A solid state semiconductor storage device with temperature control function comprises a non-volatile memory unit, a temperature sensing element, and a control unit. The temperature sensing element is used for sensing the operation temperature of the solid state semiconductor storage device so as to provide a temperature sensing signal to the control unit. According to the temperature sensing signal, the control unit controls the operation mode of the solid state semiconductor storage device for achieving the function of temperature control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a solid state semiconductor storage device with non-volatile memory, and more particularly to a solid state semiconductor storage device with temperature control function and a temperature controlling method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Solid state semiconductor storage devices become more and more popular. There are many applications utilizing solid state non-volatile memory to record digital information, such as USB flash drive, memory card, and solid state disk (SSD) drive. The solid state disk drive, which has the biggest capacity, is suitable to replace the hard disk drive in a portable computer (such as notebook, and ultra-mobile PC (UMPC)), so as to provide the properties of low power consumption, high storage speed and high reliability. For providing higher storage capacity and accessing speed, the solid state semiconductor storage device needs plural non-volatile memories, such that the operations of data access, recording and erasing can be performed at the same time, thereby reducing the operation time and therefore improving the accessing speed.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram showing the conventional solid state disk drive. The solid state disk drive 1 includes power managing unit 11, non-volatile memory unit 12 and control unit 13. The power managing unit 11 receives the power from the application system (not shown) and converts the power into a form suitable for other units inside the solid state disk drive. The control unit 13 connects to the system through the system interface for receiving commands and controls the non-volatile memory unit 12 to execute data input, data output, memory page write-in, memory block erasing and other necessary operations. Further, in the control unit 13, the system interface 131 is used to connect to the system, the memory interface 132 is used to connect to the non-volatile memory unit 12, and the microprocessor 133 executes the commands of the system and controls data transmission, the non-volatile memory unit 12 and data buffering in the data transmission buffer 134. The non-volatile memory unit 12 is constituted by at least one or more non-volatile memories, and it receives the control command from the control unit 13 so as to record digital information and provide thereof to the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,321 entitled "Memory system", U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,406 entitled "Memory array apparatus with reduced data accessing time and method for the same", and US Patent Application Publication No. 20050010717 entitled "Access and data management method using double parallel tracks for flash memory cells" provide the system architecture of solid state disk drive and method thereof. However, since inside the solid state disk drive there are many electronic elements operating at the same, they will produce much heat in the portable computer, and the increase in temperature may cause unstable operation.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional memory system with temperature control device for preventing unstable operation caused by temperature alteration. The memory system 300 includes a controller 310 and a memory device 320, wherein the controller 310 reads/writes the memory device 320 through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) 300. The controller 310 includes a track circuit 316 and a control circuit 315, wherein the track circuit 316 is used to monitor the operation of the memory device 320 in a particular duration, including the number of reading/writing or the number of updating. The control circuit 315 can decide the operation temperature of the memory device 320 in the particular duration according to the information provided by the track circuit 316, which monitors the operation of the memory device 320, and the former operation information of the memory device 320. Then, if the control circuit 315 decides that the operation temperature of the memory device 320 has exceeded the tolerant range, it will modulate the memory device 320 for reducing the operation temperature by inserting a delay time between read/write operations, or by switching the memory device 320 to a low power mode.
However, the technology described above is only suitable for volatile memory whose heat dispersing is related to the read/write speed of the memory controller as accessing the memory. Since the solid state disk drive adopts non-volatile memory (such as NAND type flash memory) for long-term data storage, the access process and characteristics thereof are quite different from volatile memory. For example, the difference of NAND type flash memory, which is adopted by the current solid state disk drive, from volatile RAM are:
1. The data stored in the NAND-type flash memory can not be randomly accessed, and the access operation should be executed through the instruction code and also has a designated procedure that the access size is larger, such as memory page or memory block.
2. The NAND-type flash memory, except the common data input/output operation like the volatile RAM, further needs to write in memory page or erase memory block for completing data recording.
3. The power consumption is much higher, since the NAND-type flash memory needs more time to execute memory page write-in or memory block erasing, and thus, the produced heat is also higher.
According to the differences, it is known that NAND-type flash memory has different characteristics from the volatile RAM, so that the above-described temperature control technology is not suitable for the solid state disk drive or other solid state semiconductor storage device. Therefore, there still exists the need to solve the problem of unstable operation caused by high temperature in the solid state semiconductor storage device.

Solid state semiconductor storage device with temperature control function, application system thereof and control element thereof


The invention relates to a return device for returning a valve of an internal combustion engine, the device comprising:                a piston secured to said valve and mounted to slide in a cylinder;        a pressurized fluid feed connected to said cylinder via a feed channel; and        a pressure relief valve connected to said cylinder via a discharge channel and arranged to limit the pressure prevailing in the cylinder to a predetermined maximum pressure; and        means for regulating the maximum pressure as a function of the feed pressure using an affine-type relationship.

It is recalled that admission and exhaust valves in internal combustion engines are opened and closed by a camshaft constrained to rotate with the drive shaft.
In order to open and close a valve at the chosen instant, it is essential for said valve to be held in contact with the corresponding cam on the camshaft.
That is why engines are equipped with return devices for each valve, each return device comprising a spring that urges said valve continuously towards its closed position (i.e. towards the corresponding cam).
Most of such return devices comprise mechanical springs which, when the engine speed is moderate, hold the valve continuously in abutment against the corresponding cam.
However, the main drawback of mechanical springs is that they start to resonate when engine speed becomes sufficiently high. That "valve hunting" phenomenon results in the movement in translation of the valve being dissociated from the movement in rotation of the camshaft.
As a result, considerable loss of power occurs.
Various solutions have been proposed for remedying that problem.
Thus, it is known that each valve can be equipped with a plurality of return springs of differing rates, in order to raise the resonant frequency of the resulting resilient system.
That solution is suitable for mass-produced engines whose operating speeds are quite moderate (i.e. their maximum speed generally does not exceed 8000 revolutions per minute (r.p.m.)).
However, that solution is too limited for motorbike and racing car engines whose maximum speeds are often in excess of 15,000 r.p.m.
Indeed, appearance of the valve hunting phenomenon has already been observed in that type of engine, even when the valves are equipped with multiple return spring devices.
In order to remedy that problem, in certain high-speed engines, it has been proposed to replace the mechanical springs with pneumatic springs, which are less likely to start resonating at high engine speeds.
Thus, a pneumatic return device for returning valves for internal combustion engines is known from Document FR-2 529 616, published some time ago.
That system includes a piston secured to a valve stem and slidably received in a cylinder forming a leaktight chamber that encloses a compressible fluid which is at a predetermined rated minimum pressure corresponding to the fully closed position of the valve.
Although that system has already given satisfaction, it does not make it possible to control the return force to which the valve is subjected.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,950 makes provision to equip the return device with means for regulating the pneumatic pressure prevailing in the cylinder in which the valve is slidably received.
Although the valve control system proposed in that document constitutes an improvement on the system of document FR-2 529 616, the implementation structure for pressure regulation is nevertheless relatively complex, and its insufficient reactivity proves to be detrimental when engine speed varies suddenly.

Valve return device, and an engine equipped with such a device

Abstract: The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine equipped with such a device.


A managed directory service receives a request to add a domain controller to a directory. In response to the request, the managed directory service determines, based on locations of other domain controllers of the directory, a location for the domain controller. The managed directory service provisions the domain controller at the location and associates the domain controller to the directory. The domain controller is activated in order to perform directory operations for the directory.

Customers of computing resource service providers (often referred to as "cloud providers") often utilize directory services to create and maintain directories for their resources (e.g., file systems, files, users, security policies, network resources, applications, system storage, etc.) for data management and for access to a variety of resources. These directories are often created with domain controllers, which are used to authenticate users of these directories and to regulate access to the variety of resources associated with the directories. However, as more users attempt to access the variety of resources, the authentication load of these domain controllers may increase. Ensuring that these domain controllers can support this authentication load can be difficult. Further, ensuring availability of these domain controllers in the event of a failure at a particular data center or other location can also be difficult.

Domain controller configurability for directories


A device and a method for producing laminated safety glass from at least two glass panes having an adhesive layer arranged in between. In order to provide a device and a method for producing laminated safety glass that allow for the cost-effective production of laminated safety glass, the device includes a base plate and a cover plate that can be adjusted relative to each other between an operating position and a removal position, a sealing frame disposed in a pressure tight manner in the operating position on the base plate and the cover plate, means for creating a vacuum in a hollow space formed between a cladding material covering the glass panes in the operating position and the base plate, means for creating an overpressure in the working space created between the cover plate and the flexible cladding material arranged on the glass panes in the operating position, and heating means for heating the glass panes to be joined.

