An oil pump includes a pump cover covering a recess in a side face of a pump body to form a gear compartment therebetween. A drive gear and a rotatably driven gear are meshed and mounted in the gear compartment. Working spaces R are formed by the engagement of the meshed gear teeth. Discharge ports are formed in both the pump body and the pump cover in communication with the gear compartment. A notch is formed in the pump body at the bottom of the gear compartment and extends from the front end of the discharge port in the pump body to the rear end of a discharge area for the working spaces. Another notch is formed in the inner side face of the pump cover, and extends from the front end of the discharge port in the cover to the rear end of the discharge area.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to oil pumps suitable for supplying working oil to automatic transmissions in vehicles such as automobiles.
2. The Related Art
An oil pump for an automatic transmission designed to reduce cavitation erosion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 2003-161269. As disclosed therein, the oil pump includes a cast-iron pump body having a circular hollow formed in a face thereof; and a light-alloy pump cover closing the hollow within the pump body, thereby forming a gear compartment (pump chamber) therebetween. A drive gear is supported and driven by a drive shaft journaled in the gear compartment of the pump body, and a driven gear is disposed in the gear compartment so as to be rotatable eccentric to the drive gear and driven by the drive gear meshed with the driven gear; an arc-shaped suction port and an arc-shaped discharge port are located at the bottom of the gear compartment in a suction area and a discharge area, respectively. Working fluid spaces are defined between teeth on the outer circumferential surface of the drive gear and teeth on the inner circumferential surface of the driven gear and between side walls of the chamber bottom and the cover. Thus, the working fluid spaces are arrayed circumferentially around the pump chamber. An arc-shaped suction port is formed in the pump body and an arc-shaped discharge port is formed in the inner side face of the pump cover in the suction area and in the discharge area, respectively, for communication with the rotating working spaces.
With the oil pump disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 2003-161269 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "prior art"), cavitation erosion is limited to an expected normal or tolerable level when the rotational speed of the drive gear is in a normal range of use (for example, up to 7,000 rpm). However, when the rotational speed of the drive gear is higher than that (for example, 7,500 rpm), the cavitation erosion of the pump cover greatly increases to an unacceptable level. This problem will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
In the prior art oil pump, a notch 5a is formed in the chamber side face of the pump body, i.e. in the "bottom" of the pump chamber (also see pump body 10 and chamber 11 in FIG. 1), and extends circumferentially from the front end of a discharge port 4a formed in the pump body to the rear end of a suction port 3a formed in the pump body in the suction area for the working spaces. In addition, a notch 5b formed in the pump cover 2, shorter than the notch 5a, extends circumferentially from the front end of a discharge port 4b formed in the cover to the rear end of a suction port 3b formed in the cover. When the drive gear 6a and driven gear 6b are rotated in the direction of the arrow during operation of the oil pump, working spaces R formed between the teeth of the gears 6a and 6b first come into communication with the discharge port 4a through the notch 5a. Since the working spaces R were in communication with the suction ports 3a and 3b until immediately before, the working spaces R are filled with low-pressure working oil entraining bubbles of a gas of volatiles from the working oil and air released from the working oil. Because the pressure of the working oil in the discharge ports 4a and 4b is significantly higher than that at the suction ports, when the working spaces R come into communication with the notch 5a, the high-pressure working oil in the discharge port 4a temporarily flows back from the pump body 1 toward the opposing inner side face of the pump cover 2 and into the working spaces R as indicated by an arrow f. Thus, the bubbles in the working spaces R collapse (become smaller), and the impact pressure occurring due to that collapsing causes cavitation erosion at the inner chamber side face of the pump cover in the vicinity where the bubbles collapse.
When the rotational speed of the oil pump is less than or equal to a predetermined limit, a small number of bubbles are present in the working spaces R, the pressure of the working oil in the discharge ports 4a and 4b is not very high, and the rate of inflow into the working spaces R is also low. Therefore, the collapsing of the bubbles mainly occurs adjacent the bottom of the pump body 1, but is not relatively noticeable. Thus, cavitation erosion of the pump body 1 can be prevented by forming the pump of a material, such as cast iron, having a high resistance to cavitation erosion. Accordingly, the prior art technology is effective in preventing cavitation erosion when the rotational speed of the oil pump is less than or equal to the predetermined limit.
However, when the rotational speed of the oil pump exceeds the predetermined limit, the pressure in the working spaces R is reduced, the volume of bubbles is increased, and the bubbles accumulate adjacent the inner circumference due to the increased centrifugal force. Moreover, the pressure of the working oil in the discharge ports 4a and 4b is increased, and the rate of inflow into the working spaces R is also increased. Accordingly, the position where the collapsing of the bubbles occurs is shifted to the inner side face of the pump cover 2, and more bubbles collapse. Since the pump cover 2 is composed of a material, such as aluminum, having low resistance to cavitation erosion, cavitation erosion occurs at the position indicated by symbol E1 at the inner side face of the pump cover 2, as shown in FIG. 7(b). Thus, gaps are formed between the pump gears 6a and 6b, and pump efficiency is reduced due to leaking of the working oil. It is believed that cavitation erosion occurs at the pump cover 2 by the above-described mechanism when the rotational speed of the oil pump exceeds the predetermined limit.
To solve the above-described problem, theoretically it would be possible to form the pump cover 2 of a metallic material having high resistance to cavitation erosion, e.g. aluminum with, for example, T6 heat treatment for increasing the surface strength or high-silicon aluminum alloy. However, such materials do not always solve the problem because of the large volume of bubbles in the working spaces R which are collapsed (crushed), and therefore, a material such as cast iron having high resistance to cavitation erosion is required. In such a case, the weight of the oil pump is disadvantageously increased since both the pump body 1 and the pump cover 2 are composed of cast iron. When such a heavy oil pump is installed in an automotive automatic transmission, the pump body or the pump cover of the oil pump cannot be integrated with the transmission housing which is composed of a light alloy, resulting in a complicated structure.

Oil pump and automatic transmission including the same


A spray gun for applying a liquid spray coating, such as paint, to a surface incorporates a light source system for gauging the position of the spray gun relative to a worksurface in order to optimize application of the coating to the surface. The light source is preferably in the form of a laser which emits a pair of light beams toward the worksurface. The pair of light beams converge toward each other in a direction toward the surface, and the position of the beams on the surface is used by the operator to judge the distance of the spray gun from the surface. An adjustment mechanism is interconnected with one of the light beam sources, so as to adjust the point of convergence of the light beams. A closable door is associated with the spray gun housing at one of the light beam emitting locations, to selectively prevent emission of one of the light beams from the spray gun, such that a single light beam is emitted from the spray gun for use as a reference for spot application of the coating to the surface.

This invention relates to spray painting systems, and more particularly to a spray painting optimization system that can reduce paint waste and improve operator efficiency in application of paint or other coating to a surface.
Spray paint guns spray paint from a nozzle with compressed air onto a surface being painted. In order to optimize the quality of the finish of the painted surface, it is important to maintain the spray gun at an optimal position relative to the surface. Most importantly, the distance of the nozzle from the surface and the angle of the spray gun relative to the surface must be carefully controlled in order to apply the paint to the surface in a manner which minimizes paint waste and maximizes efficiency in applying the paint to the surface while maintaining the appropriate thickness of paint applied.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/504,370 filed Jul. 19, 1995 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,972 issued Feb. 9, 1997, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, discloses an optical spray paint optimization system in which a laser device is mounted alongside a spray gun. The laser device emits a split beam which converges toward the surface. The operator positions the spray gun such that the light beams converge into a single point of light on the surface, for providing a visual indication as to whether the nozzle is a predetermined distance from the surface. The point of convergence of the light beams can be adjusted to provide the optimal distance of the nozzle from the surface to accommodate for varying operator conditions and paint characteristics.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/658,935 filed May 30, 1996, also owned by the same assignee as the present application, discloses an optical feedback system utilizing a laser device mounted alongside a spray gun in which light from the laser is reflected from the surface and received by one or more optical sensors or input devices interconnected with a processor. The optical input devices provide input signals to the processor which are used to provide a real-time indication to the operator as to the position of the nozzle, so as to enable the operator to place the nozzle and apply the paint in a manner which minimizes waste and maximizes efficiency in applying the paint to the surface. The optical input devices can also supply raw data to a processor or computer after the painting operation, to analyze overall efficiency and compliance with standards or other operating parameters.
The disclosures of the above-referenced applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
As set forth above, a light beam, such as a beam emitted by a laser, can be effectively used in combination with a paint spray system in order to optimize application of the paint to the surface. Past efforts have involved mounting a laser device to the spray gun in somewhat of a retrofit manner, typically at a location adjacent the nozzle portion of the spray gun. This mounting of the laser device moves the overall center of gravity of the assembly when compared to that of a spray gun without a laser device, and to which an operator is accustomed. The operator must compensate by adjusting his grip on the gun and the motions used to move the gun when applying the paint to the surface.
It is an object of the present invention to incorporate a light-emitting device, such as a laser device, into a spray gun without any significant effect on the overall center of gravity of the spray gun. It is a further object of the invention to incorporate a laser-type light emitting device into the housing of the spray gun without significantly altering the overall configuration of the spray gun. Still another object of the invention is to incorporate a laser-type light emitting device into a spray gun and to emit a pair of convergent light beams from the spray gun toward the surface to provide a reference in positioning the spray gun relative to the surface.
In accordance with the invention, a hand-held spray gun for applying a coating to a surface includes a housing having a handle and defining an interior. A nozzle is mounted to the housing for discharging the liquid coating from the spray gun. A light generating device is disposed within the interior of the housing and includes a light-emitting source for communicating a light beam from the light generating device exteriorly of the housing. The housing defines a forward end and a rearward end. The handle is located toward the rearward end of the housing, and the nozzle is located toward the forward end of the housing. The light generating device is preferably located toward the rearward end of the housing, and the light-emitting source is preferably located toward the forward end of the housing. The light generating device preferably includes a pair of light-emitting sources for emitting a pair of light beams toward the surface. A first one of the light-emitting sources is preferably located toward the forward end of the housing, and a second one of the light-emitting sources is preferably located rearwardly of the first light-emitting source. In a preferred form, the first light-emitting source is located so as to emit a light beam from a location immediately adjacent the nozzle. The pair of light-emitting sources are arranged so as to emit a pair of light beams which converge in a direction toward the surface from the spray gun, to enable a user to ascertain the position of the spray gun relative to the surface by observing the distance between the two light beams. An adjustment mechanism is associated with one of the light-emitting sources for adjusting the angle at which the light beams converge, to enable a user to calibrate the distance of the spray gun from the surface when the light beams are coincident on the surface. The invention further contemplates a shut-off mechanism for selectively preventing emission of one of the light beams, such that the other light-emitting source emits a single light beam toward the surface from the light generating device. This enables a user to provide a reference on the surface when it is desired to spot-apply the coating on the surface. In one embodiment, the shut-off mechanism is in the form of a closable door member mounted to the housing and movable between an open position in which the second light-emitting source emits a light beam from the housing, and a closed position in which the door prevents the light beam from the second light-emitting source from being discharged from the housing. One of the light-emitting sources is located immediately adjacent the nozzle, and the shut-off mechanism is associated with the other of the light-emitting sources such that the single light beam emitting from the spray gun emanates from a location adjacent the nozzle.
The invention also contemplates an improvement in a spray gun including a housing, substantially as set forth in the foregoing paragraph.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.

