In the overall methods of hydrogenating esters and maleic anhydride, which methods comprise a hydration reaction, comprising conducting the hydration reaction in the presence of the shaped Raney metal fixed-bed catalysts of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fixed bed catalysts and their use for the hydrogenation of saturated and unsaturated esters.
2. Description of the Background
Activated metal catalysts are known in the field of chemical engineering as Raney catalysts. They are used, largely in powder form, for a large number of hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, isomerization reductive alkylation, reductive amination, and hydration reactions of organic compounds. These powdered catalysts are prepared from an alloy of a catalytically active metal, also referred to herein as a catalyst metal, with a further alloying component which is soluble in an alkali. Suitable catalytically active metals include nickel, cobalt, copper and iron. Aluminum is generally used as the alloying component which is soluble in an alkali, but other components may also be used, in particular, zinc or silicon or mixtures of either one of these elements with aluminum.
Powdered catalysts have the disadvantage that they can be used only in a batch process and, after the catalytic reaction, have to be separated from the reaction medium by costly sedimentation and/or filtration techniques. Therefore, a variety of processes for preparing molded forms of the catalysts, which lead to activated metal fixed-bed catalysts after extraction of the aluminum have been disclosed. Thus, for example, coarse particulate Raney alloys, i.e., Raney alloys which have only been coarsely milled, can be prepared and these alloys can be activated by treatment with a caustic soda solution. Extraction and activation then occurs only in a surface layer, the thickness of which can be adjusted by the conditions used during extraction.
A substantial disadvantage of catalysts prepared by these known methods are the poor mechanical stability of the activated outer layer. Since only this outer layer of the catalysts is the catalytically active component, abrasion leads to rapid deactivation and renewed activation of deeper lying layers of alloy using caustic soda solution then leads at best to partial reactivation.
It is known that Re doped Pd (DE 25 19 817 A1)or Re doped Ru (WO 96/27436) supported catalysts are useful for the production of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) by either maleic acid or maleic anhydride hydrogenation. These systems work as either powder or fixed bed catalysts at pressures of 138 bar or higher and temperatures of 250xc2x0 C. or higher. In this respect, a system that performs this reaction at milder conditions would be a strong advantage. Copper-chromite is another catalyst system that has used for ester hydrogenation with some success (DE 39 03 029 A1).
EP 0 648 534 A1 describes shaped, activated Raney metal fixed-bed catalysts (Metalyst(copyright)) and their preparation. These catalysts avoid the disadvantages described above, i.e., the poor mechanical stability resulting from activating an outer layer. To prepare these catalysts, a mixture of powders consisting of a catalyst alloy and a binder are used, where the catalyst alloy contains at least one catalytically active catalyst metal and an extractable alloying component. The pure catalyst metals or mixtures thereof, which do not contain an extractable component, are used as the binder. The use of the binder in an amount of 0.5 to 20 weight percent with respect to the catalyst alloy, is essential in order to achieve sufficient mechanical stability after activation. After shaping the catalyst alloy and the binder with conventional shaping aids and pore producers, the freshly prepared items which are obtained are calcined at temperatures below 850xc2x0 C. As a result of sintering within the finely divided binder, solid compounds are produced between the individual granules of the catalyst alloy. These compounds, in contrast to catalyst alloys, are non-extractable or only extractable to a small extent so that a mechanically stable structure is obtained even after activation without endangering the strength of the shaped item.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide fixed bed activated base metal catalysts that hydrogenate saturated and unsaturated esters under milder conditions than existing technologies with better activities and selectivities.
Briefly, this object and other objects of the present invention as hereinafter will become more readily apparent can be attained by a shaped, activated Raney metal fixed-bed catalyst prepared by a method comprising preparing a mixture of powders consisting essentially of at least one catalyst alloy of (1) at least one catalytically active Raney process metal, a leachable alloy component and optionally a promoter, (2) at least one binder containing at least one pure Raney process metal, and (3) a moistening agent, and optionally an additive selected from the group consisting of a shaping aid, lubricant, plasticizer, pore-producer, and mixtures thereof; homogenizing the mixture; shaping the mixture into a molded catalyst precursor which is not activated; calcining the molded catalyst precursor at a temperature below 850xc2x0 C. to prepare a sintered catalyst precursor, and activating the sintered catalyst precursor by leaching the leachable alloy component with alkali until the leached and thereby activated outer layer has an adjustable thickness corresponding up to 70% or more of the of the molded form being activated, and subsequently washing the final catalyst; doping said catalyst with rhenium as a promoter after said activation and washing by introducing said catalyst into a rhenium solution. The pH of the Re solution may or may not be adjusted, and the temperature of the doping solution may vary from lower than room temperature to substantially higher temperatures. Moreover, the rhenium may be added to the unactivated alloy, the binder, or introduced in any other fashion that allows for its presence in the catalyst. The Re content can range from 0.01% Re to 30% Re, preferably from 0.01% to 15%, more preferably from 0.01% to 10% by weight of the catalyst.
The fixed bed catalysts of the invention have the advantage that Re doped metal catalysts promote the hydrogenation of maleic acid or maleic anhydride to gamma-butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran or 1,4-butanediol at a temperature of 200xc2x0 C. and a pressure of 80 bar. Additionally the present catalyst is able to hydrogenate fatty esters to the corresponding fatty alcohols at higher activities and selectivities than the standard copper chromite catalysts.
Preferred Raney process metals include nickel, cobalt, copper, or combination thereof and the leachable alloying components include aluminum, zinc, silicon, or combinations thereof. These metals are generally leached by an alkali such as NaOH. The ratio by weight of Raney process metal to leachable alloying component in the catalyst alloy is in the range from 10:90 to 90:10, as is normally the case with Raney alloys. The Raney process metal used as binder, in a real practical application, does not have to be the same as the catalyst metal present in the catalyst alloy. Rather, it is possible to combine different Raney process metals with each other as well as with promoter metals, in the catalyst alloy and as binder, offering a further important degree of freedom when adjusting the catalytic properties to the particular catalytic process. Thus the binder employed in the present invention can be nickel, cobalt, copper, iron, and optionally promoter metals. Generally any of the metals used for making Raney metal catalysts are suitable. The binder metal is employed in an unreachable and unadulterated form. Catalyst alloy and binder are processed in the form of powders, typically with the addition of moistening agents and optionally with the addition of conventional additives such as shaping aids, lubricants, plasticizers, and optionally pore-producers to give a moldable material. Any materials conventionally used for these purposes may be used as the shaping aid, lubricant, plasticizer and pore-producer. A number of suitable materials for this purpose are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,826,799; 3,404,551; and 3,351,495 all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Waxes such as, for example, wax C micropowder PM from Hoechst AG, greases such as magnesium or aluminum stearates, or polymers which contain carbohydrates such as tylose (methylcellulose) are preferably used for the above purposes.
The solids in the mixture are carefully homogenized in suitable conventional mixers or kneaders with the addition of a moistening agent. Water, alcohols, glycols, polyether glycols or mixtures thereof are suitable as moistening agents as is well known in the art.
The primary particle size ranges of the powders of catalyst alloy and binder used are essentially unchanged during homogenization. That is, no milling takes place.
The purpose of this preliminary treatment with the moistening agent and additives is to prepare the mixture for the subsequent shaping process. Extrusion, pelleting and compression may be used, for example, for the shaping process employing conventional equipment known for such purposes.
The type and sequence of incorporation of additives depends on the shaping process to be used. Extrusion requires a plastic material with a specific viscosity, whereas a material which is free-flowing and which can be readily metered out is required for pelleting. The techniques to be used for this purpose, such as, for example, agglomeration to produce a free-flowing powder or adjustment to the correct viscosity for extrusion, are known as a matter of routine to the person skilled in the art. It is only important that the primary particle size ranges of the catalyst powder and binder powder are essentially unchanged by the preliminary treatment.
The molded structures are optionally dried to constant weight at temperatures ranging from 80xc2x0 C. to 120xc2x0 C. and then calcined at temperatures below 850xc2x0 C., preferably from 500xc2x0 C. to 700xc2x0 C., in air in continuous or batch operated kilns such as rotary kilns or stationary kilns. The organic additives then bum off and leave behind a corresponding porous system.
The porous structure and pore volume of the catalysts can be varied over a wide range by suitable selection of the pore-producing additives. The final pore structure which is developed and the pore volume are also affected by the particle sizes of the powders of catalyst alloy and binder employed.
The structure of the molded catalyst can be adapted to the requirements for a particular catalytic process by appropriate selection of the parameters mentioned.
During calcination of the molded catalyst structures, the catalyst alloy powder and binder powder sinter together and provide the molded catalyst structures with high mechanical stability and good resistance to abrasion. Typically, the hardness of cylindrical pellets after calcination ranges from 200 to 300 N (measured radially in accordance with ASTM D 417982).
After calcination the molded catalyst structures are activated by leaching the aluminum with caustic soda solution. A 20% strength sodium hydroxide solution warmed to 80xc2x0 C. can be used for this purpose. In this case, treatment for 2 hours leads to an active outer layer with a thickness of about 0.1 to 1 mm. Surprisingly, it has been shown that the hardness is actually slightly increased by leaching, in the case of pellets to values of more than 300 N.
These properties are closely connected with the pure Raney process metal employed as binder which is not dissolved during leaching and thus in the sintered product forms stable bonds between the individual alloyed particles. According to German Patent DE 197 218 98.9 (Freund, Berweiler, Bender and Kempf, 1998) the use of a metallic binder for the production of Metalyst(copyright) can be avoided if the phase domains of the alloy are sufficiently small enough. The size of the phase domains can be controlled by the cooling rate and method employed for cooling of the alloy. Hence, the use of a binder in the invention of this patent is optional and the technology of DE 197 218 98.9 is applicable to this catalyst.
The choice of metals used as binder may contribute to the catalytic activity. Restricting the temperature of calcination to values below 850xc2x0 C. prevents the formation of alpha-aluminum oxide as shown by X-ray diffraction analysis of the calcined material. Any xcex3-aluminum oxide which is formed is removed by dissolution from the catalyst structure when activating the catalyst with caustic soda solution.
The lack of xcex1-aluminum oxide in the catalyst becomes clearly noticeable on activation. Whereas catalysts of the present invention can be activated under quite mild conditions (20% NaOH, 80xc2x0 C.) within only 2 hours, the temperature of the alkaline solution has to be raised and the activation time extended when activating catalysts bonded with xcex1-aluminum oxide (according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,799) in order to obtain an active outer layer of the same thickness.
To prepare the catalyst of the present invention, the average particle sizes of the catalyst alloy powder and of the binder, and also the ratio by weight of catalyst alloy powder to binder, can be varied over a wide range. Since the binder also contributes to the catalytic activity, but it cannot be activated by extracting aluminum, its possible contribution to the catalytic activity is limited. Therefore, its proportion in the catalyst should be kept as small as possible.
Ratios by weight of catalyst alloy powder to binder range from 100:20 to 100:0.5 have proven to be useful. The particle size of the binder should be smaller than the particle size of the catalyst alloy powder. Particles of binder can then be regarded as small bridges between the larger alloyed particles. It has been found that the hardness of the final catalyst structure increases within certain limits with decreasing particle size of the binder. Reasonable activity values are obtained when the powder of the catalyst alloy has an average particle size ranging from 10 and to 500 xcexcm.
When the catalyst is doped with rhenium, it is expedient to conduct doping only after activating the catalyst. For this, the final catalyst is introduced into a rhenium solution, e.g., perrhenic acid. The amount of rhenium and the time needed for its addition can be controlled by adjusting the pH and the temperature of the rhenium solution. A specific amount of the rhenium compound is adsorbed by , the catalyst, depending on the type of treatment, e.g. up to 20% by weight.
An aspect of the invention is a process for preparing the shaped Raney metal fixed-bed catalyst. The process consists essentially of preparing a mixture of powders consisting essentially of at least one catalyst alloy and optionally one binder, and a moistening agent. An additive selected from the group consisting of a shaping aid, lubricant, plasticizer, pore-producer, and mixtures thereof, is optionally included, and said catalyst alloy consists essentially of at least one Raney process metal as the catalytically active component, a leachable alloy component and optionally a promoter. The optional binder consists essentially of at least one Raney process metal. Processing continues by homogenizing the mixture, shaping the mixture to give a molded catalyst precursor which is not activated, calcining the molded catalyst precursor at a temperature less than 850xc2x0 C. to prepare a sintered catalyst precursor, and activating the sintered catalyst precursor by leaching the leachable alloy component with alkali until the leached and thereby activated outer layer has a thickness of 0.05 to 1 mm or higher; optionally subsequently washing the final catalyst. Rhenium, after activating and washing the catalyst is added by introducing the catalyst into a rhenium solution, where rhenium deposition is controlled by the temperature and pH of the rhenium solution.
Another aspect of the invention is the use of the rhenium doped Raney metal fixed-bed catalyst for the hydrogenation of unsaturated and saturated esters. An example of such a process is the hydrogenation of maleic anhydride to xcex3-butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-butanediol under mild conditions. Moreover, it has been found that the present catalyst is an excellent catalyst for the hydrogenation of fatty esters to fatty alcohols.