Laminated safety glass of the initially named type generally comprises two glass panes and an adhesive layer connecting the glass panes that is preferably formed by a film of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Glass panes of this type are used in the motor vehicle sector or construction sector, for instance.
Such laminated safety glass, with the properties necessary for this purpose, is typically produced in autoclaves in which the glass panes, combined into a pre-laminate with the adhesive film disposed in between, are pressed at temperatures of up to 145° C. and pressures of more than 10 bar, forming the actual laminated safety glass. The use of autoclaves has the disadvantage that they, as well as the actual production process, are particularly costly and time-consuming, and therefore are not economically viable, particularly for small production quantities.

Device and method for producing laminated safety glass


Method for coding at least one datum using three digital signals A, B, C delivered on respectively one channel, in which the third signal C is delivered by a combination of the first two signals A, B in order to form m binary triplets, where m<8. The method provides for modifying the third signal C according to the data to be coded in order to generate n binary triplets, where n>1, the n triplets being different from the m triplets. A device for determining the absolute angular position of a turning member is described.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for coding at least one datum and a device for determining the absolute angular position of a rotating member.
(2) Prior Art
Devices for determining the absolute angular position of a rotating member are known, comprising:                a coder designed to be integral with the rotating member, said coder being arranged to deliver two pseudo sine signals;        a sensor designed to be fixed at reading distance from the coder, said sensor comprising sensitive elements that are capable of detecting the signals delivered by the coder;        a device for processing the signals issuing from the sensor, said device being arranged to deliver three digitals A, B, C, the signals A and B being representative of the angular position of the coder and the signal C comprising at least one reference pulse;        a central processing unit connected to the processing device, said unit being arranged to use the signals A, B, C on respectively one channel.
In fact, by using the reference pulse(s), the angular position issuing from the signals A and B can be indexed to a known reference position in order to obtain an absolute angular position with respect to said reference.
Reference can be made for example to documents FR-2 845 212 and FR-2 845 213 that describe the use of such a determination system for controlling an electronic switching motor, particularly for power steering of motor vehicles by an electrical type of power steering system.
Devices for determining an angular position are also known, which are capable of supplying other data than said position, these devices generally being used to measure the speed of rotation of a motor vehicle wheel in applications of the ABS (Anti-Blocking System) type.
Reference can be made for example to document EP 1 393 082 in which the data are transmitted using pulse trains arranged between the reference pulses.
However, this type of device is only satisfactory in applications at low speed of rotation of the rotating member, failing which the time division between two reference pulses is insufficient to contain the pulse train.
In consequence, in applications at higher speed, such as those described in document FR-2 845 213, where the speed of rotation of engine may be several thousand revolutions per minute, and especially when high resolution is required, a need still exists for a determination device for coding data in a reliable manner.
To solve this problem, the use of a fourth channel will be considered, in addition to the three channels through which the signals A, B, and C are respectively delivered, via which the additional data would be transmitted. However, this addition is unsatisfactory from the economic standpoint because of the need for an additional wire, connector and interface.

Coding method and device for determining absolute angular position


An image forming device of clamshell type has an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame has a bottom face and includes an optical unit for emitting a scanning light. The lower frame has a photosensitive body therein and supports the upper frame openably around the horizontal supporting shaft. The bottom face of the upper frame has an exposure port for emitting the scanning light to expose the photosensitive body in the lower frame. The device is provided with a light shield plate, supported inside the upper frame rotatably by a first fixed shaft, for closing the exposure port. A torsion coil spring is wound around the first fixed shaft and urges the light shield plate in the direction of closing the exposure port. The light shield plate is connected to a prime mover supported in the upper frame rotatably by a second fixed shaft through a connecting rod in such a manner that the turn of the prime mover about the second fixed shaft causes the turn of the light shield plate about the first fixed shaft. The lower frame is provided with a working body coming into contact with the prime mover and turning it against a force of the torsion coil as the upper frame is closed to open the exposure port.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming device, and more particularly to an image forming device of a laser printer, a copying machine, or the like, which has a clamshell type frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some image forming devices of laser printers, copying machines, etc. have a clamshell type frame in a structure which can be opened and closed around a horizontal axis. Image forming devices of this type have upper and lower frames, and the upper frame is supported openably by the supporting shaft of the lower frame. The upper frame includes an optical unit for emitting a scanning light. The lower frame has mounted detachably thereto a process unit comprising a photosensitive body and a developing device. The upper frame has a bottom face, and in this bottom face there is formed an exposure port for emitting the scanning light from the optical unit for exposure of the photosensitive body.
In the image forming device, an electrical interlock mechanism is provided, such as a safety switch, which prevents the optical unit from operating when the upper frame is opened, and also a mechanical light shielding mechanism is provided which enables to shield light from the optical unit when the optical unit is put into operation mistakenly by an electrical trouble of the above-mentioned interlock mechanism.
This light shielding mechanism comprises a shield plate having a L-like cross section, which is rotatably supported at one end on a fixed shaft in the upper frame, and is arranged such that the light shield plate closes the exposure port by an urging force of a spring when the upper frame is opened. The fact that the exposure port is closed when the upper frame is opened not only ensures that the light is actually blocked when the optical unit is put into operation by mistake, but also gives the user a sense of security that the scanning light is not irradiated.
A working lever is provided, protruding upward, at the top of the process unit in the lower frame, which lever is used to turn the light shield plate about the fixed shaft in the printing condition that the upper frame is closed. At the bottom face of the upper frame, there is provided an opening for the working lever to enter the upper frame and comes into contact with the light shield plate when the upper frame is closed. Thus, when the upper frame is closed, the working lever contacts the light shield plate at the working point, and the light shield plate is turned about the fixed shaft to open the exposure port.
In the light shielding mechanism described, the opening angle, hence, the turning angle .theta. of the light shield plate is determined by the length and working point of the working lever. Desirably, the opening angle is sufficiently large. To this end, it is necessary to set the working point close to the exposure port or set the working point away from the exposure point and make the working lever larger accordingly.
However, making a larger working lever results in the process unit becoming difficult to handle, and this is not desirable in view of the fact that the process unit is treated as an item to be maintained by the user.
Setting the working point close to the exposure port means setting the working lever close to the photosensitive body, and therefore, the opening through which the working lever goes into and comes out of the upper frame becomes close to the photosensitive body. For this reason, through this opening, scattering toner is likely to enter the upper frame, making the optical unit dirty with toner, which has been a problem.


A solution for use in electroplating which comprises at least one monovalent metal such as copper, silver or gold which is complexed by a thiosulfate ion; and a stabilizer of an organic sulfinate compound such as, for example, one having the formula R-SO.sub.2 -X wherein R is an alkyl, heterocyclic or aryl moiety and X is a monovalent cation. The stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to stabilize the thiosulfate ion when the solution is operated at an acidic pH of less than 7. Also, the solution is substantially free of cyanide.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cyanide-free electroplating solution for depositing monovalent copper, silver, gold and other metals.
2. Background Art
Copper plating has been successfully accomplished for many years from cyanide-based plating solutions. In these solutions, copper is present as the monovalent copper cyanide complex. The solution may also contain free or uncomplexed alkali cyanide, alkali hydroxide and complexing agents such as alkali-tartrate to help dissolve copper anodes. Although these solutions have been successful, the industry has constantly been in search of a substitute for the poisonous cyanide ions.
Acidic divalent copper solutions have been commercially successful and are free of cyanide; however, these divalent solutions require twice as much total current to deposit the same amount of copper as do monovalent copper solutions. Furthermore, the acidic solutions cannot achieve the proper adhesion of copper when plating directly onto steel.
Alkaline divalent copper solutions have achieved limited commercial acceptance. These solutions are free of cyanide and are capable of plating directly onto steel with good adhesion. Since copper is divalent, however, the plating rate for a given amount of current is the same as that obtained from acidic divalent copper solutions.
To date, there are no commercially successful monovalent copper plating baths that are free of cyanide, stable, and capable of plating directly onto steel with good adhesion.
Cuprous halides with excess alkali halides have been proposed in the form of chlorides or iodides. Neither of these have reached commercial acceptance.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,969,553 describes a process for plating monovalent copper based on a solution containing sodium thiosulfate and cuprous chloride. This process was studied further and reported at the 77th general meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Apr. 26, 1940. A more recent study of the cuprous thiosulfate bath was reported in May 1981 at the annual technical conference of the Institute for Metal Finishing at Herrogate, U.K. These baths plated copper from monovalent solutions in which copper was complexed with a thiosulfate ion. It was reported that the stability of the bath was further improved with the addition of a sulfite ion. The pH of the solutions was in the range of 6 to 11, with the optimum range being 8.5 to 9.5. Acidic solutions having a pH of 6 or less were reported to be unstable and sulfur dioxide, resulting from the acidified sulfite ion, continuously evolved from these solutions. The authors concluded that these plating baths offered no significant improvement over an alkaline cupric pyrophosphate bath, and no further work has been reported to date involving thiosulfate-based monovalent copper plating baths.
Silver has been deposited commercially from cyanide baths for many years with good success. These silver solutions contain silver complexed with the cyanide ion, additives to improve the deposit or the plating bath, and may contain free alkali cyanide. The industry has also shown a strong interest in cyanide-free silver plating baths because of the toxic nature of the cyanide ion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,524 discloses a cyanide-free silver plating bath in which silver is complexed with imides of organic dicarboxylic acids. This process has achieved some commercial success, however, the organic compounds are expensive and some instability has been reported.
Cyanide-free silver baths have also been reported based upon silver sulfite and silver thiocyanate complexes. However, these solutions have not achieved commercial success at this time.
Silver has been deposited from cyanide-free solutions based upon the thiosulfate ion. Such baths are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,984,292 and 4,067,784. Also, F. I. Kukov et al. (R. Zh. Korr. i Zasch. of Korr. 12K460, 1990) discloses a silver plating bath based upon thiosulfate, sulfite, and thiocyanate at a pH of 4 to 6. None of these solutions, however, have achieved commercial acceptance at this time.
Gold plating baths are also preferably cyanide-free and such baths have been disclosed based upon sulfite, thiocyanate, and thiosulfate complexes. These gold baths are mainly alkaline and have achieved some limited success in spite of the fact that they are not as stable as gold baths based upon the cyanide ion.

