A one-way clutch is composed of a flat pulley having a circular friction surface provided on the outer circumferential surface of the flat pulley to extend circumferentially along the friction surface, a V-grooved pulley combined with the flat pulley to be rotatable relative thereto around the centerline of the friction surface and having an arc-shaped friction surface provided on the outer circumferential surface of the V-grooved pulley radially outwardly of the friction surface to extend circumferentially, an endless flat belt wound between the friction surfaces of the flat pulley and of the V-grooved pulley, and a plate spring for applying initial tension to one span of the flat belt between the pulleys. The one-way clutch has a simple structure obtainable at low cost, need not operate with high precision, and suffers a reduced number of failures resulting from excessively large input torque. In the event of failure, it is sufficient to replace the failed component. Moreover, the maximum transmissible torque can be varied.

The present invention relates to a one-way clutch including a pair of input/output members coaxially combined with each other for transmitting torque in a specified direction inputted to one of the input/output members to the other and not transmitting torque in the opposite direction inputted to one of the input/output members to the other. More particularly, it relates to the development of a low-cost one-way clutch of simple structure which need not operate with high precision.
As typical one-way clutches for use in automobiles, agricultural machinery, OA equipment, and the like, there have been known a sprag one-way clutch using a top in the form of a cocoon and a roller one-way clutch. By way of example, a description will be given to a roller one-way clutch as a conventional one-way clutch. As shown in FIG. 9, the roller one-way clutch comprises: an inner race a; and an outer race b combined with the inner race a so that it can rotate relative thereto; a plurality of recessed portions c (only one recessed portion is shown) formed circumferentially in the inner surface of the outer race b with given regular pitches; rollers d positioned in the respective recessed portions c; and springs (not shown) for biasing the individual rollers d disposed in the corresponding recessed portion c in such a direction (counterclockwise) that the roller is pushed into the space between the outer surface e of the inner race a and the inner surface f of the outer race b.
When torque in the direction (clockwise) opposite to the biasing direction of the spring is inputted to the inner race a, the rollers d are not caught in the spaces between the inner and outer races a and b so that the inner race a rotates freely from the outer race b. Consequently, the torque inputted to the inner race a is not transmitted to the outer race b and hence the outer race b does not rotate. When torque in the same direction (counterclockwise) as the biasing direction is inputted, the rollers d are caught in the spaces between the inner race a and the outer race b to exert a wedging action whereby the inner and outer races a and b are locked. Consequently, the torque inputted to the inner race a is transmitted to the outer race b so that the outer race b rotates in the same direction as the inner race a.
However, it is difficult to implement the conventional one-way clutch at low cost since it requires high-precision components and has a complicated structure.
When the torque inputted to the inner race a is excessively large over the maximum torque that can be transmitted by the clutch, the clutch will be broken. In case of breakage, replacement of the broken components is not sufficient and the whole one-way clutch should be replaced by a new one. To avoid the situation, it is necessary to preliminarily provide the one-way clutch with an additional torque limiter, which further increases cost.
Since the maximum transmissible torque cannot be changed in the conventional one-way clutch, the excessively large torque inputted to the inner race a is outputted as it is from the outer race b provided that the torque is smaller than the maximum transmissible torque. In this case also, the torque limiter is required to prevent the situation.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the foregoing circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a low-cost one-way clutch of simple structure utilizing belt transmission mechanism between two axes. The one-way clutch need not operate with high precision and suffers only a reduced number of failures resulting from excessively large input torque. In the event of failure, it is sufficient to replace only the failed component of the one-way clutch. Moreover, the maximum transmissible torque can be varied in the one-way clutch.


Provided is a processing method and apparatus for performing space-time decoding on MIMO signals. The method includes: performing QR decomposition on a channel matrix H with a size of Nr×Nt in a MIMO system and performing an initialization operation, wherein Nt is the number of transmitting antennas and Nr is the number of receiving antennas; enumerating candidate constellation points of transmitting signals at each level of transmitting antennas according to an input parameter M=[M1, M2, . . . , MNt], a receiving signal y and a result of QR decomposition of H, wherein M is the number of the numerated candidate constellation points at each level, y=Hs+n; calculating increments of a Euclid distance due to addition of selection of a candidate constellation point at present level according to obtained candidate constellation points; and deciding and outputting space-time decoding according to the sum of calculated increments of Euclid distances of candidate constellation points at all levels.

In related arts, the transmission rate of a system can increase linearly with the number of antennas by a multiple-antenna spatial multiplexing technology. Although the increase in the number of antennas can improve the rate of the system significantly, it increases greatly the complexity of algorithm of a receiver. For example, the complexity of a max likelihood (referred to as "ML") detection algorithm with the optimal detection performance grows exponentially with the increase in the number of transmitting antennas, which makes it difficult to be used in practical application.
At present, multiple-input multiple-output (referred to as MIMO) detection algorithm has been studied widely. More typical algorithms include two types: one is linear detection algorithm focused on zero forcing (referred to as ZF), minimum mean square error (referred to as MMSE) and variants thereof; the other is non-linear algorithm focused on vertical-bell laboratories layered space-time (referred to as V-BLAST), class ML and variants thereof. Although the linear algorithm has lower complexity, it has error propagation characteristics in making a detection, which makes its performance very poor in the case of low signal-noise ratio. The V-BLAST algorithm achieves certain performance improvement over the linear algorithm, however, its complexity increases accordingly. Compared with the linear algorithm and the V-BLAST algorithm, the ML algorithm has higher complexity, but it can improve system performance significantly. More important, the ML algorithm can maintain excellent performance even in the case of relatively lower signal-noise ratio, which undoubtedly has great attraction to wireless communication systems.
In order to resolve the high complexity problem of the ML algorithm, many simplified algorithms which can decrease the complexity of the algorithm on the premise of less performance sacrifice have been proposed. More typical algorithms include sphere decoding, K-Best algorithm and variants thereof. The main disadvantages of these algorithms include that: 1) Serial operation has too many cyclic search instructions, which can improve power consumption and processing delay of programmable devices significantly and goes against real-time processing of signals; 2) The calculation complexity of the traditional algorithm is too high and its execution process relies on dynamic skip, which will decrease resource utilization rate of programmable devices greatly; 3) The incorrect constellation points searched by the previous level of antenna will effect the search of constellation points in the next level, thereby generating error propagation.
The selective spanning with fast enumeration (referred to as SSFE) which is a space-time decoding method will be explained emphatically. In the SSFE scheme, candidate constellation points at each level are chosen by selective fast enumeration method.
Specifically, in the MIMO system, assuming Nt transmitting antennas and Nr receiving antennas, a M-QAM modulation mode is used. A receiving signal y can be represented as y=Hs+n, wherein H is a channel matrix with a matrix size of Nr×Nt, s is a transmitting signal with a matrix size of Nt×1, n is white gaussian noise with a matrix size of Nr×1.
H=Q×R can be obtained by QR decomposition of channel matrix H.
Multiplying the receiving vector y by a Hermitian transpose of a matrix Q after the QR decomposition of the channel matrix H, i.e., ŷ=QHy, wherein QH represents Hermitian conjugate of the matrix Q.
An increment ∥e∥ of Euclid distance of a symbol sj estimated by ith transmitting antenna is defined as
                                      e                                (                          s              i                        )                                      2        =                                              y            ^                    i                -                              ∑                          j              =              i                                      N              t                                                                    R              ij                                                  s              j                                                  ,wherein sj represents the detected transmitting signal of the jth transmitting antennas, Rij represents the element in the ith row and the jth column of a matrix R, and ŷi represents the ith element of the vector ŷ.
It can be seen from above that the SSFE technology provides a better space-time decoding idea and method. However, in actual situations, it is not good as the model. There are following problems in the SSFE technology in making fast enumeration: 1) When the selective fast enumeration of constellation points are performed, the results obtained by this approach exceed the scope of a constellation drawing when the constellation points of signals to be detected are located on the edge of the constellation drawing; 2) Because the determination of constellation points at the next level depends on the constellation points obtained at the previous level, all results obtained after this branch are erroneous as long as one result exceeds the scope of the constellation drawing.

