further feature of the invention, the device further includes an actuator rod positioned slidably within the tubular member and drive means operative in response to rearward movement of the actuator rod relative to the tubular member to generate forward movement of the strut rod relative to the tubular member; the actuator rod includes a detent portion positioned proximate the key lock cavity; and the second striker coacts with the detent portion of the actuator rod. This specific arrangement provides an effective means of moving the strut rod forwardly into engagement with the fire wall and providing releasable locking coaction between the second striker and the detent portion of the actuator rod.
According to a further feature of the invention, the drive means includes a rack structure at the forward end of the actuator rod, a rack structure at the rearward end of the strut rod, and a gear interposed between the rack structures and operative in response to rearward movement of the actuator rod to generate forward movement of the strut rod. This specific arrangement facilitates the forward movement of the strut rod in response to a simple rearward movement of the actuator rod.
The invention further provides a methodology for preventing theft of a motor vehicle of the type having a control pedal assembly spaced rearwardly from the fire wall of the vehicle. According to the invention methodology, a disabling device is provided including a disabling structure and an axially extending strut structure movable axially relative to the disabling structure and having a forward foot portion; the disabling structure is positioned on opposite sides of a portion of the pedal assembly to disable the pedal assembly; the strut structure is moved axially forward relative to the disabling structure to move the forward foot portion into engagement with the vehicle fire wall; and the strut structure and disabling structure are locked against contracting axial movement. This methodology provides a simple process for quickly and readily disabling the pedal.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the disabling structure includes a lock member movable relative to another portion of the disabling structure and the method includes the further step of moving the lock member relative to the other portion of the disabling structure. This methodology allows the disabling structure to firmly engage the pedal portion and firmly locks the disabling structure with respect to the vehicle fire wall.


A multi-wire wiring board including insulation-coated wires each including a wire and a wire coating layer, and a wire-laying adhesive sheet on which the insulation-coated wires are wire-laid, in which the multi-wire wiring board includes a wire-laying adhesive sheet on which a high-frequency-compatible wire is disposed, the high-frequency-compatible wire including the wire coating layer being a low-dielectric resin having a relative permittivity less than 3.6 at 10 GHz, and a wire-laying adhesive sheet on which a general wire is disposed, the general wire including the wire coating layer being a general resin having a relative permittivity of 3.6 or more at 10 GHz.

In recent years, enhancement in functionality of electronic apparatuses requires an extremely high wiring density. Wiring boards with high wiring density as described above include a wiring board (hereinafter referred to as multi-wire wiring board) using insulation-coated wires as necessary wires.
As disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a multi-wire wiring board is manufactured by forming an adhesive sheet (hereinafter also referred to as "wire-laying adhesive sheet") having adhesiveness to insulation-coated wires on an internal layer substrate on which circuits such as a power source layer and a ground layer are formed, thereafter laying wires insulation-coated with polyimide resin or the like by a numerically controlled wire-laying apparatus, fixing the wires by layering or the like, providing through holes running across the wires, and subjecting inside of each of the through holes to electroless metal plating. The term "wire-laying" means laying an insulation-coated wire on an adhesive layer, and simultaneously bonding the wire with ultrasonic waves. The insulation-coated wire used for the multi-wire wiring board includes a wire (hereinafter also referred to as "core wire"), a wire coating layer disposed around the wire, and a wire adhesive layer disposed around the wire coating layer (Patent Literatures 1 to 4).


An image sensor may include an array of pixels. Pixels in the array may include a photodiode that converts incident light into electrical charge and a charge storage region for storing the electrical charge before it is read out from the pixel. Pixels in the array may include a microlens formed over the photodiode that directs light onto the photodiode. Pixels in the array may include an additional array of microlenses between the microlens and the photodiode. The additional array of microlenses may direct light away from the charge storage region to prevent charge stored at the charge storage region from being affected by light that is not incident upon the photodiode. The image sensor may be a backside illuminated image sensor that operates in a global shutter mode.

This relates generally to imaging devices, and more particularly, to imaging devices having pixels with charge storage regions.
Image sensors are commonly used in electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, and computers to capture images. In a typical arrangement, an electronic device is provided with an array of image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. The image pixels contain a photodiode for generating charge in response to light. Circuitry is commonly coupled to each pixel column for reading out image signals from the image pixels.
Image sensors of this type may include a charge storage region for storing charge generated by the photodiode before the charge is read out. Light that is incident upon the charge storage region while the charge is being held before readout may cause an unwanted change in the charge storage region, thereby causing the readout from the storage region to inaccurately represent the charge generated by the photodiode.
It would therefore be desirable to provide image sensors with structures for directing incident light away from the charge storage region.

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


A computer program that uses structured information, such as syntactic and semantic information, as context for representing words and/or phrases as vectors, by performing the following steps: (i) receiving a first set of natural language text and a set of information pertaining to the first set of natural language text, where the information includes metadata and corresponding contextual information indicating a relationship between the metadata and the first set of natural language text; and (ii) generating a first vector representation for the first set of natural language text utilizing the metadata and its corresponding contextual information.

The present invention relates generally to the field of natural language processing, and more particularly to learning word embeddings for determining similarity between words and phrases.
Natural language processing (NLP) is a field of computer science, artificial intelligence, and linguistics that, amongst other things, is concerned with using computers to derive meaning from natural language text. NLP systems may perform many different tasks, including, but not limited to, determining the similarity between certain words and/or phrases. One known way to determine the similarity between words and/or phrases is to compare their respective word embeddings. A word embedding is a mapping of natural language text to a vector of real numbers in a continuous space (and is also sometimes referred to as a "vector representation"). Generally speaking, the word embeddings of similar words are located close to each other in the continuous space.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Generating distributed word embeddings using structured information

International Business Machines Corporation


A ventilation assembly, particularly for a vehicle, has a cowl with a conduit for air flow. The conduit has a first portion and a second portion having a smaller diameter and a joining portion joining the first and second portions. A fan is disposed in the conduit. The fan has an impeller with a peripheral ring having a lip. An annular passage is formed between the ring and the conduit. The lip has a substantially frusto-conical shape; and the joining portion of the conduit has a substantially frusto-conical shape, with an inclination angle (α) at least approximately corresponding to that of the lip of the impeller. The inclination angle (α) is between 115° and 145°.