Cyanide-free plating solutions for monovalent metals


In a facility having a plurality of portals and having a number of individuals having access to the portals and where each portal is assigned a unique portal for his or her use, a system is designed which allows each individual to receive a unique voice message from his or her portal that a particular portal is the one assigned when the individual is in the proximity of his or her unique portal. The system comprises a uniquely coded element to be worn by each individual and a plurality of transponders, each transponder affixed on or near a particular portal. Each transponder has a device which emits an IR or RF scanning signal for scanning the coded element worn by a particular individual. Each said transponder has an element to determine when a detected signal has the same unique correspondence to a particular portal. The system also comprises a central computer. When there is correspondence between a detected signal or portal, a signal indicating correspondence is directed to the central portal. When a signal indicating correspondence is directed to the computer, it is used to actuate a corresponding unique audio message which is directed to the corresponding portal for audio transmission by an audio speaker located at or near the transponder of the portal.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portal announcing system and method and, in particular, a centralized implementation of such system and method.
b) Description of the Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,607, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, a method and system were disclosed for providing an automatic announcement to a person seeking a particular portal in a facility that any particular portal is the one sought. The method disclosed therein comprises the steps of providing the person with a wireless, electronic transmitting and/or receiving device bearing a particular code, providing the portal with a corresponding wireless, electronic transmitting and/or receiving device bearing the particular code, identifying when the code of the device of the person which had been received by the portal device is the same as the code of the portal device and announcing when the personal code and the portal code have been identified as being the same to the person that this portal is the one sought.
Applications for this disclosed method and system have been mentioned as applicable to nursing homes (e.g., Alzheimer's patients), hospitals and the like. An audible announcement would be made when an identification match occurs such as "this is your room Fanny." Infra-red or RF techniques have been disclosed as appropriate for such a system and method.

Centralized implementation of portal announcing method and system


A method and system organizes multiple print jobs to be processed by a printing engine in a print queue and displays a listing of the multiple print jobs within the print queue. This listing identifies the order in which the multiple print jobs will be processed by the printing engine. After identifying an active user, the method highlights print jobs of the active user within the listing of the multiple print jobs and can simultaneously display a listing of most recently completed print jobs of the active user. The method and system can also simultaneously list jobs of the active user within other queues.

Embodiments herein generally relate to print queue systems and methods and more particularly to a system and method that highlights print jobs of the active user within the listing of the multiple print jobs.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,559 to Quinion (Issued: Nov. 2, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference) a print job is developed at a workstation and delivered to a printer, by way of a server, for the purpose of executing the job. An example of such standard network printing modeling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,634 to Bonk et al. (Issued: Feb. 20, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference). This printing model is appropriate for those situations in which the printer is well suited for printing the job in accordance with certain criteria required by the system user. For example, if the user expects to have a selected number of prints generated within a certain time frame at a selected location, and such criteria is met at the printer, then the user is satisfied. To avoid customer dissatisfaction, a distributed printing model of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,194 to Lobiondo ("Lobiondo") (Issued: Feb. 15, 1994 and incorporated herein by reference) has been proposed. Lobiondo discloses a printshop management scheduling routine and system which provide optimum scheduling of print jobs on a network. The scheduling routine utilizes the total complex of printers available at a local location and/or remote locations to allocate and complete print jobs based on a plurality of criteria, including requested completion time for the project. If requested completion time does not allow printing of the print job by a sole printer, the print job is allocated to a plurality of available printers, each printing a portion of the complete print job.
Other distributed printing models are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,831 to Grenda (Issued: Nov. 12, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,416 to Barry et al. (Issued: Jan. 21, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference). In particular, the '831 patent discloses a print array having an electronic image control device communicating with both first and second printer engines. Image data is routed from the second printer engine to the first printer engine when a failed status signal is provided by the second printer engine to the electronic image control device.
The above-mentioned patents directly or indirectly address the concept of classifying a job in accordance with one or more attributes of the job. Describing a job in terms of job level and/or page level attributes is considered, in some detail, by the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,162 to Smith et al. (Issued: Jan. 19, 1993 and incorporated herein by reference). The Smith patent discloses an object oriented document management and production system in which documents are represented as collections of logical components or "objects" that may be combined and physically mapped into a page-by-page layout. Stored objects are organized, accessed and manipulated through a database management system.
The concept of managing a job on the basis of its attributes is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,434 to Hower Jr. et al. (Issued: Nov. 14, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,571 to Rosekrans et al. (Issued: Sep. 12, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference). Each of the Hower and Rosekrans patents illustrate systems which use servers having multiple queue capability. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,639 to DeHority (Issued Jun. 14, 1992 and incorporated herein by reference) discloses a system which permits interactive communication between a client and a server when the server is unable, because of an attribute mismatch, to fulfill the requirements of the client's job.
The advantage of using one or more queues in a printing process has been demonstrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,345 to Paradise et al. (Issued Aug. 7, 1990 and incorporated herein by reference). Paradise discloses a system in which copy/print jobs are delivered to an output queue which communicates with a printer while Fax jobs are delivered to a hold queue which communicates with the output queue. In practice, after a certain number of Fax jobs have accumulated in the hold queue, they are delivered to the output queue in such a manner that the Fax jobs are printed ahead of all jobs currently residing in the output queue. Another queue arrangement for a printing system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,735 to Gauronski et al. (incorporated herein by reference). As illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,450,571 and 5,467,434, (incorporated herein by reference) multiple queues can be advantageously to distribute jobs across a network printing system.

Systems and methods for highlighting print jobs in a print queue


A new family of current mode logic (CML) gates (14) which, in one embodiment includes OR/NOR and AND/NAND gates, as well as more complex logic functions. The circuit uses a complementary signal to drive the gate of a feedback transistor (19) which has the effect of pseudo differential operation. Although it uses only single-ended inputs (A, B), because of this feedback aspect, the circuit has many of the advantages of a differential circuit such as low-voltage operation, higher immunity to noise, and less sensitivity to parasitic elements.