Described herein is a fax processing system that improves the speed and reliability of fax transmissions via a data communications network and provides a new method of transmitting facsimile images. Fax images are encoded with an embedded bit signal by a fax software program on the originating fax, where such bit signal is recognized by fax software at a fax service such that the original image data is transferred to the fax service via a secure link over a data communications network at internet speeds and notifies the fax service software with a confirmation.

The electronic transmission of documents by way of fax systems continues to be commonplace and, often, an essential component of many business activities. With the emergence of email and mobile computing devices in the business environment, many predicted the demise of fax, however fax continues to thrive and grow as it is the only means of communication to the existing base of fax machines, can print out paper, and offers compliance to many financial and regulatory requirements.
However, there continue to be shortcomings among the fax systems currently in use in the business and consumer markets. With the growth of VoIP (Voice over Internet), fax transmissions designed for the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) have more difficulty completing transmissions and require several retries to complete. Further, as the number of pages increase, the chances of successful transmissions decrease. Also, there is no page counting system in fax, so that a 100 page fax that cannot complete after 90 pages will start anew at page 1 the next attempt. And finally, that 100 page fax may take as long as an hour or more of a phone call to complete the transmission.
Facsimile ("fax" or "faxing") has been an important part of business communications for over 20 years. It is a secure, and reliable way to send a document from one place to another and provides a confirmation of receipt. There have been few changes to the actual fax transmissions or speed since the early 1990's. With the growth of VoIP and the growth of fax, more problems are introduced to the fax process such as dropped calls, incomplete faxes, and longer documents that can take long periods of time sending.
The present invention overcomes problems in the current fax system and in prior art of fax systems by using the fax transmission as a signal to securely stream the fax image data via the internet and greatly reducing the transmission time.
Non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data may be reproduced by a non-featured facsimile machine, but the non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data will be rendered in a manner that does not produce intelligible human-readable information to the recipient.
Non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data is also multi-bit digital data representing non-facsimile-communication-protocol information wherein facsimile-communication-protocol information is signals or instructions to create/facilitate a communication channel between a transmitting device and a receiving device.
In summary, non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data is machine readable data that is transmitted in addition to conventional facsimile data wherein if the non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data is reproduced by the receiving facsimile machine, the non-facsimile-communication-protocol/non-facsimile-image digital data does not produce intelligible human-readable information as the receiving facsimile machine would render the concurrently transmitted conventional facsimile data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for guaranteed high speed fax delivery


The creaser accessory device includes first and second plates pivotally connected to a lever arm that can be operated by a user to pivot the plates away from each other to receive a portion of a garment, and toward each other to press the portion of the garment such as to form a crease in the garment. The typically have apertures therethrough to allow steam from a hand held steam generating device removably coupled to the creaser accessory device to pass through the apertures to heat the portion of the garment when received in the creaser accessory device.

The present invention relates generally to hand held steam generating devices, and more particularly relates to a creaser accessory device configured to be removably coupled to a hand held steam generating device for steam creasing of a portion of a garment.
One conventional manually operable device for pressing fabric includes triangular-shaped jaws with flat surface portions that face each other. The jaws have handles pivotally connected together so that the two flat surface portions can be moved to be separated for inserting fabric between them, or in parallel pressure engagement for pressing the fabric. One of the jaws includes an electric heating element with an adjustable thermostatic control.
Another hand held steam presser includes a support with steam holes, and a pressure plate with steam exit holes releasably secured to the support plate. The pressure plate is movable towards the support plate counter to the pressure of a spring.
Another type of steam creaser includes first and second members pivotally connected together, with at least one of the first and the second member providing heat. Fabric can be positioned between the first and second members for heating of the fabric.
It would be desirable to provide a creaser accessory device for a hand held steam generating device that can be removably coupled to a variety of steaming brushes or to the creaser accessory device for steam creasing of a portion of a garment inserted in the creaser accessory device. The present invention addresses this need.

Creaser accessory device for hand held steamer


The present invention is a technique to select an input port. A database stores records of input ports for a plurality of communication channels. Each of the records includes a timestamp and a ready status. The timestamp indicates a most recent service time. A selector selects one of the input ports based on the timestamp and the ready status. A listener updates the records.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digital communication. In particular, the invention relates to channel multiplexing.
2. Background of the Invention
A typical communication system has a number of input ports on a bandwidth aggregator. These input ports receive information from a number of sources at different data rates from low bandwidth communication channels. The data are stored in buffers (e.g., first in first out) having appropriate depth. Data from the buffers are then multiplexed by a multiplexing unit into a high bandwidth channel for service.
When service requests are made simultaneously, the system needs to decide which input port to service. The decision has to be made such that the service requests can be accommodated at reasonable response time to avoid overflow at the buffers, resulting in loss of data. In practical systems, the endpoints to lower bandwidth channels and the higher bandwidth multiplexing unit may be physically located on separate devices, and no or little information is available to allow the multiplexing circuit to make an informed decision resolving multiple requests.
Existing techniques to resolve multiple requests include time division multiplexing, weighed round robin, and priority-based schemes. However, these techniques are inadequate because the amount of data carried by the input channels at a given time may vary considerably.
Therefore, there is a need in the technology for a technique to process multiple requests.