More specifically, the invention relates to a ventilation assembly of the type comprising: a support structure or cowl in which there is defined a conduit having at least first and second axial portions with a larger and a smaller cross-section, respectively, interconnected by an intermediate joining portion, and a motor-driven fan including an impeller mounted rotatable in said conduit and comprising a plurality of blades which extend between a central hub and a peripheral ring. The peripheral ring has an essentially cylindrical main portion to which the radially outer ends of the blades are connected and to which an outwardly diverging end lip is joined. The arrangement being such that between the peripheral ring of the impeller and the wall of the conduit of the support structure or cowl there is defined an annular passage. The annular passage has a first portion defined between the lip of the peripheral ring of the impeller and said joining portion of the conduit and extending in a direction having a radial component, and an essentially axial second portion defined between the cylindrical portion of the peripheral ring of the impeller and the second portion of said conduit.
Ventilation assemblies of this type, according to the prior art, are partially and schematically shown in cross-section in FIGS. 1a to 1d of the accompanying drawings. In these figures the support structure or cowl intended to be fixed to a heat exchanger is indicated by 1, and the impeller of the associated motor-driven fan is denoted overall by 2. The conduit 3 formed in the cowl 1 has two portions 3a and 3b with a larger and a smaller cross-section, respectively, interconnected by an intermediate joining portion 3c (see for example FIGS. 1a and 1b).
The impeller 2 comprises a central hub 4 from which there extends a plurality of blades 5, the radially outer ends of which are connected to a peripheral ring indicated by 6. This ring has an essentially cylindrical main portion 6a to which the blades 5 are connected and to which a radially outwardly diverging end lip 6b is joined. The annular passage defined between the conduit 3 and the ring 6 is denoted by 7.
In the variant according to FIG. 1a the lip 6b of the ring 6 of the impeller extends approximately in the same general plane as the cowl 1, while in the embodiment according to FIG. 1b the lip 6b is set back with respect to said general plane and extends inside the first portion 3a of the conduit 3.
In the variant according to FIG. 1c, the lip 6b of the ring 6 of the impeller extends beyond the conduit 3, at a given distance from the general plane of the cowl 1.
Finally, in the variant according to FIG. 1d, the impeller 2 is positioned, relative to the cowl 1 and to the conduit 3, substantially as in FIG. 1b, but the cowl 1 has an associated anti-recirculation ring 9, known also as an acoustic ring, which extends radially towards the axis of the impeller and is partly facing and in some cases curved towards the impeller 2.
Typically the cowl 1 and the impeller are made of thermoplastic polymers, by means of molding, and their design requires particular attention aimed at reconciling the need for a reduction in weight with that of an acceptable rigidity. The impellers are components which are highly stressed dynamically during operation and their deformations and movements must be suitably taken into consideration in order to avoid contact with stationary parts. For these reasons the gaps between the various parts must be suitably sized. These gaps, which for safety reasons are over-sized, are negatively compensated for in terms of flow rate and pressure of the air flow generated, with an increase in noise, increased electrical power consumption and reduced operating efficiency.


A recovering mechanism includes a cleaning member for cleaning a discharge surface of an adjustable ink jet head and an inclination adjusting mechanism for adjusting an inclination of the cleaning member to match an inclination of a discharge surface of the ink jet head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recovery mechanism for removing foreign matter from an ink discharge surface of a recording head, more particularly, to an improved recovery mechanism capable of reliable cleaning of a recording head that can be adjusted.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an ink jet recording system in which recorded images are formed by discharging ink onto a recording medium, an ink discharge means typically incorporates electro-thermal transducers or electro-mechanical transducers to apply discharge pressure to the ink.
In the ink discharge means (also referred to herein as an ink jet head), ink droplets or foreign matter, such as dust containing, for example, paper powder, can become attached to an ink discharge surface having therein ink discharge ports during the discharge of ink in an image recording operation.
Such attached objects may cause ink discharge failure, for example, by varying the direction in which the discharged ink travels, or by entering and thereby clogging the ink discharge ports, thus causing deterioration of the recording characteristics.
Conventionally, such a discharge failure is improved or recovered by wiping the ink discharge surface using an elastic sheet or blade made of a flexible material such as rubber to serve as discharge-recovery means for performing what is known as a wiping operation. Such a blade may be retractable relative to a scanning area scanned with the ink jet head mounted on a carriage so that the blade can protrude into the scanning area of the carriage to wipe the ink discharge surface while the carriage is being scanned. Alternatively, the blade may be brought into abutment with and made to slide against the ink jet head.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic structure of an example of a conventional ink jet apparatus. A carriage 2 carrying an ink jet head 1 is moved back and forth along a slide base 4 and a slide shaft 3 by a driving force of a motor 5, which driving force is transmitted to the carriage 2 via a belt 9.
A recovery unit 10 for recovering from a discharge failure of the ink jet head 1, that is, for recovering ink discharge, is fixed outside an end of a printing surface 1A (recording area) faced by the ink discharge surface of the ink jet head 1. The recovery unit 10 includes a blade 12 for cleaning the discharge surface of the ink jet head 1, and a cap 11 for receiving ink discharged from the discharge port or for protecting the ink jet head 1 when recording is suspended.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the recovery unit 10. Reference numeral 13 denotes a recovery unit base constituting an outer shell of the unit. A suction recovery operation is performed on the head by drawing ink from the discharge port of the ink jet head by means of a negative pressure of a pump (not shown) driven when the ink jet head is capped. Capping is performed by a driving motor (not shown), a gear group (not shown) and an eccentric cam (not shown), which are provided at the distal end of the driving motor that move the cap 11 toward or away from the head.
A blade cam 6 is rotated about a shaft 7 by the driving force of the driving motor. Reference numeral 21 denotes a blade base which is slidable in a straight line toward the head 1 along the side surface of the base 13. The blade base 21 is urged in a direction in which it is separated from the head by means of a tension spring 23. A blade lever 29 slides against the blade cam 6, whereby cam-shaped irregularities are transmitted in the form of a reciprocative movement of the blade base 21. The blade 12 is mounted on a distal end of the blade base 21. Between the cap 11 and the blade 12 there is a rubbing member 14 for rubbing the discharge port surface of the ink jet head 1 to remove any substance attached thereto.
The amount of reciprocative movement of the blade 12 is determined by the irregularities of the blade cam 20, that is, the optimum value for the normal recording scanning position of the ink jet head 1 is set. However, in recent years, recording apparatuses have been improved in such a manner that they can perform recording on various types of recording media. When printing is performed on, for example, a sheet of thick paper, the head is moved together with the carriage to account for the thicker recording medium. In such a case, the position of the head relative to the blade will vary, and the amount the blade projects onto the head during cleaning differs between the upper and lower portions of the head, thus affecting the blade's wiping performance.