This patent relates to current-mode logic (CML) circuitry and more specifically to a new low-voltage, high-speed gate family consisting of both OR/NOR and AND/NAND logic functions, as well as other more complex functions. These logic gates are needed in many high speed applications where operation in the GHz range is required, such as in products which address the rapidly growing wireless and portable markets.
Current mode logic (CML) or emitter coupled logic (ECL) circuits are commonly used in high speed applications operating in the GHz frequency range. In these circuits, to reduce the storage time, caused by the presence of minority carriers, the transistors are usually not allowed to operate in hard saturation. Storage time, which is the time before an on transistor starts to turn off, tends to decrease the speed of the circuit. In CML circuits a constant current is maintained in the emitter legs of the transistors with current switching from one transistor leg to another depending on the states of the input signals.
FIG. 1 (prior art) shows one version of a conventional OR/NOR gate implemented in MOS CML. The circuit is made up of stacked transistors pairs 3-4 and 5-6 which allows for differential inputs A/{overscore (A)} and B/{overscore (B)} to be applied, respectively. Current source 7 maintains a constant current I through the legs of the circuit at all times. There are three paths, one of which will always be enabled, for current to flow through the circuit, as follows: a) through resistor 1 and transistors 3 and 5, b) through resistor 1 and transistor 6, and c) through resistor 2 and transistors 4 and 5. In the circuit, the signals at A/{overscore (A)} have to operate with a DC voltage shift relative to the signals at B/{overscore (B)}. For very low VDD voltages there is limited headroom available for this voltage shift in order to maintain proper drain-to-source voltage, Vds, across the transistors and this usually limits the number of complementary inputs to two. One way to accomplish this voltage shift is with the use of source followers but these add complexity and tend to slow down the circuit. This circuit provides both OR (A+B) and it""s complementary NOR ({overscore (A+B)}) outputs. A truth table for the circuit is included below.
Here the difference between a logic 0 and logic 1 is small, on the order of 400 to 800 mVolts. Some drawbacks of the circuit include:
1. Not suitable for ultra-low voltage operation of  less than 1.2 volts due to the circuit""s limited headroom for Vds across the stacked transistors pairs.
2. Limited to two inputs, A/{overscore (A)} and B/{overscore (B)}.
3. Signals B and {overscore (B)} have to be DC shifted compared to signals A and {overscore (A)}.
Although this gate is inherently fast, the required level shifting circuitry, not shown, tends to slow the overall operation of the circuit.
FIG. 2 (prior art) shows another commonly used CML circuit which overcomes the problems of the circuit in FIG. 1, but as will be discussed, has its own set of problems. Singled-ended input signals A and B are inserted at the gates of transistors 10 and 11. Resistor 8 connects the drains of transistors 10 and 11 to VDD to provide a path for current to flow into current source 13 when either or both of these inputs are high (logic level 1). This circuit is not limited to two inputs, although only two are shown, and overcomes the DC level shifting problem of the previous circuit by operating all the transistors at the same voltage level. In addition, transistor 12 and resistor 9 are used to provide another path for current I to flow into current source 13 when both of the input transistors 10 and 11 are OFF. The Vref input is a DC level which biases transistor 12 at the mid-point of the A and B input signal""s voltage swing. If both A and B inputs are low (logic level 0), all the current I will flow through Vref transistor 12. Then as inputs A and/or B turn on (logic level 1) current will switch and flow through transistors 10 and/or 11. As with the previous circuit, both OR (A+B) and it""s complementary NOR ({overscore (A+B)}) outputs are generated. Although this circuit does overcome the problems of the previous circuit, it has its own drawbacks, as follows:
1. A reference voltage at mid-signal is required.
2. The circuit only allows single-ended inputs which usually implies larger input swings. This in turn can increase the voltage supply size and reduces the circuit speed. An alternative sometimes used is to keep the input swing constant and increase the size of the MOS transistors, but this also negatively impacts the circuit speed.
3. Less immunity to noise due to single-ended operation.
4. Circuit delay is more sensitive to the parasitic elements at node N1 since the node has more movement with Vref remaining constant while the inputs A and B move.
There is a rapidly growing need in the wireless and portable markets, as well as other markets, for ultra low-power/low-voltage circuitry. High-speed logic circuits operating in the GHz range are more and more in demand. Emitter coupled logic (ECL) circuits represent one family that has been extensively used in wireless applications such as the phase lock loop (PLL) in prescalers and optical communication systems. And more recently CMOS current mode logic is becoming prevalent in the GHz domain.
This invention describes a new family of current mode logic (CML) gates which includes OR/NOR, AND/NAND gates, and other more complex functions, all of which use a complementary feedback signal to drive the gate of the Vref transistor 12 (FIG. 2) rather than a DC voltage often found in more conventional CML gate circuits. As a result of this feedback, the circuit operates in a pseudo differential manner although it uses only single-ended inputs. Because of this feedback aspect, the circuit has been called feedback current mode logic circuit or FCML. This circuit has both the advantages of the circuit of FIG. 2 and overcomes its drawbacks. The circuit switches current, controlled by a constant current source, between the input transistors and the complementary controlled transistor and can be configured with multiple inputs by adding additional transistors in parallel.
The new CML gate family described in this patent can be applied to CMOS, bipolar, BiCMOS, and other technologies today and will be adaptable to future technologies as well. As mentioned earlier, this family of gates eliminates several of the problems associated with conventional circuits of this type and offers its own advantages, as follows:
1. Suitable for low and ultra-low voltage operation.
2. Operates in a pseudo-differential manner.
3. Speed is less sensitive to parasitic elements associated with the circuit at the common source in a typical CMOS implementation.
4. Does not require a reference voltage needed in the conventional circuit of FIG. 2.
5. Has good noise margins.

Current mode logic gates for low-voltage high-speed applications


A prism has a notch at a lower end of a third reflection plane of a pentagonal roof prism. The notch has a frosted wall, on which a transparent plate is adhered with adhesive. A miniature prism is adhered to the transparent plate with adhesive. The adhesive has photo-transmissibility, so that a transparent plane is formed between the pentagonal prism, the transparent plate and the miniature prism. Information displayed by an indication device is directed to an eyepiece optical system, via a mirror and the miniature prism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pentagonal roof prism mounted in a single reflex camera, and more particularly to an improvement of a structure of an optical system provided for indicating information within a viewfinder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an optical system in which a miniature prism is applied to a surface of a pentagonal roof prism, so that information indicated by an indicating device, such as a liquid crystal display, is directed to a viewfinder by the miniature prism. Namely, a light beam corresponding to the indicated information is reflected, by the miniature prism, into the viewfinder, so that information, such as a shutter speed, is indicated within the viewfinder, but outside the frame of an object image.
In such a device, however, stray light, which enters from outside the pentagonal roof prism and becomes internally incident on a surface to which the miniature prism is applied, is reflected by an inner plane of the pentagonal roof prism and is directed to the viewfinder. This stray light causes an outside portion of the frame of the object image, formed in the viewfinder, to fade or become discolored, and thus, viewing of the information, such as shutter speed, by the photographer would become difficult.


When braking occurs but the ABS is not in operation, the brakes at the rear wheels are isolated from the master cylinder by a solenoid valve. Brake pressure at the rear wheels is then provided by a pump and regulated so that the slower rear wheel runs slower than the faster front wheel by a given small speed difference.

The distribution of braking force in a conventional vehicle relates to the ratio between the front and rear axle braking force.
This ratio cannot be affected by the driver, since he brakes both axles with a single brake pedal, so that, in the design of vehicle brakes, the braking force distribution has to be very deliberately established.
The purpose of an ideal braking force distribution consists on the one hand in braking the front and rear axles with equal force (with respect to the dynamic axle loads), and on the other hand in selecting the distribution when braking on curves such that a neutral performance is achieved. In this case the aim of a neutral performance is secondary to the equal braking force.
The equal braking force (with respect to the dynamic axle loading) front and rear can be achieved in straight-line driving. On curves (particularly at the edge of the curve), the braking of the rear axle must be made lower than at the front axle, to provide good handling.
The reason is that, in spite of the axle load shift, the centrifugal force acts at the center of gravity of the vehicle, so that the rear axle has to transfer a higher lateral guidance force with respect to the dynamic axle load than the front axle. This higher lateral guidance force is achieved by reduced braking force.
The ideal braking force division between front and rear depends on the following factors:
(1) static weight distribution and location of center of gravity (at the current load); PA0 (2) longitudinal slowing of the vehicle; PA0 (3) transverse acceleration of the vehicle; PA0 (4) engine reverse torque; PA0 (5) upgrade/downgrade. PA0 (1) poor braking distance, as long as the front wheels do not lock up, or in the case of ABS control (especially with the vehicle loaded); PA0 (2) heavy stress on the front wheel brakes (lining wear), large brakes need more space; PA0 (3) limited steerability due to heavy braking of front wheels; PA0 (4) unstable braking on turns is possible if the following factors are involved:
In conventional brakes the braking force distribution is tuned independently of these factors; it consists of a fixed ratio between front and rear and is brought about by the fact that the same hydraulic pressure acts both front and rear on different size brakes.
The braking force distribution is selected in accordance with the principle that the rear axle must not lock before the front axle. The reason for this requirement is that, if the rear axle of the vehicle is too heavily braked the vehicle can become unstable in braking on turns, i.e., it can lead to lateral skidding.
Disadvantages of the conventional braking force distributions are:
(a) reverse engine torque; PA1 (b) downhill driving; PA1 (c) great deceleration (above the intersection of the ideal distribution with the conventional); PA1 (d) brake force distribution designed for high rear axle braking (the distribution required by the regulator for straight travel can nevertheless be satisfied); PA1 (e) variations in the brake pad friction on the brake disk; PA1 (f) variations in the brake system (hot front wheel brake, fading).
If in a vehicle the ideal braking force distribution depends greatly on the longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle, a rear axle pressure limiter or reducer is normally used.
If in a vehicle the ideal braking force distribution depends also to a great extent on the loading, a load-related rear axle pressure reducer or limiter is commonly used.
These limiters or reducers are certainly necessary for many vehicles, but they basically impair stability when braking on curves (in comparison to conventional fixed tuning, i.e., to unbroken straight lines).
Another problem is that the pressure reducers and limiters can lose their function due to a defect, without the defect being noticed by the driver (their operation isn't even tested in routine servicing).

