An intake air heating system for a vehicle includes an electrical switching device configured to selectively connect a battery of the vehicle to a heater coil in contact with intake air of the vehicle. The intake air heating system includes a control circuit configured to, in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current. The control circuit is configured to measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of an initial temperature of the heater coil and, in response to an estimated temperature of the heater coil exceeding a desired temperature value, modulate the electrical switching device to reduce current from the battery of the vehicle to the heater coil.

An air-fuel mixture for an internal combustion engine is harder to ignite when cold, leading to less complete combustion and increased emissions. Once the engine has warmed up, the cylinders may warm the air-fuel mixture sufficiently. However, at startup, the engine may have no heat to contribute to the air-fuel mixture. Cold start conditions are especially severe when the ambient air temperature is low. An intake air heating system may be used to heat air arriving at the engine. This system may be located within or prior to the intake manifold. The intake air heating system may be brought up to temperature prior to attempting to start the engine.
Heating the intake air may allow for easier ignition and may hold the fuel in suspension more effectively, leading to fewer fuel droplets falling out of suspension in the air. Intake air heating systems may allow for faster starts of the engine, may reduce startup emissions (sometimes evidenced as "white smoke"), reduce engine wear, reduce overall battery consumption during startup, and reduce startup fuel consumption.
In FIG. 1, a not-to-scale illustration of a truck 100 includes an engine 104 and an air heater 108. While not shown, the intake manifold for the engine 104 may contain the air heater 108. Based on a control signal from an engine controller 112, an air heater controller 116 connects a battery 120 to the air heater 108.
For example, the air heater controller 116 may include an electromechanical relay. The air heater controller 116 may also include a timer so that the air heater 108 does not reach an over-temperature condition. However, if the engine 104 is started from a warm condition, where the air heater 108 is not cold but warm, this time-out may be too long, and the air heater 108 may experience an over-temperature condition. This may increase wear on the air heater 108.
The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.


A method of initiating oxygen scavenging by compositions which comprise oxidizable organic compounds and transition metal catalysts is disclosed. The method comprises initiating scavenging by exposing the composition, etc., to radiation. The radiation exposure is preferably electron beam or ultraviolet light and is preferably used on oxygen scavenging compositions which comprise a substituted or unsubstituted ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon and a transition metal catalyst. Inclusion of a photoinitiator or antioxidant in the scavenging composition is also preferred to facilitate and/or control the composition's scavenging properties. The method can be used for initiating scavenging in packaging layers or articles for oxygen sensitive products such as food and beverage.

It is well known that limiting the exposure of oxygen-sensitive products to oxygen maintains and enhances the quality and "shelf-life" of the product. For instance, by limiting the oxygen exposure of oxygen sensitive food products in a packaging system, the quality of the food product is maintained, and food spoilage is avoided. In addition such packaging also keeps the product in inventory longer, thereby reducing costs incurred from waste and having to restock. In the food packaging industry, several means for limiting oxygen exposure have already been developed. At present, the more commonly used means include modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), vacuum packaging and oxygen barrier film packaging. In the first two instances, reduced oxygen environments are employed in the packaging, while in the latter instance, oxygen is physically prevented from entering the packaging environment.
Another, more recent, means for limiting oxygen exposure involves incorporating an oxygen scavenger into the packaging structure. Incorporation of a scavenger in the package can provide a uniform scavenging effect throughout the package. In addition, such incorporation can provide a means of intercepting and scavenging oxygen as it is passing through the walls of the package (herein referred to as an "active oxygen barrier"), thereby maintaining the lowest possible oxygen level throughout the package.
One example of an oxygen scavenger incorporated into an oxygen scavenging wall is illustrated in European Applications 301,719 and 380,319 as well as in PCT 90/00578 and 90/00504. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,515. The oxygen scavenger disclosed in these patent applications comprises a transition metal catalyst and polyamide. Through catalyzed scavenging by the polyamide, the package wall regulates the amount of oxygen which reaches the interior of the package (active oxygen barrier). However, it has been found that the onset of useful oxygen scavenging by this wall, i.e. up to about 5 cubic centimeters (cc) oxygen per square meter per day at ambient conditions, may not occur for as long as 30 days. See Example 10 herein. The delay before the onset of useful oxygen scavenging is hereinafter referred to as the induction period.
In fact, other oxygen scavengers and walls which incorporate these scavengers may also exhibit an induction period. For instance oxygen scavengers comprising a transition metal catalyst and an ethylenically unsaturated compound, e.g. polybutadiene, polyisoprene, dehydrated castor oil, etc., may exhibit induction periods. These scavengers are disclosed in copending Ser. No. 679,419, filed on Apr. 2, 1991 for "Compositions, Articles and Methods for Scavenging Oxygen". When the oxygen scavenger comprises a polybutadiene, the induction period can exceed thirty days. Scavengers comprising polyisoprene or dehydrated castor oil typically have shorter induction periods, i.e. about fourteen- and one-day delays respectively. As is evident, the duration of induction periods depends on several factors, some of which are not completely understood or controlled. Accordingly, when using oxygen scavengers having longer induction periods, it will be required to keep the scavenger or oxygen scavenging layers and articles prepared therefrom in inventory prior to using them as scavengers in order to provide reliable scavenging behavior. On the other hand, when using scavengers having shorter induction periods, the layers and articles prepared therefrom will have to be prepared quickly and put to use in a short time period, sometimes immediately, in order to get the maximum effectiveness as a scavenger. Otherwise, they would have to be stored in an oxygen-free atmosphere which can be costly.
One method which could be employed to initiate scavenging on demand in packages for oxygen-sensitive foods involves incorporating photooxidizable rubber, i.e. cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and a photosensitizing dye into the inner surface of a package and then exposing it to visible light. See Rooney, M. L., "Oxygen Scavenging: A Novel Use of Rubber Photo-oxidation", Chemistry and Industry, Mar. 20, 1982, pp. 197-198. However, while this method initiates oxygen scavenging within minutes, and thus allows one to initiate oxygen scavenging when desired, it requires constant exposure of the package to light to maintain the scavenging effect. Even further, because a dye is involved, it would be difficult to employ this method for applications which require colorless packaging, especially the transparent and usually colorless packaging used with food and beverage products.

Methods and compositions for oxygen scavenging


A shaped offset parabolic antenna is disclosed which provides improved gain when receiving satellite broadcasts from geosynchronous transmission sources spaced substantially 10 degrees apart. The surface of the reflector is defined by a Zernike expansion mapped to a unit circle. The values of the parameters of the Zernike expansion are selected to provide a shaped reflector surface which focuses beams from the three separate sources onto three focal points such that the gain of the antenna is maximized. A peak beam gain for an offset beam of substantially 33.9 dBi has been achieved.