Adaptive control of multiplexed input buffer channels

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A communication device (10) comprises a coupler (19) for coupling an external device (30) to the communication device, and controller (16) for controlling the communication device., The controller has at least first and second terminals (22 and 23) for receiving digital numbers from the external device, each digital number representing a mode of operation for the communication device. The controller also includes an apparatus for transmitting a test pulse to the external device, and an apparatus for receiving a response pulse in response to the test pulse. The response pulse has predetermined direction, duration and polarity indicating a mode of operation for the communication device.

Modern portable radios commonly feature compatibility with several accessories which may be connected to the radio, such as external microphones, speakers, or even personal computers. Such compatibility requires some means for connecting the internal circuitry of the radio to the circuitry of the external accessory. In addition, when an accessory is connected to the radio it becomes necessary to inform the control means of the radio of the accessory that has been connected, so that the operation of the radio can be adjusted accordingly.
Apparatus for selecting modes of operation for a radio depending on the external device connected to the radio are known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,986, to Garner, describes an option selection scheme using analog voltages, with an impedance device determining the voltage for an option. Each option would in turn use a different impedance, and thus generate a different voltage. There are, however, some serious limitations to this scheme. While the above scheme theoretically could have an infinite number of discrete voltages, practical limitations severely limit it. With the resolution available with low cost Analog-to-Digital convertors, and the noise present in the radio environment, only about 4 discrete levels are usable with voltage "windows." Further, conductive contamination of the option connector can cause false readings and errors. Thus, a need exists for apparatus for identifying the external accessory for the radio.


The ink set includes a deep black ink containing a carbon black, and a pale black ink containing the carbon black with a lower content than the deep black ink. The deep black ink further contains a first colorant and a second colorant, and the pale black ink further contains the first colorant, but does substantially not contain the second colorant. The first and the second colorant are each selected from the group consisting of cyan colorants, magenta colorants, violet colorants, and green colorants.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink set.
2. Related Art
When achromatic gradation patches having a gradation from black to white are formed with a black ink containing only carbon black as the colorant, the hue of the gradation patch varies in such a manner that the a* and b* values turn away from the center (a* value=0, b* value=0) representing the genuine achromatic color, as shown in FIG. 1 illustrated in detail later. It is thus known that the color reproductivity of such an image is not satisfactory. One in this gradation patch, the hue lies at the center of the a*b* coordinates when the color is close to white. The color becomes slightly yellowish black as the amount of carbon black applied is increased, and when the carbon black is further applied to fill dots closely, the hue tends to return to the center of the a*b* coordinates. The term "color reproductivity" refers to a property of an ink representing small variation in hue for any color.
Ink sets have been proposed which are prevented from forming a slightly yellowish portion between colors in an achromatic image and thus achieve good color reproduction. For example, JP-A-2003-55592 discloses a black ink set including a plurality of black ink compositions, each containing a plurality of colorants: a carbon black, magenta pigment and cyan pigment. The carbon black contents are different among the black ink compositions, and the magenta pigment and cyan pigment contents in each black ink composition are adjusted so that the chroma C* of the ink composition is 3 or less.
The pale black ink, such as a gray ink, of the ink set disclosed in this patent document is prepared by adding very small amounts of two or more pigments. In such an ink composition, an error of the pigment content leads to a large variation in hue and causes variation among lots of the ink composition even if the error is very small. In addition, the color inconstancy (dependence on source light) of a black ink depends on the spectral characteristics of the carbon black in the black ink, that is, by the carbon black content in the black ink. Gray inks or other pale inks containing a carbon black with a low content have undesirable high color inconstancy.


Methods and apparatus for controlling exposure in a camera device are described. A depth map is used in combination with user selection of a portion of scene as part of an exposure control operation. Exposure control is based on portions of the scene, e.g., in a local window surrounding the user selected point, at the same depth as the user selected portion of the scene with other portions of the scene being excluded from consideration when controlling exposure or being given less weight than the portion or portions at the same depth as the user selected scene portion. Color maybe and in some embodiments is used in combination with depth information to identify an object of interest identified by the user selection. The identified object is then used in some embodiments in making exposure control determinations with portions of a scene outside the object being ignored or given less weight in determining an exposure to be used than the portions corresponding to the identified object.

Exposure control is intended to address the fact that a photographic sensor has a physically limited useful exposure range often called its dynamic range. If, for any part of the photograph, the actual exposure is outside this range, the sensor will not capture the image accurately. For example bright scene areas which saturate the corresponding pixels (picture elements) of a sensor would be overexposed and will normally appear as bright spots, e.g., white areas in the case of black and white images.
In an attempt to ensure that an area of interest, e.g., subject, in a scene is captured accurately, automatic exposure control in digital cameras is sometimes based on user selection of a point of a displayed image to indicate a subject of interest. In such systems, the area around and including the selected point, e.g., a rectangular area, is then normally used as the basis for automated exposure control with all portions within the rectangular area being treated as being of equal importance for exposure control purposes. While this approach is satisfactory in many applications, it can have undesirable results where the subject occupies only a portion of the scene area around the selected point that is used for exposure control.
For example, consider the case where a thin portion, e.g., branch, of a tree is selected by a user of the camera as the subject of interest. A large portion of the area surrounding the branch selected as the subject of interest may correspond to the sky or some other distant object of little interest to the user. It should be appreciated that treating light corresponding to the sky or distant object for purposes of determining exposure control may result in an exposure which does not primarily reflect the light from the subject of interest, the tree branch, but rather the distant object. This can result in under and/or over exposure with respect to the actual identified subject of interest, e.g., the tree branch which emits much less light than the bright sky and is also at a very different distance from the camera than the sky or background adjacent the tree branch.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for improved methods and/or apparatus for implementing exposure control. In view of the above discussion it should be appreciated that there is a need for exposure control methods which could take into consideration one or more factors other than simple proximity to a point identified as a subject of interest when making an exposure control determination.


A wide-cut harvester having a rotary cutter bed that takes a wider cut than the opening to the conditioner rolls of the machine employs a pair of stub augers at opposite corners of the opening to assist in directing cut crop material into the opening for treatment by the conditioner rolls.

Wide cut rotary harvesters present inherent challenges in getting outboard severed crop materials to flow smoothly and without hesitation in a lateral direction toward the center of the machine before then turning rearwardly and moving through the central discharge opening into the conditioner rolls. Any hesitation on the part of the crop materials as they "turn the corner" and move rearwardly into the conditioner rolls can cause a number of significant problems, both in the quality of the finished windrows and the quality of cutoff being achieved by the rotary cutters. Due to the increased speeds at which rotary harvesters can travel compared to that of sickle-type machines, cutoff, feeding and control problems are exacerbated in rotary machines due to the dramatically increased volume of cut material flowing through the machines.
It is desirable for many reasons to avoid the use of a large center-gathering auger behind the rotary cutters for achieving the center-feeding function. Without such augers, however, the outboard rotary cutters themselves, sometimes together with upstanding cage-like impellers and other devices, must carry out not only the cutting function but also the lateral conveying function of the crop.
In one preferred rotary cutter bed design, a group of inboard cutters of the bed are arranged with their axes of rotation directly in front of the opening to the conditioner rolls, inboard of conditioning structure on the rolls. At least one, and preferably two, additional outboard cutters are provided at each end of the bed and have their axes of rotation located outboard of the opening and the conditioning structure. The outboard cutters both rotate in the same direction, with their front extremities moving generally inwardly toward the center of the machine to convey outboard cut materials toward the inboard cutters. Most of the cutters of the inboard group are arranged in oppositely rotating pairs with other cutters of the group such that cut crop materials from the paired cutters in the inboard group are directed straight back into the conditioner rolls in a number of streams. However, the two opposite end cutters in the inboard group are each paired up with the next adjacent oppositely rotating outboard cutter, rather than another inboard cutter within the group. Consequently, it is possible that, in some situations, some or all of the crop streams from those "mixed" pairs, where one is an inboard cutter and one is an outboard cutter, may land laterally outwardly beyond the opening, missing the conditioner rolls completely and ending up against wall structure behind the outboard cutters.
This undesirable condition seems most likely to occur if the end cutters of the inboard group are so situated that their cutting knives project outboard of conditioning structure on the conditioning rolls as the knives are moving rearwardly in their paths of travel. It also seems to be the most pronounced when only a partial cut is being taken by the harvester wherein the outboard cutters at one end of the bed are presented with no standing crop material to sever. Cut materials that find their way behind outboard cutters tend to collect in that area and ultimately work their way forward, impeding proper cutoff and otherwise interfering with proper flow into the conditioner rolls. Sometimes, the accumulating material may even shoot out the ends of the cutter bed, rather than flowing to the center and being processed by the conditioner rolls.
The present invention involves a way of making the corner regions of the opening to the conditioner rolls "live" or "active" so as to encourage the smooth, orderly flow of crop materials into the conditioner rolls at those critical areas. In one preferred embodiment, this is accomplished through the use of relatively short, small, horizontally oriented stub augers immediately behind and between the axes of rotation of the end inboard cutters and the next adjacent outboard cutters. Preferably, such stub augers to do not extend laterally outwardly beyond the first outboard cutters, and they overhang the rear extremities of such cutters at a level slightly above the cutting plane so as to help strip materials from the cutters that might otherwise tend to carry around the cutters. Inboard ends of the stub augers preferably project inwardly beyond the corresponding outboard ends of conditioning structure on the conditioner rolls, and the augers are preferably at substantially the same level vertically as the closest lower conditioner roll in the set of conditioner rolls.