The University of Northern Iowa Foundation


The invention relates to transmitting data elements of a data stream based on a priority and target buffer fill levels at a receiving device. A transmitter controller transmits data elements of a data element class with a highest priority first, for reaching an associated buffer fill level and then turns to data elements of successively lower priorities, until the available bandwidth is exhausted.

With the increased proliferation of data processing devices and with increased availability of computer networks for data exchange an increasing number of services can be obtained using for example home computer equipment or similar.
Generally, the provision of a service via a computer network requires a transmission device or server for transmitting data pertaining to the service and requires a receiving device or client for receiving the data from the server. A user operating the receiving device may then appropriately take notice of the received data, e.g. view the received data on a display, or listen to audio data. Interactive services enable users to control the service provision via entering information at the client for transmission to the server, thus enabling the server to appropriately configure the service provision.
Providing a service over a computer network may require the exchange of substantial amounts of data, for example image or audio data, and as the network bandwidth available for the streaming is generally limited, data compression or coding is applied. These techniques reduce the amount of data to be transmitted via the network, preferably without substantially degrading the quality of the data obtained at the receiver. Many data compression techniques for image data including video and audio data are available today.
One group of services available over computer networks includes the transmission of data streams from a transmitting device to a receiving device. The data stream may incorporate a sequence of images, such as video sequence, or may incorporate audio data or both. For example, a user at a client computer device may obtain a steaming service by appropriately selecting an offered data stream, e.g. by clicking on a corresponding icon on a browser screen. The user can view a browser page on a client display including for example a selection of text elements accompanied by a tag offering a corresponding video sequence. The user can then select a desired tag and a selection instruction will be transmitted to a server, requesting the server to initiate transmission of a corresponding video data stream to the client device. The client device in turn will then display the video sequence.
As a data stream usually contains a large amount of data to be transmitted on the relatively strict time constraints, e.g. for maintaining real time requirements, efficient data compression techniques or codes are required.
Streaming applications generally involve the use of predictive coding. A data stream is usually formed by a sequential transmission of a number of data elements, each of the data elements representing a portion of the information to be streamed to the receiving device. Predictive coding includes any data compression or coding technique, where at least some of the data elements refer to or require information transmitted in other data elements. A data element requiring information from another data element can therefore be decompressed at the receiving device only to full extent, if the required further data element or data elements are available at the receiving device. For example, predictive coding may include a statistical estimation procedure where future random variables of the data stream are estimated or predicted from past and present observable random variables.
Streaming applications between computers may be hampered by a lack of service support. Generally it is difficult to reserve a bandwidth, e.g. on a computer network, for the streaming application and for this reason a transmitting device may be unable to transmit the complete streaming information to the receiving device in a timely manner. Moreover, in a streaming application data elements usually contain a time stamp indicating a temporal position within the stream. Consequently, for maintaining real time conditions, a data element must be available at the receiving device at a certain point in time, to allow a timely presentation of the data elements. If not all data elements of the streaming application can be transmitted in a timely manner to the receiving device, a video, audio or other data stream may be interrupted or fully terminated.
In an environment with a limited available bandwidth it is thus required to carefully schedule the individual data elements for transmission to the receiving device, in order to maintain the highest possible quality of the data stream. Further, it is required to appropriately scale down a required bandwidth for the data stream transmission while accepting a more or less severe reduction of the quality of the stream but avoiding dropouts or termination of services.
As in a limited bandwidth environment it may not be possible to transmit all data elements of the data stream, a careful selection of the most important ones of the data elements for the data stream should be performed, in order to avoid the dropping of highly important data elements when the available bandwidth is exhausted. Ideally, only the least important data packets should be dropped upon reaching a bandwidth limitation.
A simple scheduling algorithm is the so-called earliest deadline first (EDF) algorithm proposed by C. L. Liu and J. W. Layland, "Scheduling algorithms for multiprogramming in a hard-real-time environment,", Journal of the ACM (JACM), vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 46-61, January 1973. In this approach data elements are transmitted in their presentation order, in order to make sure that the data elements arrive in a timely manner at the receiving device. In another approach described in W. chi Feng, M. Liu, B. Krishnaswami, and A. Prabhudev, "A priority-based technique for the best-effort delivery of stored video," in SPIE/IS&T Multimedia Computing and Networking 1999, January 1999, priority values are assigned to the data elements, indicating the relative importance of frames. A priority-based transmission scheme minimizing a weighted loss of data elements has been described in reference (4): R. L. Givan, E. K. P. Chong, and H. S. Chang, "Scheduling multiclass packet streams to minimize weighted loss," in Queueing Systems, vol. 41, no. 3, January 2001, pp. 241-270. In a priority-based scheduling the highest priority data elements are transmitted and only after transmission of the highest priority packets a transmission turns to some of the next lower priority data elements. Accordingly, a transmission order can be different from a playout order at the receiving device. If in this priority-based scheme an available bandwidth is not sufficient, the data elements with lower priorities are dropped from the transmission queue, as the bandwidth limitation is reached. In a practical case the data elements with lower priorities will be dropped due to reaching the above-mentioned playout time limit, after which a time representation of the data element is not any longer possible. This algorithm assures that always data elements of higher priorities are transmitted first and thus available at the receiving device and, if the bandwidth is insufficient for transmitting all data elements, that lower priority data elements are skipped. This will lead to a more or less severe degradation of the overall quality of the stream. However, this algorithm has drawbacks during start-up conditions, as it will take relatively long periods of time until the data packets with lower priorities are transmitted.

Packet scheduling for data stream transmission


A phase shifting method and a phase shifter are provided. The phase shifter comprises a first (200) and a second (202) transmission line structure in parallel, the structures having a common input, each structure comprising cascaded forward and backward transmission lines and the same number of components. The component values of the second structure are equal to the component values of the first structure multiplied by a given proportionality constant.

In modern electronics, phase shifters are used in many applications. Especially in communication electronics phase shifters are used to modify transmitted or received signals. In wireless communication, phase shifters are used in phasing the input signals of antenna arrays so that different transmission beams may be formed.
In general, a phase shifter receives as an input an electric signal and produces at the output two signals which are shifted with respect to each other by a predetermined phase angle.
In many applications, a constant phase shift over a wide frequency band is desired. This applies especially to communication applications. Recently, solutions where combined backward and forward transmission lines are used have been suggested (M. A. Antoniades and G. V. Eleftheriades. Compact Linear Lead/Lag Metamaterial Phase Shifters for Broadband Applications. IEEE Antenn. Wireless Propag. Lett., 2:103, 2003).
Solutions where a phase shift is produced by a simple forward transmission line show a linear dependence on frequency. A simple backward transmission line is generally even more dispersive in frequency domain. In proposed solutions where combined forward-backward transmission lines are used, frequency dependence has reduced remarkably. However, the solutions are restricted to phase shifts around 180°, and cannot be used for creating arbitrary phase shifts.


An animal housing assembly includes a cage assembly coupled to a base member to provide an enclosure for one or more animals to be kept in captivity. The base member includes a slidable tray coupled thereto, the tray being configured to move from a closed position to an open position to allow cleaning of the base member. When in a closed position, a portion of the tray forms a portion of the floor of the base member. When the tray moves from the closed position to the open position, the tray translates in a direction away from the base member, thereby exposing an aperture defined in the floor of the base member. The aperture may be shaped and/or sized to allow debris to fall through the floor of the base member, thereby allowing removal of unwanted debris and cleaning of the base member.