Conventional television delivery services have relied primarily upon cable delivery systems to supply a large number of television channels to consumers. A drawback to cable delivery systems is the high cost of the physical infrastructure. In particular, transmission cables must be routed to every household to which the television services are offered. Another drawback is the physical limitations on the number of channels which can be carried through the cable.
An alternative to cable delivery systems is the use of satellite receivers. Early satellite systems used a large dish antenna which was directed to one of several geosynchronous television relay satellites. Such systems arc expensive and the size of the dish required limits where the systems can be used.
More recently, direct broadcast televisions systems using small parabolic receiving dishes, i.e., on the order of three feet in diameter or less, have become popular. Coupled with improvements in receiving electronics and the use of dedicated satellite systems, these types of systems are inexpensive enough to compete with established cable delivery systems and are superior in many locations where a cable infrastructure has not been completed.
However, conventional satellite-based direct-broadcast television systems suffer from bandwidth limitations which force the content providers to limit the number of stations which are provided to the consumer. Although the limitations are not typically as severe as those in cable-based systems, market pressures are forcing content suppliers to offer more programs than can be carried on a single satellite. For example, while satellite television providers have been recently granted the right to carry local television signals, many systems do not have the excess capacity to include these additional signals. In addition, reliability considerations caution against using only a single satellite for delivery since a failure of the satellite will shut down the entire system until the fault is resolved.
In response to these factors, direct broadcast television systems which use multiple satellites are presently contemplated. In a particular system, a constellation of three geosynchronous satellites is planned, wherein the satellites are spaced at ten-degree intervals. The use of multiple satellites complicates the reception of the broadcast signals because the antenna can only be directed towards one satellite. Signals received from additional satellites will be reflected to points outside of the focal point of the antenna and distortions will be introduced. To compensate for this distortion, more sophisticated circuitry must be used, increasing the cost of the overall system.
Shaped antennas are often used for systems which transmit and/or receive from multiple points. These antennas have a reflecting surface which has been modified to improve performance in selected environments. A typical application for shaped antennas is on the broadcast antennas carried by communications satellites. Because the broadcast signal from these satellites must be received across a wide area, e.g., the continental United States, the antennas arc shaped to produce a broadcast beam that spans many degrees with an essentially uniform signal strength. Such antennas are typically modified spherical or torroidial antennas.
Although there are a variety of shaped antennas for use in different environments, the present designs are not particularly configured to receive three separate beams from three narrowly spaced geosynchronous satellites, such as satellites spaced at ten-degree intervals. While use of a conventional reflector configuration provides adequate results, the side beams are distorted and therefore have lower signal strength and increased noise susceptibility. One remedy is to increase the dish size. However, small dishes are preferred for use in mass-marketed direct television delivery systems.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a specially shaped antenna which provides improved reception from three geosynchronous satellites that are spaced at ten-degree intervals.
It would also be advantageous if such an antenna were relatively small, e.g., on the order of 2 to 3 feet in diameter, so as to be usable in the mass-consumer market.


A fuel dispenser comprises fuel flow piping defining a flow path from a source of fuel toward a fueling nozzle. A plurality of fuel handling components are disposed along the fuel flow piping. Control electronics, in operative communication with the fluid handling components, include a multi-core processor having at least two processor cores located on a common integrated circuit chip, the at least two processor cores utilizing different operating systems in an asynchronous manner.

Retail fueling environments usually include a plurality of fuel dispensers located in a forecourt area outside of a convenience store building. Typically, the fuel dispensers will each be equipped with pay-at-the-pump capability by which the customer can perform the fueling transaction using a user interface on the respective fuel dispenser. For example, the customer can present a credit or debit card using a card reader installed on the fuel dispenser's user interface to pay for the fuel without entering the store. Internally, the dispensers typically contain flow meters, pulsers, control electronics, valves, manifolds, and internal piping. Many of these components are subject to regulatory requirements to maintain a high degree of accuracy.
Various additional systems may also be provided in the fuel dispensing environment, some external and some internal to the fuel dispenser. For example, the convenience store will generally be equipped with a point-of-sale (POS) system to handle certain functions relating to transactions that occur in the retail fueling environment. Transactions are recorded using the POS for inventory reconciliation and other recordkeeping purposes. In addition, the POS may allow the station's manager the ability to set options associated with the POS or the service station, such as the appearance of receipts issued by the stations' dispensers.
Traditionally, the POS was also configured to handle payment processing and included forecourt control functionality. More recently, some fueling environments have been deployed in which payment processing and forecourt control is handled by a separate device, which may be referred to as "enhanced dispenser hub." Such a device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,438,064, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. In addition, there is a desire to provide video and audio at the fuel dispenser for advertising or entertainment purposes. In this regard, a separate media source may interact with the fuel dispenser's display(s), as described in U.S. Pub. No. 20090265638, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Generally speaking, separate computers are provided to handle the disparate functions of dispenser control, forecourt systems, media, automation, and connectivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fuel dispenser having integrated control electronics


The present invention is related to a method for removal of silicon carbide layers and in particular amorphous SiC of a substrate. Initially, the exposed part of a carbide-silicon layer is at least partly converted into an oxide-silicon layer by exposing the carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen containing plasma. The oxide-silicon layer is then removed from the substrate.