Wide cut rotary harvester having cut crop feeder mechanism


A method of monitoring the behavior of a cohort group of members, including: a cohort group behavior monitoring step during which the behavior of the members of the cohort group of members is monitored so as to provide behavior data; and a vision information generating step during which vision information relating to the vision of the members of the cohort group is generated based on the monitoring of the behavior data over time.

Usually, an eyewear equipment wearer wishing to have an eyewear equipment goes to see an eye care practitioner.
The eye care practitioner may carry out a number of tests to determine the most appropriate eyewearer equipment for the wearer.
The tests carried out by the eye care practitioner are usually in specific conditions and over short periods of times. Furthermore, the tests only cover part of the very different visual situation the wearer may face. Therefore, the eyewear equipment settings correspond to the best average compromise between the different visual situations the wearer may face based on the visual test carried out at a given point in time.
Furthermore, the tests carried out on different persons are carried out in a sequenced manner, making the comparison between different individuals or the determination of a group behavior very difficult.
Since the visual requirements and behavior of a person may change over time or depending on the situation, there is a need for a system and a method for monitoring the behavior of a group of members so as to determine a vision information.
An aim of the present invention is to propose such a system and method for monitoring the behavior of a cohort group of members.

Method of monitoring the behavior of a cohort group of members


A developing device includes a developer carrying member opposed to an electrostatic latent image carrier and carrying developer on its surface, a sealing member in contact with a surface of each end of the developer carrying member, and a developer entry preventing filler interposed between the developer carrying member and the sealing member for preventing entry of the developer, and containing fine powder. The fine powder has a volume average particle diameter of 1 .mu.m or less, and is made of an organic or inorganic material. The filler may contain silicon oil or grease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or printer.
2. Description of the Background Art
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus generally produces an intended image in such a manner that an electrostatic latent image is formed, e.g., by effecting an image exposure corresponding to an original image on an electrostatic latent image carrier such as a photosensitive member, and then is developed by a developing device into a visible image, which is transferred and fixed onto a record member.
Various developing devices of the above type have been proposed and employed. These devices usually include developing rollers. The developing roller carries a thin film of developer supplied thereto, and rotates to transfer the developer carried thereon to a developing region, at which the developing roller and the electrostatic latent image carrier are opposed to each other, for developing the electrostatic latent image.
The developing device is also provided with means for preventing leak of the developer.
This developer leak preventing means is arranged at a portion(s) where the developer may leak. In connection with the developing roller, these means are employed for preventing leak of the developer from the opposite ends of the roller. Particularly, in the developing device having the developing roller which is in contact with the electrostatic latent image for developing the same, the leak preventing means are provided for preventing movement of surplus developer from the ends of the developing roller onto the electrostatic latent image carrier. As the above means, such as structure has been known that an arc-shaped sealing member arranged within the developing device is in contact with a surface of each end of the developing roller facing to the interior of the developing device.
This sealing member is in contact with the roller end in such a manner that the member does not impede rotation of the developing roller but can prevent the developer from entering an area between the surface of the roller end and the sealing member and leaking therefrom. It has been recognized that the member can achieve a developer leak preventing effect to some extent. However, it is now desired to prevent leak of the developer more reliably.
The reason is as follows. In the present devices, developer may enter the space between the sealing member and the developing roller. The developer in the space gradually solidifies in accordance with rotation of the developing roller, and thereby increases the gap between the sealing member and the developing roller, so that the developer externally leaks to cause problems such as smearing of an interior of the image forming apparatus. Also, the quantity of the developer in the space is impaired due to rubbing against the rotating developing roller so that the developer of the impaired quality causes a so-called fogging phenomenon at the end of the electrostatic latent image carrier, resulting in a problem that the quality of the image transferred onto the record member is impaired.

Developing device with a sealing member to prevent developer leakage


An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil forming a part of a primary circuit and a secondary circuit, a power source to supply power to the ignition coil, and a controller to determine whether the ignition coil is a recognized ignition coil based on a measured risetime and a measured current level in the primary circuit, the measured current level being lower than that required to create a breakdown voltage of the ignition coil.

Engine ignition coils are used in internal combustion engines to produce a high voltage, which is necessary to create an electric spark with a spark plug to ignite fuel in combustion chambers of the engine. Ignition coils generally include two coils of wire and a central core. The first, or primary coil includes a winding having only a few turns of wire, and the second, or spark coil includes a winding around the core having many turns of wire. Generally, the primary coil is electrically connected to a primary circuit that provides controlled current through the primary coil. The spark coil forms part of a second circuit that includes the spark plug.
In capacitive discharge ignition systems, a power source and charge capacitor is included in the primary circuit and controlled to deliver energy to the primary coil in synchronism with rotation of the engine crankshaft. As the current is supplied to the primary coil, voltage builds at the spark coil and eventually reaches a level that initiates a spark across an air gap of the spark plug to ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber.
Different ignition coils have different impedance values. Based on this, different ignition coils require current to be applied for a different time period to generate the voltage necessary to initiate a spark at the spark plug. This time period of supplying current to the primary coil is referred to as the risetime, and the voltage in the spark coil necessary to initiate a spark is referred to as the breakdown voltage of the ignition coil. Thus, different ignition coils have different breakdown voltage risetimes. Applying current in the first winding for too short or too long a duration may prevent the ignition coil reaching the breakdown voltage, or may over energize the system causing the ignition coil to fail prematurely.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,380, issued to Denso Corporation on Sep. 27, 1988 ("the '380 patent"), describes a current flowing time period control system for an ignition coil of an internal combustion engine. The system in the '380 patent uses a current flowing time period setting circuit to set the time period for supplying a primary current of the ignition coil and an output signal of the circuit is amplified by a drive circuit and supplied to a power transistor that turns on and off the primary current to the ignition coil to control the ignition operation of the engine. The '380, however, does not address identification and control of different ignition coils in an engine.
The ignition system of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

System and method for engine ignition coil identification


A improved solvent cleaning method and system which is truly a closed system in which the object to be cleaned is placed in a chamber and subjected to a negative gauge pressure to remove air and other non-condensible gases after which a solvent is introduced to the evacuated chamber and the object is cleaned and then the solvent is recovered from the object and chamber within the closed system before the clean object is removed.

Cleaning operations are becoming more and more of a burden on industry because of the ever-stricter environmental requirements for disposition of compounds used in the cleaning operations and resulting effluents. Cleaning operations effected include those involving clothing, rugs and furnishings, as well as those of a more industrial nature such as involving the cleaning and degreasing of metals, ceramics, plastics and other materials. Solvent cleaning processes, those using a solvent to degrease and clean, are the most prevalent. There are two types of solvent cleaning processes: open and closed. Open systems are still the most commonly used, but their appeal is shrinking with increasing demands of environmental safety. Open systems include such approaches as solvent vapor degreasing, solvent ultrasonic cleaning, cold or hot solvent dipped and solvent spray systems. These systems suffer from a number of shortcomings, among the most important of which are the contamination of the environment and the cost of constantly replenishing the non-recoverable solvent. In addition, the cost of equipment to contain the vapor and to properly dispose of the vapor and liquid waste is becoming more and more formidable.
The closed systems, so-called, attempt to combat these problems but with indifferent success. The loss of solvent as vapor and liquid still occurs, even in a so-called closed system because the vapor escapes when the cleaned parts are removed and the parts carry off solvent which clings to their surfaces and resides in the pores of the material. Further, attempts to recover the solvent are expensive and less than totally successful. For, even though the system is "closed" when the solvent is introduced to the closed chamber, it mixes with the air there. After the cleaning operation, the solvent in liquid form can be easily separated from the air, but not so with solvent in vapor form. That requires a major effort. Even if the air and solvent are condensed, only a small amount of solvent can be recovered.
Therefore, these systems are not truly closed. Incineration is one technique for getting rid of solvent but that requires significant investment in special equipment, it uses extra heat energy, and solvent is lost and must then be replenished. Steam stripping is a technique which actually recovers the solvent, but it too requires special equipment and heat energy to make the steam. In addition, the steam must be condensed to water and then separated from the solvent.
Thus, conventional cleaning systems have problems in the area of hazardous emissions and solvent recovery. They are generally limited to operating at specific temperatures and pressures. They typically do not dry all the solvent off the objects before exposing them to the atmosphere. They utilize heat energy during a substantial part, if not all, of the cleaning cycle. Conventional systems also need a great deal of solvent to fill their cleaning tanks and require additional energy input to pump the solvent through the system. In addition, standard solvent vapor cleaning systems must use solvents whose vapors are heavier than air. These vapors are confined in a blanket over the boiling solvent by using expensive refrigerator coils and by limiting the dimensions of the system tank. These systems operate at fixed temperatures which are determined by the boiling point of the solvent at atmospheric pressure.
A different approach, known as vacuum degreasing, avoids some of the problems of solvent cleaning. In this approach the contaminants are exposed to a high temperature, low-pressure environment in order to reach pressures below the vapor pressure of the contaminant. Essentially the contaminant is boiled off the parts. The problem here, however, is that some contaminants generally have a very low vapor pressure. Consequently, extremely high vacuums and/or temperatures are required. Although solvents are not emitted, the contaminant itself is often emitted which can become a problem. And, this process is generally costly due to the sub torr pressures and high temperatures required. In many cases, non-volatile residue, either present in the contaminant originally (i.e., sulfur residue) or residue resulting from a breakdown of the contaminant due to the high temperature requirements (e.g. carbon deposits) are often left behind on the parts. The pollution abatement energy costs and cleaning efficiency requirements strongly limit the applications of such a system.