Apparatus for distribution of brake force between front and rear axles


A first software program executing on a computing device emulates a second computing device executing a software program using emulated memory. The first software program permits the second software program to perform an operation on a contiguous portion of the emulated memory only when a pointer and a table entry both contain the same identifier, thus protecting against common types of memory usage errors in the second software program. The pointer has an address to the contiguous portion. The table entry maps to the contiguous portion. A plurality of table entries map to a respective plurality of contiguous portions of the emulated memory. A plurality of the pointers each contain the address to a respective contiguous portion of the emulated memory as well as containing an identifier corresponding to the respective contiguous portion of the emulated memory. The second computing device can be high or low in resources.

The need for low resource computing devices continues to expand in both industry and consumer applications. Examples of such low resource computing devices include a set top box suitable for satellite or cable television reception, a video game console, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, and a handheld computing device. Developing software that is to be executed on a low resource computing device is best done on a high resource computing device. The robust memory and processing capabilities of the high resource computing device are conveniences available to a developer that can be used to emulate software being developed and debugged to run on the low resource computing device. For instance, the high resource computing device can execute an emulating application that can emulate the operation of a processor executing an application using an operating system in a low resource computing device. As such, the low resource computing device that is to be emulated will typically be a client that has less memory and/or computing resources than that of a computing device that is used to emulate the client executing applications that run on the client.
A typical software bug that occurs in applications developed on any computing device is a memory management bug. Memory management bugs are a key contributor to software instability and increased software development time for computing devices due to the effects of using an obsolete memory pointer in an incorrect access to memory. When an access to memory occurs during the execution of an application, and that access uses an obsolete pointer to memory, the application typically does not stop executing as soon as the incorrect memory access occurs. Rather, the result of this bug is not noticed until long after the incorrect memory access has occurred. As a result, a developer must undertake the often difficult task of finding how and where the bug occurred during execution of the application that performed the access to memory.
A typical example of a memory error occurs when a pointer to a portion of memory is used in a memory management operation after that portion had been previously freed by a prior memory management operation. In this example, the later memory management operation has re-referenced an obsolete memory pointer in an incorrect access to memory without any error being signaled. It would be an advance in the art to signal the occurrence of the incorrect memory access to memory at the time of its occurrence during the execution of emulation code so that the location of the errant code can be can easily identified—thereby increasing the probability of having an easily reproducible test case that can be used in debugging by a software developer.


A control knob assembly primarily for use with devices utilizing flat panel display technology, each assembly having means for manipulating the electronic apparatus by using remote sensing capability to transfer control knob input into a control signal. The assembly is mounted on a bezel, affixed to the front side of the flat panel display and cooperates in conjunction with a plurality of photodiode devices located near the back side of the flat panel display. Photodiodes are located with respect to knob location so as to be able to detect knob adjustment by monitoring a reflected signal that is alternatively disrupted by knob adjustment. The photodiode devices may be infra-red light emitting diode as are well known in the prior art. Circuitry to the photodiode device is used to transmit detected knob adjustment to the appropriate device control circuitry.

The invention relates to flat panel displays, and more particularly to control knob apparatus for equipment utilizing such flat panel displays.
Flat panel displays are widely used in applications where the depth dimension of a cathode ray tube is determined to be excessive. Space considerations are also often critical with respect to the available surface area to be used by the apparatus having a flat panel display. Control knobs for adjusting equipment utilizing flat panel technologies are located at the periphery of the flat panel display given the operating principles of flat panel technology.
As a means of illustration, but not limitation, high level operational theory of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs), one type of flat panel technology is provided. Such displays are typically constructed of rectangular surface dimensions. Customizing specific flat panel display surface geometrical designs for low to moderate volume production runs can be prohibitively expensive.
The principle of operation of LCD's is well known in the art but for purposes of understanding the background of the present invention, it can be stated that LCD's operate by reducing the transmissibility of light through a thin layer of a liquid crystalline material when an electric field is applied. Since the effect is localized, shapes and characters can be drawn on an LCD by carefully controlling the application of the electric field. Unlike cathode ray tubes which LCD's are replacing, LCD's are not self-illuminating. This does not normally affect daylight use, but under night or other low light level conditions some sort of backlighting is required in order for LCD's to be viewed. Very high brightness ambients also require additional backlight brightness to maintain readability.
One area that has found widespread acceptance of instrumentaion having flat panel displays is the field of avionic equipment. Although not constrained to avionic LCD applications the present invention will be described in terms of such usage. It is understood that the teachings of the present invention are not limited to avionic LCD applications but may be utilized by any flat panel display.
To place cable wires or other means of conduit connecting a control knob located on the screen periphery to control means within the subject equipment requires limiting LCD dimensions in order to accomodate the hard wiring to the knob. Side mounting of the knob is generally not available because of the location of immediately adjacent equipment having display in the same geometrical plane as the flat panel display of the subject equipment. Similarly, location of control knobs at some location away from the subject equipment creates confusion, safety concerns and logistical problems connecting the control knobs to the appropriate control circuitry or devices.
Thus, a need exists for maximizing the surface area of the flat panel display while maintaining peripherially located control knobs for the associated equipment.

Optical control knob assembly incorporated on a flat panel display apparatus


A service request to execute an operation on a business object is received. Thereafter, a metadata repository is polled to obtain a modeled association corresponding to the service request. The modeled association involves at least one node of the business object. The at least one node of the business object is then called using the modeled association to respond to the service request. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Business objects encapsulate semantically related functionality and structure. A business object can include a hierarchy of semantically related nodes, which represent data as attributes. In addition, a business object can be an independently viable entity with identifiable instances as well as bundle functions and data, both of which may be accessible from outside of the business object. Business objects can be described by a data model, an internal process model, and one or more typed service interfaces, and can be a core structuring element of applications that are centrally defined by a developer as part of an overall governance process.
The dependency between instances of two nodes of a business object can be expressed by the help of associations. An association can be a direct, unidirectional, binary relationship between two business object nodes. Each association can be used to navigate from one node (source node) to the related node (target node). In addition, associations can have parameters to filter the result of the associated nodes and/or have a defined multiplicity which gives information about the number of associated nodes.

Modeled associations for business object data structures


In an apparatus on a spinning preparation machine, for example, a flat card, roller card, draw frame or the like, for monitoring fiber material, having at least one rotating roller that delivers fiber material, and a monitoring arrangement device that detects undesirable accumulations (build-up) of fiber material and emits an electrical signal is present. To permit immediate detection of undesirable accumulations of material in a structurally simple manner, the monitoring arrangement comprises a non-contact sensor arrangement (sensor), which is capable of detecting undesirable accumulations of fiber material.

The invention relates to an apparatus on a spinning preparation machine, for example, a flat card, roller card, draw frame or the like, for monitoring fibre material, having at least one rotating roller that delivers fibre material.
Unacceptable and undesirable piling up of material in textile machines, especially flat cards, roller cards or draw frames, can cause damage in practical operation. In the textile machinery sector, particularly in the case of flat cards and roller cards, dependent on the system the material to be processed is transferred between rotating rollers, which are mostly also fitted with clothings. Thus, for example, the fibre material is transferred from the feed to the licker-in, from the licker-in to the cylinder, from the cylinder to the doffer etc. The fibre material to be transferred, for example, cotton fibres, usually consists of a relatively thin fibre mat or fibre fleece. For this and also for other technological reasons, the paths provided for the fibre material are relatively narrow. Particularly at the transfer points, it may happen that the fibres are not passed on properly and material piles up undesirably. In these regions, problems may also arise as a result of clinging fibres, unsatisfactory suction extraction, or the like. All these malfunctions result mostly in serious problems in the machine. The risk of serious damage to individual machine elements is high whenever there is an unduly large amount of fibre material on the rollers or at the transfer points. This can ultimately lead to the cracking of covers, fixings, roller bearings, guide elements etc.
With a known apparatus (DE 32 20 636 A) on a flat card, downstream of a pair of take-off rollers there is arranged a fibre guide plate pivotable about an axis parallel to the take-off roller nip. In its working position, the fibre guide plate lies against a limit switch for stopping the machine; the limit switch is depressed. When disruptions occur during sliver formation, e.g. tearing of the sliver, fibre builds up in the region of the fibre guide plate, this is pivoted out of the vicinity of the limit switch, leading to stoppage of the machine. The disadvantage here is the structural complexity. In particular it is inconvenient that the limit switch directly detects only the position of the fibre guide plate. A build-up of fibre can only be detected indirectly. Furthermore, a response is to be initiated only when a downstream disruption, such as tearing of the sliver, occurs. Finally, it is not possible to detect and monitor the magnitude of the fibre build-up using this apparatus.
It is an aim of the invention to produce an apparatus of the kind described initially that avoids or mitigates the said disadvantages and permits direct detection of undesirable accumulations of fibre material in a structurally simple manner.