Processing method and device for performing space-time decoding on MIMO signal


A flow limiter comprises a line segment with an air inlet and an air outlet and at least one resistance element. The resistance element is positioned within the line segment and impresses a predetermined flow resistance on an air flow that extends from the air inlet to the air outlet. Preferably, the resistance element extends at least in part in an axial direction of the line segment. Such a flow limiter is used to adjust an air volume flow and comprises particularly low generation of intrinsic noise.

In a multitude of air distribution systems flow limiters are used in order to, starting with an inlet air pressure, cause a desired air volume flow. In the design of an air distribution system a multitude of air lines are connected to a pressure source, and individual flow limiters with different flow resistance parameters adjust the desired air volume flows into the air lines.
Usually, such flow limiters are realised in the form of air line segments in which an aperture plate is integrated through which a certain flow resistance is generated. Because of the abrupt change in cross section, in the region around the aperture opening turbulent flow fields occur which furthermore surround a strongly directional air jet. This results in turbulent flow sound, which in view of the multitude of flow limiters used in complex air distribution systems, for example in vehicles, is perceived by passengers to be a noise nuisance. Moreover, the turbulence level behind an aperture is problematical, because downstream line components, e.g. air outlets, cause more noise with turbulent inflow than with turbulence-free inflow. In order to reduce the noise generated by a conventional flow limiter, usually additional sound absorbers are arranged downstream of the aperture. As a result of this a flow limiter becomes quite heavy and, furthermore, extends further outwards in radial direction than the actual air line so that as a result of this the integration of air lines, for example in vehicles where there is limited installation space, is rendered more difficult.

Flow limiter and use of a flow limiter in an air distribution system of an air conditioning system of an aircraft


A connector ensuring good mechanical and electrical connection to a coaxial cable includes a metal housing; an insulating element mounted in the metal housing and having a split end portion; a connecting terminal inserted in the split end portion of the insulating element to thereby associate therewith, and having a split end portion for receiving and electrically connecting to a center conductor of a coaxial cable; and a fixing element attached to an outer side of the metal housing, and having a first pair of wings inward bent to compress against the split end portion of the insulating element for the same to apply a force against the split end portion of the connecting terminal, so that the center conductor of the coaxial cable is firmly held to the connecting terminal without the risk of loosening therefrom.

Coaxial cables are frequently used in internal wiring of IT equipment, such as laptop computers and compact electronic devices for household appliances. When it is desired to electrically connect two coaxial cables together, the conductors in one coaxial cable must be separately connected to the conductors in the other coaxial cable. Conventionally, two coaxial cables are electrically connected by welding their respective center conductors together.
However, connection errors frequently occur in the welding process, and it is uneasy to precisely electrically connect two coaxial cable center conductors to each other.
Moreover, the welding process is complicate and time-consuming. Therefore, any failure in the welding process would cause serious loss.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a coaxial cable connector that can be firmly connected to the center conductor of the micro coaxial cable without the need of welding.


The present invention provides a liquid crystal display that prevents false colors and has a wide viewing angle, display screen contrast that does not decline, and excellent productivity. The liquid crystal display, comprising a liquid crystal cell, a sheet-shaped optically anisotropic body positioned on only one side of the liquid crystal cell, and a pair of light polarizers located on both sides of the liquid crystal cell, wherein the optically anisotropic body satisfies the relationship of nx>ny>nz at wavelength of 550 nm, where nx is in-plane refraction index of lag axis direction, ny is refraction index of the direction perpendicular to the lag axis in the plane, and nz is refraction index of the thickness direction; and has a local minimal value in wavelength range of 380 to 490 nm and monotonous increase in both the short wavelength and long wavelength directions from the wavelength that shows the local minimal value, in wavelength characteristics of frontal direction retardation for light in wavelength range of 380 to 780 nm.

Liquid crystal display are classified according to the differences in the liquid crystal drive method (i.e. display mode) in the liquid crystal cell. One of these is the vertical alignment mode (hereinafter referred to as the "VA mode") liquid crystal display, which is currently the main method utilized for large displays. Further, making liquid crystal displays even large requires a wider viewing angle, so it is preferable for mitigating the screen contrast drop and false colors that occur when a display is viewed from a slant.
For the optically anisotropic body used in the liquid crystal display, patent reference 1 proposes a phase difference film composed of a single layer organic aligned film having at least 1 maximum value and/or minimum value of phase difference value (i.e. frontal direction retardation) in wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm. Additionally, patent reference 2 proposes a VA mode liquid crystal display comprising a phase difference film wherein the frontal direction retardation and the thickness direction retardation satisfy a specific relationship at wavelengths of 450 nm and 550 nm. Using the phase difference film described in patent references 1 or 2 in a VA mode liquid crystal display slightly improves the contrast when viewing a display from a slant. There remains a great degree of screen false color, however, so these efforts are still unsatisfactory.
The configuration having a piece of optically anisotropic body such as phase difference film placed on each of both sides of the liquid crystal cell is widely used in a VA mode liquid crystal display. This is because the allowable range for the phase difference value such as the frontal direction retardation required of the optically anisotropic body is relatively wide. In addition, increasing the regular allowable range of the optically anisotropic body phase difference value increases the optically anisotropic body yield and improves the liquid crystal display productivity.
However, if simplifying the production process of liquid crystal displays is taken into consideration, reducing the number of optically anisotropic bodies, specifically using an arrangement that employs only one piece of optically anisotropic body on one side of the liquid crystal cell is preferable. Employing a configuration wherein only one piece of conventional optically anisotropic body as described in patent references 1 or 2 is placed on only one side of the liquid crystal cell, however, results in a narrow allowable range of the phase difference value required in the optically anisotropic body. This is not a problem if an optically anisotropic body with a phase difference value that fits within this narrow allowable range can be produced in large quantities, but the current production method for the long and wide optically anisotropic bodies used in large displays cannot easily place the phase difference value completely within the allowable range and the optically anisotropic body yield is low, which is an obstacle to improving liquid crystal display productivity.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-177244
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-037837