The cleaning of animal cages may be a cumbersome and relatively time-consuming task. The ownership of caged animals may involve a compromise between not performing an inordinate amount of cleaning and having a barely acceptable dirty cage. A number of easy-to-clean animal cage assemblies have been suggested. Some animal cage assemblies include rolls of paper adjacent to floors of cages from which paper can be pulled across the floors to periodically clean the floors. A major difficulty in the use of these types of cage assemblies is that feed and other dry materials may easily work their way under the paper and are not taken out of the cages by pulling the paper across the floors. Additionally, some animal cage assemblies require some form of disassembly in order to clear debris (e.g., food, animal waste, etc.), thereby requiring a degree of work necessary which may be undesirable.


A door latch device for a domestic electrical appliance, in particular for a dishwasher, has a frame (10) provided or to be provided on a first component of the domestic appliance, a latching unit (28) arranged so it can be displaced relative to the frame between an open position and a latched position for engagement with a closure system of a second component of the domestic appliance that can be moved relative to the first appliance component and is to be locked with respect thereto, and a latching spring assembly that pre-tensions the latching unit and which in the open position of the latching unit forces the unit into engagement with a blocking surface (24) that blocks relaxation of the latching spring assembly. According to one aspect of the invention a control member (52) that is separate from the latching unit and arranged so it can be moved relative thereto is provided, comprising an application system (64) for an actuating portion of the second appliance component and comprising an impact system for a block-cancelling effect on the latching unit. According to a further aspect the latching unit is formed by a one-piece latching body on which, in addition to a latching system (38) for engagement with the closure system of the second appliance component and a blocking system (50) for engagement with the blocking surface (24), supporting surfaces for the latching spring assembly are also arranged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a door latch device for a domestic electrical appliance, in particular a dishwasher. Particularly, the present invention relates to a door latch for a domestic electrical appliance comprising a frame provided or to be provided on a first component of the domestic appliance, a latching unit arranged so it can be displaced relative to the frame between an open position and a latched position for engagement with a closure system of a second component of the domestic appliance that can be moved relative to the first appliance component and is to be closed with respect thereto, and a latching spring assembly that pre-tensions the latching unit and which in the open position of the latching unit forces the unit into engagement with a blocking surface that blocks relaxation of the latching spring assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Domestic electrical appliances for which the door latch device being considered here is suitable comprise a housing with a door opening which can be closed by a door that is movably hung on the appliance housing. The door latch device can be installed in the appliance housing or the door. In a preferred, although in no way limiting, embodiment the door latch device is fitted in the upper part of the appliance housing and engages downwards with a latching nose in a latching depression in the door.
A door latch device of the above-stated, generic type is known for example from US 2005/194795 A1. In this case the latching unit comprises a swivel part and a linearly movable slide that rotatably holds the swivel part about an axis of rotation. An arrangement of a plurality of pre-tensioning springs acts between the slide and a frame of the latching device. The force of the pre-tensioning springs forces the swivel part against an abutment secured to the frame. The circumferential contour of the swivel part has different radii, so, depending on the rotary position of the swivel part, the axis of rotation thereof is distanced from the abutment to a greater or lesser extent, and the pre-tensioning springs are tensioned more or less strongly accordingly.
The swivel part according to US 2005/194795 A1 comprises a gripping recess for a hook. In an unlocked rotary position, the gripping recess faces the hook so the hook can move into it as the door of the domestic appliance is being closed. In this rotary position, the swivel part is supported on the abutment with a part of its circumference which is located more radially outwards. The pre-tensioning springs are more strongly tensioned accordingly. If the hook moves into the gripping recess it presses against an edge thereof, and this introduces a rotation into the swivel part. In the process, with a sliding edge on which the edge portion of the swivel part which is located more radially outwards merges into an edge portion which is located more radially inwards, the rotary part moves past the abutment. This allows the pre-tensioning springs to relax, whereby the slide and the swivel part snap back in the direction of the abutment. At the same time the hook is locked in the gripping recess. It is only possible to turn back the swivel part if the slide and the swivel part are moved, against the force of the pre-tensioning springs, away from the abutment again, so the swivel part can be moved with its sliding edge in the opposite direction past the abutment again. This reverse movement of the swivel part is assisted by a restoring spring.

Door latch device for a domestic appliance, in particular for a dish washer


An ice-making unit, which uses a cooling unit in which a refrigerant pipe is received, and a refrigerator having the same. The cooling unit includes a cooler for conduction of coldness, an inner surface of the cooler coming into direct contact with the refrigerant pipe, realizing a direct cooling type ice making operation. A rotatable tray is provided under the cooling unit, so that an ice-separating member attached to the cooling unit pushes ice upon rotation of the tray, allowing the ice to be discharged in a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the tray.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a refrigerator including a direct-cooling type ice-making unit, which may enhance ice making performance and reduce energy loss caused during an ice making operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, which are separated from each other for optimum fresh storage of a variety of foods for a long time. The refrigerating compartment serves to keep food, such as vegetables, fruits, etc., at a temperature slightly above freezing. The freezing compartment serves to keep food, such as meats, fishes, etc., at a freezing temperature or less.
An icemaker is installed in the freezing compartment and serves to freeze water into ice using cold air that circulates in the freezing compartment.
The icemaker includes a tray in which water is frozen into ice, and a storage container for storage of ice.
Icemakers may be classified, based on ice making methods thereof, into an indirect cooling type icemaker, a tray of which is cooled by forcible convection of cold air supplied thereto so that water received in the tray is frozen into ice, and a direct cooling type icemaker. The direct cooling type includes a tray. Either the tray, or water received in the tray, comes into direct contact with a refrigerant pipe for ice making. Generally, an automatic icemaker for a domestic refrigerator is of an indirect cooling type, in which water supply, ice making, and ice separating operations are automatically carried out based on a temperature of a tray.
The above-described indirect cooling type icemaker adopts a relatively simple ice separating mechanism, simplified convenient cooling method, and easy manufacture thereof. However, due to the use of a high capacity heater for an ice separating operation, this type of icemaker may consume substantial electricity and increase the temperature of an ice-making chamber or a freezing compartment. Furthermore, the indirect cooling type icemaker may have low efficiency and tardy ice-making speed because cold air produced via heat exchange of an evaporator is forcibly circulated to cool the tray via operation of a blower fan.

Ice-making unit and refrigerator having the same


A sensor calibration system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The sensor calibration system may have a positioning device configured to determine a desired sensing location on the mobile machine, a calibration object, and a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the calibration object from an actual sensing location on the mobile machine and to generate a corresponding signal. The sensor calibration system may also have a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning device. The controller may be configured to compare the characteristic sensed from the actual sensing location to a known characteristic associated with the desired sensing location, and to determine a difference between the actual sensing location and the desired sensing location based on the comparison. The controller may further be configured to correct subsequent signals generated by the sensor based on the difference.

Machines such as, for example, off-highway haul trucks, motor graders, snow plows, and other types of heavy equipment are used to perform a variety of tasks. Some of these tasks involve carrying or pushing large, awkward, loose, and/or heavy loads up steep inclines or along rough or poorly marked haul roads. And, because of the size and momentum of the machines and/or because of poor visibility, these tasks can be difficult for a human operator to complete effectively.
To help guide the machines safely and efficiently along the haul roads, some machines are equipped with sensors, for example, RADAR sensors, SONAR sensors, LIDAR sensors, IR and non-IR cameras, and other similar sensors. These sensors are often connected to a visual display and/or a guidance system of the machine such that control over machine maneuvering may be enhanced or even automated. In order for these display and guidance systems to operate properly, the information provided by the sensors must be accurate. And, even though most machine sensor systems are calibrated when first commissioned, vibrations, collisions, and damage to the machine during operation can reduce the quality of information provided by the sensors. As such, periodic recalibration can be beneficial.
An exemplary recalibration system and method is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0164295 (the '295 publication) by Focke et al. published on Jul. 27, 2006. Specifically, the '295 publication describes a system for simultaneous calibration of two different types of sensors, for example an image sensor and a radar sensor mounted on a motor vehicle. During calibration of the two sensors, the motor vehicle is aligned in front of a calibration object in such a way that the image and radar sensors detect reference features of the calibration object and responsively create calibration data. The calibration data used directly for calibration of the participating sensors. For example, the calibration data is used for automatic correction of a deviation of a sensor axis in relation to a vehicle longitudinal axis or by an automotive technician for mechanical adjustment of sensor placement. These procedures are possible during manufacture or repair of the motor vehicle.
Although the sensor system of the '295 publication may be helpful in recalibrating machine-mounted sensors, the benefit may be limited. That is, for optimum accuracy, the machine of the '295 publication must be precisely aligned relative to the calibration object. Any error in this alignment may result in an accuracy reduction of the sensed information. In addition, the mechanical adjustment of the sensor location on the motor vehicle may be time consuming and expensive, while the automated calibration described in the '295 patent (i.e., about only the sensor axis) may be limited.
The disclosed sensor calibration system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.