Apparatus on a spinning preparation machine for monitoring fibre material


Transfer control information for controlling a transfer amount per unit time of a transfer path is delivered from a transfer control section to an information transfer section. During encoding, the information transfer section receives image information from an external device in accordance with the transfer control information, and inputs the same to an image-information encoding/decoding section. A code-amount control section forwards code-amount control information for controlling the code amount to the image-information encoding/decoding section. The image-information encoding/decoding section encodes the image information in accordance with the code-amount control information outputted from the code-amount control section. The information transfer section transfers to an external device encoded information outputted from the image-information encoding/decoding section, while the transfer amount per unit time is being controlled by the transfer control section.

The present invention relates to an image-information encoding processing apparatus and an image-information decoding processing apparatus for processing the encoding or decoding of digital still-image information, and an image-information encoding/decoding processing apparatus for performing the processing of encoding and decoding.
It is now a common procedure that a large volume of digital image information is transmitted and stored after being encoded. As techniques for encoding image information in this case, various methods have been developed and are selectively used. Depending on the encoding techniques, there are cases where the image information is not compressed to a remarkable degree even if encoding is performed, or cases where although highly efficient compression is possible, the image quality deteriorates when the encoded image information is decoded. For this reason, a targeted compression ratio is set, and an encoding technique to be used is selected.
The targeted compression ratio and the encoding technique are generally determined by taking into consideration the image quality of a reproduced image, processing time, a transfer rate, a storage capacity and the like and in accordance with their priorities. As for the targeted compression ratio, if, for example, the image quality of the reproduced image is given priority, encoding is effected by setting the compression at a low level so as to reduce the deterioration of the reproduced image. On the other hand, if it is required to transmit the image information within a limited time on a limited transmission route, or to store it in a storage device of a limited capacity within a limited time, it is absolutely essential to encode any image at a high compression ratio.
The encoding techniques include fixed-length coding in which the code amount is unfailingly fixed and variable-length coding in which the code amount varies depending on the image. If the fixed-length coding is used, the storage capacity can be easily determined, so that it is convenient when structuring a system. In the fixed-length coding, however, the encoding efficiency is often inferior as compared with the variable-length coding in which encoding is carried out by reflecting image characteristics. By taking advantages and disadvantages of such encoding techniques into account, it is necessary to select an encoding technique to be used. In the case of digital color images, for instance, since the amount of information is very large, the variable-length coding is used in many cases.
The variable-length coding system is adopted also in, for example, a Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group (JPEG) system which is an international standard of a still-image encoding system. At present, encoding/decoding apparatuses of the JPEG system are easily available, so that information on encoding in a format based on the JPEG system is widely utilized through networks.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an encoding apparatus of the JPEG system. In the drawing, reference numeral 51 denotes an input image; 52, a blocking section; 53, blocked-image information; 54, a discrete cosine transform (DCT) section; 55, transform coefficients; 56, a quantizing section; 57, a quantized transform coefficient; 58, an entropy coding section; and 59, encoded information. The input image 51 is segmented into pieces of blocked-image information 53 each consisting of N.times.N pixels by the blocking section 52, and is inputted to the DCT section 54. In the DCT section 54, the blocked-image information 53 is subjected to DCT, and the transform coefficients 55 are inputted to the quantizing section 56. The transform coefficients 55 are quantized by the quantizing section 56. The quantized transform coefficients 57 are coded by the entropy coding section 58, and the encoded information 59 is outputted.
As problems of the variable-length coding, it can be pointed out that, since the characteristics of the input image are reflected on the encoding efficiency, the code amount does not become fixed, and that a high compression ratio is not achieved depending on the input image or a coding parameter. Therefore, in cases where a high compression ratio is always required when, for instance, priorities are placed on such elements as the processing time, the transfer rate, and the storage capacity, a control method called code-amount control for controlling the compression ratio is used in the variable-length coding.
The code-amount controlling techniques include, for instance, "Bit-rate Control Method for DCT Image Coding," 1989 Autumn National Convention Record, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, D-45, pp. 6-45. The method described in this document is a bit-rate control method with respect to an encoder using an algorithm similar to that employed in the JPEG system.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an encoder using a conventional code-amount controlling technique. In the drawing, those portions that are similar to those of FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. Reference numeral 60 denotes a memory section; 61, a code amount; 62, a quantizing-step measuring/estimating section; 63, a quantizing step value; and 64, a variable-length coding (VLC) section. The input image 51 is segmented into pieces of blocked-image information 53 each consisting of N.times.N pixels by the blocking section 52, and is subjected to transformation by the DCT section 54, and the transform coefficients 55 are stored in the memory section 60. In the quantizing section 56, the transform coefficients 55 are read from the memory section 60, and are quantized, and the quantized transform coefficients 57 are coded by the VLC section 64. The code amount 61 at this time is inputted to the quantizing-step measuring/estimating section 62. This coding operation is carried out by using a plurality of different quantizing step values. Here, the quantizing step is one of coding parameters in this coding system, and is used when the quantizing section 56 effects quantization.
In the quantizing-step measuring/estimating section 62, a quantizing step value for achieving a targeted code amount is estimated on the basis of the code amounts 61 obtained by the plurality of coding operations. Then, the estimated quantizing step value 63 is set in the quantizing section 56, and encoding is carried out again. In addition, if the above-described operation is further repeated, high accurate estimation becomes possible.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating another example of an encoder using a conventional code-amount controlling technique. The reference numerals in the drawing are similar to those of FIG. 6. If a storage device for storing image information is used outside the encoder, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the memory section 60 in FIG. 6 is not provided, as shown in FIG. 7. In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, encoding is carried out a plurality of times by reading the image information from the storage device a necessary number of times and by inputting the same to the encoder, and a quantizing step is estimated in the quantizing-step measuring/estimating section 62. Then, coding is carried out by setting the estimated quantizing step value 63 in the quantizing section 56, thereby effecting an encoding such that the code amount becomes a targeted code amount or less.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration including an apparatus for inputting and outputting an image. In the drawing, reference numeral 71 denotes an input device; 72; an output device; 73, a high-speed storage device; and 74, a data bus. In a case where the input device 71 such as a scanner and the output device 72 such as a printer are continuously operated at high speed, the input device 71, the output device 72, and the high-speed storage device 73 such as memory are connected to the data bus 74, and information which is continuously inputted from the input device 71 is stored in the high-speed storage device 73, while information stored in the high-speed storage device 73 is read out, and is continuously outputted to the output device 72. However, the high-speed storage device 73 such as the memory is generally expensive as compared with a storage device such as a hard disk (a large-capacity storage device), so tat the provision of the high-speed storage device 73 for a number of pages presents a problem in terms of cost. Meanwhile, the large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk is slow in the processing speed in reading and writing. For this reason, in the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the large-capacity storage device cannot be applied as it is in place of the high-speed storage device 73.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of the system configuration including a device for inputting and outputting an image. In the drawing, those portions that are similar to those of FIG. 8 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. Reference numeral 75 denotes an encoding/decoding processing apparatus, and 76 denotes a large-capacity storage device. To solve the problem of the configuration shown in FIG. 8, a method is conceivable in which the encoding/decoding processing apparatus 75 is introduced as shown in FIG. 9, and encoded information is stored in the large-capacity storage device 76.
In the system shown in FIG. 9, when information is inputted, the information inputted from the input device 71 is stored in the high-speed storage device 73, and coding is effected in the encoding/decoding processing apparatus 75, is stored in the high-speed storage device 73, and is outputted by the output device 72. Thus, in the system shown in FIG. 9, the amount of information stored in the large-capacity storage device 73 is reduced by the encoding/decoding processing apparatus 75, and the processing time required for reading and writing is shortened.
It is difficult for the input and output devices to be interrupted at an accurate point during continuous high-speed operation. For this reason, if an attempt is made to interrupt the operation midway, there is a possibility of the data being inputted or outputted becoming lost. In addition, the interruption of the operation can possibly lead to an appreciable decline in efficiency because of the mechanical restrictions of the input and output devices. For such reasons, in order to actually allow the input device 71 and the output device 72 to be continuously operated at high speed in the configuration shown in FIG. 9, it is necessary that a minimum compression ratio be ensured irrespective of the input image. This makes it possible to minimize the time of transfer between the large-capacity storage device 76 and the encoding/decoding processing apparatus 75, and secure the transfer time of the input and output devices. Additionally, it is also necessary to ensure the data transfer time necessary for transferring on the common data bus 74 sufficient data for allowing the input and output devices, such as the input device 71 and the output device 72, to be operated continuously.
In order to ensure a minimum compression ratio irrespective of the input image, the scheme can be realized by adopting the variable-length coding system using the code-amount controlling technique shown in FIG. 6 or 7. To ensure a sufficient data transfer time for the input device 71 and the output device 72, one method is conceivable in which a transfer management device is provided to restrict the time the bus is used by the respective devices on the bus. This method, however, is not advantageous since it requires a means for updating a management method each time the system configuration of the devices is changed.