Many electronic entities such as integrated circuits and discrete power devices have contact pads formed from successively deposited layers of nickel and a second metal such as gold. The resulting pad structure is used to make external electrical connection such as solder connection. Problems associated with failure of such connections are avoidable by inspecting the surface of the nickel layer for excessive small particle formation.

Electronic devices such as integrated circuits and discrete power devices generally have metal regions externally accessible to facilitate electrical contact. Similarly, electrical interconnect structures such as printed circuit boards have regions at which electrical connection to a second electronic entity is formed. (Electronic devices and electrical interconnect structures as well as other structures having conducting pads for electrical connection are generically denominated for purposes of this disclosure electronic entities.) In such structures the interconnection regions are typically denominated pads and are generally formed from metals such as aluminum, copper, nickel, gold, palladium, silver, and tin. The thickness and composition of the metal layers are dependent upon 1) the intended application, 2) the method used to create the contact, and 3) the final interconnect structure. For example, lead frame packages use aluminum pads on integrated circuits and silver coated copper pads on the lead frame itself. Correspondingly, aluminum integrated circuit pad thicknesses are generally in the range 0.6 to 1.5 μm and silver package lead thicknesses in the range 4 to 10 μm. Substrate based packages used for wire bonded integrated circuits have copper substrate pads that are coated with electrolytic nickel/gold, electroless nickel/immersion gold (ENIG), or electroless nickel/electroless palladium/immersion gold (ENEPIG). Substrate based packages for flip chip integrated circuits have copper pads that are coated with immersion tin, solder, ENIG or ENEPIG. Similarly, the pad surface area for these different metallization layers is dependent upon the design and generally range from 50 μm2 to 1 mm2.
A variety of techniques relying on introduction of a metal to the pad, e.g. soldering, is employed to produce an electrically conducting region that adheres to the pad and to the entity being connected to the pad. Such interconnect formation requires an electrically conducting interface between the pad and the electronic structure that is mechanically sound and that typically has a resistivity (including the resistance of the interfaces) of no greater than 2 to 5μ ohms.
Extensive research has centered on forming suitable interconnects. As previously discussed, one commonly used interconnect resulting from such research involves the formation of a nickel region overlying the pad with subsequent formation of a noble metal such as gold, in turn, overlying the nickel. The gold is employed because it is not easily oxidized and thus provides excellent electrical conduction. However, typical pad materials such as copper diffuse rapidly through gold with subsequent production of oxides such as copper oxide at the surface to be soldered. Such oxides make soldering difficult and tend to degrade electrical conductivity at the interface. To avoid diffusion resulting in oxide formation, nickel, as discussed above, is employed as an intermediary barrier layer between the pad materials such as copper and the noble metal such as gold. The nickel itself is not acceptable without the overlying noble metal since without such overlying region, it forms oxides that preclude reliable and acceptable solder adhesion.
Electrolytic plating processes are commonly used in nickel/gold stacked layer structures in some applications such as wire bonded ball grid array packages. However, in other applications such as flip chip ball grid array packages electrolytic processes have been found undesirable for plating the nickel and gold regions overlying the pad. It is impractical to make the requisite electrical connection for plating to each flip chip pad without incurring excessive costs or unduly limiting the number of pads present. Additionally, even if such connection could be made, it is even more difficult to maintain a uniform current density over all pads and thus to uniformly and precisely control the plated metal thickness. Such non-uniformities and lack of thickness control either degrades the ultimate device properties due to phenomenon such as gold embrittlement of the solder joint or leads to additional costs associated with the necessity to increase gold thickness to ensure adequate joint formation. Accordingly electroless plating procedures are employed for forming both the nickel region on the pad and the overlying noble metal region. Electroless processes such as described in Electroless Nickel Plating, W. Reidel, ASM International, Metals Park, Ohio, 1988 provide an alternative to electroplating for metals including nickel, gold, silver, palladium, tin as well as other metals such as copper. Accordingly, it is possible to form such metals in thin continuous and uniform regions.
Despite the excellent characteristics of the ENIG and ENEPIG structures some problems have been persistent. In particular, at what appears to be random instances, subsequent soldering of the ENIG and ENEPIG structures leads to poor adhesion between the pad and the solder layer resulting in mechanical failure of the connection. This problem denominated black pad in the trade is extremely undesirable because the entire device is fabricated before the defect becomes apparent through mechanical failure of solder joints. Additionally, because failure comes after soldering and the concomitant barrier to pad inspection, it is extremely difficult to identify the root cause of the black pad defect. Because the appearance of black pad problems is unpredictable and because of the severe economic costs associated with this defect, a recognition of the cause and subsequent solution would be extremely desirable. However, despite extensive attempts such resolution has been an elusive goal.


A method and a device for easily setting a processing condition from a dent rate of a product by giving an arbitrary dent producing condition and a shotblast processing condition in a shotblasting process. The method calculates a processing time, a projection amount and a projection material speed for enabling a target dent rate to be set, from the number of dents in a predetermined dent unit area and time. The method comprises the steps of: calculating a dent unit area from a projection material hardness, a projection material particle size, a projection material speed and the hardness of a processed product; calculating the number of dents required to attain a predetermined target dent rate; and calculating a processing time from the number of dents, a projection amount, a projection material density and the projection material particle size.

In shotblasting, it is important to uniformly distribute the projected grainy material on the surface of a product. Therefore, to indicate a degree of uniform distribution in shotblasting, a dent rate (coverage) is used, which is a ratio to an evaluation area of a shot blasted surface of a product, which area is a part of the shot blasted surface and is an area arbitrarily predetermined for evaluation, of the total area of dents created in the area. Moreover, in many cases the work to set, or determine, the shotblast processing condition to achieve a target coverage for a product when it is shot blasted temporarily sets a shotblast processing condition based on current experiences; carries out shotblasting under the condition; examines the shot blasted surface of the product to see dents in the surface; and measures the coverage, to narrow the condition.
By the way, conventionally there are two mainstream methods for measuring the dent rate, namely, a standard measuring method and a summary measuring method. The standard measuring method is to enlarge an arbitrary evaluation area of a shot blasted product by a microscope; take a photograph of the area in a 20–50 times enlarged scale; cut away the dented parts or untreated parts from the area; and obtain the dent rate from the percentage thereof by weight. The summary measuring method is to observe a shot blasted surface of the product by an observation apparatus such as a loupe with a 20–50 times magnifying power or a stereoscopic microscope; and compares the observed surface with reference photographs for comparison, to judge its rough dent rate value. And, the summary measuring method is mainly used for the reasons for the measurement frequency, the man-hours, etc.
However, though in the summary measuring method the reference photographs are made for their dent rates by using the standard measurement method, it is difficult in some products to judge if a part of them is dented or untreated. Further, in the standard measurement method itself there is a possibility to cause a dispersion due to the individual variations, and the dent rate must be measured by actually carrying out shotblasting for products to determine the shotblast processing condition. Moreover, because the area, the size, and the depth per dent change due to the shotblast processing condition, the hardness and the particle size of the projection material, the difference of the hardness between the product and the projection material, etc., it is necessary to make many reference photographs for each product. Additionally, the dent rate for a processed surface in a shotblasting processing that aims to decrease wear-out by fluid lubrication may be extremely low, and hence the range of the dent rates by the reference photographs must be increased.
This invention has been conceived in view of those circumstances. The main purpose of the invention is to provide a method and a system for simulating drawing a dent rate and a dent distribution diagram of a product by a computer, by giving an arbitrary dent producing condition and a shotblast processing condition in shotblasting.
A further purpose of the invention is to provide a method for setting a processing condition in shotblasting to obtain an arbitrary dent producing condition, a shotblast processing condition, and a target dent rate for a product in shotblasting and to provide a shotblasting device that uses the setting method.