Optically anisotropic body and liquid crystal display


In an embodiment, a method comprises detecting, at a processor of an autonomous vehicle, a discrepancy between a map and a property sensed by at least one sensor onboard the autonomous vehicle, the property being associated with an external environment of the autonomous vehicle. In response to detecting the discrepancy, and based on the discrepancy, an annotation for the map is generated via the processor. A signal representing the annotation is caused to be transmit to a compute device that is remote from the autonomous vehicle. A signal representing a map update is received from the compute device that is remote form the autonomous vehicle. The map update is generated based on the annotation, the map update (1) including replacement information for a region of the map associated with the annotation, and (2) not including replacement information for a remainder of the map.

Vehicles, such as autonomous vehicles, may rely on maps for navigating. Maps can become out of date, however, as topographies change (e.g., new roads built). One method to update a map is to send a mapping vehicle to an area that is to be updated. Data collected by the mapping vehicle can be used to publish updated maps (e.g., every month, every quarter). Such a technique, however, can be slow and often updates the entire map, including portions of the map that are not out of date.

Methods and apparatus for navigating an autonomous vehicle based on a map updated in regions


A first ink absorption member recovering the waste ink produced by the recovery operation of a record head is disposed on the top surface of the bottom surface portion of an inkjet recording apparatus. The top surface of the first ink absorption member is covered by a cover member, which is a member other than the member constituting the outer-casing portion of the apparatus and is installed in the bottom surface portion in the state of being detachably attached. At least a part of the first ink absorption member is made to be exchangeable by the attaching/the detaching of the cover member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus performing recording by discharging ink from a record head to a record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording apparatus is used as a recording apparatus having the function of a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine or the like, an output equipment of a multifunction device including a computer, a word processor or the like, or an output equipment of a work station. This recording apparatus is adapted to record an image on a record medium such as paper or a plastic sheet based on image information. The recording apparatus can be classified to an inkjet type one, a wire dot type one, a thermal-transfer type one, a thermal type one and a laser beam type one based on the record system thereof. Moreover, the recording apparatus can be classified to a serial type one and a line type one based on the scanning system thereof. The serial type recoding apparatus records an image by combining the main scanning moving a record head along a record medium and the sub-scanning performing the paper-feeding of a record medium. The line type recording apparatus records an image only by the sub-scanning in the conveyance direction, with recording data by one line in a lump using a record head extending in the width direction of the record medium.
The inkjet type recording apparatus (inkjet recording apparatus) drives a plurality of minute discharge ports formed in a record head based on image information, to selectively discharge ink from each discharge port and record an image. Consequently, as time elapses, ink in the discharge ports may dry to thicken and cohere, and a defective discharge may be caused. Moreover, the degradation of recording quality may be caused by the defective discharge caused by the mixing of paper powder, bubbles and the like into the ink in the discharge ports. In order to eject and remove such cohered ink, bubbles and the like, which are the causes of such a defective discharge, together with ink, sucking recovery processing is performed. The sucking recovery processing is the processing for forcibly ejecting ink by applying negative pressure sucking force caused by a pump to the ink at each discharge port every elapse of a predetermined period of time. Moreover, recovery processing by the preliminary discharge of performing an ink discharge from the discharge ports at the time other than that of recording is also performed from the discharge ports.
The waste ink ejected by the recovery processing is led to a waste ink collecting unit such as a waste ink tank through an ink tube. Then, the led waste ink is held by an absorption member including a filled ink absorbent material loaded in the inside of the waste ink collecting unit. The collecting mechanism of waste ink in such an inkjet recording apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H04-135865.
It is necessary for an inkjet recording apparatus to have the sufficiently large capacity of the absorption member in order to thoroughly collect the waste ink ejected in the recovery processing to hold the recovered waste ink. However, the simple enlargement of the capacity needs to secure the space for the sake of it, and results in the enlargement in size of the apparatus main body. On the other hand, in order to miniaturize the apparatus main body, it can be considered to make the capacity of the absorption member small and to exchange the absorption member when the waste ink quantity in the absorption member approaches the saturation thereof. However, because the absorption member is normally disposed at the lowermost part of the apparatus main body and various parts are provided around the absorption member, the disassembling operation of the recording apparatus becomes necessary for exchanging the absorption member, and the operation is troublesome and takes a lot of time. Furthermore, if a pigment ink is used as the recording ink, the pigment ink absorbed by the absorption member starts to cohere early because the pigment ink easily coheres as compared with a dye ink. Consequently, the pigment ink has the disadvantage that the ink becomes difficult to absorb in the surface layer nearby a pigment ink absorption part of the absorption member.


A movement detector includes a moving body having a slit pattern which is provided on it by forming a number of slit-shaped light transmitting parts at certain intervals in the direction of movement. As the moving body is moved, depending on the presence and absence of the light transmitting parts of the slit pattern, light images and dark images appear alternately on the light receiving surface of a semiconductor position detecting element while moving in one direction. In response to the light and dark images, the semiconductor position detecting element provides output currents, which detecting means utilizes to provide output pulses. The output pulses are utilized to detect not only the amount of movement of the moving body but also the direction of movement of the latter.

This invention relates to a movement detector which outputs pulse-like electrical signals as a moving body moves.
One example of a conventional movement detector is a rotation detector which is designed as follows: In the rotary detector, the moving body is a rotary disk. A number of slit-shaped through-holes, namely, light transmitting parts are formed in the periphery of the rotary disk at predetermined angular intervals while leaving light intercepting parts therebetween. That is, in the periphery of the rotary disk, the light transmitting parts and the light intercepting parts occur alternately, thus forming a slit pattern. On the other hand, a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode is provided to apply light to the slit pattern of the rotary disk, and a light receiving element such as a photo-transistor is provided to receive light passed through the light transmitting parts to output pulse-like electrical signals. The electrical signals are processed to detect the rotation of the moving body.
With the above-described conventional movement detector, when it is required to detect the movement of a moving body with high resolution, the detection may be achieved if the angular interval of the light transmitting parts or the light intercepting parts is decreased. However, in this case, it is essential to eliminate the interference of light between adjacent light transmitting parts. For this purpose, it is necessary to use a precise light projecting optical system such as a precise lens. Hence, the conventional movement detector is rather difficult to design, and is accordingly high in manufacturing cost.