Image information encoding/decoding apparatus assuring a minimum compression ratio and limiting a transfer rate


An interactive playground system including a user interface including a speaker and at least one of a microphone and a camera; a plurality of nodes distributed over a surface of the playground system, each one of the nodes including a printed circuit board with at least one sensor and at least one output component connected thereto; and a central unit in data communication with the plurality of nodes. The central unit comprises a memory and a processor; at least one of a speech recognition module and a motion recognition module and an interaction control module in data communication with the at least one of the speech recognition module and the motion recognition module, the speaker and the nodes. The interaction control module implements at least one of conversation instructions through output of audio data on the speaker and game action instructions through control of the output components of the nodes.

Playground systems are structures commonly found in parks, schoolyards, daycare, campground and the like and which allow users to play while performing physical activities. Traditionally, playground systems include physical structures and components such as, for example and without being limitative, swings, chutes, climbing nets, ladders, see-saws and platforms interconnected by structures such as, for example and without being limitative, ladders, net bridges, bars, ropes, tunnels, or the like, such that users can play while moving around the playground.
In recent years, new types of playground systems with integrated electronic components have been developed. Such playground systems with integrated electronic components can, for example, include a central processing unit which can receive sensor signals indicative of user activities from sensors distributed over the surface of the structure and provide interactive game action (for example by lighting lights distributed over the structure), with the users performing user actions in reaction to the game play action (e.g. in reaction to lighting of the lights).
Such playground systems however tend to suffer from several drawbacks. For example and without being limitative, known playground systems simply allow user to select the desired type of game, using traditional user interface or controls, thereby limiting the user experience. Moreover, known playground systems do not allow vocal (or motion based) interactions between the users and the playground system, again limiting the user experience. Furthermore, known playground systems do not offer personalized interaction, game play, or the like to the players using the playground, which also negatively impacts the experience of the players.
In view of the above, there is a need for an improved interactive playground system with enhanced user management and interaction capabilities and/or for a computerized method for providing enhanced user management and interaction capabilities in a playground system which would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the above-discussed prior art concerns.

Interactive playground system with enhanced user interaction and computerized method for providing enhanced user interaction in a playground system


A limited portion of a surface of a glass substrate is removed by application of a laser beam on the limited portion of the glass substrate to thereby produce a glass structure according to the invention. The glass substrate contains at least one element such as titanium, iron, vanadium, bismuth, lead, thallium, tin, cerium, rhodium or cobalt capable of absorbing energy of the laser beam and has a threshold of not larger than 1.0 J/cm2 per laser beam pulse in terms of machining energy of the laser beam. When such a glass substrate 21 is used, a glass structure having a through-hole 61 or cavity optional in sectional shape can be formed by irradiation with the laser beam 10.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass structure having a through-hole or a cavity and particularly to a glass structure produced by laser beam irradiation and a method for producing the glass structure.
2. Related Art
A glass structure constituted by a finely treated glass substrate is used as an optical component used in optical communication or as a micro lens incorporated in a display device. As a method for finely treating such a glass substrate, wet etching using an etching liquid such as hydrofluoric acid or dry etching such as reactive ion etching is heretofore used generally.
Wet etching, however, has a problem in management and disposal of the etching liquid. Dry etching has a problem that an etching apparatus, itself large in scale, is required because equipment such as a vacuum vessel, etc. is required. Moreover, there is also a problem that these etching methods are not efficient because a pattern mask or the like must be formed by a complex photolithographic technique.
On the other hand, direct treatment using a physical change such as heating, melting, vaporization or ablation generated in a material irradiated with a laser beam has been developed. Reduction in laser beam width and wavelength has been achieved with the advance of laser technology. An organic substance such as polyimide or a metal has been machined in the order of microns. A laser beam is suitable for fine treatment because it can be converged to a very small light spot.
Glass is however apt to crack when machined because it is a brittle material. For this reason, it was not easy to use laser machining for the purpose of fine treatment. To solve this problem, a glass fine-treatment technique in which silver is imported into glass by ion exchange to reduce a threshold for laser machining to thereby restrain the glass from cracking etc. has been developed as disclosed in JP-A-11-217237.
In glass containing a large amount of alkaline metal, however, a phenomenon that diffusion of silver ions into the glass is disturbed because of reduction of silver ions in a limited region near surface of the glass occurs though silver ions can be imported into the glass by ion exchange. For this reason, an effective laser machining region is limited to a neighborhood of the glass surface. Accordingly, it is still difficult to process a glass substrate up to the inside of glass three-dimensionally with a high degree of freedom in such a manner that a through-hole is formed in the glass substrate and then the taper angle of a wall surface of the through-hole is further adjusted.
Even in the case where silver ions are not reduced in a neighborhood of the glass surface so that the silver ions can be diffused into the glass, the concentration of silver ions in the glass surface becomes always high because the silver ions must be imported into the glass through the glass surface by a diffusing process. Accordingly, treatment for a very long time is required for increasing the silver ion concentration in the inside of the glass to be approximately equal to that in the glass surface. Hence, there is a problem in production efficiency.

Glass structure and method for producing the same


A method for determining and/or monitoring fill level of a medium in a container with a measuring device, which works according to the travel time measuring method, wherein measurement signals are transmitted toward the medium and are received, wherein from the high-frequency total measurement signal, composed by superimposing the transmitted measurement signals, the reflected wanted echo signals and the disturbance echo signals, a raw echo curve or digitized envelope curve is ascertained. The wanted echo signals and/or the disturbance echo signals in the raw echo curve or the digitized envelope curve are ascertained based on an ideal echo curve, which shows the amplitude of the echo signals of an ideal reflector as a function of the distance from the ideal reflector, and based on the ascertained wanted echo signal the fill level is determined.