The present invention is related to a method for removal of silicon carbide layers and in particular amorphous SiC of a substrate.
The present invention is also related to an integrated circuit implementing said method.
SiC (Silicon Carbide), particularly amorphous SiC, is known as a chemically very stable component. In semiconductor processing, many modules, defined as a set of subsequent basic steps, require the presence of a thin layer which remains substantially unaffected by the operation being performed, i.e. so-called semi-inert layers. Particularly, such a semi-inert layer can be used as a hard mask layer during dry etch, or as an etch stop layer during wet/dry etch, or as stopping layer for a Chemical-Mechanical polishing process (CMP) or for many other applications. For instance, these semi-inert layers can also be used as diffusion barrier layers. Due to it""s high chemical stability, the use of a SiC layer as a semi-inert layer may have benefits over other materials such as silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, especially for those applications where selectivity to the operation being performed is of high importance for successful implementation. In addition, SiC layers may be superior in terms of barrier properties.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,071 is related to interconnect structures incorporating a silicon carbide layer as a diffusion barrier layer particularly between a dielectric and a highly conductive metal layer with a resistivity less than about 2.5 microhm-centimetres. Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,071 does not disclose the use of a silicon carbide layer as an etch stop layer and a diffusion barrier layer in pre-metal dielectric structures, particularly between a silicide layer and a dielectric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,071 does not disclose how to pattern or to remove the silicon carbide layer selectively to the underlying layer, in casu a metal layer.
Although a silicon carbide layer is a very attractive layer to use in semiconductor processing and particularly in interconnect structures and dielectric structures, its high chemical stability can also be fits biggest disadvantage. SiC suffers from the fact that it is very difficult (if not impossible at all) to remove and particularly to remove it selectively. Some examples of process flows where such removal is required are: the stopping layers in the CMP operations for definition of field area""s using the shallow trench isolation approach; and the use as etch stop layers for contact and via definition, where the process flow requires the selective removal of the etch stop layer at the bottom of the contact/via to obtain low contact/via resistance. Another example is also related to the use of SiC as a stopping layer in CMP applications. The cleaning after CMP usually relies on under-etching of the particles/residues. This requires that the surface from which particles and/or residues need to be removed can be etched isotropically in a very controlled way. However, due to the high chemical stability of SiC, particles and/or residues on top of the SiC layer can not be under-etched and therefore, cleaning becomes rather difficult.
Document EP-A-0845803 discloses the removal of a surface portion of a crystalline SiC film. First, defects are introduced in the top layer, thereafter, the top layer is converted into a silicon oxide layer by a thermal oxidation treatment typically at a temperature of 1100xc2x0 C. This renders this process unsuited for use in interconnect structures and pre-metal dielectric (PMD) structures because active devices are already defined and therefore only limited thermal treatments can be applied, i.e. typically 600xc2x0 C. or below. Moreover, the silicide layers in the PMD structures, are also not compatible with temperatures above 650xc2x0 C., while most metal features in the interconnect structures are not compatible with temperatures typically above about 400xc2x0 C.
It is an aim of the invention to remove exposed layers of a SiC layer by converting at least a major part of said SiC layer in silicon (di)oxide or silicon oxide based layers. Particularly this conversion is performed at low temperatures, preferably 600xc2x0 C. or below, in an oxygen-containing plasma. Thereafter the converted part of said SiC layer is removed.
It is a further aim of the invention to provide a method for fabricating an interconnect structures, including PMD structures, using SiC as etch stop layer and/or diffusion barrier layer by using the afore-mentioned method for in-situ selective removal of exposed layers of the SiC layer.
It is still a further aim of the invention to provide an interconnect structure, particularly a PMD structure wherein a SiC layer can be used as an etch stop layer between a conductive layer and the surrounding dielectric.
This invention is about the selective removal of exposed layers of SiC layers which allows the use of this highly chemically stable material for a wide range of applications. At least for the purpose of this disclosure a carbide-silicon layer is an insulating layer being composed of at least Si and C, e.g., but not limited hereto, SiC, or at least Si, C and O, e.g. silicon oxycarbide, or at least Si, C and N, e.g. nitrided silicon carbide (SiNC) or at least Si, N, O and C, e.g. nitrided silicon oxycarbide (SiNOC), or at least Si, C and H e.g. amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (SiC:H), or at least Si, C, N and H, e.g. hydrogenated SiNC, or at least Si, O, C, N and H, e.g. hydrogenated SINOC. For the purpose of this disclosure, an oxide-silicon layer is a layer composed of at least Si and O, e.g. silicon (di)oxide, or of Si, O and a smaller fraction of C and/or a smaller fraction of N and/or a smaller fraction of H, for example silicon (di)oxide wherein the fraction of C and/or N and/or H smaller is than the fraction of O.
In an aspect of the invention, a method for removing at least partly an exposed part of a carbide-silicon layer formed on a substrate is disclosed comprising the steps of:
converting at least paritly said exposed part of said carbide-silicon layer into an oxide-silicon layer by exposing said carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen containing plasma,
removing said oxide-silicon layer from said substrate.
Said exposed part can be, but is not limited hereto, an exposed part in an opening or can De at least an exposed part of a layer.
This method can be applied in-situ. The substrate can be, but is not limited hereto, a partly processed or a pristine wafer or slice of a semi-conductive material, like Si or Ga As or Ge, or an insulating material, e.g. a glass slice, or a conductive material. Said substrate can comprise a patterned conductive layer. Particularly, in case said substrate is a partly processed wafer or slice; at least a part of the active and/or passive devices can already be formed and/or at least a part of the structures interconnecting these devices can be formed.
For the purpose of this disclosure, plasma should be understood as a conventional plasma such as a reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma or a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) plasma, or a plasma afterglow. By exposing said carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen-containing plasma, energy is given to the oxygen containing species, such that carbide-silicon is at least partly converted into oxide-silicon. This energy can be e.g. thermal energy or kinetic energy, e.g. by the formation of ions.
In an embodiment of the invention, a method as recited in the first aspect of this invention is disclosed, wherein said conversion step and said removal step are subsequently repeated for a number of times until said carbide-silicon layer is substantially removed.
In an embodiment of the invention, the conversion from a part of the carbide-silicon laver to an oxide-silicon layer can be performed by exposing the carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen-containing reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma. Particularly, the substrate including the carbide-silicon layer can be introduced in a pressurised chamber of a plasma-etch tool. The pressure can be lower than 3 Torr and preferably between 1 mTorr and 1 Torr. The temperature in said chamber can be 300xc2x0 C. or below; or preferably below 100xc2x0 C. This temperature can also be in the range from xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C. Preferably, said temperature is about room temperature. The energy of the RIE plasma can be between 1 eV and 500 eV, such that ionic species can be formed.
In another embodiment, the conversion from a part of the carbide-silicon layer to an oxide-silicon layer can be performed by exposing the carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen-containing CVD plasma. The substrate including the carbide-silicon layer can be introduced in a pressurised chamber of a chemical vapour deposition tool. The pressure can be, but is not limited hereto, higher than 5 Torr, e.g. 10 Torr. The temperature can be in the range between 250xc2x0 C. and 550xc2x0 C., preferably in the range between 350xc2x0 C. and 500xc2x0 C.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the conversion from a part of the carbide-silicon layer to an oxide-silicon layer can be performed by exposing the carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen-containing plasma afterglow. Particularly, the substrate including the carbide-silicon layer can be introduced in a pressurised chamber of a plasma tool. Said plasma afterglow can be characterised, but is not limited hereto, by a pressure in the range from 0.02 Torr to 3 Torr, and in the range between 0.2 Torr and 1.5 Torr and preferably between 0.75 Torr and 1.25 Torr, e.g. about 0.85 Torr or about 1.1 Torr. The flow of the oxygen containing substance can be lower than 10000 Sccm and preferably, but not limited hereto, about 4000 Sccm.
The temperature in said chamber is preferably 600xc2x0 C. or below. This temperature can also be in the range from 100 to 600xc2x0 C. and also in the range from 200 to 400xc2x0 C. and also in the range from 200 to 300xc2x0 C. This temperature is preferably, but not limited hereto, about 230xc2x0 C.
In another aspect of the invention, an integrated circuit on a substrate with at least one conductive layer being partly exposed is disclosed, said circuit comprising:
a conductive layer deposited on a semiconducting layer,
at least one dielectric layer having at least one opening extending through said dielectric layer to expose at least a part of said conductive layer,
a carbide-silicon layer being formed at least on said conductive layer and being positioned between said dielectric layer and said conductive layer adjacent to said exposed part of said conductive layer.
Said conductive layer can be a pure metal or a metal alloy of the group of metals consisting of Al, Cu, W, Pt, Ag, Ni, Au, Co, Ti, Ta; or a Si-containing or other semiconductor-containing layer such as, but not limited hereto, e.g. a silicide, a polysilicon or a silicon layer. Said semiconducting layer can be a silicon containing layer, a GaAs layer, a Ge layer or a SiGe layer. Said dielectric layer has preferably a dielectric constant of less than about 4.
In an embodiment the invention an integrated circuit comprising an interconnect structure on a substrate having a surface with at least one exposed Si-containing layer, particularly a PMD structure, is disclosed. This interconnect structure further comprises:
a conformal silicide layer on said exposed Si-containing layer;
at least one dielectric layer on said surface of said substrate having at least one opening, said opening extending through said dielectric layer to thereby define an exposed part of said silicide layer; and
a carbide-silicon layer being formed at least on said silicide layer and being positioned between said dielectric layer and said silicide layer adjacent to said exposed part of said silicide layer.
A silicide layer can be a compound comprising silicon and at least one of the group comprising Co, Ti, Ta, Co, Mb, Ni, Pt and W.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit on a substrate having a surface with at least one conductive layer on a semiconducting layer is disclosed. This conductive layer can be a pure metal or a metal alloy of the group of metals consisting of Al, Cu, W, Pt, Ag, Ni, Au, Co, Ti, Ta; or a Si-containing or other semiconductor-containing layer such as, but not limited hereto, e.g. a silicide, a polysilicon or a silicon layer.
This method comprises the steps of:
forming a carbide-silicon layer at least on said conductive layer;
depositing at least one dielectric layer on said surface and on said carbide-silicon layer;
forming at least one opening in said dielectric layer extending through said dielectric layer to thereby expose a part of said carbide-silicon layer formed on said conductive layer;
in-situ converting said exposed part of said carbide-silicon layer in said opening into a oxide-silicon layer by exposing said exposed part of said carbide-silicon layer in said opening to an oxygen-containing plasma; and
removing said oxide-silicon layer in said opening.
Said conversion step and said removal step can subsequently be repeated for a number or times until at least a part of said conductive layer is exposed.