Optical movement detector detecting a position of an optical gravity center

Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho


An arrangement of two closely spaced transmitters and two spaced apart receivers symmetrically disposed about the transmitters in a measurement while drilling tool avoids the effects of mutual coupling between the receivers. In one method of operation of the transmitters, each transmitter is sequentially activated while the other transmitter is decoupled to eliminate mutual coupling, and the recorded signals processed to take advantage of reciprocity relations. In another method of operation, both transmitters are operated simultaneously with one relative polarity and then with another relative polarity, to eliminate the effects of mutual coupling and to take advantage of reciprocity relations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to measurement-while-drilling tools and specifically to logging-while-drilling tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the oil and gas industry, measurement-while-drilling operations have slowly supplanted the more conventional wireline-logging operations, as a way to develop better and more accurate resistivity and other logs of the borehole and surrounding formation. Additionally, measurement-while-drilling tools have been utilized to provide information in real-time which facilitates and improves drilling operations. For example, information relating to the borehole and surrounding formation may be utilized during drilling operations to make more intelligent decisions about the equipment, drilling muds, and additives which are utilized during drilling. Additionally, the measurement-while-drilling systems can be utilized to pin point with greater accuracy the precise location of oil and gas deposits, and are especially useful in obtaining accurate determinations of the absence of presence of oil and gas deposits prior to the invasion of the formation by the drilling mud and drilling additives.
One significant disadvantage with measurement-while-drilling systems is that the electronics necessary for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic energy must be contained entirely within a single subassembly. This stands in sharp contrast with wireline logging systems which contain some of the necessary electronics at a surface location in a logging truck, and which can utilize the wireline to pass digital commands and data between the surface location and the wireline tool. The fact that the electronics necessary for both transmission and reception are contained within a single, usually steel, collar results in a variety of signal processing problems which must be minimized or eliminated in order to ensure the accuracy of logging measurements. In prior art logging devices, it is not uncommon to have significant problems of mutual coupling between the receivers in the logging tool. Mutual coupling occurs when the responsiveness of one receiving antenna is altered due to the presence of another receiving antenna. Mutual coupling distorts the signal generated by a particular receiving antenna, and corrupts the measurement. The closer the spacing between the receiver antennas, the greater the effect of mutual coupling. Closely-spaced receiver antennas also result in undesirable cross-talk between the receiving antennas. Cross-talk can also occur between transmitters and receivers within the logging tool. These types of signal corruption must be guarded against. Additionally, a certain amount of signal conditioning must be performed to minimize mutual coupling.

Method and apparatus for avoiding mutual coupling between receivers in measurement while drilling


A wall-mounted invention used for the display, storage and retrieval of table tennis paddles and balls. Using mounted tension clips for storing paddles across a faceplate attached at each end to cylindrical ball-dispensers. This is the first invention to allow for preferred paddle selection. The ability to pick your preferred paddle without having to sift through other paddles stored immediately in front of or in the same storage slot/insert. While some prior art have balls resting in individual circular impressions/dimples that are susceptible to dust, undesired ball-spills, and requiring individual placement and retrieval; while others contain balls within an elaborate box or mounted in a device attached directly on/to the table itself. This invention combines the benefits of prior art to store balls in proper holding position, eliminates ball jams, prevents collection of dust from vertical fall and deters balls from undesired ball-spills; and does not interfere with game play.

1. Circumstance and Date of Conception
Sometime in the winter of 1992, I lay in my hospital bed recovering from my second bone marrow transplant due to Leukemia. I had built a new home in July of the same year and had lived in it for 3-weeks before heading to the hospital. I had plenty of spare time to plan the layout of my game-room that my basement would become. Amongst, my many needs, I wanted a device to hang my table tennis paddle and balls. I began searching the internet for such devices and found nothing of any merit. From that point forward (in between my life) I began thinking/drafting ideas. I began designing in 2004 and made my first prototype out of a toilet paper roll. I sent my first design out for bid in 2005. First working prototype was created in December of 2005.
2. Field of Invention
This invention most closely aligns with Class 473 Games Using Tangible Projectile, Subclass: 553, section (c) any device intended to be attached to or carried by a racket or paddle when it is not being used for its function of striking a projectile (e.g., a ball carrier attachable to a table tennis paddle, etc.)