Recovery mechanism for adjustable ink jet head


A frame for forming a housing of a group of air-handling units mainly includes a plurality of extruded plastic angle columns and a plurality of integrally injection molded plastic three-way unions. The plastic angle columns and three-way unions eliminate the problem of condensate on the surfaces of the housing and allow the air-handling units to operate with reduced energy consumption, because the plastic columns and unions have low coefficient of thermal conduction and would not easily have a surface temperature lower than a dew point temperature of ambient air outside the housing. Meanwhile, the extruded plastic angle columns and the injection molded plastic three-way unions can have standardized dimensions and be efficiently produced through mass production, the frame for the housing of the air-handling units can therefore be formed at reduced labor and time.

The present invention relates to a frame for forming a housing of a group of air-handling units, and more particularly to a frame including extruded plastic angle column and integrally injection molded plastic three-way union for forming a housing of a group of air-handling units. The angle column and the three-way union of the present invention may effectively solve the problem of condensate on the housing of the air-handling units and therefore reduces energy consumption by the air-handling units.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional housing for a group of air-handling units. As shown, the housing includes a frame that is constructed by welding required numbers of angle steel columns 1 to enclose the air-handling units. Wall panels 11 are then attached to outer sides of the angle steel columns 1. Following are some disadvantages of the above-described conventional housing for the air-handling units:
1. It is extremely time and labor consumed to weld the angle steel columns 1 into a frame and connect the frame to the air-handling units. The frame so formed therefore requires higher production cost. PA1 2. Due to the effects of air convection and high coefficient of thermal conduction of the angle steel column, the panels 11 and the frame 1 tend to have a surface temperature lower than a dew-point temperature of the ambient air outside the housing of the air-handling units. This condition causes condensate on the housing of the air-handling units and brings troubles to manufacturers and users. PA1 3. There are various types of air-handling units in the markets from three to several hundred tons of refrigeration. The angle steel columns 1 further increase the volume and weight and accordingly the difficulty of transportation of the air-handling units.
It is therefore desirable to develop a frame including plastic angle columns and unions for constructing the housing of the air-handling units to eliminate the disadvantages existing in the conventional housing formed from welded angle steel columns.

Frame for forming a housing of a group of air-handling units


A method and apparatus for determining the particle size distribution of lightweight expanded polymers such as shredded expanded polystyrene is disclosed. The material to be sized is initially contained in a chamber which is in communication with gas supply. The gas supply urges the material through a plurality of sieves by means of a downward draft and agitation.

The present invention is directed towards a method and apparatus for determining the particle size distribution of materials in general, and in particular, a method and apparatus for determining the particle size distribution of lightweight expanded polymers, such as shredded expanded polystyrene.
In the course of erecting steel structures, a thick coating of inorganic material is commonly applied to the metallic structural elements to achieve a number of objectives including fire retardance, improved appearance and sound deadening. While several types of formulations have been applied for these purposes over the years by means of a variety of techniques, a successful system consists in spraying onto the steel surfaces settable aqueous mixes composed essentially of calcined gypsum, a lightweight inorganic aggregate material such as exfoliated vermiculite, a mixture of fibrous materials such as a high wet bulking cellulose fiber and glass fiber, and an air entraining agent.
A composition of this type is described by Bragg in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,719,573 and 3,839,059, along with the most desirable application technique, i.e., pumping the aqueous mix and spraying it directly onto the steel in one layer.
However, vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral which is subject to variation in quality, consistency, and uniformity. Moreover, since the vermiculite mineral must be expanded at very high temperatures prior to use, its cost is subject to unpredictable variations in energy cost.
An alternative to the gypsum-vermiculite mixes is disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 384,941, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention. Specifically, sprayable cementitious compositions containing shredded polystyrene having particular particle size distribution limits as a lightweight aggregate are taught as fireproofing compositions for structural steel members. Uniform consistency and quality of the compositions, defined in terms of pumpability, hangability and yield, are achieved by controlling the size distribution of the shredded expanded polystyrene in the product.
Apparatus for and methods of sieving and determining particle sizes of various substances are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,817 discloses sieving apparatus for use in determining the fineness of granular substances. The apparatus includes a suction chamber connected to a sieve by a plurality of chambers. A partial vacuum is applied to the chamber which pulls fine particles within the sieve through the sieve cloth into the suction chamber. Radial air inlet passages allow air to flow into the sieve case to agitate the sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,611,486 discloses apparatus for use in classifying granular material according to particle size. A vortex is formed in a chamber to disturb particles upon a sieve in the chamber in such a manner as to allow the small size particles to pass through the sieve.
However, heretofore no suitable method or apparatus existed for determining the particle size distribution of lightweight expanded polymers such as shredded expanded polystyrene. For example, the foregoing prior art does not address difficulties encountered in attempting to determine particle size distribution of lightweight expanded polymers, such as minimization of moisture, prevention of clogging of the apparatus, and minimization of static charge. Accordingly, the instant invention is directed towards a method and apparatus for determining the particle size distribution of such materials.