A method and system may be implemented, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, to permit transformation of software to use conditional execution instructions. According to the preferred embodiment, a system and method is provided to transform machine instructions (for example, machine instructions generated by a source code compiler) to make use of the conditional execution features of a processor. The preferred embodiment thus reduces code size and better utilizes the instruction pipeline and cache.

One of the issues encountered in computing system design is dealing with computer program branching and its impact on processing speed. Computer programs typically include a number of "branch" instructions which cause program execution to transfer to an alternate area of instructions some distance in memory from the branch instruction. In many cases these branch instructions are "conditional"—they only occur if a particular condition is satisfied (e.g., a specified register or bit has a zero value). Thus it is unknown until the program is executed whether the conditional branch instruction will actually be executed (requiring a jump to the new set of instructions) or not (allowing further execution of the current set of instructions). This uncertainty has implications for processing throughput, as contemporary processors attempt to cache and "pre-process" instructions (as part of an instruction "pipeline") prior to the time for execution, in order to overcome issues such as memory delays and instruction decoding delays. If the conditional branch is taken, the cache and pre-processing may be no longer valid, requiring a pipeline "flush" and reload, and thus creating additional processing delay.
In order to overcome the uncertainties posed by conditional branching in pre-processing, one technique used in contemporary processor designs allows for the conditional execution of instructions, typically through multiple execution pipelines within the processor (and in some cases using branch prediction algorithms to make judgments about likely branch paths). Each pipeline will pre-process a potential conditional branching situation, and the processor will only execute the pipeline that includes the instructions that will actually need to be executed based on the outcome of the conditional branch. Another technique uses "conditional execution" instructions, which are instructions that are only executed when the specified condition is true (the condition is said to "guard" the instruction from execution). Conditional execution instructions can thus be used to reduce the number of branches needed in a section of software. Several processor architectures support conditional execution instructions (e.g., ARM processors, Motorola MCORE processors).
To accommodate conditional execution, software compilers need to be configured to generate machine instructions that take advantage of the efficiencies of conditional execution. Current compilers attempt to perform internal tree optimizations on the processed high-level source code (for example, C or C++ source code). Although tree optimizations can improve execution speed, tree optimizers lack intimate information concerning the block size and number of machine instruction groupings generated by the source code when compiled. Without such information, situations that are appropriate for optimization (and situations that are not appropriate for optimization) can be missed, reducing overall system throughput and memory efficiency.

System and method for transformation of assembly code for conditional execution


Phosphor compositions having the formulas (Tb1−x−y−z−wYxGdyLuzCew)3MrAls−rO12+δ, where M is selected from Sc, In, Ga, Zn, or Mg, and where 0<w≦0.3, 0≦x<1, 0≦y≦0.4, 0≦z<1, 0≦r≦4.5, 4.5≦s≦6, and −1.5≦δ≦1.5; (RE1−x−yScxCey)2A3−pBpSiz−qGeqO12+δ, where RE is selected from a lanthanide ion or Y3+, A is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba, B is selected from Mg and Zn, and where 0≦p≦3, 0≦q≦3, 2.5≦z≦3.5, 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦0.3, −1.5≦δ≦1.5; and (Ca1−x−y−zSrxBayCez)3(Sc1−a−cLuaDc)2Sin−wGewO12+δ, where D is either Mg or Zn, 0≦x<1, 0≦y<1, 0<z≦0.3, 0≦a<1, 0≦c≦1, 0≦w≦3, 2.5≦n≦3.5, and −1.5≦δ≦1.5. Also disclosed are light emitting devices including a light source and at least one of the above phosphor compositions.

The present invention relates to phosphor compositions, particularly phosphors for use in lighting applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to garnet phosphors having enhanced emissions in defined spectral regions compared to conventional garnet phosphors and a lighting apparatus employing these phosphors.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor light emitters often used as a replacement for other light sources, such as incandescent lamps. They are particularly useful as display lights, warning lights and indicating lights or in other applications where colored light is desired. The color of light produce by an LED is dependent on the type of semiconducting material used in its manufacture.
Colored semiconductor light emitting devices, including light emitting diodes and lasers (both are generally referred to herein as LEDs), have been produced from Group III–V alloys such as gallium nitride (GaN). To form the LEDs, layers of the alloys are typically deposited epitaxially on a substrate, such as silicon carbide or sapphire, and may be doped with a variety of n and p type dopants to improve properties, such as light emission efficiency. With reference to the GaN-based LEDs, light is generally emitted in the UV and/or blue range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Until quite recently, LEDs have not been suitable for lighting uses where a bright white light is needed, due to the inherent color of the light produced by the LED.
LEDs rely on its semiconductor to emit light. The light is emitted as a result of electronic excitation of the semiconductor material. As radiation (energy) strikes atoms of the semiconductor material, an electron of an atom is excited and jumps to an excited (higher) energy state. The higher and lower energy states in semiconductor light emitters are characterized as the conduction band and the valence band, respectively. The electron, as it returns to its ground energy state, emits a photon. The photon corresponds to an energy difference between the exited state and ground energy state, and results in an emission of radiation.
Recently, techniques have been developed for converting the light emitted from LEDs to useful light for illumination purposes. In one technique, the LED is coated or covered with a phosphor layer. A phosphor is a luminescent material that absorbs radiation energy in a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and emits energy in another portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Phosphors of one important class are crystalline inorganic compounds of very high chemical purity and of controlled composition to which small quantities of other elements (called "activators") have been added to convert them into efficient fluorescent materials. With the right combination of activators and inorganic compounds, the color of the emission can be controlled. Most useful and well-known phosphors emit radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in response to excitation by electromagnetic radiation outside the visible range.
By interposing a phosphor excited by the radiation generated by the LED, light of a different wavelength, e.g., in the visible range of the spectrum may be generated. Colored LEDs are often used in toys, indicator lights and other devices. Manufacturers are continuously looking for new colored phosphors for use in such LEDs to produce custom colors and higher luminosity.
In addition to colored LEDs, a combination of LED generated light and phosphor generated light may be used to produce white light. The most popular white LEDs consist of blue emitting GaInN chips. The blue emitting chips are coated with a phosphor that converts some of the blue radiation to a complimentary color, e.g. a yellow-green emission. Together, the blue and yellow-green radiation produces a white light. There are also white LEDs that utilize a UV emitting chip and a phosphor blend including red, green and blue emitting phosphors designed to convert the UV radiation to visible light.
One known yellow-whitish light emitting device comprises a blue light-emitting LED having a peak emission wavelength in the near UV-to-blue range (from about 315 nm to about 480 nm) combined with a yellow light-emitting phosphor, such as cerium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Tb,Y)3Al4.9O12−δ:Ce3+ ("TAG:Ce") wherein δ is typically between about −1 to 1. The phosphor absorbs a portion of the radiation emitted from the LED and converts the absorbed radiation to a yellow light. The remainder of the blue light emitted by the LED is transmitted through the phosphor and is mixed with the yellow light emitted by the phosphor. A viewer perceives the mixture of blue and yellow light, which in most instances is perceived as a whitish-yellow light.
Such systems can be used to make white light sources having correlated color temperatures (CCTs) of >4500 K and color rendering indicies (CRIs) ranging from about 75–82. While this range is suitable for many applications, general illumination sources usually require higher CRIs and lower CCTs. One method of achieving this in blue LED devices requires that the phosphor emission be enhanced in the red spectral region compared to current yellow emission of conventional phosphors.
To accomplish this, phosphor blends utilizing deep red phosphors are sometimes used to produce light sources having a high color rendering index (CRI). Two deep red phosphors currently being used in such applications are (Ca,Sr)S:Eu2+ and (Ba,Sr,Ca)xSiyNz:Eu2+. While effective, such phosphors may reabsorb emission from other phosphors (e.g. TAG:Ce) that may be present in the illumination device due to the overlapping of the Eu2+ absorption bands in these materials with the emission of the other phosphors. Thus, a need exists for a new phosphor having a redder emission than TAG:Ce phosphors for use in LEDs displaying high quantum efficiency to produce both colored and white-light LEDs having a high CRI.
Another potential method to enhance the CRI of a lighting source using a blue or UV LED to excite a phosphor is to enhance the emission of the device in the blue-green region. Thus, a need exists for a phosphor having enhanced spectral output in this region when excited by blue or UV light.

Garnet phosphor materials having enhanced spectral characteristics


A method for forecasting a future inventory demand includes receiving historical demand data associated with a part number and statistically analyzing the historical demand data associated with one or more part numbers to identify each part number as one of a seasonal part number, a quasi-seasonal part number, a high variability part number, or a non-seasonal part number. If the part number is identified as a seasonal part number, a first inventory requirement for a first predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated. If the part number is identified as a quasi-seasonal part number, a second inventory requirement for a second predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated, wherein the second predetermined portion of the future demand period is a multiple of the first predetermined portion. If the part number is identified as a high variability part number, a third inventory requirement for a third predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated.