A coating agent for a carrier for electrostatic latent image development comprised of (A) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2).sub.a (R.sub.2 SiO.sub.2/2).sub.b (RSiO.sub.3/2).sub.c, wherein R is a monovalent hydrocarbon group or an epoxy-functional monovalent organic group, provided that the content of epoxy-functional monovalent organic groups relative to total R groups is 0.1 to 100 mol %, a is 0 or a positive number, b is a positive number, c is a positive number and a+b+c is 1; and (B) a curing agent.. A carrier for electrostatic latent image development comprised of an inorganic powder coated with the coating agent described above.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carriers for electrostatic latent image development and to coating agents for use in such carriers. More particularly, this invention relates to carriers for electrostatic latent image development which are relatively unaffected by humidity and to coating agents, for use in such carriers, that cure rapidly upon heating and upon cure, have electrification properties which are relatively unaffected by humidity.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electrophotography and electrostatic printing, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive material. Then, a two-component dry developer is brought into close proximity to the electrostatic latent image such that the toner in the dry developer becomes attached to the electrostatic latent image. Next, the toner is transferred to a transfer sheet, after which the electrostatic latent image is developed by affixing the toner to the transfer sheet and heating.
This two-component dry developer is comprised of a toner and a carrier for electrostatic latent image development. The toner is comprised of a thermosetting resin and a colorant. The carrier is typically iron powder or glass powder. The toner is held onto the surface of the carrier by frictional electrification i.e. electrical charge. The surfaces of the carrier arc coated with a film of a peel able coating, such as silicone resin for the purpose of preventing film formation (spending) by the toner.
The silicone coating agents that have been used conventionally for coating the surfaces of carriers have included, for example, silicone resin compositions comprised of silanol-containing organopolysiloxanes (see Japanese Patent Application Early Disclosure No. 56-106968 (1981), silicone resin compositions containing organopolysiloxanes, comprised of bifunctional siloxane units and trifunctional siloxane units, and organotin compounds (see Japanese Patent Application Early Disclosure No. 61-284775 (1986), and silicone resin compositions comprised of methylphenyl silicone resin in which the ratio of silicon atoms bonded organic groups to silicon atoms is i.5 and less (see Japanese Patent Application Early Disclosure No. 2-160259 (1990).
However, because these coating agents are cured by condensation reactions of the silanol groups, there has been the problem that cure does not occur sufficiently if they are not heated for a long time at a high temperature, for example 200.degree. to 250.degree. C. Further, because unreacted silanol groups remain locally in the cured film that is obtained by curing the coating agent, there have been problems with variations in the electrostatic properties of the carrier that is obtained depending upon curing conditions and that electrification properties vary greatly depending on humidity.
The inventors first proposed a coating agent for carriers for electrostatic latent image development comprised of organopolysiloxanes that were composed of bifunctional siloxane units having aminoalkyl groups and trifunctional siloxane units and organopolysiloxanes that were composed of bifunctional siloxane units having monovalent organic groups containing haloalkyl groups or epoxy groups and trifunctional siloxane units (see Japanese Patent Application Early Disclosure No. 5-88413 (1993).
However, these coating agents are cured by reactions between the aminoalkyl groups and the monovalent organic groups containing haloalkyl groups or epoxy groups. For this reason, there are the problems that the cured films that are obtained are generally brittle and lacking in durability.
In particular, salts remain as by-products in the cured films that are obtained via the reaction between the organopolysiloxanes having aminoalkyl groups and the organopolysiloxanes having haloalkyl groups. Because of this, the mechanical properties of the cured film are poor and electrification properties vary greatly with changes in humidity.
The inventors conducted intensive research for the purpose of solving the aforementioned problems. As a result, they arrived at this invention.
Specifically, The objective of this invention is to provide a coating agent for carriers for electrostatic latent image development that is cured rapidly by heating and that forms a cured film having electrification properties that are relatively unaffected by humidity and to provide a carrier for electrostatic latent image development having electrification properties which are relatively unaffected by humidity.

Carrier for electrostatic latent image development and coating agent for use therein


A method of estimating distance to empty (DTE) for a vehicle includes, in response to detecting an energy loss condition expected to be present during an initial portion of a drive cycle for a period of time needed for a current temperature or pressure associated with the vehicle to achieve a steady state, outputting a DTE. The DTE is based on an amount of drive energy available and an energy loss factor associated with the energy loss condition that accounts for conversion of some of the drive energy to heat as the current temperature or pressure increases to the steady state.

Vehicles contain a certain amount of propulsive energy, in the form of chemical fuel, electrical power, or the like, that allows them to travel a certain distance. The distance that a vehicle may travel using on-board energy may be referred to as the vehicle range. The projected vehicle range based on the remaining amount of energy in a vehicle is commonly referred to as Distance to Empty (DTE). The DTE or the vehicle range may be provided for any type of vehicle including conventional vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, pneumatic vehicles, and the like.


The present invention relates to a start switch or contact point (10) for rotating electric machines with single-phase power supply, having a base (100) bearing actuating arms (200) carrying conductive blades (300). The actuating arms (200) are independent and one-piece, each one carrying at least one conductive blade (300) and being pressed against a stop (220) by a resilient element (400), also including a sliding surface (230) with a friction-reduction region (235). The present invention also relates to an electric machine provided with a corresponding start switch or contact point.

Start switches (or simply contact points) on rotating electric machines with single-phase power supply function to keep the auxiliary (or start) coil in operation during the electrical machine start procedure, turning off said auxiliary coil as soon as the machine's rotor reaches a certain rotation, typically a rotation in which the motor has reached its optimum torque point, and from which only the main (or work) coil should operate.
The contact point is used with the centrifugal start switch (or simply centrifugal), whereby it acts on the contact points contacts, removing them from their contact position from a given rotation range—typically between 75% and 85% of synchronous motor rotation—interrupting the electrical current supply to the auxiliary coil and thus turning it off.
The contact point's electrical contacts are typically installed in blades made of conductive material bearing at one of its ends and supported on springs that press them back to their closed position as soon as the motor rotation decreases to levels below the aforementioned rotation range, leaving the auxiliary coil ready to perform the electric machine's next start.

Single-body actuating arms with a friction-reduction region that serves as a sliding surface


An optical scanning device scans optical record carriers, such as three optical record carriers, where each optical record carrier has an information layer having a depth which is different from the information layer depth of other optical record carriers, where d3<d2<d1, and where d1, d2, d3 are the information layer depths of the first, second, and third optical record carriers, respectively. The scanning device includes a radiation source system for producing three radiation beams of different wavelengths for scanning the three record carriers. The scanning device further includes a diffraction structure for introducing three different wavefront modifications into the three radiation beams, respectively. The diffraction structure is arranged to operate at selected diffraction orders m1, m2, m3, for the three radiation beams, respectively. The diffraction structure is arranged such that the following relation holds:

The field of data storage using optical record carriers is currently an intensively researched area of technology. Many such optical record carrier formats exist including compact discs (CD), conventional digital versatile discs (DVD) and Blu-ray discs (BD). These formats are available in different types including read-only versions (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/BD-ROM), recordable versions (CD-R/DVD-R/BD-R), re-writeable versions (CD-RW/DVD-RW/BD-R) and audio versions (CD-A). For scanning the different formats of optical record carrier it is necessary to use a radiation beam having a different wavelength. This wavelength is approximately 780 nm for scanning a CD, approximately 650 nm for scanning a DVD and approximately 405 nm for scanning a BD.
Different formats of optical disc are capable of storing different maximum quantities of data. This maximum quantity is related to the wavelength of the radiation beam which is necessary to scan the disc and a numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens. Scanning can include reading and/or writing of data on the disc.
The data on an optical disc is stored on an information layer. The information layer of the disc is protected by a cover layer which has a predetermined thickness. Different formats of optical disc have a different thickness of the cover layer, for example the cover layer thickness of CD is approximately 1.2 mm, DVD is approximately 0.6 mm and BD is approximately 0.1 mm. When scanning an optical disc of a certain format, the radiation beam is focused to a point on the information layer. As the radiation beam passes through the cover layer of the disc a spherical aberration is introduced into the radiation beam. An amount of introduced spherical aberration depends on the thickness of the cover layer and the wavelength of the radiation beam. Prior to reaching the cover layer of the disc the radiation beam needs to already possess a certain spherical aberration such that in combination with the spherical aberration introduced by the cover layer, the radiation beam may be correctly focused on the information layer of the disc. For scanning different discs with different cover layer thicknesses, the radiation beam needs to possess a different spherical aberration prior to reaching the cover layer. This ensures correct focusing of the radiation beam on the information layer
It is desirable to have one optical device which is capable of scanning many different formats of disc, for example CD, DVD and BD. Such devices are often relatively difficult to design. This is in part because different cover layer thicknesses require a different spherical aberration of the appropriate radiation beam prior to reaching the cover layer. Such multiple disc format scanning devices often include an assembly of many different optical elements which are individually specific for the scanning of only one optical disc. This often makes such devices relatively complex and consequently bulky and expensive.
International patent application WO 03/060891 describes an optical scanning device for scanning an information layer of three different optical record carriers using, respectively, three different radiation beams. Each radiation beam has a polarisation and a different wavelength. The device comprises an objective lens having a diffractive part which comprises birefringent material. The diffractive part diffracts the radiation beams such that the beam with the shortest wavelength has an introduced phase change modulo 2π of substantially zero for the shortest wavelength. The diffractive part diffracts at least one of the other radiation beams into a positive first order.
International patent application WO 03/060892 describes an optical scanning device for scanning an information layer of three different optical record carriers using, respectively, three different radiation beams. Each radiation beam has a polarisation and a different wavelength. The device comprises an objective lens and a phase structure for compensating a wavefront aberration of one or two of the radiation beams. The phase structure comprises birefringent material and has a non-periodic stepped profile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,687,037 describes an optical scanning device for scanning optical record carriers with radiation beams of two different wavelengths. The device comprises an objective lens and a diffractive element having a stepped profile which approximates a blazed diffraction grating. The diffractive element selects a zeroth diffraction order for the radiation beam of the shortest wavelength, and selects a first order for the other radiation beam.
International patent application WO 02/41307 describes a lens system for use in an optical scanning device. In this system, a radiation beam is used to scan an information layer of an optical record carrier. A lens of the system has both a diffractive grating and a phase structure having a non-periodic stepped profile. This lens reduces a sensitivity of the lens system to variations in the wavelength of the radiation beam and to variations of environmental temperature.

Abstract: -    1    <                    (                              m            3                    -                      m            2                          )                    (                              m            2                    -                      m            1                          )              -                  (                              d            3                    -                      d            2                          )                    (                              d            2                    -                      d            1                          )              <  1


A roll for a printing press has at least two circular partial areas (25, 33) made of an ink-friendly material and at least one circular partial area (23, 34) made of an ink-repellent material, which is arranged between the at least two circular partial areas (25, 33) made of ink-friendly material. A process is provided for manufacturing such a roll, wherein at least two annular structures (25, 33) made of an ink-friendly material and, located between these annular structures, at least one annular structure (23, 34) made of an ink-repellent material are formed on a blank roll body (20, 30).

FIG. 4 shows a roll diagram of a printing couple, through which a web B to be printed on runs. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, the web B is first guided over an inking roll 1′, with which a first rubber blanket cylinder 2′ and a second rubber blanket cylinder 2″ are in contact, and is led farther for postdamping over another inking roll 1, with which a first rubber blanket cylinder 2 and a second rubber blanket cylinder 2″ are likewise in contact. The roll diagram is described based on the example of a printing couple design used for postdamping. A damping agent applicator roll 11 is in contact with the plate cylinder 3, which is in contact with the rubber blanket cylinder. The damping agent applicator roll 11 is in contact with a distributing roller 12, the so-called damping agent distributor. The damping agent transfer roll 13 is in contact with this distributing roller, and the damping agent transfer roll receives the damping agent sprayed on it via a contactless damping system. The damping agent transfer roll 13, the distributing roller 12 and the damping agent applicator roll 11 transfer the damping agent to the plate cylinder 3, as a result of which the desired predamping and postdamping are achieved.
The inking rolls 4 that are in contact with the plate cylinder 3 transfer ink from the first distributing roller 5a that is in contact with them, the first, so-called distributor. The rubber blanket cylinder 6a, which is further in contact with a second ink distributor 5b, is in contact with the ink distributor 5a, and two other rubber blanket cylinders 6b and 6c are in contact with the said second ink distributor 5b. The rubber blanket cylinder 6c is in contact with the ink film roll 7, with which the ink doctor roll 8 and the dipping roll 10 are in contact in the known manner. The ink distributor 5a is inked in the known manner via the rubber blanket cylinders 6a, 6c, the additional ink distributor 5b, the ink film roll 7, via the ink doctor roll 8, on which the ink is metered by means of doctor knives, which are arranged in the doctor knife bar 9, and via the dipping roll 10, which dips into the ink in the ink tray.
An exemplary inking and damping system is shown in the Applicant's DE 40 12 283 A1 (and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,314). DE 40 12 283 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,314 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety and in particular, the teaching of these documents concerning the design of an inking and damping system is incorporated by reference.
It is known from DE 40 122 83 A1 that distributing rollers have a surface made of copper in order for these rollers to have an ink-friendly surface.
If two different inks are printed on two webs located next to each other, it may happen that the damping agent distributors 12 moving to and fro by an oscillator 14 mix the different inks used in two webs running next to each other, which leads to unsatisfactory printing results.

Roll for a printing press and process for manufacturing a roll


Disclosed is an image processing device which is provided with a determination section which determines texture direction in a vicinity region based on the vicinity region which includes a target pixel in the image and a detection section which detects whether or not the target pixel is a defective pixel based on a plurality of pixels including the target pixel which are lined up in the texture direction in the image.

The present technology relates to an image processing device, and an image processing method and a program, and in particular, to an image processing device, and an image processing method and a program which are able to more simply detect a defective pixel with a higher degree of accuracy.
From the past, there is a technique where a defective pixel is detected in an image and the defective pixel which has been detected is corrected. A defective pixel refers to a pixel, out of the pixels in an image, which does not have a value which is originally to be taken as a pixel value and the defective pixel is often a pixel which is white or black.
As a technique for correcting a defective pixel such as this, a technique is proposed where an edge direction of an object is detected, the defective pixel is detected based on the edge direction, and the defective pixel which has been detected is corrected (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-154276).
In addition, a technique is also proposed where, in a case where defective pixels of the same color are lined up to be continuous, these defective pixels (referred to below as continuous defective pixels) are detected and corrected (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-130238).