Method and apparatus for determining particle size distribution


An optical-disk bonding apparatus for bonding two or more disk substrates with an adhesive, has a turning table for clamping the disk substrates; a thickness gauge for measuring a thickness of bonding layers; and a rotation control unit for controlling the turning of a turning table; wherein the thickness of the bonding layers is measured with the thickness gauge on the turning table; and a rotation of the turning table or the pressure acting on the disk substrates is controlled based on the measured thickness data.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus of bonded optical disks and bonding method, for producing multi-layer optical disks consisting of two or more disk substrates.
2. Related art of the invention
In recent years, along with increase in the amount of information required by information equipment audio-visual equipment or the like optical disks have attracted attention as a recording medium because of their excellent capabilities to provide easy data access, store large volumes of data, and reduce the size of equipment and they have been packed with information increasingly densely. For example, the packing densities of digital video disks are made higher in the following manner: two disk-shaped molded resin substrates with signals recorded on one side are bonded with ultraviolet-curing resin or the like so that both signal layers can be reproduced from one side.
However, it is difficult to play back the disks unless the thickness of the bonding layer which bonds the two signal substrates is controlled to within a designated rage. This makes it important to improve manufacturing techniques.
Now the structure of conventional optical disks will be described below. Conventional optical disks have:
(a) a first signal substrate with signal pits formed on one side by injection compression molding or the like and a translucent film layer formed on the signal side by sputtering or the like;
(b) a substrate bonding layer formed by an adhesive such as an ultraviolet-curing resin to bond the two signal substrates; and
(c) a second signal substrate with signal pits formed on one side by injection compression molding or the like and a reflective film layer formed on the signal side by sputtering or the like.
To make an optical disk with such a configuration by a bonding method, the second signal substrate, for example, is clamped on the turning table with a vacuum chuck or the like, facing up the reflective film, and liquid-state, ultraviolet-curing resin is applied virtually concentrically by a dispenser revolving at a designated radius of the substrate.
Alternatively, the dispenser is fixed at a designated radius of the substrate and the turning table is rotated at a low speed to apply the ultraviolet-curing resin to the substrate virtually concentrically.
The second signal substrate coated with the ultraviolet-curing resin is stacked on the first signal substrate brought by substrate transport means, on the same turning table, with the surface coated with ultraviolet-curing resin and the translucent film layer facing each other. The stacked disk on the table rotates for removal of excessive ultraviolet-curing resin, deaeration, and equalization of adhesive thickness as the turning table rotates according to a spin program which specifies the number of rotations and time of rotation.
This process is intended to reduce the variations in, and improve the reproducibility of, the thickness of the ultraviolet-curing resin layer (bonding layer) in the bonded disks.
After the adjustment of the thickness, the substrates are transferred to another table and the ultraviolet-curing resin cures under the ultraviolet light irradiated from outside the table by an ultraviolet lamp or the like. The disks are transferred to another table and the thickness of the cured ultraviolet-curing resin (bonding layer) is measured by a bonding-layer thickness gauge employing a red laser beam. The measured thickness data is used to sort the disks into good disks whose bonding-layer thickness falls under a designated range and defective disks whose bonding-layer thickness falls outside the designated range. Then the two groups of disks are separated by transport means.
However, with the prior art described above, the yield in the production process of disks is lowered by variations in the viscosity of the ultraviolet-curing resin, variations in the temperature and humidity during the application of the ultraviolet-curing resin, instability of the bonding-layer thickness caused by changes in the shape of the first and second signal substrates in the case of optical-disk bonding methods using a specific spin program, and inability to readjust the bonding-layer thickness after measurement, which is made after the ultraviolet-curing resin has cured.
The present invention, which has been made in view of the foregoing problems in the prior art, provides an optical-disk bonding apparatus and method that can control the thickness of bonding layers with a high degree of accuracy.
One aspect of the present invention is an optical-disk bonding apparatus for bonding two or more disk substrates with an adhesive, comprising:
a turning table for clamping said disk substrates; a thickness gauge for measuring a thickness of bonding layers; and a rotation control unit for controlling said turning of a turning table; wherein the thickness of the bonding layers is measured with said thickness gauge on said turning table; and a rotation of said turning table or the pressure acting on said disk substrates is controlled based on the measured thickness data.
Another aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus, wherein the rotation control of said turning table consists in controlling a time of rotation or number of rotations of said turning table.
Still another aspect of the present invention is the wherein the control of the pressure acting on said disk substrates consists in controlling an intensity of pressure or duration of pressure application.
Yet another aspect of the present inentinon is an optical disk bonding apparatus for bonding two or more disk substrates with an adhesive, comprising:
a first table for clamping said disk substrates; a thickness gauge for measuring a thickness of bonding layers at least at one point on said disk substrates; a second table for holding another substrate to be bonded face to face to said disk substrates; and a pressurizing mechanism for bonding said disk substrates under pressure by moving said second table and said first table closer to each other; wherein
the thickness of said bonding layers is measured with said thickness gauge; and the pressure applied by said pressurizing mechanism is controlled, based on the measured thickness data.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus, wherein said thickness gauge measures thicknesses at multiple points at at least two radii on the disk substrates to be bonded.
A further aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus, wherein said thickness gauge has at least two points of thickness measurement at the same radius on the disk substrates to be bonded.
A still further aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus, wherein said thickness gauge is used as an instrument which directs a laser beam with a wavelength between 600 nm and 700 nm virtually perpendicularly onto the bonding layer of said disk substrates.
A yet further aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus according to, wherein said turning table is made of material virtually transparent to light with wavelengths between 600 nm and 700 nm.
A still yet further aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus, wherein the first table for clamping said disk substrates is a table made of material virtually transparent to, light with wavelengths between 600 nm and 700 nm.
An additional aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus wherein the second table for pressing another substrate to be bonded face to face to said disk substrates is a table made of material virtually transparent to light with wavelengths between 600 nm and 700 nm.
A still additional aspect of the present invention is the optical-disk bonding apparatus wherein the first table for clamping said disk substrates comprises said pressurizing mechanism.
A yet additional aspect of the present invention is an optical-disk bonding method, wherein disk substrates are bonded while they are rotated on a turning table, a thickness of the bonding layers that bond the disk substrates is measured, and the thickness of the bonding layers is controlled to within a designated range by controlling the rotation of said turning table based on the measured thickness data.
A still yet additional aspect of the present invention is an optical-disk bonding method, wherein two disk substrates are bonded by holding them between two tables, a thickness of the bonding layer that bonds the disk substrates is measured, and the thickness of the bonding layer is controlled to within a designated range by controlling the pressing force of said tables based on the measured thickness data.