Dent distribution diagram drawing method and system in shotblasting, and processing conditions setting method and shotblasting device


A method and system for designing an optimized specification of an integrated circuit (IC) is provided. The IC comprises a plurality of cells, and each of the cells comprises a plurality of transistors. The method includes preparing a linewidth map of at least one device of the plurality of devices, performing a topography-aware analysis of the at least one device based on the linewidth map, and designing the optimized specification of the IC based on the topography-aware analysis. In another embodiment, a method for estimating a leakage power of at least one device in an IC is provided. The method includes determining a defocus and a pitch value, determining a linewidth value based on the defocus and pitch value, and estimating the leakage current and/or leakage power based on the linewidth value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the design of integrated circuits (ICs) and in particular to designing IC layouts.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of advanced technologies are applied together in modern integrated circuit (IC) designing to achieve nanometer-scale feature sizes. One of the technologies applied is planarization. Planarization is performed during the fabrication of multi-layered ICs after the creation of each successive layer. This ensures a flat wafer surface that enables accurate fabrication of subsequent layers of the IC. Existing planarization techniques such as chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) can yield uneven results. CMP simultaneously polishes different materials with varying hardness, for example, metal, dielectric and barrier materials in the back-end-of-line interconnect stack, or nitride and oxide in front-end-of-line shallow-trench isolation Consequently, post-planarization wafer topography becomes a function of relative proportions and patterning of different materials in a region, and can result in an uneven post-CMP wafer surface. The uneven wafer topography caused by CMP is primarily due to erosion and dishing phenomena. Erosion is a deviation in the height of a wafer surface over a large area, and is typically caused by pattern density variations at length scales of hundreds or thousands of microns. Dishing is a localized deviation in, for example, an individual conductor height due to softness of copper metal that causes extra metal removal in the middle of wide wires.
Both erosion and dishing cause variations on the surface of the IC and lead to imperfect optical lithography by acting as a source of defocus, that is, deviation from nominal of the distance between lens and wafer. Defocus can cause unforeseen lithographic errors resulting in dimensional variation in the plane of the IC being manufactured. Such variations occurring in features on polysilicon layers of the IC can result in variation of polysilicon linewidths, that is, transistor channel lengths. Variation of wire widths results when such variations occur on the interconnect layers. Further, if such variations occur on contact and via layers, then coverage area, reliability, and resistance may vary significantly from nominal. These variations are not presently accounted for in the application of reticle enhancement techniques (RETs) such as optical proximity correction (OPC), sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) insertion, or phase-shifting mask (PSM) design.
The variation in linewidth (i.e., channel length) of a transistor device translates to large variation in leakage current of the device. Leakage current is directly proportional to leakage power dissipation and has an exponential dependence on polysilicon linewidth. It is one of the most critical challenges for ultra-deep sub-micron process technologies. Across-chip linewidth variation (ACLV) is one of the most significant contributors to leakage power variability, and causes inaccurate estimation of leakage power that degrades the results of existing leakage reduction approaches. Known leakage optimization techniques are either oblivious to ACLV or model it as a random variable, resulting in pessimistic guardbanding and over-design. This in turn causes loss of performance and parametric yield in the manufactured IC.
In light of the above discussion, there exists a need for topography-aware methods for IC analysis and optimization, and for a system that can design an optimized specification of an IC. The method and system should be capable of improving the optimization of signal delay, circuit timing, leakage power, active power, and other design metrics of manufactured ICs. The method and system should also be capable of being used within the existing IC design flow, to make use of existing and known analysis tools such as timing analysis, signal integrity analysis, power analysis, reliability analysis, and so on.

Method and system for wafer topography-aware integrated circuit design analysis and optimization


A transmissive beam steering aperture includes a common superstrate provided from an optical material and having first and second opposing surfaces with at least one of the first and second surfaces having an electrode coating provided thereon to provide the at least one surface as a common electrode surface and having a first plurality of electrically isolated common electrodes. One or more electrode containing substrates is disposed over respective ones of the first plurality of electrically isolated common electrodes to form one or more one liquid crystal (LC) cells. In one embodiment, the transmissive beam steering aperture is used as an aperture in an optical phased array.

As is known in the art, "space-based" systems refer to space-borne systems that may have any of a variety of different purposes. A space-based radar, for example, refers to space-borne radar systems which may be used for object detection or other purposes. Similarly, space-based communication systems refers to space-borne communications systems. In telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual components such as communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment (DTE) usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole. Thus, a space-based communication system refers to a communication system in which at least some components are space-borne.
As is also known, a difficult challenge for space-based systems including space-based communication systems is minimizing size, weight and power (SWAP). Some space-based communication systems utilize space-based optical phased arrays (OPAs). In OPA systems, light controlling elements (e.g. spatial light modulators also referred to as OPA elements) are used to steer or aim light beams (e.g. laser beams), or steer or aim sensors, by progressive phase modulation.
OPA systems generally include an OPA aperture provided from a plurality of such OPA elements. In general, OPA elements are limited in size due to manufacturing limitations related to patterning or otherwise providing electrodes on a liquid crystal device or other substrate. To create relatively large apertures, a modular approach is used in which each of a plurality of OPA elements are disposed in individual support/alignment frames to provide framed OPA elements. The framed OPA elements are arrange in groups (or "tiled") in desired patterns to form an entire OPA array.
The use of tiling techniques in such a modular approach, however, introduces multiple problems. One problem is the frame which is used to hold (or support) and align each OPA element adds weight and size to the array of such OPAs which form the OPA aperture. In addition to the added size and weight resultant from using such support/alignment frames, light does not efficiently propagate through the support/alignment frames. Thus, the support/alignment frames cause a blockage in the array aperture which among other things, reduces gain and increases signal loss of the aperture.
To compensate for increased signal loss and reduced gain due to such aperture blockage by the OPA frame structure, it is necessary to increase the size (and consequently the weight) of the OPA aperture. Furthermore, the frames cannot be manufactured with tolerances which ensure alignment of the OPAs with the requisite accuracy. Thus, it is necessary to add so-called adjustment features to the frames. The adjustment features are mechanical devices which can be manipulated to mechanically align t the OPA elements. However, such adjustment features add further weight to the frames.
Yet another problem with OPA apertures relates to non-symmetrical thermal gradients caused by conventional modular OPA aperture designs in which control electronics of each OPA element are coupled to only one side of each OPA element. Such asymmetrical thermal gradients can significantly affect wave front distortion error. To compensate for such asymmetrical thermal gradients, additional heaters and thermal material are sometimes added to each OPA element. This results in a still larger and heavier OPA aperture. Thus, as can be surmised from the above, the modular structure of conventional OPA apertures comes at the cost of additional SWAP due to additional structure added to each individual OPA element.
In general, prior art approaches to solving the above problems have focused on minimizing the size and weight of the frame and related structures supporting each OPA element. Such approaches, however, are limited to practical sizes in the 3 mm range since frames below 3 mm in thickness are generally unable to provide sufficient structural support for the OPA element. Also, lightweight heaters have been used to manage the problems with thermal gradients but at the cost of additional SWAP.

Transparent heatsink/structure/interconnect for tiling space based optical components


A motor driving apparatus enabling direct pulse width modulation driving (direct PWM driving) in a sensor-less motor. The motor driving apparatus includes a comparison unit for comparing back-electromotive voltages appearing in respective phases of a multi-motor, a pulse width modulating unit for outputting pulse width modulated signals for rotationally driving the motor based upon a rotational error signal of the motor, a minimum pulse width detection unit for detecting the minimum pulse width position of the pulse width modulated signal from the pulse width modulation means, a sample-holding unit for sample-holding comparison outputs of the comparison means at a timing of detection of the minimum pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal from the minimum pulse width detection unit, and a motor driving unit for rotationally driving the motor based upon each sample-and-hold output from the sample-and hold unit.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor driving apparatus advantageously employed for a variety of equipment; and with built-in motors, such as a recording/reproducing apparatus for disc-shaped recording media, such as magnetic discs, magneto-optical discs or compact disc, video tape recorders, video camera apparatus or camera apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a motor driving apparatus enabling direct pulse width modulation driving (direct PWM driving) in a so-called sensor-less motor.