Image processing device, and image processing method and program


A currency discriminating apparatus comprising an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills and a transport mechanism for transporting the bills, one at a time, past a discriminating unit to at least one output receptacle. Each of the bills has a denomination associated therewith. The discriminating unit discriminates the denomination of the currency bills using a plurality of magnetoresistive sensors. Alternatively, a currency evaluation system that discriminates and authenticates bills based on a plurality of retrieved characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to document identification. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for discriminating among a plurality of document types such as currency bills of different denominations and/or from different countries and authenticating the same.
2. Background
A variety of techniques and apparatus have been used to satisfy the requirements of automated currency handling systems. At the lower end of sophistication in this area of technology are systems capable of handling only a specific type of currency, such as a specific dollar denomination, while rejecting all other currency types. At the upper end are complex systems which are capable of identifying and discriminating among and automatically counting multiple currency denominations.
Currency discrimination systems typically employ either magnetic sensing or optical sensing for discriminating among different currency denominations. Magnetic sensing is based on detecting the presence or absence of magnetic ink in portions of the printed indicia on the currency by using magnetic sensors, usually ferrite core-based sensors, and using the detected magnetic signals, after undergoing analog or digital processing, as the basis for currency discrimination. A variety of currency characteristics can be measured using magnetic sensing. These include detection magnetic flux, patterns of magnetic flux or changes in magnetic flux, patterns of vertical grid lines in the portrait area of bills, the presence of a security thread, total amount of magnetizable material of a bill, patterns from sensing the strength of magnetic fields along a bill, and other patterns and counts from scanning different portions of the bill such as the area in which the denomination is written out.
The more commonly used optical sensing techniques, on the other hand, are based on detecting and analyzing variations in light reflectance or transmissivity characteristics occurring when a currency bill is illuminated and scanned by a strip of focused light. The subsequent currency discrimination is based on the comparison of sensed optical characteristics with prestored parameters for different currency denominations, while accounting for adequate tolerances reflecting differences among individual bills of a given denomination. A variety of currency characteristics can be measured using optical sensing. These include detection of a bill's density, color, length and thickness, the presence of a security thread and holes, and other patterns of reflectance and transmission. Color detection techniques may employ color filters, colored lamps, and/or dichroic beamsplitters.
In addition to magnetic and optical sensing, other techniques of detecting characteristic information of currency include electrical conductivity sensing, capacitive sensing (such as for watermarks, security threads, thickness, and various dielectric properties) and mechanical sensing (such as for size, limpness, and thickness).
A major obstacle in implementing automated currency discrimination systems is obtaining an optimum compromise between the criteria used to adequately define the characteristic pattern for a particular currency denomination, the time required to analyze test data and compare it to pre-defined parameters in order to identify the currency bill under scrutiny, and the rate at which successive currency bills may be mechanically fed through and scanned. Even with the use of microprocessors for processing the test data resulting from the scanning of a bill, a finite amount of time is required for acquiring samples and for the process of comparing the test data to stored parameters to identify the denomination of the bill.
Recent currency discriminating systems rely on comparisons between a scanned pattern obtained from a subject bill and sets of stored master patterns for the various denominations among which the system is designed to discriminate. For example, it has been found that scanning U.S. bills of different denominations along a central portion thereof provides scanning patterns sufficiently divergent to enable accurate discrimination between different denominations. Such a discrimination device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,196. However, currencies of other countries can differ from U.S. currency and from each other in a number of ways. For example, while all denominations of U.S. currencies are the same size, in many other countries currencies vary in size by denomination. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of bill sizes among different countries. In addition to size, the color of currency can vary by country and by denomination. Likewise, many other characteristics may vary between bills from different countries and of different denominations.

Method and apparatus for document identification and authentication


A semiconductor storage device comprises memory cells that store data by accumulating or releasing an electric charge; a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of the memory cells; a plurality of word lines connected to memory cells aligned on rows of the memory cell array; a plurality of sub-bit lines connected to memory cells aligned on columns of the memory cell array; a bit line select circuit selecting the sub-bit line of a column; a main bit line connected to the sub-bit line selected by the bit line select circuit; a sense line detecting the potential of the sub-bit line selected by the bit line select circuit via the main bit line and reading data out of the memory cell; a write driver applying a voltage to the sub-bit line selected by the bit line select circuit via the main bit line and writing data into the memory cell; and a first switching element connected to the main bit line and turning on when the current flowing in the memory cell is detected externally via the sub-bit line without the use of the sense line or when a voltage is applied to the memory cell externally via the sub-bit line without the use of the write driver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor storage device.
2. Background Art
FBC (Floating Body Cell) has recently been developed as a densely integrative memory cell in the place of DRAM. FBC memory devices are composed of transistors formed on SOI substrates. FBC memory devices store data "1" or data "0" by accumulating or releasing holes in or from their floating bodies.
Upon testing a conventional FBC memory device, data was written in a memory cell by a write driver prepared for normal operation, and data was read out from the memory cell by a sense amplifier prepared for normal operation.
Therefore, conventional FBC devices had no means to know the characteristics of memory cells themselves. Especially when their write drivers or sense amplifiers did not work well, it was impossible to evaluate memory cells themselves (T. Ohsawa et al., "Memory Design Using One-Transistor Gain Cell on SOI", IEEE ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuits Conference), February 2002, Digest of Technical Papers, pp 152–153).
Taking it into consideration, here is provided a semiconductor storage device capable of evaluating the characteristics of its memory cells themselves externally without using a write driver or a sense amplifier.


A non-volatile memory device is capable of reducing an excessive leakage current due to a rough surface of a polysilicon and of realizing improved blocking function by forming the first oxide film including a silicon oxy-nitride (SiOxNy) layer using nitrous oxide (N2O) plasma, and by forming silicon-rich silicon nitride film, and a fabricating method thereof and a memory apparatus including the non-volatile memory device. Further, the non-volatile memory device can be fabricated on the glass substrate without using a high temperature process.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspect's of the present invention relate to a non-volatile memory device and a fabrication method. More specifically, aspects of the present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device formed on a glass substrate, and a method for fabricating a non-volatile memory device, and a memory apparatus including a non-volatile memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, non-volatile memory devices may be classified into floating-gate memory devices and charge-trapping memory devices. A floating-gate memory device is a device that maintains a memory by using a potential well. A charge-trapping memory device is a device that maintains a memory by trapping charges in a trap region inside a nitride film or a trap region present in an interface between a nitride film and an insulator.
A representative form of the charge-trapping memory device is a device having a Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS) configuration. A typical SONOS configuration may include a sequential stack of a semiconductor substrate, an ONO configuration, and a gate electrode. The ONO configuration may include a sequential stack of a tunneling oxide film, a nitride film and a blocking oxide film. The tunneling oxide film tunnels electrons into a trap region inside the nitride film or a trap region at an interface of the nitride film. The blocking oxide film blocks charges from moving between the nitride film and the gate electrode. The trap region stores charges. Source/drain regions may be provided in the semiconductor substrate on either side of this stack.
Recently, the creation of a non-volatile memory device on a glass substrate has been investigated. Such a configuration may include a sequential stack of the glass substrate, the ONO configuration, and the gate electrode. The glass substrate may include a protective layer, e.g., a buffer oxide film, thereon to protect the glass substrate. A polysilicon layer may be provided on the protective layer. Source/drain regions may be provided in the polysilicon layer on either side of this stack.
Creation of the polysilicon layer may include crystallizing an amorphous polysilicon layer, e.g., by irradiating the amorphous polysilicon layer with a laser. Thus, surfaces of the polysilicon layers may be rough and non-uniform, which may result in a large leakage current being generated. In other words, a leakage current may be significantly increased due to the non-uniformity and roughness of the surfaces of the polysilicon layer. Therefore, such a non-volatile memory may function abnormally during programming/erasing operations.