Bonding apparatus and bonding method of optical disks

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A monitor for measuring the pressure in the cuff on a tracheal tube is clipped onto a coupling at the end of an inflation indicator balloon that communicates with the cuff. The monitor has a silicon strain gauge pressure sensor and a spring that urges the sensor resiliently against one side of the balloon, the other side of the balloon resting on a base plate. The monitor has a numeric display connected to the sensor on which a representation of pressure in the indicator balloon and hence in the cuff is displayed.

This invention relates to cuff pressure monitors and tube assemblies.
The invention is more particularly concerned with pressure monitors for measuring the pressure in cuffed medico-surgical tubes, such as endotracheal tubes or tracheostomy tubes.
Tracheal tubes are used to transmit anaesthetic or ventilation gases to a patient, such as during surgery, or to provide an airway to the trachea when the patient is breathing spontaneously. These tubes often have a cuff around the tube close to the patient end which is inflated to seal with the trachea so that gas flow is confined within the tube. The cuff is inflated and deflated via a small-bore lumen extending along the tube within its wall which opens into the cuff close to the distal or patient end, and is connected to one end of an inflation line close to the proximal or machine end of the tube. The other end of the inflation line extends outside the patient and has a connector and an inflation indicator in the form of an inflatable balloon the interior of which communicates with the interior of the inflation line. The cuff is initially deflated and, after insertion of the tube into the trachea, is inflated by means of a syringe or similar device coupled to the connector, which administers a measured volume of air. This causes inflation of the cuff and the indicator. The indicator provides visual evidence to the clinician of the state of inflation of the cuff.
These tubes may remain in place for some time and the pressure within the cuff can change during this time. The pressure may increase because of diffusion of anaesthetic gases through the wall of the cuff. Alternatively, the pressure may decrease because of leakage. Although the inflation balloon indicates large changes in pressure of the cuff, it is not very sensitive to small changes in pressure. It is desirable to be able to maintain the cuff at the correct pressure because too high a pressure can lead to damage to the tracheal lining, whereas too low a pressure can allow leakage of gas between the tube and the trachea. Pressure gauges are available which can be coupled to the connector at the machine end of the inflation line but these are generally bulky and expensive. Their size and weight make them unsuitable for attachment to a tube long term.

Smiths Industries Public Limited Company


The present invention provides a double helix coupled vane forward wave crossed-field amplifier utilizing backwall cooling and vane channel cooling in the RF slow wave circuit. Backwall channel cooling is provided for the majority of the anode vanes. Additional cooling is provided exclusively for the output vanes via individual coolant carrying passages in each output vane. The coolant carrying passages are machined into each standard double helix coupled output vane to create a vane channel in the shape of a "U". A tube formed in a corresponding U-shape is inserted and brazed to the machined vane. The vane assembly is then attached to the anode body of which the backwall has holes formed to accept the tubes from each vane. Divided backwall coolant channels are brazed to the outside of the anode, thereby placing in fluid communication the coolant channels to the tubes. Accordingly, coolant is cycled from a first backwall channel, through the output vanes and through the majority of the circumference of the anode via a second backwall channel, and back into the first backwall channel through a conduit and the vanes of the anode are thus preferentially cooled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to crossed-field amplifiers. More precisely, the present invention relates to a preferentially cooled crossed-field amplifier using a combination of backwall cooling and internal anode vane cooling to cool the anode vanes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Crossed-field amplifiers have been known for several years. These amplifiers are usually employed in electronic systems that require high power outputs, such as radar systems. Typically, crossed-field amplifiers have a secondary emission type cathode that operates on a principle of priming electron bombardment of the cathode emitting surface causing secondary electrons to be emitted. The secondary electrons then give up energy to an RF signal traveling on an anode vane structure that surrounds the cathode, thus increasing the power of the RF signal.
A problem with such high power amplifiers is the efficient removal of heat from the anode structure. When electrons leave the cathode of the crossed-field amplifier in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field, the field causes a force to act at right angles to the electron motion. The electrons then spiral into orbit around the cathode instead of moving colinearly with the electric field. Most of the electrons gradually move toward the anode, giving up potential energy to the RF field as they interact with the anode slow-wave structure. But to impart this action, there must be high-electron discharge that generates heat build-up. The heat build-up increases as the RF wave propagates towards the RF output. As a result, the output vanes, e.g., those vanes nearest the RF output, typically must dissipate 2 to 3 times the power dissipated by an average vane.
To cool the anode, in conventional crossed-field amplifiers, coolant fluid is pumped directly adjacent to the cathode. An example of a crossed-field amplifier that is liquid cooled is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,109, issued Oct. 13, 1987, to G.R. MacPhail.
In double helix coupled vane crossed-field amplifiers, known in the art, oil or water coolant is supplied to the base of the anode vanes via one or more backwall channels. This standard backwall cooled anode design is sometimes inadequate to meet system requirements. In some cases, the anode vanes becomes too hot and the protective coating on the vane tips burns off.
The above-referenced copending application proposed solving this problem by incorporating a U-shaped tube into each individual vane. This circulated the coolant closer to the vane tips, helping to reduce vane tip temperature. In certain high power applications, however, this type of vane cooling required a high pressure cooling system in order to force coolant through the small diameter tube disposed in each vane. Pressure was approximately 100 psig, well above the 35 psig required in normal application. Thus, in order to better the maximum duty capabilities in such high power applications, it is necessary to further improve vane cooling and reduce cooling system pressure.
Accordingly, a need presently exists for a lower pressure cooling system which improves cooling of the output vanes of a standard double helix coupled vane crossed-field amplifier.