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)


A composite profile evaluating method includes an adjusting step and a composite profile detecting step. In the adjusting step, a relative position between a fixed cam and a movable cam is adjusted. In the composite profile detecting step, at least either one of a first contact element, which is displaced along a diametrical direction of the fixed cam upon contacting a cam surface of the fixed cam, and a second contact element, which is displaced integrally with the first contact element and along a diametrical direction of the movable cam upon contacting a cam surface of the movable cam, is brought into contact with the cam surface of the fixed cam or the movable cam. In such a state, the composite profile is obtained by rotating the fixed cam and the movable cam, and detecting the amounts of displacement of the first and second contact elements.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite profile evaluating method and a composite profile measuring device for a camshaft that opens and closes an engine valve provided in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in accordance with a composite profile corresponding to the relative positioning of a pair of a fixed cam and a movable cam.
Description of the Related Art
For example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 07-190702, there is proposed an inspection method for a camshaft having cams of the same shape and same phase. More specifically, contact elements, which are capable of moving in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the camshaft, are brought into contact with the circumferential surfaces of the aforementioned two cams, and the camshaft is rotated in this state. In accordance therewith, it is determined that the smaller the amount of relative movement of, both contact elements to be detected, the higher the dimensional accuracy and assembly accuracy of the cams becomes.
Incidentally, for example, according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-054410, in order to arbitrarily control the opening angles of engine valves of an internal combustion engine, instead of cams of the same shape and same phase, a camshaft has been proposed which comprises movable cams and fixed cams for which the relative positioning (phase difference) therebetween is variable.
With such a camshaft, since the phases of the fixed cams and the movable cams are not limited to being mutually the same, even if the detection method of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 07-190702 were applied thereto, it would be difficult to evaluate the state of the cam surfaces. Consequently, it is indispensable to evaluate the state of respective cam surfaces separately, by bringing contact elements into abutment against each of the fixed cams and the movable cams.

Composite profile evaluating method and composite profile measuring device


In one embodiment, an audio recorder is disclosed that interfaces with an automobile radio. The audio recorder includes a radio tuner that receives radio frequency signals and converts the signals to audio output and an audio comparator that compares audio output from the radio tuner with audio output of the automobile radio and tunes the radio tuner until the audio output of the audio tuner is synchronized with the audio output of the automobile radio. An audio storage device is activatable to record the audio output of the radio tuner for later playback.

In order to relieve the sometimes monotonous task of driving and for providing entertainment and information for the driver and passengers, the vast majority of automobiles are equipped with AM/FM or satellite radios. Indeed, many radio broadcasts are targeted at automobile travelers, for example, "drive time" segments and traffic information broadcasts.
Many people are in their car at the same time each day, for example peak hour to and from work, and develop a loyalty for a particular program. Other listeners include commercial travelers, such as courier drivers, who spend most of the day in the car or truck, but need to frequently stop, for example, to make deliveries or collections.
There are many situations, however, when listening to the radio is stopped or interrupted prior to the end of the desired program. This includes arrival at the destination, having to stop to make a pick-up or delivery, or an increase in traffic noise. Also, a change in the time of a regular journey may mean missing out on listening to all or part of a person's favorite program. A program may also be forgotten or missed due to other passengers in the automobile wanting to listen to a different station.


The application discloses a transparent, biaxially oriented polyester film having a base layer at least 80% by weight of which is composed of a thermoplastic polyester, and having at least one outer layer, wherein the outer layer is composed of a polymer, or of a mixture of polymers, which comprises at least 40% by weight of ethylene 2,6-naphthalate units and up to 40% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units and/or units from cycloaliphatic or aromatic diols and/or dicarboxylic acids, with the proviso that the Tg2 value of the polyester film is above the Tg2 value of the base layer but below the Tg2 value of the outer layer, and at least one film surface has a surface tension of from 35 to 65 mN/m and/or has been provided with a functional coating of thickness from 5 to 100 nm. The film has low atmospheric oxygen transmission. It is particularly suitable for packaging uses, specifically for packaging foods and other consumable items, and for laminating, metallizing and printing.