In many business environments, particularly those that involve high-volume sale and distribution of parts or supplies, proper inventory management is imperative to the successful operation of the business. In order to ensure that an on-hand inventory of parts is adequate to meet customer demand, many businesses analyze historical demand associated with their part inventories and forecast future demand for one or more selected parts. Based on the demand forecast, warehouse managers establish fixed minimum quantities of certain parts, thereby requiring that the warehouse stock a minimum quantity of the parts to comply with future demand forecast.
While the practice of stocking parts in anticipation of a future demand may ensure part availability in most cases, it often results in the buildup of unused inventory for some parts when actual demand fails to meet forecasted demand. This inventory stockpile may potentially consume valuable inventory management resources (e.g., storage space, etc.), reduce and/or waste the usable life of the part, and/or reduce profitability by expending capital for unsold and/or unused parts—capital that may have been invested in some other fashion. Thus, in order to determine an appropriate level of inventory stock to adequately respond to a future demand, while preventing the accumulation of excess inventory, methods for identifying and characterizing inventory demand may be required.
One method for identifying and forecasting supply chain demand is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0169657 ("the '657 publication") to Singh et al. The '657 publication describes a method for predicting a future demand based on buyer trend, certain seasonal effects, and/or causal factors, such as change in supply, price, etc. The demand prediction method of the '657 publication analyzes historical demand data, models the demand by adapting the historical data to a Fourier series or multiple linear regression (MLR) algorithm, and applies the model to a future time period to produce a future demand profile. The Fourier series algorithm attempts to fit historical data that displays seasonality to a periodic (e.g., sine or cosine) function. The multiple linear regression algorithm, while more complex, allows the integration of multiple independent variables associated with demand (e.g., price, weather, demographics, competitor promotions, etc.) into the forecast.
Although the method described in the '657 publication includes multiple techniques for forecasting demand associated with a supply chain, it may be inaccurate. For example, the method of the '657 patent determines seasonality based on a "peak and valley" identification approach that analyzes the amplitude of the historical demand and flags data points that do not conform to predetermined demand threshold (e.g., exceed an acceptable level of deviation from a predetermined demand range). These data points may then be used to generate a Fourier series which attempts to model the periodicity of the demand. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that, in certain situations, seasonal demand may, in fact, exhibit irregular behavior that may not be periodic and may not be modeled using a Fourier series. Thus, in situations where historical demand data exhibits irregular seasonal demand patterns, the method of the '657 publication may be inefficient and inaccurate.
The presently disclosed method for classifying patterns in demand variability is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Method for forecasting a future inventory demand


Improved process for the interesterification of a phospholipid with a triacyl glycerol is obtained by using an enzyme system containing immobilized lipase and immobilized phospholipase. The phospholipids obtained have better heat stabilized properties and better emulsifying properties than regular lecithin and may be used in emulsion systems or in coatings for instantized powders.

Glycerophospholipids such as phosphatidyl choline consist of glycerol esterified with two fatty acyl groups and one phosphate or esterified phosphate group. For some applications of the phospholipids it is desirable to exchange the acyl groups in the phospholipids, e. g. in order to improve their heat stability.
In this respect it was previously shown, e. g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,706, that egg yolk fortified with exogenous lysophosphatidylcholine obtained by hydrolysis of lecithin with a phospholipase A2 improved the thermostability of emulsions, particularly mayonnaise.
Furthermore, it was shown in WO 91/03564 that enzymatic interesterification of a phospholipid with a fatty acid using a lipase catalyst immobilized on a macroporous carrier in an organic solvent gave rise to improved incorporation of specific acyl moieties in the phospholipid. In that process, a large excess of fatty acid was used which remains in the reaction mixture at the end of the process and which is not easily separated from the desired modified lecithin.

Process for the interesterification of phospholipids


A CMOS active pixel sensor includes a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a silicon substrate with an insulator layer formed thereon and a top silicon layer formed on the insulator layer. A stacked pixel sensor cell includes a bottom photodiode fabricated on the silicon substrate, for sensing light of a longest wavelength; a middle photodiode fabricated on the silicon substrate, for sensing light of a medium wavelength, which is stacked above the bottom photodiode; and a top photodiode fabricated on the top silicon layer, for sensing light of a shorter wavelength, which is stacked above the middle and bottom photodiodes. Pixel transistor sets are fabricated on the top silicon layer and are associated with each pixel sensor cell by electrical connections which extend between each of the photodiodes and respective pixel transistor(s). CMOS control circuitry is fabricated adjacent to an array of active pixel sensor cells and electrically connected thereto.

Conventional CMOS and CCD digital image sensors use a photodiode, or a MOS photogate, as the photosensing element. In its native state, a photosensing element captures a light signal only as the presence or absence of light, i.e., only as white or black, respectively. In order to capture a color image, color filters are placed on top of each photo sensing element. Usually, red, green, and blue (RGB) color filters are arranged in a Bayer filter pattern. A typical Bayer filter pattern includes alternate filter placement to capture individual RGB pixels, as shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1RGRGGBGBRGRGGBGB
Bayer pattern capture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,065, to Bayer, granted Jul. 20, 1976, for Color Imaging Array, which provides a sensing array for color imaging, having individual luminance and chrominance sensitive elements, which are intermixed such that each type of element, i.e., according to sensitivity characteristics, occurs in a repeated pattern, with luminance elements dominating the array. Preferably, luminance elements occur at every other element position to provide a relatively high frequency sampling pattern which is uniform in two perpendicular directions, e.g., horizontal and vertical. The chrominance patterns are interlaced therewith and fill the remaining element positions to provide relatively lower frequencies of sampling. A mosaic of selectively transmissive filters is superposed in registration with a solid state imaging array having a broad range of light sensitivity, the distribution of filter types in the mosaic being in accordance with the above-described patterns.
Image-processing, following image capture by a Bayer pattern sensor, includes interpolation, during which missing data is estimated from data gathered by neighboring pixels. This results in a fuzziness in an image captured by a Bayer pattern sensor, as the image is less sharp than it otherwise would be because of under sampling. Such images also exhibit color aliasing artifacts because of lateral mis-alignment of the color filters.
A stacked RGB photodiode can directly measure red, green, and blue at the same location, by stacking three photodiodes on top of one another. This technology increases the sampling density, improves sharpness, and eliminates the color aliasing artifact. More importantly, this technology does not require color filters. An example of three-color visible-light vertical pixel sensors group is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,875 to Merrill, granted Oct. 12, 1999, for Color separation in an active pixel cell imaging array using a triple-well structure, which describes a structure using a triple-well CMOS process wherein the blue, green, and red sensitive PN junctions are disposed at different depths beneath the surface of the semiconductor substrate upon which the imager is fabricated, as shown in FIG. 1, as taken from '875.
Findlater et al., A CMOS image sensor with a double junction active pixel, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp 32-42 (2003), disclose an active pixel sensor that incorporates a double-junction photodiode in conjunction with an organic filter overlay, wherein each double-junction photodiode includes top and bottom p-type layers with an n-type layer between them. The n-type layer forms the cathode of a first photodiode, the bottom p-type layer forms the anode of a second photodiode, the first photodiode is coupled to a first readout circuit, and the second photodiode is coupled to a second readout circuit. A filter mosaic overlays the sensor array.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,727,521 to Merrill, granted Apr. 27, 2004, for Vertical color filter detector group and array, describes the formation of the three stacked photodiodes comprising at least six layers of alternating p-type and n-typed doped regions, as shown in FIG. 2, taken from '521. PN junctions between the layers operate as photodiodes with spectral sensitivities that depend on the absorption depth versus wavelength of light in the semiconductor. Alternate layers are detector layers to collect photo-generated carriers, while the intervening layers are reference layers and are connected in common to a reference potential referred to as ground. In an embodiment where the detector layers are n-type layers, each detector group includes a blue photodetector n-type layer at the surface of the semiconductor, a green photodetector n-type layer deeper in the semiconductor, and a red photodetector n-type layer deepest in the semiconductor. Three sets of active pixel sensor circuitry are coupled to the three detector layers.
The sensor group of '521, having three stacked photodiodes with six layers of alternating p-type and n-typed doped regions, employs two silicon epitaxial processes and the three set of active pixel sensor circuitry are fabricated on the top surface of the second epitaxial layer. The isolation between the pixel transistors and the isolation between the pixel transistor and photodiode limit the area of the unit image cell. Furthermore, the processes to make an isolated, low resistance electrical contact to the red photodetector n-type layer deep in the silicon substrate are complicated and further limit the area of the unit image cell.

Real-time CMOS imager having stacked photodiodes fabricated on SOI wafer


A component made of micromachinable material for a high quality factor resonator or escapement mechanism, with a core made of micromachinable material and/or coated with an oxide layer, and including, on this core or on this oxide layer an abrasion resistant layer including a contact surface cooperating with an opposing contact surface an which is a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer of the alkylsilane and/or fluorinated or perfluorinated or polyperfluorinated type, with a low or zero sulphur content, and arranged to repel any wetting agent from the area of contact between the contact surface and the opposing contact surface.