Measuring devices are frequently applied in automation and process control technology, in order to ascertain a process variable, such as e.g. flow, fill level, pressure and temperature or some other physical and/or chemical process variable in a running process.
The travel-time method applied in fill-level measuring devices utilizes the physical law, according to which the travel distance equals the product of travel time and propagation velocity. In such case, the fill level measurement corresponds to the travel distance of twice the separation between a reference point of the transmitter and the surface of the fill substance. The wanted echo signal, thus the signal reflected on the surface of the fill substance, and its travel time are determined preferably based on the so-called echo curve, which shows in analog or digital form the amplitudes of the echo signals as a function of separation from the transmitter. The fill level value results then from the difference between the known separation of the reference point of the transmitter from the floor of the container and the separation of the surface of the fill substance from the reference point of the transmitter determined by the measuring.
All known methods can be applied, which enable determining relatively short distances by means of reflected measurement signals. If the measurement signals are microwaves, then both pulse radar as well as also frequency modulation continuous wave radar (FMCW radar) can be used. In the following, only the pulse travel time method will be discussed. However, the method of the invention is applicable likewise to other travel time measuring methods, such as e.g. FMCW. Microwave measuring devices, in the case of which pulsed measurement signals are freely radiated, are sold by Endress+Hauser, for example, under the mark 'MICROPILOT'. Microwave measuring devices, which guide measurement signals along a conductive element into and from the container, are sold by Endress+Hauser under the mark 'LEVELFLEX'. A device type, which works with ultrasonic signals, is sold by Endress+Hauser, for example, under the mark 'PROSONIC'.
The transmitted measurement signals form with the received, wanted-echo signals a total measurement signal, which, in given cases, under actual measuring conditions, includes additional disturbance-echo signals. These disturbance echo signals have different causes, such as e.g.:                reflections on installed objects in the container and on the container itself        multipath propagation (retro reflection) and multimode propagation        dispersion of transmitted waves        foam and accretion formation by the medium filling and emptying procedures        reflection characteristics of the medium        noise        low dielectric constant of the medium        humidity in the container        unsteady medium surfaces.
In the current state of the art, there are different approaches for removing these disturbance echo signals from the total measurement signal. Disturbance echo signals can complicate the evaluation and determining of fill level, when, for example, they cover the wanted echo signal.
Described in published international application, WO 03/016835 A1 is a method for evaluating measurement signals of a measuring device working according to the travel time principle, in the case of which a currently recorded measurement curve is compared with reference signal data. In comparing the reference signal data with the currently recorded measurement curve, there can be ascertained from time shifting of corresponding disturbance and wanted signals a correction factor, with which the sought fill level can be ascertained in the face of no present or evaluatable, wanted signal of the fill level.
The method and apparatuses disclosed in the above application for elimination of disturbance signals from the measurement signal all have the problem that they cannot react to changes of process conditions in the container, which influence the measurement signal, or to changes of the measuring method and measuring performance of the measuring device.
Described in German Patent, DE 10 2007 042 042 A1 is a method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by a field device, wherein the fill level is ascertained in the envelope curve from transmission signals and reflection signals based on travel times, respectively travel distances. The disturbance echo signals are stored in a masking curve, which is ascertained in a first measuring cycle from the envelope curve of the measurement signals in the empty container, and, for evaluating the envelope curve, an evaluation curve is stored, which is ascertained in a first measuring cycle from the envelope curve. In order to reduce the need for memory and so that the curves can be adapted to the measuring situation, the masking curve and/or evaluation curve are editable, in that the curve functions are formed from a reduced number of support points with appropriate, connectable functions.
Described in published German patent application DE 10 2005 003 152 A1 is a method for reviewing the orderly functioning of a fill-level measuring device, which works according to the travel time principle. For this, in predetermined or selectable time intervals, a measured value curve is ascertained at a current fill level; based on the current measured value curve, the wanted echo signal is determined. Then, the expectation value for the quality of the wanted echo signal is determined at at least one predetermined fill level based on the signal amplitude of the current wanted echo signal and based on an ideal echo curve ascertained under predetermined process and/or system dependent conditions. The ascertained expectation value for the quality of the wanted echo signal at the predetermined fill level is compared with a predetermined critical value for the quality, and an error state is diagnosed, when the ascertained expectation value subceeds the critical value for the quality.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved and more accurate method for evaluating measurement signals of fill-level measuring devices.

Method for determining and/or monitoring fill level of a medium in a container


A surgical trocar has a cannula assembly including a sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a passageway therethrough. A housing having an opening is located at the proximal end of the sleeve and is aligned with the passageway of the sleeve. The trocar also includes an obturator assembly which is insertable in the cannula assembly. The obturator assembly includes a handle having an opening therein and a flexible contact portion which is outwardly deflectable from the handle. The obturator assembly also includes an obturator having a proximal end connected to the handle and a distal end opposite the proximal end. A penetrating tip is located at the shaft distal end for penetrating tissue. A protector having a distal end is slidably disposed around the obturator shaft for covering the penetrating tip. The protector has an aperture at its distal end for permitting the penetrating tip to pass therethrough. The protector proximal end is movable against the flexible contact portion of the obturator handle to expose the penetrating tip when a proximal force is asserted against the protector.

The present invention relates in general to endoscopic surgery, and in articular, to trocars having shields or protectors for use in endoscopic surgical procedures.
The use of endoscopic procedures in surgery has become widely accepted. The term endoscopic as used herein is defined to include all types of minimally invasive surgical procedures including laparoscopic and arthroscopic procedures. Accordingly, numerous endoscopic instruments have been developed which allow the surgeon to perform complex surgical procedures with minimal incisions into the skin and tissue surrounding a particular body cavity or anatomical region. In order to introduce the endoscopic instrumentation into the body cavity, it is often necessary to puncture and cannulate the body cavity by using a trocar. Trocars are widely known in the art and typically consist of an obturator and a trocar cannula. It is common for a sealing arrangement or seal assembly to be used in association with the cannula to prevent the escape of fluid or gas during endoscopic procedures. Trocars may have a protective element around the obturator which covers the sharp piercing tip of the obturator prior to and after insertion, and also after removal of the obturator and trocar cannula. The protective element is often referred to as a safety shield or protector.
One type of trocar utilizes a safety shield and is typically inserted by pressing the distal end of the trocar assembly against the outer skin of the patient with sufficient force to cause the piercing end of the obturator to pierce through the skin, underlying fat, muscle and fascia into the body cavity. The trocar is permitted to penetrate into the body cavity because the safety shield is retracted proximally thereby exposing the sharp piercing tip. However, upon completing the penetration, the safety shield automatically returns to its protective position covering the piercing tip. This type of trocar is a fully returnable safety shielded trocar. Once the surgeon has properly positioned the trocar within the body cavity, the obturator together with the safety shield are removed and the trocar cannula is then available as a pathway, e.g., for insertion of endoscopic instrumentation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,197 (Smith et al.) describes this type of trocar.
With current fully returnable safety shielded trocars, it may be necessary to remove the cannula handle from the obturator handle to "reload" the shield on the trocar obturator for those instances where the trocar has not completely penetrated into the body cavity. In this fashion, therefore, it is necessary to perform an extra step while the obturator tip is inserted within pneuoperitoneum.
Yet, in some procedures it may be desirable to utilize trocars without a safety shield or to utilize a trocar design wherein the trocar obturator is nonshielded at the time when the trocar obturator is placed within the trocar cannula. Thus, upon coupling of the shielded obturator and the cannula, the shield will be retracted thereby exposing the piercing tip of the obturator. This type of trocar can be referred to as an assembly actuated trocar.
An assembly actuated trocar prevents the shield from returning to its protective position upon placement of the obturator within the cannula. U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,298 (Bedi et al.) describes this type of trocar. In this way, the user is able to slightly withdraw the trocar from the pierced tissue, and then continue penetrating through remaining tissue layers. This prevents what is commonly referred to as "tenting" of pneumoperitoneum. In this fashion, tenting can be reduced while still adequately providing access to the body cavity.
In an effort to eliminate problems with tenting or to reduce cost from surgery, surgeons often utilize trocars that do not employ a safety shield since these types of trocars are generally less expensive than fully returnable safety shielded trocars. However, for those procedures that utilize trocars without a safety shield, there is a possibility that the obturator tip could cut a person handling the trocar or damage the trocar seal assembly or other components of the instrument.
Presently, there is no known trocar that provides a low cost option to the surgeon while maintaining the ability to protect the obturator piercing tip with a shield or protector up until the time when the obturator is coupled to the proximal end of the cannula.

Surgical trocar having obturator handle with flexible contact portion


A medical robotic system that includes a robotically controlled surgical instrument. The system includes a constraint controller that constrains the movement of the instrument based on a predetermined parameter. The parameter may be a surgical space, wherein the instrument cannot be moved into, or alternatively cannot be moved out of, the space. The surgically constrained spaced may be defined through a telestrator screen that allows a surgeon to point and click the boundaries of the space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical robotic system.
2. Background Information
Blockage of a coronary artery may deprive the heart of blood and oxygen required to sustain life. The blockage may be removed with medication or by an angioplasty. For severe blockage a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is performed to bypass the blocked area of the artery. CABG procedures are typically performed by splitting the sternum and pulling open the chest cavity to provide access to the heart. An incision is made in the artery adjacent to the blocked area. The internal mammary artery is then severed and attached to the artery at the point of incision. The internal mammary artery bypasses the blocked area of the artery to again provide a full flow of blood to the heart. Splitting the sternum and opening the chest cavity can create a tremendous trauma to the patient. Additionally, the cracked sternum prolongs the recovery period of the patient.
Computer Motion of Goleta, Calif. provides a system under the trademark ZEUS that allows a surgeon to perform a minimally invasive CABG procedure. The procedure is performed with instruments that are inserted through small incisions in the patient's chest. The instruments are controlled by robotic arms. Movement of the robotic arms and actuation of instrument end effectors are controlled by the surgeon through a pair of handles and a foot pedal that are coupled to an electronic controller. Alternatively, the surgeon can control the movement of an endoscope used to view the internal organs of the patient through voice commands.
The handles and a screen are typically integrated into a console that is operated by the surgeon to control the various robotic arms and medical instruments of a ZEUS system. When performing surgery it is sometimes desirable to constrain the movement of the surgical instruments. For example, it may be desirable to prevent the instruments from making contact with a patient's organ, or it may be desirable to guide a biopic instrument along a predetermined path. It would also be desirable to allow a surgeon to readily define the constraints of the system.

Constraint based control in a minimally invasive surgical apparatus