Food and drink packaging frequently demands a high barrier effect with respect to gases, water vapor and flavors. For this reason, use is usually made of polypropylene films which have been metallized or have been coated with polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC). However, metallized polypropylene films are not transparent and are therefore not used in cases where the view of the contents is likely to have added promotional effect. Although films coated with PVDC are transparent, the coating, like the metallizing, takes place in a second operation which makes the packaging markedly more expensive. Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH) likewise exhibit a strong barrier effect. However, films modified with EVOH are particularly highly moisture-sensitive, and this limits their range of applications. In addition, because of their poor mechanical properties they have relatively high thickness or have to be laminated with other materials at high cost, and they are also difficult to dispose of after use. Some raw materials, furthermore, have not been approved by the authorities or are unsuitable for producing food and drink packaging.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a transparent, biaxially oriented polyester film which has a high oxygen barrier and at least one additional functionality, and which can be produced simply and cost-effectively, has the good physical properties of the known films and does not give rise to disposal problems.

Transparent polyester film with high oxygen barrier and additional functionality, its use and process for its production


Liquid crystal sunglasses indicating overexposure to UV-radiation comprising a pair of liquid-crystal lenses (12 and 14) a rim (10), a bridge portion (14) which support the lenses, and a pair of temples (18 and 20) which supported by the rim. The rim (10) supports a pair of solar cells (28 and 30) and a dual-photodetector sensor (26) which can separately measure an incident UV-A radiation and a UV-B radiation and convert these radiations into electric signals. The sunglasses's rim also incorporates a microcontroller (36). The lenses have a laminated structure composed of a color mask (43), an input polarizing plate (44), a liquid crystal cell (50) sandwiched between a pair of voltage-controlled active matrices, and an output polarizing plate (46). Each active matrix consists of a plurality of sets of pixels which control the transmission of light through the respective color cells of a mosaic mask. The microcontroller also incorporates a frequency generator (104) and a memory unit. The memory stores an algorithm for calculating thresholds of UV radiation. When these thresholds are exceeded the lenses give to the wearer a warning signal either changing the color of the lenses or causing blinking.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to devices for detecting radiation, particularly to devices for determining skin-damaging levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
2. Description of Prior Art
Solar radiation reaching the earth consists of electromagnetic energy ranging from ultraviolet (UV) light to infrared (IR) light. UV radiation is further subdivided into three types: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. UV-C radiation has wavelengths in the range of 200 to 285 nanometers (nm) and is totally absorbed by the earth's atmosphere. UV-B, ranging from about 285 to 318 nm, is known to cause skin cancer in humans. UV-A, from about 315 to 400 nm, is mostly responsible for tanning the skin. However, UV-A has also been found to play some role in skin cancer and is the cause of eye cataracts, solar retinitis, and corneal dystrophies.
Based on general principles and techniques for radiometry and photometry, several UV radiation-measuring and warning instruments have been developed and made commercially available.
A personal UV radiometer, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,548 to Nahum Gat, 1991, includes an LCD display, a photocell, and an integrated circuit for processing subject inputs and UV radiation data.
However, this radiometer is unable to correctly monitor levels of UV radiation when it is not directly exposed to solar rays, i.e., when it is placed in the shade. Moreover, the device does not take into account the changes in skin pigmentation which occur while a person is being exposed to solar radiation. Furthermore, this device is not optimally convenient, since it is intended to be attached to an article of clothing and may restrict the movement of a person during vigorous physical activity, for instance, a volleyball game.
Another apparatus, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,632 to Frank Bianco et al., 1991, comprises an electronic wristwatch having a digital readout for displaying the time, the day, and the month. It also incorporates a photodiode for detecting skin-damaging UV radiation, a microcomputer, and four function buttons.
This device, however, is not subject-friendly due to its large number of functions, many of which are superfluous. Moreover, like the radiometer, the wristwatch does not take into account skin pigmentation changes which occur during exposure to UV radiation. Furthermore, it can not monitor UV radiation when placed in the shade.
All of the above cited prior-art devices are based on the assumption that the amount of UV radiation that may be safely tolerated by human skin is independent of the intensity of incident radiation and is determined only by the total accumulated energy. Even though some prior-art devices directly measure the intensity level of incident radiation, this measurement is not factored into the calculation of a safe UV energy threshold.
The applicants propose to solve this problem by providing a noseshade for monitoring exposure to UV radiation by separately measuring UV-A and UV-B radiation doses (U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,600 issued Sep. 29, 1992 to M. Black). The UV radiation control system of the nosepiece incorporates a pair of photodetectors with appropriate narrow-band pass optical filters for transmitting the UV-A and UV-B spectral components, respectively. The outputs of these photodetectors are connected to an integrated central processor unit (CPU). The output of the CPU, in turn, is connected to an indicator, such as a piezoelectric element which produces an audible signal when the daily threshold dose of UV-A radiation is exceeded.
Although such a device may provide a reliable indication of overexposure, it has a number of disadvantages which are the following: 1) it is not a common practice to wear nosepieces because people feel conspicuous covering their noses and are embarrassed to wearing such nosegear; 2) the audible warning signal is not always heard by the wearer, especially when the wearer of the nosepiece in on a noisy beach.

Liquid-crystal sunglasses indicating overexposure to UV-radiation


An exemplary liquid crystal display (50) includes plural integrated circuit bonding regions (51), plural flexible printed circuit bonding regions (52), and plural wires (53). Each of the wires includes a first branch (535) connecting to a corresponding one of the integrated circuit bonding regions, and two second branches (538). Each of the second branches connects between the first branch and a corresponding one of the flexible printed circuit bonding regions. The liquid crystal display can provide high reliability.

A typical LCD includes a plurality of ICs (integrated circuits) and an FPC (flexible printed circuit). The ICs are used for operating the LCD, and the FPC interconnects various electronic components and elements of the LCD. Nowadays, it is customary for the ICs and the FPC to be directly bonded onto a main substrate of the LCD via an ACF (anisotropic conductive film). Generally, bonding regions are pre-formed at the substrate, and a part of each of the bonding regions is electrically connected with one or more metal conducting wires.
Referring to FIG. 3, a typical substrate 10 of a liquid crystal display includes a plurality of driving IC bonding regions 11, a plurality of FPC bonding regions 12, and a plurality of metal conducting wires 13. The driving IC bonding regions 11 are used to bond one or more driving ICs thereat, and the FPC bonding regions 12 are used to bond an FPC thereat. Each of the driving IC bonding regions 11 is electrically coupled to a corresponding FPC bonding region 12 by a corresponding wire 13. A section of the wire 13 adjacent to the FPC bonding region 12 is trapezoidal-shaped, and tapers from the FPC bonding region 12 toward the driving IC bonding region 11. A section of the wire 13 adjacent to the driving IC bonding region 11 is rectangular, and has a uniform width. Any transverse width of the trapezoidal-shaped section of the wire 13 is greater than the width of the rectangular section of the wire 13. A joint portion 131 is defined where the trapezoidal-shaped section of the wire 13 meets the rectangular section of the wire 13.
When electrostatic discharge (ESD) occurs in the liquid crystal display, electric charges are liable to transfer between the FPC bonding regions 12 and corresponding driving IC bonding regions 11 via the wires 13. The joint portions 131 interconnecting the trapezoidal-shaped sections and the rectangular sections of the wires 13 are the equivalent of electrical path resistive "bottlenecks". That is, when electric charges transfer from the trapezoidal-shaped sections to the rectangular sections, the electric charges are prone to concentrate at the joint portions 131. When this happens, the wires 13 are liable to burn out and break the corresponding circuits. Therefore, the liquid crystal display with the substrate 10 may have poor reliability.
Accordingly, what is needed is a liquid crystal display that can overcome the above-described deficiencies.