Preferentially cooled forward wave crossed-field amplifier anode


A focus adjustment device that eliminates unnecessary driving of a shooting lens after the shooting lens has already been driven near to an in-focus position. In a focus adjustment device, information related to the defocus amount of the shooting lens is detected based on output signals corresponding to the light intensity distribution of a object image from a pair of photo-electric conversion arrays. The focus adjustment device includes a focus detection circuit to determine the confidence level of the detected information based on predetermined determination criteria and a lens driving device to drive the shooting lens based on the detected information when the information of the focus detection device is accepted as having a sufficient confidence level. However, to prevent erroneous driving of the lens, such as when the object moves out of a focusing field or when the object reverses direction, the probability of rejecting the information of the focus detection on the basis of an insufficient confidence level increases. This occurs when information indicating that the occurrence of a defocus amount exceeding a predetermined range is detected by the focus detection circuit after the shooting lens has previously been determined to have been driven within permissible parameters of an in-focus position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to focus detection operations of a focus detection device. More particularly, the invention relates to a focus adjustment device that eliminates unnecessary driving of a shooting lens after the shooting lens has already been driven near to an in-focus position.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the known focus detection methods of an autofocus detection device in a camera is the phase difference detection method. In this method, two images of an object with parallax are guided to a pair of photo-electric conversion element arrays. An in-focus condition is determined by computing the relative shift amount of the two images based on an image output from each photo-electric conversion element array.
Hereafter, this phase difference detection method will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. Light rays passing through region 21 of a shooting lens 1 focus on a film equivalent plane 6. The light rays then pass through, in order, a band pass filter 7, a vision mask 2, a field lens 3, a stop aperture unit 41, and a re-imaging lens 51 of a focus detection optical system 8 and form a secondary image on a sensor array 9A of an image sensor 9. Similarly, light rays passing through region 31 of the shooting lens 1, after focusing on the film equivalent plane 6, pass, in order, the band pass filter 7, the vision mask 2, the field lens 3, a stop aperture unit 42, and a re-imaging lens 52 of the focus detection optical system 8 and form a secondary image on a sensor array 9B of the image sensor 9.
A focus detection region is a section of the assembly near a predicted focus plane where the sensor arrays 9A and 9B of the image sensor 9 overlap each other, with the image being invertedly projected by the focus detection optical system 8.
The size of region 21 of the shooting lens 1 is the same as an inverted projected image formed by the field lens 3 of the stop aperture unit 41. Likewise, the size of region 31 of the shooting lens 1 is the same as an inverted projected image formed by the field lens 3 of the stop aperture unit 42. The secondary images of the pair of object images formed by the focus detection optical system 8 on sensor arrays 9A and 9B move away from each other in a so-called front focus condition when the shooting lens 1 forms a clear image of the object in front of a predicted focus plane. Conversely, the secondary images move towards each other in a so-called rear focus condition when the shooting lens 1 forms a clear image of the object to the rear of the predicted focus plane. The secondary images on the sensor arrays 9A and 9B relatively coincide with each other in a so-called in-focus condition when the shooting lens 1 forms a clear image of the object on the predicted focus plane.
Therefore, the focus detection condition of the shooting lens 1, that is, the amount and the direction of deviation from the in-focus condition, hereafter referred to as defocus amount, is determined by converting the pair of secondary images of the object formed by the focus detection optical system 8 into electric output signals through photo-electric conversion by the sensor arrays 9A and 9B of the image sensor 9 and by obtaining relative positions of the pair of secondary images of the object through computation of the pair of object image signals.
A method is also known wherein the object image signals obtained by photo-electric conversion of the image sensor 9 are filter processed to extract high frequency and low frequency components of the object image signals. The defocus amount is computed by further processing the filter processed signals.
Next, the computational processing method to obtain the defocus amount will be explained. Each of the sensor arrays 9A and 9B of the image sensor 9 is structured in such a manner that a plurality of photo-electric conversion elements line-up in one direction. Each of the sensor arrays 9A and 9B output a plurality of photo-electric conversion outputs a.sub.1 . . . a.sub.n and b.sub.1 . . . b.sub.n corresponding to the number of photo-electric conversion elements in each array (See FIGS. 5a and 5b). Correlation is performed while shifting these data strings relatively by a predetermined amount of data. In particular, the following formula is used to compute the correlation amount C(L). ##EQU1##
Here, L is an integer representing the amount of shift of the data string, as described above, and the first term k and the last term r can be changed depending on the shift amount L. The defocus amount is computed by multiplying the shift amount yielding a relative minimum among the resulting correlation amounts C(L) and a constant determined by the pitch width of the photo-electric conversion element of the image sensor and the optical system described in FIG. 4.
However, the correlation amounts C(L) assume discrete values, as described in FIG. 5(c), and the minimum unit of detectable defocus amount is restricted by the pitch width of the photo-electric conversion elements of the sensor arrays 9A and 9B of the image sensor 9. Hence, a method is proposed (see Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-37513) in which more precise focus detection is executed by computing a new relative minimum for the discrete correlation amounts C(L) using an interpolation algorithm. In this method, the defocus amount is determined based on the relative minimum of the correlation amount C(0) and the correlation amounts C(1) and C(-1) computed from the shift amounts at both sides. A shift amount F.sub.m and a defocus amount DF yielding the relative minimum correlation amount C.sub.ex are determined by the following formulae. EQU DF=K.sub.f .times.F.sub.m EQU F.sub.m =L+DL/E (2) EQU DL=[C(-1)-C(1)]/2 EQU C.sub.ex =C(0)-.vertline.DL.vertline. EQU E=MAX[C(1)-C(0),C(1)-C(0) . . . ]
Here, MAX (C.sub.a, C.sub.b) denotes the larger of C.sub.a and C.sub.b, while K.sub.f is a constant determined by the pitch width of the photo-electric conversion elements of the optical system and the image sensor. FIG. 6 shows a graphical representation of some of these variables. The defocus amount DF thus obtained needs to be checked to determine whether it represents a true defocus amount or if it is the result of fluctuations of the correlation amount due to noise and the like. A defocus amount satisfying the following criteria is accepted as having a sufficient confidence level. EQU E>E.sub.1 ( 3) EQU C.sub.ex /E<G1
where E.sub.1 and G.sub.1 represent certain predetermined values respectively. E is a value that depends on the contrast of the object. As the value of E becomes larger, the contrast becomes larger and the confidence level becomes higher. C.sub.ex /E depends on the coincidence level of the images, and the closer it is to 0, the higher the confidence level becomes. When a defocus amount is accepted as having a sufficient confidence level, the shooting lens 1 is driven based on the determined defocus amount DF. This explains the phase difference detection method.
The defocus amount of the shooting lens is detected repeatedly by executing the focus detection operation repeatedly using the above-stated focus detection method. As described above, once the defocus amount detected is accepted as having a sufficient confidence level, the shooting lens is driven based on the detected defocus amount until a defocus amount is obtained indicating that the focus condition of the shooting lens is in-focus or in a range considered to be in-focus.
Moreover, by repeating the focus detection operation, even after the defocus amount is determined to be in an in-focus condition or in a range approximately at the in-focus condition, driving of the shooting lens is resumed until a defocus amount is reached indicating that the shooting lens is determined to have exceeded the defocus amount indicating the in-focus or approximately in-focus condition. By continuing the focus detection operation in this manner, the shooting lens is always maintained in the in-focus condition.
Now, in the focus detection operation described above, the following problems occur even though the shooting lens is quick to focus on the object. For example, if the object to be focused temporarily moves out of the focus detection region due to shaking of the camera and the like, the shooting lens is driven to focus on another object (for example, the background) in the focus detection region, and then the shooting lens is re-started when the original object enters the focus detection region again. Shaking occurs easily, especially when using telephoto lenses. The fact that the shooting lens focusing is started immediately when the desired object leaves the focus detection region is not desirable since it causes a loss of picture taking opportunities. Moreover, if another object crosses between the desired object and the camera, the lens is driven to try to focus on the other object at the moment it enters the focus detection field. Then the shooting lens is re-started with an attempt to focus on the original object at the moment the other object leaves the focus detection region, causing a similar problem as above.