Most traditional mechanical watches are provided with a balance/balance spring oscillator and a Swiss lever escapement. The balance/balance spring forms the time base of the watch. It is also called a resonator. The escapement performs two main functions:                maintaining the back-and-forth motions of the resonator;        counting these back-and-forth motions.In addition to these two main functions, the escapement must remain robust, resist shocks and avoid jamming the movement (overbanking).
The Swiss lever escapement, although very reliable, has low energy efficiency, of around 30%. This low efficiency is due to the fact that the movements of the escapement are jerky, there are 'drops' or runs to the banking to accommodate machining errors, and also because several components transmit their motion via inclined faces which rub against one another.
Making a mechanical resonator requires an inertia element, a guide member and an elastic return element. Conventionally, a balance spring acts as the elastic return element for the inertial element formed by a balance. The balance is guided in rotation by pivots which rotate in smooth ruby bearings. This produces friction, and therefore energy losses and errors of rate, which depend on the position of the watch in the field of gravity, and which it is sought to eliminate.
There are recently known mechanical resonators comprising an inertial element and at least two flexible elements which have the dual role of pivoting about a virtual pivot axis and of return spring. These new resonators allow higher oscillation frequencies, on the order of 10 Hz or 50 Hz or more, and much higher quality factors, for example on the order of 2000, than those of conventional mechanical resonators with a balance/balance spring, which are generally on the order of 280. The energy to be provided to the resonator at each vibration is thus much lower, for example 20 times lower, than that to be provided with a conventional balance/balance spring type resonator.
The energy passing through the escapement is therefore relatively much lower than that passing through a Swiss lever escapement in the case of a conventional resonator of the balance/balance spring type. This requires the development of escapement components with reduced inertia. This characteristic is achieved, on the one hand, by using low density materials, such as, for example, silicon or oxidized silicon, or the like, and on the other hand, by reducing the size of the escapement components. Silicon can advantageously be machined with technologies derived from electronics such as 'DRIE' or deep reactive ion etching, which allow precision suitable for the operating constraints of such an escapement. Silicon is oxidized naturally in air; it can also be deliberately oxidized during the manufacturing process, in order, for example, to increase the tenacity of components, or to change the coefficient of thermal expansion, or to create prestress for multistable components.
European Patent Application No. EP3327515A1 in the name of ETA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse discloses a rotating resonator with flexure bearings, whose oscillation is maintained by a detached lever escapement. The resonator, which has a quality factor Q, includes an inertial element comprising a pin cooperating with a fork of the pallets, subjected to the return force of two flexible strips secured to the plate, defining a virtual pivot about a main axis, the pallet lever pivoting about a secondary axis, and the angle of lift of the resonator, during which the pin is in contact with the fork, is less than 10°, and the ratio IB/IA between the inertia IB of the inertial element with respect to the main axis, and the inertia IA with respect to the secondary axis is greater than 2Q·α2/(0.1.π.β2), where a is the angle of lift of the pallet lever corresponding to the maximum angular travel of the fork. More particularly, the pallet lever and/or the escape wheel set, and/or each flexible strip, is made of silicon, notably of oxidized silicon as regards the flexible strips.
WO Patent No. 2008/017721 in the name of SURFACTIS Technologies discloses a method of covering a metal or inorganic substrate by a molecular functionalization layer. This method includes the following successive steps: a) prior oxidation of the surface of the substrate if it is not already at least partially hydroxylated to arrange hydroxyl functions on the surface of the substrate, b) contact of the surface of the substrate with a liquid, gaseous or supercritical coating composition containing gem-bisphosphonic compounds and/or their toxicologically acceptable salts, until self-assembly of said gem-bisphosphonic compounds in a layer covering the surface, c) removal of the liquid, gaseous or supercritical coating composition, d) dehydration of the surface thus covered. It discloses the recovered substrate obtainable by this method, the uses of this functionalized substrate, the gem-bisphosphonic compounds allowing implementation of this coating method, and the uses of these gem-bisphosphonic compounds.
Silicon oxide (silica) is known for its propensity to adsorb water. This hygroscopic nature is also used to dry air in certain packaging to prevent damage to the merchandise contained therein from moisture, for example in the form of silica gel sachets.
In the case of mechanisms transmitting very low energy, adhesion problems may arise. These surface phenomena can become preponderant if the escapement components are of small size. Indeed, these surface effects (friction and adhesion) gradually become more significant than volume effects (inertia, mass) as the dimension of the parts decreases. The result is ultimately the potentially detrimental sticking together of parts.
Tests performed demonstrate a significant loss of efficiency when the relative humidity increases. The adhesion forces depend on the different surface tensions and the volume of liquid, and not on the force applied by one component or another.
Consequently, the effect of this sticking together of parts can cause the movement to stop, when the torque applied to the escapement is low and humidity is high. Disruptions and power reserve losses then ensue.

Component made of micromachinable material for high quality factor resonators


A printer processor, a film processor, and a densitometer are connected to a personal computer via a port controller. To diagnose the operational condition of photographic apparatus, the apparatus forms a check sample. The check sample is sent to the densitometer to fetch the measured density data into the personal computer. If the operational condition of the photographic apparatus is abnormal, the personal computer fetches the operational data under management in the photographic apparatus to determine a countermeasure for the abnormal state. The countermeasure is transferred to the photographic apparatus to adjust the adjust failure element automatically. In order to control a plurality of lab shops remotely, each lab shop is provided with a sub-computer connected to the photographic apparatus. The headquarters are provided with a main computer storing therein a management program. The main computer fetches the data of the sub-computer via a communication line. In accordance with the fetched data, the headquarters control the quality, production state, and stock stage of consumable goods at each lab shop remotely. The port controller finds the idle time of a CPU at each lab shop, and fetches the data from the photographic apparatus during the idle time.

The present invention relates to a system for remotely controlling the operation of photographic apparatus and the production and quality at a lab shop, and more particularly to a remote management system suitable for centralized management of a plurality of minilab shops.
Compact and economical photographic apparatus (such as a printer processor and a film processor), called a minilab, recently has come into widespread use. Such minilab equipment often is installed, for example, within a supermarket at a minilab department (minilab shop) to provide photoprinting services as a sideline. Even an operator having relatively little photofinishing knowledge can make a properly finished (photoprint) using minilab equipment having automated functions.
It is necessary to check and adjust photographic apparatus in order to attain proper photoprint quality. Minilab equipment usually is operated by an operator with insufficient photofinishing knowledge to perform such checking and adjustment properly. Therefore, photofinishing sometimes may be carried out under improper equipment conditions. Such a situation also may occur even at a large lab having a number of experts, if a number of reasons for needing checking and adjustment are complicated. In order to ensure proper photoprint quality, an operational condition management system or a quality management system may be provided independently to both a minilab shop and a large lab to analyze trouble or an adjustment failure of photographic apparatus. This management system is constituted by a personal computer and an analysis program, and is used at the start of daily work. In using this management system, a control strip supplied from a film maker is first developed in a printer processor. Then, the developed control strip is measured with a densitometer to obtain density data. The density data is inputted to a personal computer through its keyboard so that the operational condition of a processor in the printer processor can be diagnosed from the finished quality of the control strip. If the operational condition is abnormal, the causes of trouble or adjustment failure are analyzed and displayed on the screen of the personal computer. The operator checks the displayed causes and adjusts the processor to have a proper condition. Therefore, it is therefore possible to make a good quality photoprint quality by using the printer processor which recovered a normal operational condition.
The operational condition is different with photographic apparatus in an actual photoprinting system. Such operational data (setting data and measured data) specific to each photographic apparatus has not been supplied to the above-described management system, so that it has not been possible to effect checking and adjustment suitable for each photographic apparatus. Further, the conventional management system is intended to be used for analyzing trouble and adjustment failure for the case of a standard production state. Accordingly, although the conventional management system can analyze trouble and adjustment failure caused by temporary changes, it cannot analyze trouble and adjustment failure caused by a difference of production amount and contents correctly.
Photographic apparatus is operated under automatic control in accordance with various preset data so that measured data becomes the same as the preset data. Various data preset for the photographic apparatus can be used for quality management, production management, consumable goods management, operational condition management, operational condition history record, analysis of trouble and adjustment failure, and the like. Generally, photographic apparatus and a personal computer will have different data formats, and data communication is not possible during operation of photographic apparatus. For these and other reasons, the conventional management system uses photographic apparatus and a personal computer offline. Therefore, it becomes necessary for an operator to input data into a personal computer through its keyboard, and adjust the photographic apparatus in accordance based on the analyzed causes.
For production management of each photographic apparatus, a method has been adopted for noting a number of finished products, e.g., the number of filmstrips for a film processor or the number of photoprints for a printer processor, and thereafter summing the numbers on the note. However, this method does not provide proper production management, because of the possibility of forgetting to write the number on a note or missing a note. Furthermore, an operator of a minilab shop of a chain orders consumable goods, such as color paper and processing solution, from the headquarters when necessary. It has been difficult to order such goods at the right time, given considerations such as delivery time and the like. Further, the headquarters cannot manage production at a plurality of lab shops collectively.