Liquid crystal display having branched wiring between IC bonding regions and FPC bonding regions


Thermoformed double tray system for cultivation of plants including a top tray which is stacked with a bottom tray. The top tray has cells for receiving a substrate. The bottom tray provides rigidity to the double tray system. The bottom tray has a baseplate which is provided with support elements to support the top tray. The baseplate has an outer edge which defines the outer contour of the bottom tray. A groove shaped deepening in the baseplate is extending in parallel with the outer edge. The deepening increases a bending stiffness of the bottom tray and provides rigidity to the double tray system. The deepening is provided with a reinforcing ribs which cross the deepening.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a plastic double tray system for cultivating plants. The double tray system is configured to be used through an automatic sowing or transporting line. The double tray system comprises a bottom tray and a top tray. In particular, the double tray system is manufactured by thermoforming. In a thermoforming process a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product.
2. Background Art
Such a plastic double tray system is disclosed in EP2.324.696 in the name of the same applicant. This known double tray system is manufactured by thermoforming and has a stiffness and stability comparable to expanded polystyrene trays. The double tray system is configured for seed sowing and seedling transplantation. The double tray system has a top tray and a bottom tray. The top tray includes a plurality of cells and is configured for receiving seeds or seedlings. The bottom tray is configured to support the top tray and to provide rigidity to the double tray system. The bottom tray has a bottom side which has a rectangular outer contour defined by four straight outer edges. In a greenhouse, the double tray system is normally placed on a framework, in which the double tray system is supported by only two horizontally parallel extending support bars of the framework. Two opposite outer edges of the double tray system rests on the two horizontal bars. Hence, the double tray system is only supported at two end regions. A middle region at the bottom side of the double tray system is not supported, such that the double tray system is hanging in between the horizontal bars.
Due to the presence of the bottom tray which supports the top tray, the double tray system has a rigidity which allows such placement on two parallel horizontally extending supports at two opposite outer edges of the double tray system. However, it is still desired to increase the rigidity of the double tray system to prevent the double tray system from hanging down too far in between the two support elements.
The general object of the present invention is to at least partially eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks and/or to provide a useable alternative. More specific, it is an object of the invention to provide a more rigid double tray system.

Double tray system for seed sowing or seedling transplantation


A movement assistance device includes: a back plate that is fitted onto the back of a wearer; a back frame that has an elongated shape and is supported by a rotating shaft fixed to the back plate so as to be rotatable in a plane parallel to the back plate; a side frame that is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft fixed to the back frame and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the back frame and extends from the back frame toward the vicinity of the side waist of the wearer; a thigh holding portion that is fitted onto the anterior thigh of the wearer; and a drive portion that is connected to each of the side frame and the thigh holding portion and generates force that increases the angle between the side frame and the thigh holding portion.

There are movement assistance devices that are fitted onto persons and assist movements of the persons fitted with the movement assistance devices (hereinafter, referred to as wearers). Specifically, for example, when the wearers move to lift a heavy object, the movement assistance device generates part of the force required for the movement to reduce the force to be generated by the wearers. In this way, the movement assistance devices assist a movement of the wearers by covering part of the force to be generated by the wearers.
The movement assistance devices are roughly divided into two types: one is a grounded type, and the other is a non-grounded type. The grounded-type movement assistance device is provided in contact with the ground. The wearer who rides on the movement assistance device is assisted by the movement assistance device. Since the wearer rides on the movement assistance device placed on the ground, the wearer does not need to support the weight of the movement assistance device. The grounded-type movement assistance device is used in an application for assisting a movement with relatively large or complicated force.
In contrast, the non-grounded-type movement assistance device is not in contact with the ground and is fitted onto part of the body of the wearer. The wearer who is fitted with the movement assistance device is assisted by the movement assistance device. Since the movement assistance device is fitted onto the body of the wearer, the wearer needs to support the weight of the movement assistance device. Furthermore, the non-grounded-type movement assistance device is fitted by, for example, being slung over the shoulders of the wearer or being wound around the waist of the wearer, and therefore is likely to limit a free movement of the wearer compared with the case of the grounded-type movement assistance device. The non-grounded-type movement assistance device is used in an application for simpler and easier assistance on the movement with relatively small force.
Japanese Patent No. 5526444 discloses a non-grounded-type movement assistance device. This movement assistance device assists forward bending action of the wearer.
The movement assistance device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5526444 includes a back frame and the like formed from a rigid member in order to maintain the structure of the movement assistance device. The rigid member maintains the form, thereby limiting a free movement of the wearer.
The present invention is conceived in order to solve the aforementioned existing problem and has an object to provide a movement assistance device that assists a movement of a wearer while maintaining the degree of freedom of the movement.


Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a piece of luggage for storing, transporting, and showcasing shoes. The piece of luggage may include a body having an interior and a closable cover configured to close off the interior and a display case mounted within the interior of the body, the display case comprising at least one transparent display window. The display case may be sized and shaped to accommodate at least one pair of shoes, and the shoes may be viewable through the display window from an exterior of the display case and from an exterior of the piece of luggage.

The embodiments herein relate generally to luggage, and more particularly, to a piece of luggage for storing and showcasing shoes.
Conventional luggage is not designed specifically to store, transport, and showcase shoes. Shoes tend to get damaged or squished when placed in a conventional carry-on and, when placed in checked luggage, shoes tend to get damaged going through baggage claim.
Therefore, what is needed is a piece of luggage specifically designed to store, transport, and showcase shoes.


The crosslinkable nematic polyorganosiloxanes are cyclic polyorganosiloxanes containing at least three different mesogenic side groups per polyorganosiloxane, where at least two mesogenic side groups per polyorganosiloxane each contain at least three radicals selected from aromatic, heteroaromatic and cycloaliphatic radicals. They contain a methacrylic or acrylic group in at least one of the mesogenic side groups. The cyclic polyorganosiloxanes have a broad nematic phase and can be readily aligned.