An automatically extendible and retractable awning for a vehicle. Awning material is connected at one end to a recreational vehicle and at the other end to a roller assembly, said roller assembly which is movable between a stored position where the awning material is wrapped around the roller assembly and is positioned adjacent the recreational vehicle and an extended position where the awning material extends away from the recreational vehicle. Mechanism provides energy to the roller assembly to effectuate movement of the roller assembly between the extended and the stored positions. Two support arm assemblies, each being mounted at one end to the recreational vehicle and at the other end to the roller assembly are movable between a stored position where the support arm assemblies are close and generally parallel to the side of the recreational vehicle and an extended position where the support arm assemblies extend away from the recreational vehicle. Two rafter arm assemblies are mounted at one end to the recreational vehicle and at the other end to an associated one of the support arm assemblies and are movable between a retracted position and an extended position where the rafter arm assemblies assist holding the roller assembly in the extended position thereof with the awning material unrolled and extending away from the recreational vehicle. Mechanism using pressurized fluid for operating the support arm assemblies to their extended position when the roller assembly is moving to its extended position thereof. Devices connect the mechanism to a source of fluid for automatically extending the awning.

This invention relates to awnings and, more particularly, to retractable automatic awning assemblies for attachment to recreational vehicles and other vehicles.
Heretofore, awnings mounted on a roller bar and attached to the sides of recreational vehicles, mobile homes, campers and other vehicles, have been extended outwardly and held in place by a pair of support arms attachable at one end to the roller bar with the other end mounted on the sides of the recreational vehicle. Typically, the support arms had been held outwardly by brace or rafter arms which have been held in place by manual locking devices. In most cases, these awnings are raised and lowered manually and no means have been provided for automatically extending and automatically retracting the entire awning apparatus.
Attempts have been made to build automatic retracting and extending features into recreational vehicle awnings, but as of the date of this application, there are no commercially available devices having these features, although U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,458 issued Jul. 10, 1979 to Marcellus and U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,683 issued Mar. 29, 1988 to Pozzi relate to the general subject matter of the invention. Moreover, the assignee of the Pozzi patent, that is Fiamma S.p.A. has advertised an electrically operated awning similar to the awning disclosed in FIG. 8A of the '683 patent. However, to the knowledge of the undersigned, there is no commercially available awning for a vehicle which combines both pneumatic and electrical means for operating the awning and which carry the roller mechanism in a roller bar as is traditionally shown in commercial awnings of the type illustrated by for instance, the Duda U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,324,869, 4,576,192 and 4,634,172 or the Marcellus '683 patent which also shows awnings of this particular type.

Automatic awning for recreational vehicles


A security device for a battery pack includes a cap, which covers at least a portion of a slide mechanism of a slide battery pack, and a strap. The cap includes a first collar disposed around a first opening and a second collar disposed around a second opening, with the first collar and the second collar aligned along a longitudinal axis of the slide battery pack. The strap matches a contour of the slide battery pack and includes a first projection and a second projection. The strap is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the slide battery pack and the cap is positioned over the strap with the first projection inserted through the first opening and the first collar and the second projection inserted through the second opening and the second collar to secure the cap to the strap and to the slide battery pack.

Security devices, or anti-theft devices, are used to deter the theft of goods, such as consumer products, from stores. Typically, it is desirable for the security devices to be hard to remove in the store or to be conspicuous if the consumer attempts to remove the security device in the store. At the same time, it is desirable for the security devices to be relatively easy for the consumer to remove outside of the store after purchasing the product. Furthermore, it is desirable to make the security device easy to attach to the product.


An electric-power connector consists of a plug (1) and a female element, i.e. a socket (2), said socket (2) bearing the grounding pin if any and comprising a mask (3) moved by a return means into its closed position in front of said socket's orifices (40, 20) in order to render said socket inoperative by sealing its orifices, the socket's orifices becoming operative again when the mask shall be moved by an actuating means mounted on the plug (1), said mask (3) being kept in its closed position by a lock (6). Said lock (6) consists of elements which are distinct from the mask (3), and where called for the plug (1) is fitted with an inserted unlocking control means (7) which, when mounted on said plug, drives the lock (6) of the mask (3), the driving of the mask (3) being determined by the means mounted on the plug.