Remote management system for photographic equipment


A new single stage, single switch input current shaping circuit features substantially reduced turn-on switching losses of the switch in the flyback-converter. In this technique, the turn-on switching losses due to the discharge of the output capacitance of the switch are reduced by turning on the switch when its voltage is minimal or close to the minimal. To achieve the turn-on loss reduction for a wide range of line and load conditions, the flyback-converter stage is continuously operated at the boundary of the CCM and DCM by employing a variable-frequency control. In this technique the boost inductor can work either in the DCM or the CCM. The wide-bandwidth, variable-frequency control is implemented by detecting the onset of the DCM/CCM boundary and, subsequently, turning the switch on at the minimum switch voltage. The switch is turned off when the increasing primary current reaches a reference level set by the output-voltage feedback control circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved single-stage, single-switch, input-current-shaping technique with fast output-voltage regulation and reduced switching losses and, more particularly, to the single-stage, flyback input current-shaping circuit, which operates at the boundary of the discontinuous and continuous magnetizing current of the transformer in the entire line and load ranges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The harmonic content of the line current drawn from the ac mains by a piece of electronic equipment is regulated by a number of standards. To comply with these standards, input-current correction (PFC) (also referred to in the art as power factor correction) of off-line power supplies is necessary. So far, a variety of passive and active ICS techniques have been proposed. While the passive techniques can be the best choice in many cost-sensitive applications, the active ICS techniques are used in the majority of applications due to their superior performance.
The most commonly used active approach that meets high power-quality requirements is the "two-stage" approach. In this approach, a non-isolated boost-like converter, which is controlled so that the rectified line current follows the rectified line voltage, is used as the input stage that creates an intermediate dc bus with a relatively large second-harmonic ripple. This ICS stage is then followed by a dc/dc converter which provides isolation and high-bandwidth voltage regulation. For high-power levels, the ICS stage is operated in the continuous-conduction mode (CCM), while the discontinuous-conduction-mode (DCM) operation is commonly used at lower power levels due to a simpler control.
In an effort to reduce the component count and also improve the performance, a number of "single-stage" ICS techniques have been introduced recently. In a single-stage approach, input-current shaping, isolation, and high-bandwidth control are performed in a single step, i.e., without creating an intermediate dc bus. Generally, these converters use an internal energy-storage capacitor to handle the differences between the varying instantaneous input power and a constant output power.
Among the single-stage circuits, a number of circuits described in M. M. Jovanovic and L. Huber, "Single-Stage, Single-Switch Isolated Power-Supply Technique with Input-Current Shaping and Fast Output-Voltage Regulation," patent application Ser. No. 08/669,001 filed on Jun. 21, 1996; F. S. Tsai, et al., "Low Cost AC-to-DC Converter Having Input Current with Reduced Harmonics," U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,700; and J. Qian and F. C. Lee, "A High Efficient Single Stage Single Switch High Power Factor AC/DC Converter with Universal Input," IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) Proc., pp. 281-287, February 1997, seem particularly attractive because they can be implemented with only one semiconductor switch and a simple control. All these single-stage, single-switch input-current shapers (S.sup.4 ICS) integrate the boost-converter front end with the forward-converter or the flyback-converter dc/dc stage. FIG. 1 shows the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter implementation introduced in the Ser. No. 08/669,001 application. Transformer windings N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 are used to reduce the voltage of the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.B. In addition, winding N.sub.2 is utilized for the direct energy transfer from the input to the output. A small input capacitor C.sub.in is used to filter out the switching-frequency ripple of the ICS-inductor current. Consequently, the rectified line current is the average of the current flowing from ICS inductor L.sub.B.
One side of boost inductor L.sub.B is coupled to full-wave rectified input v.sub.in(rec) derived from the ac mains. Winding N.sub.2 of isolation transformer T.sub.1 is coupled, via diode D.sub.2, between the other side of boost inductor L.sub.B and one side of primary winding N.sub.P of isolation transformer T.sub.1. Winding N.sub.1 of isolation transformer T.sub.1 is coupled, via diode D.sub.1, between the other side of boost inductor L.sub.B and the other side of primary winding N.sub.P.
As explained in the Ser. No. 08/669,001 application, in the circuit in FIG. 1, two additional primary windings N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 are employed to keep the voltage of energy-storage (bulk) capacitor C.sub.B below the desired level of 450 V in the entire line and load ranges. Winding N.sub.1 appears in series with boost inductor L.sub.B during the on-time of switch SW, whereas winding N.sub.2 appears in series with L.sub.B during the off-time of the switch. By connecting the windings so that the voltages across them when they conduct the boost-inductor current are in the opposition to the line voltage, the volt-second balance of the boost-inductor core is achieved at a substantially lower voltage of the energy-storage capacitor compared to the corresponding circuit without the windings. In addition, in the circuit in FIG. 1, winding N.sub.2 provides a path for a direct transfer of a part of the input energy to the output during the off-time of the switch. For a properly selected number of turns of winding N.sub.2, this direct energy transfer increases the conversion efficiency of the circuit.
As explained in the Ser. No. 08/669,001 application, the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter in FIG. 1 can operate either with a discontinuous or a continuous current of boost inductor L.sub.B. Generally, the continuous-conduction mode (CCM) of operation offers a slightly higher efficiency compared to the discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM). However, the DCM operation gives a lower total harmonic distortion (THD) of the line current compared to that of the CCM operation.
The output-voltage regulation of the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter in FIG. 1, is implemented by a constant-frequency two-loop control. The two loops, current loop T.sub.i and voltage loop T.sub.v, are indicated in FIG. 1. In the voltage loop, output voltage V.sub.o is scaled down with resistive divider R.sub.1 -R.sub.2 before it is compared to reference voltage V.sub.REF at the input of error amplifier EA. The output of error amplifier EA, whose voltage V.sub.EA is proportional to the error between output voltage V.sub.o and reference voltage V.sub.REF, is connected to the inverting input of the comparator. In the current loop, the current of switch SW is sensed during the switch on-time, and converted to a suitable voltage signal by sensing device (resistor) R.sub.i before it is connected to the non-inverting input of the comparator. In the control circuit in FIG. 1, a constant-frequency clock signal initiates the turn-on of switch SW by setting the RS latch output Q high. Since during the time period that switch SW is closed, switch current i.sub.SW increases, the sensed voltage R.sub.i i.sub.SW at the non-inverting input of the comparator also increases. When voltage R.sub.i i.sub.SW reaches the V.sub.EA voltage level, the output of the comparator transitions from the low to the high state resetting the RS latch and turning off switch SW. In this regulation scheme, output voltage of the error amplifier V.sub.EA automatically adjusts to the level which is necessary to produce a duty cycle of switch SW that is required to maintain output voltage V.sub.o constant.
Generally, in ICS application, the rectified line voltage, which is the input voltage to the converter, contains a large ripple. This input-voltage ripple propagates through the power stage causing an increased output-voltage ripple at the rectified-line frequency. To eliminate the rectified-line-voltage component of the output-voltage ripple, it is necessary to design the output-voltage feedback loop (T.sub.v) with a bandwidth which is wide enough to attenuate the ripple to the desired value. The desired bandwidth, regulation accuracy, and control-loop stability are set by a proper selection of compensation impedances Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2, shown in FIG. 1. It should be noted that current loop T.sub.i in FIG. 1 also plays a major roll in the attenuation of the output-voltage ripple.
FIG. 2 shows the key waveforms of the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter in FIG. 1 operating with a discontinuous boost inductor current i.sub.LB and with a continuous magnetizing current i.sub.M of the flyback transformer. To facilitate the explanation of operation, the transformer in FIG. 1 is shown as the parallel combination of transformer's magnetizing inductance L.sub.M and the ideal transformer consisting of primary winding N.sub.P and secondary winding N.sub.S. Since L.sub.B works in the DCM, i.sub.LB is zero prior to the turn-on of switch SW at t=T.sub.0. As can be seen from FIG. 2, after clock initiates the turn-on of switch SW at t=T.sub.0, boost inductor current i.sub.LB starts increasing linearly with a slope of (V.sub.in(rec) -(N.sub.1 /N.sub.P)V.sub.B)/L.sub.B. At the same time, due to a positive voltage across the primary winding of the transformer, secondary current i.sub.S cannot flow because rectifier D.sub.F is reverse biased. Since the primary voltage during the on-time is constant and equal to the storage-capacitor voltage V.sub.B, magnetizing current i.sub.M increases with a constant slope of V.sub.B /L.sub.M, where L.sub.M is the primary-side-referred magnetizing inductance of the transformer. Also, because of the magnetic coupling between windings N.sub.1 and N.sub.P, current i.sub.LB, which flows through winding N.sub.1 during the on-time of switch SW, induces current i.sub.P1 =-(N.sub.1 /N.sub.P)i.sub.LB in the primary winding of the transformer. Due to the existence of negative current i.sub.P1, the component of magnetizing current i.sub.M supplied from energy-storage capacitor C.sub.B, i.sub.CB, is reduced. Since during the on-time switch current is i.sub.SW is the sum of boost-inductor current i.sub.LB and primary current i.sub.P =i.sub.M +i.sub.P1 =i.sub.CB, i.sub.SW also increases linearly, as shown in FIG. 2. The conduction of switch SW is terminated at t=T.sub.1 when sensed voltage R.sub.i i.sub.SW at the non-inverting input of the comparator reaches the level of error-amplifier output voltage V.sub.EA at the inverting input of the comparator. After switch SW is turned off, boost inductor current i.sub.LB is diverted from winding N.sub.1 to winding N.sub.2 forcing the conduction of diode D.sub.2. At the same time, due to a positive voltage on the secondary winding, diode D.sub.F starts conducting secondary current i.sub.S, while primary current i.sub.P ceases flowing. It should be also noted that because of the magnetic coupling between windings N.sub.2 and N.sub.S, during the off-time a part of the input energy is directly transferred to the output instead of first being stored in energy-storage capacitor C.sub.B. This direct energy transfer occurs as long as decreasing boost inductor current i.sub.LB is flowing through winding N.sub.2. When i.sub.LB becomes zero at t=T.sub.2, diode D.sub.2 stops conducting, and the entire secondary current i.sub.S consists of the decreasing magnetizing current.
From v.sub.SW waveform in FIG. 2, it can be seen that during the off time, the voltage across switch SW is given by V.sub.SW(off) =V.sub.B +nV.sub.o, where n=N.sub.P /N.sub.S is the turns ratio of the transformer. As a result, the energy stored in the parasitic output capacitance of the switch, C.sub.oss, prior to its turn on is equal to ##EQU1##
This energy is dissipated in the switch when the switch is turned on. If the circuit in FIG. 1 operates at constant switching frequency f.sub.S, the power dissipation of the switch associated with the capacitive-discharge turn-on loss is ##EQU2##
As can be seen from Eq. (2), capacitive-discharge turn-on switching loss P.sub.ON(cap) increases linearly with the switching frequency, f.sub.S, and quadratically with the voltage across the switch immediately before the switch turns on, V.sub.SW(off). Since V.sub.SW(off) =V.sub.B +nV.sub.o increases as the line voltage increases because V.sub.B increases with the line voltage, the capacitive-discharge turn-on switching loss is maximum at high line. Generally, MOSFET switches with lower on-resistances R.sub.DS(on), which reduce conduction losses, possess larger output capacitances C.sub.oss. Therefore, at high switching frequencies, the capacitive-discharge turn-on switching loss has a detrimental effect on the efficiency of the circuit in FIG. 1, especially, at high line. Because P.sub.ON(cap) does not depend on the load current but only on the line voltage, P.sub.ON(cap) dominates the switch loss at light loads and, consequently, limits the light-load efficiency. A reduced light-load efficiency makes very difficult to comply with Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star requirement which sets a voluntary power-consumption limit of an idling personal computer to 60 W (30 W for the monitor and 30 W for the computer box).
Similar conclusions with respect to the capacitive-discharge turn-on loss can be drawn for the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter in FIG. 1 operating with a discontinuous boost inductor current i.sub.LB and with a discontinuous magnetizing current i.sub.M of the flyback transformer. As shown in FIG. 3, the voltage of switch SW during the off-time of the switch in the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter operating with a discontinuous magnetizing current of the transformer is equal to V.sub.SW(off) =V.sub.B, if the switch capacitance is negligible. Otherwise, V.sub.SW(off) is oscillating around V.sub.B with the amplitude equal to nV.sub.o because of the resonance between the magnetizing inductance of the transformer, L.sub.M, and the output capacitance of the switch, C.sub.oss. Therefore, the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter operating with a discontinuous magnetizing current of the transformer also suffers from capacitive-discharge turn-on switching loss P.sub.ON(cap). Generally, this loss is dependent on the turn-on switching instant due to the resonant nature of the switch voltage during the off-time. However, the worst-case P.sub.ON(cap) in the S.sup.4 ICS flyback converter operating with a discontinuous magnetizing current of the transformer (waveforms shown in FIG. 3) is the same to that of the converter operating with a continuous magnetizing current of the transformer (waveforms shown in FIG. 2). Finally, it should be noted that the mode of operation of boost inductor L.sub.B (DCM or CCM) does not have any effect on the P.sub.ON(cap).