Low-molecular-weight nematic compounds are used in a wide variety of display elements, such as watches, pocket calculators and displays, and are distinguished by good alignability and switchability in the electric field. However, the aligned structure is not particularly stable without an applied electric field.
Applications in polarizers, retarders, etc., require compounds which have good nematic, thermally stable alignment. In addition, applications in polarizers need a nematic phase in a broad temperature range, since introduction of auxiliaries (for example dyes) can cause a narrowing of the nematic phase.
A known way of fixing liquid-crystalline properties is to bind the liquid crystals into polymeric networks, by subsequent crosslinking of aligned liquid-crystalline side-chain polymers. However, liquid-crystalline side-chain polymers are in general more difficult to align than low-molecular-weight liquid crystals owing to their higher viscosity, which generally rises with molecular weight. Examples of readily alignable liquid-crystalline side-chain polymers are cholesteric siloxanes. If the cholesterol in these materials is replaced by simple compounds which favor the formation of a nematic phase (nematogenic compounds), although nematic compounds are generally obtained, they only have a small phase width and are not readily alignable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,877 describes a nematic compound which is based on cyclic polysiloxanes and mesogens containing two aromatic rings and which has only a narrow nematic phase of 69.degree. and moderate alignability.

Consortium f ur elektrochemische Industrie GmbH


A plate material processing system includes a plate material processing machine and a loader. The plate material processing machine holds a front end portion of an unprocessed plate material by a work holder and moves the unprocessed plate material on a table forward, backward, leftward and rightward. The loader includes: a plate material attaching unit; and a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the plate material attaching unit on a predefined arc-shaped trajectory while maintaining the plate material attaching unit in a constant orientation as viewed in a planar manner. When the plate material attaching unit is at a foremost position, the work holder is positioned to the other side of the left and right sides relative to a processing head, away from the unprocessed plate material loading position side, thereby preventing the work holder and the plate material attaching unit from interfering with each other.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plate material processing systems that load and unload plate materials, and perform processing, such as a punching process, on the plate materials.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in plate material processing systems, plate materials are loaded into and unloaded from plate material processing machines such as punch presses by orthogonal coordinate type loaders (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The orthogonal coordinate type loader moves a plate material attaching unit having the plate material attached thereto, forward, backward, leftward, or rightward, whereby the plate material is moved among an unprocessed plate material loading position in the plate material processing machine, an unprocessed plate material waiting position located lateral to the plate material processing machine, and a produced plate material unloading position located lateral to the plate material processing machine, thereby loading and unloading the plate material. For example, in the case of a loader (plate material transportation device) described in Patent Document 1, a movable base member, that is elongated in the leftward-rightward direction, is mounted on a stationary base member so as to be movable forward and backward, and a travelling member is mounted so as to be able to advance and retreat along the movable base member, and a plate material attaching unit is mounted to the traveling unit. The movable base member is moved forward and backward relative to the stationary base member, and the traveling unit is moved leftward and rightward relative to the movable base member, to move the plate material attaching unit, forward, backward, leftward, and rightward.
As loaders different from the orthogonal coordinate type loaders, pivoting loaders are known (for example, Patent Document 2). In the pivoting loader, a pivoting arm is disposed so as to be pivotable about a pivot shaft along the vertical direction, and a plate material attaching unit is mounted at the tip end of the pivoting arm. An unprocessed plate material loading position, an unprocessed plate material waiting position, and a produced plate material unloading position are along a pivoting trajectory of the plate material attaching unit. In the case of the pivoting loader, the plate material attaching unit having the plate material attached thereto is pivoted to load and unload the plate material.


A ski carrier has a strap with opposite end portions having overlapping ends formed into eyelets. Separable segments are brought through the eyelets to form ski carrying loops at toe and heel ends of outwardly facing bindings of skis aligned in tandem, back-to-back positions. After forming loops, segments are joined by mating male and female elements of a snapping fastener. Ski poles are brought through an opening of a tie loop attached to one element, and a spring-loaded barrel lock closes loop about the poles. Skis are carried by lifting carrier with the hand around fastener and poles. The lifting causes loops to self-tighten about the skis against the outward bias of the ski camber.

Skis are conveniently carried in bottom in/binding out, back-to-back longitudinally parallel relationship, gripping them centrally over a balanced moment arm, center of mass carrying point. Ski poles are conveniently carried in longitudinally parallel alignment with the skis. Skis must be oriented in vertical tandem, back-to-back positions to fit into ski carrying tubes mounted externally on the back of ski area buses.
Examples of ski carriers for assisting the hand carrying of skis and poles in the described carrying positions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,768,711; 3,841,542; 3,960,302; 4,114,838; 4,676,417; 5,056,819; 5,056,820; and 5,104,017. These illustrative carriers have nylon cords, webbing straps, lengths of fabric, strips of rubber material or the like (hereafter "straps") which wrap around the skis to form loops within which to carry the skis. The skis are placed in tandem back-to-back positions and the carrying loops formed by passing ends of the straps around the skis and securing them by Velcro.TM.-type or other releasable attachment means to selected attachment points on the same straps. The loops are typically hand adjustable; however, once the attachment points have been selected, the loop sizes remain fixed. Fixing the sizes too loosely enables the skis to slip, thereby making carrying the skis in a vertical position difficult. Tight loops flatten out ski curvature (viz. camber), thereby reducing useful life of the skis.
Various arrangements are made in conventional carriers for also carrying the poles. Placing the poles within the ski carrying loops, as done in the '711 and '417 patents, can cause the loops to loosen about the skis, should the poles slip. Providing slots or separate loops separate from the ski carrying loops, as done in the '302 and '838 patents, is clumsy and interferes with the central balance for carrying of the skis. Holding the skis as done in the '820 patent avoids the imbalance problem, but has the disadvantage that the entire weight of the skis is applied in bending moments about the centers of the poles.
The '542, '838, '417 and '017 patents also illustrate known means for transporting a ski carrier when not in use. The '542 and '417 devices can be transformed into belts to be worn around the waist. The '017 device is folded and stored in a separate bag. In '838, the device can be folded into a compact bundle for placement into a pocket. The '542 device, however, utilizes metal buckles that may be difficult to grip or manipulate with the gloved hand and that provide hard jutting ends against which the skis may fall. The '417 and '838 devices, on the other hand, utilize Velcro.TM. closures which operate inefficiently when wet with snow, or else grab woolen articles of the skier's clothing or tissues and other articles within the skier's pockets. The '017 device is bulky.


A method (100), a device (300), and a radio (500) are described for compensating for modulator frequency drift while allowing for data transmission in a half-duplex frequency modulated communication system. An adjustment is made to a premodulation signal in such a way that when it is passed through a frequency modulator to provide a transmitter excitation signal, frequency drift is corrected. Subsequent to determining a training command, the transmitter excitation signal passes through a switch to a demodulator. The demodulator output is averaged and used in the adjustment.