As regards household appliances fed for instance with 110 or 220 volts, the plugs and sockets comprise two power conductors which as a rule are accompanied by a grounding wire. When the system includes such a grounding wire, it will be mounted on the socket and the orifice set aside for the plug in order to prevent any handling mistakes.
It was found early that the sockets may be dangerous to children who may insert metal objects (nails, screws, needles etc) into their orifices and thus may be electrocuted.
Accordingly it has already been suggested to mount protecting means on the sockets to render the orifice inoperative, said protective means being bypassed by the plug pins or by an additional control pin when the plug is inserted into the socket. Such devices fill two purposes: on one hand they safeguard the children from accidents and on the other hand they allow discriminating between appliances that can be hooked into a socket so fitted and those that must not be because only specific plugs comprise means to deactivate the orifice protecting means.
Illustratively, a household or shop may be equipped with electric power for all household appliances and various tools and further with special, ie "dedicated" electric power for sensitive equipment such as computers.
The French utility certificate 2,271,680 (Couqueberg) of 14 May 1974 discloses an electric-power connector comprising on one hand a socket with a mask sealing the socket orifices and thus making them inoperative, and on the other hand a plug which in addition to the two power pins also comprises an additional pin fitted with means to make the mask pivot to render the orifices accessible to the pins. This connector operates both as a safety and as a discrimination, i.e. a polarizing means, however a child still is able to rotate the mask.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,809 (Soloman) of 22 Jan. 1985 combines the plug with an adapter controlling the insertion of a plug into a socket. This device allows discriminating between equipment to be hooked up, and that which must not be, to a given power source, but on the other hand it fails to provide safety to children.
As regards the system marketed by applicant as SECURIPRISE in 1982 and 1983, the means rendering the socket orifices inoperative are two contact pawls which will elastically retract from the orifices when in the inactive position and which are advanced into the active position by thrust means resting on the plug. These pawls are connected to the electric power source whereas the orifices are fitted conventionally with current conductors. By interrupting the electric power in their inactive position, said pawls thus inactivate the socket's orifices.
Similarly to the case for the Couqueberg document 2,271,680, the advantage of such a connector is that, with the thrust means resting on a fitting adaptable to the plug, the user was free to make use of it or to disregard it.
However it has been found that the safety function of such a connector is inadequate because a child might insert a curved metal object simultaneously into the two orifices and thus receive an electric shock. Furthermore this kind of connector does not meet present safety codes.
According to present safety codes, such a connector not only must provide that the two orifices be closed, i.e. inactive, when the plug has been withdrawn, but also the protection offered by the safety device must be preserved when an object is inserted into one of the two orifices.
The Luxembourg patent 67,675 (Niko P.V.B.A.) of 26 Jul. 1973 discloses a socket with a cover some distance from its front surface evincing orifices which are axially aligned with those of said front surface, the latter being linked to the power wires. A rotating mask is present between said cover and said front surface and comprises two flexible arms which are present between the socket's corresponding orifices and which are fitted with studs that may lock into one of the orifices of the front surface of the socket when the two arms are NOT jointly driven by the two plug pins. Such a connector meets the safety code but does not allow discriminating between two power sources.
Applicant moreover marketed a mask comprising two flexible arms fitted with studs and similar to the above described mask but sliding within the connector and elastically returning into the closed position between the matching orifices of said socket.
Again British electric power sources are known comprising masks fitted to be kept in their closed positions. Such systems are based on the principle that in British power sources, the grounding pin if any is borne by the plug and is longer than the pins connected to the electric conductors. As a result they cannot be adapted to those devices wherein the grounding pin is borne by the socket.

Safety and/or polarizing devices of electric-power connectors

Professional General Electronic Products P.G.E.P.


An automatic language determining apparatus automatically determines the particular Asian language of the text image of a document when the gross script-type is known to be, or is determined to be, an Asian script-type. A connected component generating means generates connected components from the pixels comprising the text image. A character cell generating means generates a character cell surrounding at least one connected component. An optical density determining means determines the optical density, in absolute numbers or percentage of pixels, of the pixels within each character cell. A script feature determining means first generates a histogram, then converts, by linear discriminate analysis, the histogram to a point in a new coordinate space. A language determining means compares the determined point of the text portion in the new coordinate space to predetermined regimes in the new coordinate space corresponding to at least one Asian language to determine the particular Asian language of the text image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatic document recognition and, more particularly, to a method for automatically determining the language of the characters of the document.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical character recognition and the use of optical character recognition to convert scanned image data into text data suitable for use in a digital computer is well known. In addition, methods for converting scanned image data into text data and the types of errors such methods generate are well known. However, the proper selection of the character recognition method is highly dependent upon the script (alphabet or ideogram) used in the document. Further, the selection of a proper method for error correction is highly dependent upon the language of the document. Conventionally, the methods for optical character recognition and for error correction in optical character recognition systems have been provided on the assumption that the script and language used in the document is the usual script and language of the country in which the system is being used. That is, in the United States, conventional optical character recognition systems would assume that the document is in English and uses Roman script, while in Japan, an applicable character recognition system would be implemented assuming that the language is Japanese and uses the Japanese scripts. Alternately, an optical character recognition system can be implemented with the character recognition and error resolution methods for a plurality of languages.
However, it has heretofore not been possible to have the optical character recognition system automatically determine the script type and/or language of the document. Rather, as each document is provided to the optical character recognition system, some indication of the particular language and script of the document must be given to the optical character recognition system. This has been accomplished by either having the operator input data concerning the language and script of the document to the optical character recognition system, or by having the document provided with special markings which indicate the language and script of the document.

Method and apparatus for automatic language determination of Asian language documents


A device for dispensing a measured quantity of granular material from a container includes a cap adapted to be secured to the open end of the container, and a generally cup-like housing secured to the interior surface of the cap. A dispensing member is disposed within the housing, and is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the cap and housing by a lever which extends outwardly from the cap. The dispensing member includes a cylindrical chamber extending therethrough parallel to the axis thereof, and adapted to be rotated to register with an intake port in the housing to be filled with granular material. The dispensing member may be rotated to bring the chamber into registration with a discharge port extending through the cap.

Many granular comestible products, such as instant beverage mixes, are sold in jars which are closed by threaded caps. The quality of the granular comestible product deteriorates rapidly upon exposure to air, due in part to the large surface area of the granular composition. Thus, many instant beverage products are packed using an inner seal to exclude any contact with ambient air during shipping and marketing.
However, the inner seal must be removed to make use of the product; thereafter, the jar cap must be relied upon to preserve the freshness and flavor of the product. Ironically, the cap must be removed from the jar each time it is desired to use the product. Unscrewing and resecuring the jar top is a minor inconvenience to the user of the product, but repeated opening of the jar exposes the contents to large amounts of oxygen laden ambient air. For example, a large jar of instant coffee may be opened and resealed as many as two hundred times before the contents of the jar are completely used. Renewing the oxygen supply of the air within the jar two hundred times causes a serious deterioration in the flavor, aroma, and freshness of the product.