A semiconductor memory device has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix format. Each memory cell includes a thin film capacitor with a ferroelectric film and a pair of electrodes opposing each other through the ferroelectric film, and a transfer gate MOS transistor arranged to be connected to the thin film capacitor. The operating voltage value corresponding to the central axis of the polarization hysteresis characteristic curve of the thin film capacitor shifts from 0V by Vf. When no write or read operation is performed for the memory cell, the transistor is turned on, and an adjustment voltage set to be from 0 to 2 Vf is constantly applied across the electrodes of the thin film capacitor.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device using a capacitor with a ferroelectric thin film.
Recently, memory devices (ferroelectric memories) using ferroelectric thin films as storage media have been developed, and some have already been used in practical applications. The ferroelectric memory is nonvolatile and does not lose its memory contents after the power supply is turned off. When the film is sufficiently thin, spontaneous polarization can be quickly inverted to enable high-speed write and read operations, like the DRAM. Further, a large capacity is also attained because a 1-bit memory cell can be constituted by one transistor and one ferroelectric capacitor.
A ferroelectric thin film suitable for the ferroelectric memory must have large residual polarization, low temperature dependency of residual polarization, a long holding time (retention) of residual polarization, and the like.
At present, as a ferroelectric material, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is mainly used. PZT is a solid solution of lead zirconate and lead titanium. PZT having a molar ratio of almost 1:1 in the solid solution is considered to be excellent as a storage medium because its spontaneous polarization is large to allow inversion even with a low electric field. Since the transition temperature (Curie temperature) of PZT between the ferroelectric phase and the paraelectric phase is as relatively high as 300.degree. C. or higher, the stored contents are hardly lost by heat within the use temperature range (120.degree. C. or lower) of a normal electronic circuit.
However, a high-quality PZT thin film is difficult to fabricate due to the following reason. First, since lead as the main component of PZT easily evaporates at 500.degree. C. or higher, the composition is difficult to accurately control in sputtering and subsequent annealing. Second, PZT exhibits ferroelectric properties only when it forms a perovskite crystal structure. PZT having this perovskite crystal structure is rarely obtained, and a crystal structure called pyrochlore is easily obtained. When PZT is applied to a silicon device, lead as the main component is difficult to be prevented from diffusing into silicon, and is easily reduced in a reduction atmosphere in the device process to lose the ferroelectric properties.
Barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3) is known as a typical ferroelectric, other than PZT. Barium titanate also has a perovskite crystal, like PZT, and its Curie temperature is about 120.degree. C. Since barium constituting barium titanate rarely evaporates, compared to lead, the composition is relatively easily controlled in forming a barium titanate thin film. When barium titanate crystallizes, most crystal structures are of the perovskite type.
Regardless of these advantages, a thin film capacitor using barium titanate is hardly examined as the storage medium of the ferroelectric memory because the residual polarization of barium titanate is smaller than that of PZT, and the temperature dependency of its residual polarization is high. This is because the Curie temperature of barium titanate is as low as 120.degree. C. When a ferroelectric memory is formed using barium titanate, its memory contents may be lost upon exposure to a high temperature of 100.degree. C. or higher. In addition, the temperature dependency of residual polarization is high even in the use temperature range (85.degree. C. or lower) of a normal electronic circuit, and the operation is unstable. Therefore, a thin film capacitor using a ferroelectric thin film of barium titanate is considered to be unsuitable as the storage medium of the ferroelectric memory.

Semiconductor memory device using ferroelectric capacitor


A frequency compensated operational amplifier includes: an input stage, for receiving an input signal; an output stage, coupled to the input stage, for generating an output signal according to an output of the input stage; a first current source, for providing a first bias current; a second current source, for providing a second bias current identical to the first bias current; an Ahuja compensation circuit, comprising: a matched transistor pair, coupled to the first current source and the second current source; a capacitor coupled between the matched transistor pair and the output stage; and a transconductance boosting circuit, coupled to the matched transistor pair, for boosting transconductance of the matched transistor pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Ahuja compensation scheme, and in particular, an Ahuja compensated operational amplifier that eliminates the bias problem inherent in previous implementations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Ahuja frequency compensation scheme is a well-known frequency compensation for operational amplifiers. The Ahuja frequency compensation was developed to improve upon the well-known Miller compensation, which consists of coupling a capacitor across an output stage of an operational amplifier. The Ahuja frequency compensation implements an indirect coupling of this capacitor, by providing a third stage consisting of a compensating transistor coupled to the capacitor.
For a clearer representation of the Miller compensation and Ahuja compensation, please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram representing a Miller compensation scheme 100 and an Ahuja compensation scheme 200. As can be seen from the diagram, the Ahuja compensation scheme 200 implements a compensating transistor gm3 coupled to the capacitor CC and to a bias voltage VBIAS. The transistor itself is supplied with a bias current IBIAS. The benefits of the Ahuja compensation over the Miller compensation are a better ability to cope with high resistive and capacitive loading, reduced size of the capacitor CC, and better PSRR (power supply rejection ratio).
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the Ahuja compensation 200 in FIG. 1 implemented in a related art two stage operational amplifier 300. The operational amplifier 300 comprises an input stage coupled to a differential current source, the input stage comprising transistors MP5, MP1a, MP1b, MN1a and MN1b. The input stage is coupled to an output stage comprising transistors MP2 and MN2, and coupled between a supply voltage VDD and ground. The compensating transistor MP3 is coupled to bias voltage VBP2 and compensating capacitor CC. MP3 is further coupled to MP4 which is coupled between VDD and bias voltage VBP1 for supplying MP3 with the bias current IBIAS. The circuit further comprises transistors MN3 and MN4, which are coupled to MP3, MN2, MN1b, and respectively coupled to bias voltages VBN1 and VBN2. The purpose of MN3 and MN4 is to provide a path for the current IBIAS in MP3 and MP4 to ground.
The disadvantage of this circuit is that MN3 and MN4 must be biased using VBN1 and VBN2 to carry exactly the current IBIAS in MP3 and MP4 biased separately using VBP2 and VBP1. Since it is not practically possible to bias a p-channel transistor and an n-channel transistor separately to carry exactly the same current, this objective is never met. The consequence of this is that the DC offset voltage of the operational amplifier is high.
Furthermore, the Ahuja compensation scheme 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 does not achieve the desired benefits under certain conditions such as light capacitive loading. Therefore, both the original Ahuja compensation 200 and the Ahuja compensated operational amplifier 300 need to be improved.

Ahuja compensation circuit for operational amplifier


An optical low pass filter having an optical axis common to an imaging optical system or configured as a portion of an imaging optical system for contribution to formation of an image, functioning to image components in a longitudinal direction of the image pickup device onto a desired imaging location and having refractive powers, for components in different directions, which are different from that for the components in the longitudinal direction. This optical low pass filter is suited for use with line sensors.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical low pass filter to be used in optical systems which use solid-state image pickup devices for obtaining output information by distributedly sampling image information, and more specifically to an optical low pass filter suited for use in optical systems which use one-dimensional solid-state image pickup devices, or, so-called line sensors.
b. Description of the Prior Art
In an optical system which uses a solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD for obtaining output information by distributedly sampling image information, signals picked up and output by the solid-state image pickup device contain spurious signals which are not originally from an object when the object comprises components having spatial frequencies higher than the sampling frequency of the solid-state image pickup device. In other words, components which have spatial frequencies higher than the Nyquist frequency and cannot be picked up by the solid-state image pickup device, are output as moire, thereby constituting a cause for remarkable degradation of image quality.
Accordingly, the optical system described above conventionally adopts a method to use, as a portion of its image pickup optical system, an optical low pass filter for limiting the components having the high spatial frequencies of the object which are to be input into the solid-state image pickup device. This method is roughly divided into a method which obtains a low pass effect by separating an image point in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis with a birefringent uniaxial crystal such as quartz or a phase filter utilizing a diffraction phenomenon and another method which obtains a low pass effect by defocusing a lens component so as to cut off the components having the high frequencies.
However, the former method increases the manufacturing cost of the optical system since quartz is very expensive and the phase filter requires high manufacturing precision. Further, the latter method makes it difficult to obtain sufficient imaging performance since components having low frequencies are remarkably degraded when the components that have high frequencies are cut off with the defocused lens component.
Furthermore, a general low pass filter is configured based on a premise that it is to be used with a two-dimensional image pickup device and has a composition which is not always optimum for a one-dimensional image pickup device, or, the so-called line sensor.


A strobe control method is provided for use in an image pick-up system which performs pseudo-frame photography by staggering, for a prescribed short period of time, the timings at which the photoelectric transducers of a first field and the photoelectric transducers of a second field are cleared in solid-state electronic image sensing devices, and staggering, between the first and second fields and for the aforementioned prescribed short period of time, the timings at which electric charges are read from these photoelectric transducers. The strobe control method includes steps of controlling strobe-light emission in such a manner that the start timing of strobe-light emission occurs after the processing for clearing both fields, and forcibly stopping strobe-light emission for a requisite period of time before charge readout timing of the first field.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the start and stop timing of a strobe light emission when performing so-called pseudo-frame photography using a solid-state electronic image sensing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a special solid-state electronic image sensing device such as a frame interline transfer (FIT) CCD or the like is used, so called pseudo-frame photography can be performed. Though the details of pseudo-frame photography will be described later, in brief, the term refers to offsetting slightly the exposure time period of a first field and the exposure time period of a second field and setting the lengths of these two time periods to be equal. Since this technique makes it possible for the exposures of the two fields constituting a frame to be performed substantially simultaneously, there is almost no shift in the image between fields even if the subject photographed varies with time (as when the subject exhibits motion). In addition, since the exposure time is the same for both fields, the occurrence of flicker or the like is prevented. Moreover, since the read timing of the signal charge of the first field and the read timing of the signal charge of the second field are offset slightly, the signal charges of the two fields can be extracted separately, i.e., without being mixed.
When a strobe is fired in such pseudo-frame photography, the timing for firing the strobe is very difficult. The reason is that when the quantity of light reflected from a subject irradiated with strobe light differs for the first and second fields, this causes flicker to occur. It is required that the exposure by the strobe be made the same for the first and second fields constituting a frame.