A traditional method of generating constant-envelope frequency shift keyed, FSK, data modulation employs a phase-locked loop, PLL, to maintain the frequency of an associated voltage controlled oscillator, VCO, with its stability derived from the PLL's reference frequency. The PLL's frequency reference typically consists of a crystal oscillator. Data is applied to the VCO which then provides the FSK modulation. This method has the capability of sustaining fairly high levels of frequency deviation as compared to the older technique of direct frequency modulation of a crystal oscillator. This capability is important in moderate to high data rate systems where the frequency deviation is typically an appreciable fraction --e.g., 25%-- of the data rate. In combination with a frequency offset transceiver architecture, the PLL is capable of accurate and stable operation over a wide range of operating frequencies.
A problem that commonly occurs with PLL modulators in data systems relates to the loop bandwidth. While data that has frequency content substantially above the loop bandwidth is able to modulate the VCO satisfactorily, if there is frequency content that falls inside the loop bandwidth--such as that which occurs with long strings of zeros or ones--destructive distortion of the data stream will take place which will render the data unrecoverable by an intended receiver. This issue has been addressed in various ways. Some methods employ a dual-port modulation scheme. This approach extends the PLL response towards direct current, DC, but never quite reaches it because of dynamic range limitations of some element of the loop. Other methods use complex schemes that read incoming data and reprogram loop dividers to achieve a DC response. Still other methods are reconciled to the high-pass response of the PLL frequency modulator and use data "whiteners" that randomize data to deal with long strings of zeros or ones, but still have to contend with vexatious patterns that frequently confound such attempts.
There exists, therefore, a need for a method, device, and radio for compensating for modulator frequency drift while allowing for data transmission, wherein the method and device is substantially less complex than prior art.

Method, device, and radio for compensating for modulator frequency drift while allowing for data transmission


In an image sensor pixels in an array of binary pixels are sampled with a first oversampling factor during a first frame interval, and then sampled with a second oversampling factor during a second frame interval, the second oversampling factor exceeding the first oversampling factor.

Before the advent of digital image sensors, photography, for the most part of its history, used film to record light information. At the heart of every photographic film are a large number of light-sensitive grains of silver-halide crystals. During exposure, each micron-sized grain has a binary fate: Either it is struck by some incident photons and becomes "exposed", or it is missed by the photon bombardment and remains "unexposed". In the subsequent film development process, exposed grains, due to their altered chemical properties, are converted to silver metal, contributing to opaque spots on the film; unexposed grains are washed away in a chemical bath, leaving behind them transparent regions on the film. Thus, in essence, photographic film is a binary imaging medium, using local densities of opaque silver grains to encode the original light intensity information. Thanks to the small size and large number of these grains, one hardly notices this quantized nature of film when viewing it at a distance, observing only a continuous gray tone.
In a binary pixel image sensor that is reminiscent of photographic film, each pixel in the sensor has a binary response, giving only a one-bit quantized measurement of the local light intensity. At the start of the exposure period, all pixels are set to 0. A pixel is then set to 1 if the number of photons reaching it during the exposure is at least equal to a given threshold q. One way to build such binary sensors is to modify standard memory chip technology, where each bit is designed to be sensitive to visible light.
With current CMOS technology, the level of integration of such systems can exceed 109˜1010 (i.e., 1 giga to 10 giga) pixels per chip. In this case, the corresponding pixel sizes are far below the fundamental diffraction limit of light (see Section II for more details), and thus the image sensor is oversampling the optical resolution of the light. Intuitively, one can exploit this spatial redundancy to compensate for the information loss due to one-bit quantizations, as is classic in oversampled analog-to-digital conversions.
Building a gigapixel binary sensor that emulates the photographic film process was originally motivated by technical necessity. The miniaturization of camera systems calls for the continuous shrinking of pixel sizes. At a certain point, however, the limited full-well capacity (i.e., the maximum photon-electrons a pixel can hold) of small pixels becomes a bottleneck, yielding very low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and poor dynamic ranges. In contrast, a binary sensor whose pixels only need to detect a few photon-electrons around a small threshold q has much less requirement for full-well capacities, allowing pixel sizes to shrink further. Numerical simulations indicate that the binary sensor can have higher dynamic ranges than conventional image sensors.

Image acquisition using oversampled one-bit poisson statistics


Disclosed are a method and system to form a contoured structure using deep rolling. The method includes using deep rolling to introduce plastic deformation to one or more portions of a work piece to form a convex contour in the work piece. The work piece, and subsequently formed contoured structure, can be metal or composite. The disclosed deep rolling systems and methods form, for example contoured aircraft panels, while also providing fatigue strength improvement and low level of work hardening during the forming process rather than as a post-production surface treatment.

Modern aircraft utilize contoured structures, e.g. curved metal panels, in a variety of applications including skins, access panels, wing flaps, and fuselage sections. Conventional methods for forming the contoured metal panels include shot peening and laser shock peening. In shot peen forming, a flow of metal, glass or ceramic shot impacts a surface of a metal work piece to elastically and plastically stretch that surface and introduce local low plastic deformation that manifests itself as a residual compressive stress. The combination of elastic and plastic stretching and compressive stress generation causes the metal panel to develop a concave curvature on the shot peened side. Problems arise with shot peening because of process variability. Moreover, shot peening uses small shots typically made of cast iron, cut wire steel, glass or ceramics that often break and need periodic replacement. Handing and disposal of the replaced shot can cause environment problems.
Laser shock peening operates similarly to shot peening, but uses a pulsed laser instead of steel or ceramic pieces to impact the work piece. Laser shock peening, however, requires expensive equipment and time consuming masking/unmasking steps before and after forming.
These methods also increase the surface roughness of the work piece, thereby requiring additional time consuming and costly surface treatment after the contours are introduced into the metal panel. An improved method for forming contoured metal panels would be desirable.


A camera system has a chassis carrying one or more cameras. Each camera has support member mounted to the chassis and an imaging chip mounted to the support member. An optical system for imaging onto the imaging chip may also be mounted to the chassis. The chassis and support members may have coefficients of thermal expansion that are substantially matched. In some embodiments the support members are located between the imaging chips and one or more circuit boards to which the imaging chips are electrically connected. In some embodiments the imaging chips are located over apertures or other channels through the chassis and light is incident on the imaging chips by way of the channels. The relative locations of the imaging chips can be maintained constant to preserve calibration for stereo imaging.

Stereo camera systems that incorporate two or more cameras may be used to obtain three-dimensional information about the positions, orientations, configurations, and shapes of objects. Such camera systems may be used in a diverse range of fields including industrial automation, package and material handling, face recognition, traffic monitoring and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,688 discloses a stereo camera system that has two or more electronic cameras. Each camera has an assembly comprising a light sensing array and a lens assembly which are each directly mounted to a rigid mounting member.
There is a desire to use stereo camera systems in applications that require increasing levels of precision. Very small changes in the geometry of such camera systems can have significant effects on the calibration of such systems.