AC/DC flyback converter with improved power factor and reduced switching loss


An engine control apparatus for changing the air/fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine to a richer value each time the exhaust gas temperature exceeds a target value while the engine is operating at high-speed and high-load conditions. During the air/fuel ratio control, the timing of the sparks supplied to the engine is changed, in relation to the changed air/fuel ratio, to retain the engine output torque at a uniform value.

This invention related to an engine control apparatus and, more particularly, to an engine control apparatus which can provide improved fuel economy and improved exhaust performance at high-speed and high load conditions.
For example, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 63-41634 discloses a fuel delivery control apparatus for controlling the amount of fuel metered to an internal combustion engine. The fuel delivery control apparatus employs a digital computer for calculating a desired value for fuel delivery requirement in the form of fuel-injection pulse-width and timing. A basic fuel-injection pulse-width value Tp is calculated by the digital computer central processing unit as Tp=K.times.Q/N where K is a constant, Q is the intake air flow and N is the engine speed. The calculated basic value Tp is then corrected for various engine operating parameters. The corrected fuel-injection pulse-width value Ti is given as EQU Ti=Tp.times.COEF.times.ALPHA+Ts
where ALPHA is a correction factor related to the oxygen content of the exhaust gases for providing a closed loop air/fuel ratio control, Ts is a correction factor related to the voltage of the car battery, and COEF is a correction factor given as EQU COEF=1+KTw+KMR+KAS+KAI+KFUEL+. . .
where KTw is a correction factor decreasing as the engine coolant temperature increases, KMR is a correction factor related to a desired air/fuel ratio, KAS is a correction factor for providing fuel enrichment control when the engine is cranking, KAI is a correction factor for providing fuel enrichment control when the engine is idling, and KFUEL is a correction factor for providing fuel enrichment control when the engine is accelerating. The calculated values for fuel-injection pulse width and fuel-injection timing are transferred to a fuel-injection-control logic circuit. The fuel-injection-control logic circuit then sets the fuel-injection timing and fuel-injection pulse-width according to the calculated values for them.
The air/fuel ratio is not required to satisfy the stoichiometric value over the entire engine operating range particularly for supercharged engines. It is desirable to suppress an excessive exhaust gas temperature increase at high-speed and high-load conditions by operating the engine at an air/fuel ratio richer than the stoichiometric value. It is also desirable to save fuel consumption by operating the engine at an air/fuel ratio leaner than the stoichiometric value. For example, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 60-19939 discloses a fuel delivery control apparatus for resuming a closed loop control to adjust the air/fuel ratio at the stoichiometric value after operating the engine at a lean air/fuel ratio for a predetermined period of time or when the catalytic converter temperature exceeds a predetermined value. With such a conventional fuel delivery control, however, the air/fuel ratio is retained on its rich side at high-speed and high-load conditions even though the exhaust temperature does not increase to a sufficient extent, for example, during transient conditions. This results in poor fuel economy and increased emission of CO and HC pollutants.
Japanese Patent Kokai No. 61-55340 discloses a fuel delivery control apparatus arranged to retain the air/fuel ratio at an economy value at high-speed and high-load conditions as long as the exhaust gas temperature is below a predetermined value. However, this fuel delivery control cannot retain the engine output torque at a target value.

Engine control apparatus using exhaust gas temperature to control fuel mixture and spark timing


A separator unit includes a tank defining an internal volume and having an inlet and an outlet. An insert is provided within the tank, the insert including a down cylinder substantially centrally disposed within the tank and a baffle assembly at an external side of the down cylinder. The baffle assembly defines first and second inlet flumes for flowing incoming water from an external side of the down cylinder to an internal volume within the down cylinder. Inward ends of the first and second inlet flumes are positioned and oriented to create first and second vortex flows that progress downward within the internal volume, wherein a rotational direction of the first vortex flow is opposite a rotational direction of the second vortex flow in top plan view.

The protection of ground water and natural bodies of water requires systems for diverting and/or treating water that contacts roadways, parking lots, and other man-made structures. A variety of stormwater separation systems exist. These systems generally include a tank or container including a storage or treatment chamber within which, ideally, floating particulates are retained, and non-floating particulates are allowed to settle. The storage chamber includes an inlet for receiving untreated water, and an outlet for movement of treated water out of the chamber. The tank may also include a bypass arrangement to allow excess untreated water to exit the tank without passing through the storage chamber.
Improvements in such separators are regularly sought.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a separator with increased treatment flow capacity while at the same time incorporating one or more cost-effective features to limit scouring and washout. A separator with an easily installable insert would also be desirable.


An image recording surface of an exposed instant film is held so as to face an optical head module. Read light (white light) emitted from a light source passes a transparent portion of a color-separation filter, a first mirror, a first graded-index-type optical fiber array, and a second mirror in order. Then, the read light is radiated toward an instant film from an opening of the optical head module. The second mirror is set to a read position where the read light is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the instant film. The read light is reflected by the image recording surface of the instant film and enters a line-CCD sensor via a second graded-index-type optical fiber array. By moving the optical head module in a sub-scanning direction, it is possible to read an image from the instant film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera having a built-in printer in which a printing light is emitted to an instant film in accordance with image data, which is obtained by photographing a subject image, to perform hard copy of the image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera utilizing a CCD image sensor and so forth is widely used. In the digital camera, an optical subject image is converted into an electronic image signal. Further, the electronic image signal is digitally converted for obtaining image data to be stored in a memory. Some of the digital cameras have a built-in printer to produce a photo print of the desired image data by means of hard copy. This image data is selected among the image data stored in the memory, and the hard copy thereof is performed on an instant film. The printer is provided with an optical head for emitting printing lights of respective colors of red(R), green(G) and blue(B). The optical head is disposed so as to confront a photosensitive surface of the instant film, and is moved on a parallel therewith. Upon selecting the desired image data for the hard copy and upon starting a print operation, the optical head performs an exposure in accordance with the image data, moving in a sub-scanning direction. The exposure is performed in a three-color frame-sequential manner to print a full-color image on the instant film.
In the above-described digital camera having the built-in printer, it is possible to easily perform the hard copy of the image data stored in the memory. However, even though the instant film on which the image is recorded by the hard copy exists, it is impossible to perform the hard copy of the same image again when the image data is erased from the memory.

Digital camera having a built-in printer