Strobe control method and apparatus for use in pseudo-frame photography


A multipurpose device for planting, transplanting and harvest garlic and similar crops in raised beds includes a base structure having a frame, gauge wheels attached to the frame to support it at a desired height from the raised bed, and left and right raised bed followers to engage the sides of a raised bed as the device is drawn along by a conventional agricultural tractor. Two chairs can be detachably mounted on the base structure, they are abreast of each other when planting or harvesting, or one behind the other when transplanting seedlings. The toolbar is mounted on the base structure in front of the chairs to provide room for attaching one or two furrow openers and a furrow closing plate can be detachably attached to the base structure behind the chairs when planting cloves or bulbs. A bed lifting plate can be detachably attached to the base structure in front of the chairs during harvesting operations to loosen the soil so that operators sitting in the chairs can pick the plants and place them on a conveyor detachably mounted between and to the rear of the chairs during harvesting.

This invention relates to agricultural planting, transplanting and harvesting devices and, more particularly, to devices that can be reconfigured to perform any of those functions.
Garlic, onions, shallots and similar crops are commonly grown commercially in raised beds formed of parallel elongated mounds of earth extending across a farm field. One or two rows of plants are normally planted on each raised bed. When such crops are planted, it is necessary that each clove or bulb be planted with the root side down so that it will develop into a well formed, commercially desirable plant. A number of devices have been developed to mechanically plant cloves or bulbs in the proper orientation. Other devices have been developed to harvest garlic, onions, shallots and similar crops. Such devices tend to be fairly complex and expensive and are thus most economically employed on large farms.


A system includes a computer having a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine a first temperature of a fluid stored by a fluid storage device and then actuate a fluid heating device to add heat energy to the fluid. The instructions include instructions to determine an amount of the heat energy added to the fluid. The instructions include instructions to determine a second temperature of the fluid stored by the fluid storage device after adding the heat energy to the fluid. The instructions include instructions to determine a quantity of the fluid stored by the fluid storage device based on the amount of the heat energy added to the fluid by the fluid heating device and a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

A vehicle may include a fluid washer assembly for cleaning surfaces of the vehicle e.g., a surface of a windshield, a transparent sensor cover or lens, a facia covering a sensor, etc. The fluid washer assembly may include one or more nozzles, a fluid pump, and a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with each other. The nozzle(s) may be directed at the various surfaces of the vehicle. Actuation of the fluid pump moves fluid from the fluid reservoir to the nozzles. Sensors, such as float ball sensors, may indicate when the fluid in the fluid reservoir is at specified levels, e.g., when the fluid reservoir is full, almost empty, etc.


A wireless power line carrier voice and data communication device is provided. The device permits a user to connect a caller identification unit to a telephone extension whose only connection to a telephone line is over an AC power line. The invention provides for appropriate amplification, joining with other audio paths, and transmission while requiring no hardware modifications of the extension unit or the wireless extension jack.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telephone communications systems employing power line carrier as a communication channel. More specifically, this invention relates to devices for making caller identification of telephone calls received by telephone communications equipment using AC power line carrier communication channel.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of power line carrier telephone voice and/or data communication systems have been developed and are used to facilitate telephonic communications in locations where little or no availability exists for dedicated telephone wires. Moreover, caller identification circuitry for use in or with telephone communication equipment, is well known. While each of these technologies are well known to those of skill in the art, the incorporation of caller identification circuitry, specifically designed for use in power line telephone communications, provides a new and non-obvious synergy while overcoming previous problems in the technology. No known combinations of caller identification circuitry and power line carrier are known to the inventors. Prior power line carrier systems have included the following United States and international patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,510,273, 2,516,211, 2,516,763, 2,535,446, 2,567,908, 2,577,731, 2,654,805, 2,820,097, 2,828,363, 2,932,794, 3,045,066, 3,280,259, 3,334,185, 3,369,078, 3,399,397, 3,400,221, 3,475,561, 3,521,267, 3,529,216, 3,659,280, 3,693,155, 3,810,096, 3,818,481, 3,846,638, 3,852,740, 3,876,984, 3,911,415, 3,922,664, 3,924,223, 3,925,763, 3,925,728, 3,942,168, 3,949,172, 3,967,264, 3,973,087, 3,980,954, 4,012,733, 4,012,734, 4,016,429, 4,057,793, 4,058,678, 4,065,763, 4,107,656, 4,161,027, 4,173,754, 4,174,517, 4,218,655, 4,222,035, 4,239,940, 4,254,403, 4,307,380, 4,321,581, 4,323,882, 4,344,066, 4,357,598, 4,371,867, 4,377,804, 4,386,436, 4,400,688, 4,408,185, 4,408,186, 4,429,299, 4,433,326, 4,442,319, 4,471,399, 4,473,817, 4,475,193, 4,479,033, 4,495,386, 4,514,594, 4,523,307, 4,535,447, 4,538,136, 4,556,864, 4,556,865, 4,556,866, 4,559,520, 4,599,598, 4,609,839, 4,611,274, 4,633,218, 4,638,298, 4,638,299, 4,641,126, 4,641,322, 4,642,607, 4,644,321, 4,675,648, 4,701,945, 4,745,391, 4,745,392, 4,746,897, 4,749,992, 4,759,016, 4,763,103, 4,772,870, 4,774,493, 4,783,780, 4,788,527, 4,809,296, 4,829,570, 4,835,517, 4,845,466, 4,847,903, 4,864,589, 4,866,733, 4,890,089, 4,912,553, 4,962,496, 4,963,853, 4,968,970, 4,988,972, 4,995,053, 5,003,457, 5,032,833, 5,049,876, 5,063,563, 5,065,133, 5,066,939, 5,136,612, 5,151,838, 5,155,466, 5,168,510, 5,187,865, 5,192,231, 5,210,518, 5,241,283, 5,257,006, 5,262,755, 5,274,699, 5,278,862, 5,289,476, 5,319,634, 5,327,230, 5,349,644, 5,351,272, 5,355,114, 5,357,541, 5,404,127, 5,406,248, 5,406,249, 5,410,292, 5,412,369, 5,424,709, 5,448,593, 5,452,344, 5,461,629, 5,463,662, 5,467,011, 5,471,190, 5,504,454, 5,530,737, 5,530,741, 5,550,905, 5,554,968, 5,559,377, 5,630,204, GB 544,243, GB 549,948, GB 553,225, GB 683,265, GB 1,393,424, GB 2,094,598, AU-B1-12,488/76, Canada 1057436, Canada 1216689, EPO 0 078 171 A2, EPO 0 555 869 A2, PCT/US83/01717, PCT/US90/02291, PCT/US90/06701, PCT/US92/08510, PCT/US93/04726, PCT/US94/03110, and PCT/US95/00354 each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material disclosed therein.

Caller identification system for wireless phone jacks and wireless modem jacks


A method of oxidizing an organic alcohol, wherein the organic alcohol is contacted with a stoichiometric excess of oxygen in the presence of an effective catalytic amount of a maganese-containing octahedral molecular sieve or octahedral layer. Primary alcohols are selectively oxidized to aldehydes, and secondary alcohols are selectively oxidized to ketones.

This invention relates to a method for the catalytic oxidation of alcohols, and in particular, to a method for the selective oxidation of alcohols catalyzed by manganese oxides.
The oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds is of great interest to academia and industry, particularly the fine chemicals industry. A number of catalytic oxidations of alcohols in which oxygen is the secondary oxidant have been reported, using ruthenium, cobalt, copper, palladium, and platinum metal catalysts with additives such as potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, pyridine, molecular sieves, and phenanthroline.
Stoichiometric metal oxidants such as chromium (VI) compounds and active manganese dioxide have also been widely used, particularly for the oxidation of allylic and benzylic oxidations. The reactivity of active manganese oxide is inconsistent, depending on preparation methods, compositions, and structure. Complicated preparation methods are often necessary, and the use of freshly made active manganese oxide is required. Moreover, five to fifty equivalents of these reagents are required to obtain oxidation products, resulting in large amounts of non-reusable, toxic waste. Use of peroxides gives rise to handling hazards.
There accordingly remains a continuing need for cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly methods for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes and ketones.
A method of oxidizing alcohols comprises reacting an alcohol with oxygen in the presence of an effective amount of a manganese-containing octahedral molecular sieve or a manganese-containing octahedral layer material.
A preferred manganese-containing octahedral molecular sieve has the formula
A2xe2x88x92yMn8O16.xH2O
wherein A is H+, Na+, or K+, y is about 0.5 to about 1.5, and x is 0 to about 20.
Another preferred manganese-containing octahedral molecular sieve has the formula
A2xe2x88x92yMnO2xe2x88x92z(PO4)z.xH2O
wherein A is H+, Na+, or K+, y is preferably about 0.5 to about 1.5, z is greater than zero to two, and x is 0 to about 20.
Still another preferred manganese octahedral material is a co-synthesized mixture of gamma-manganese oxide and one of the above-described manganese-containing octahedral molecular sieves.

Catalytic oxidation of alcohols using manganese oxides