Non-volatile memory device and fabrication method thereof and memory apparatus including thereof


A high resolution optical microscope consists of an irradiation spot beam-forming mask which is disposed in a dark or a bright field, whereby a diameter of each of a plurality of irradiation spot beams onto an object to be measured is made smaller than a size of the object, beyond Rayleigh's resolution limit. In the irradiation spot beam-forming mask, a phase array is regularly disposed in a two-dimensional direction so that neighboring portions of each of the irradiation spot beams are optically phase-shifted from one another at 180.degree.. Thus, a wide observation surface and a prompt measurement can be performed with a high resolution of 0.1 .mu.m or less, far beyond Rayleigh's resolution limit.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a high resolution optical microscope and an irradiation spot beam-forming mask for the optical microscope, and more particularly to a high resolution optical microscope, wherein an object of a small size of 0.1 .mu.m or less can be observed by a phase shifting mask on which a phase arrangement, each of neighboring portions in the arrangement is optically phase-shifted from one another at 180.degree., is regularly arranged in the two-dimensional direction, and not only visible rays but infrared rays, ultraviolet rays and X-rays are applicable to the optical microscope as long as the used light beam is coherent.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Conventionally, in a high resolution optical microscope, typical one of three methods is used: an interference method, a dark field method or a near-field scanning method.
In the optical microscope using the interference method, a resolution in the longitudinal direction, to which an optical axis is parallel, is relatively high, but a resolution in the lateral direction is at most on the order of about 1 .mu.m because a diameter of the irradiation spot beam can not be made small under a diameter of an Airy disk.
In the optical microscope using the dark field method, only an object to be measured (e.g., a contaminant or foreign matter) brightens and image contrast is high. However, it is necessary to completely prevent the illumination light from entering an objective lens, there is such a problem that magnification extremely differs with the size and the direction of the object to be measured.
In the near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) using the near-field scanning method, since luminous flux output from a minute pinhole of an optical probe scans an object in the two-dimensional direction within the near field of the object, resolution in the lateral direct-ion is high ("Development of a Fluorescent Method of Near-field Scanning Optical Microscope and Trial of Application to Bioobservation", by Satoshi Okazaki, O plus E, No. 118, Sep. 1989, pp. 110-116) However, it is impossible for some objects to be scanned by the flux in the near field. There are many restrictions on the use because of the receiving of the faint light.
In contrast, a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with a tunnel electric current has been developed,, and can be expected to measure an object in the unit of atoms. In this microscope, however, it is necessary for a metallic probe to approach a conductive sample as close as 1 nm and to scan a surface of the sample so as to maintain a generated tunnel current constant. As a result, a precision actuator and a sophisticated servo mechanism are required. In addition, the scanning tunneling microscope has such disadvantages that an insulating sample can not be measured, that a wide area (over several tens of micrometers) of a sample can not be consecutively measured, and that a measured absolute value is somewhat unreliable and the like.
The high resolution of 0.1 .mu.m or less can be also obtained by using a scanning electric microscope (SEM). Since, however, an electron beam scans an object in a vacuum, the apparatus is made large and complicated. In addition, the microscope has such a disadvantage that there is a restriction on materials of an object to be measured, for example, a living body can not be measured, and a sophisticated scanning servo mechanism is required because of a single electron beam.
As described above, the resolution or the like is limited in the conventional optical microscopes using the interference method or the dark field method. In the conventional scanning microscope such as the optical microscope using the near-field scanning method, there are such problems that a complicated and expensive servo mechanism or the like is required, and that it is impossible for the scanning microscope to observe a two-dimensional plane surface or a three-dimensional solid surface of a sample without scanning.

High resolution optical microscope and irradiation spot beam-forming mask


A well pump assembly has a rotary pump with an electrical motor that contains a motor lubricant. A thrust chamber is mounted between the motor and the pump, the thrust chamber containing a thrust chamber lubricant. Seals prevent the entry of thrust chamber lubricant into the motor chamber. A pressure equalizing chamber is mounted to the motor for admitting well fluid. A first pressure barrier in the equalizing chamber equalizes the pressure of the thrust chamber lubricant with that of the well fluid. A second pressure barrier contained within the first pressure barrier equalizes the pressure of the motor lubricant with thrust chamber lubricant.

Electrical submersible pumps are used to convey large volumes of fluid from wells typically for hydrocarbon production. Normally an electrical submersible pump assembly will comprise a rotary pump and a downhole electrical motor. The rotary pump may be a centrifugal pump made up of a large number of centrifugal stages of impellers and diffusers. Alternately, a progressing cavity pump may be utilized in some circumstances.
The motor is filled with a dielectric motor oil or lubricant. The motor oil expands when the temperature rises, which normally occurs when lowering a pump into a well. Also, heat of the motor during operation causes the temperature to rise. The expansion of the oil could exceed the volume capacity of the motor, causing a leak. To avoid this occurrence, a seal section is connected between the motor and the pump. The seal section has an inlet for admitting well fluid and a flexible barrier to separate the well fluid from the lubricant and equalize the pressure between the lubricant contained in the motor and the well bore fluid. The seal section has a vent that allows the motor to vent excess oil into the well environment if the volume of oil increases beyond the volume capacity of the assembly.
Also, commonly the seal section will have a thrust bearing to take thrust load from the pump above. Conventional seal sections thus have four basic functions: a) equalizing pressure between the well bore and inside the motor; b) providing a reservoir for the motor oil; c) compensating for the expansion of oil due to temperature increase; and d) taking the thrust load from the pump above.
One problem with existing seal sections is that if a leak occurs, well fluid will enter the motor and cause an electrical short, thus destroying the equipment. To avoid this occurrence, in some cases, several seal sections are coupled together, with each operating independently of the other. In that arrangement, if the top seal section should leak and fail, the underlying seal sections will continue to protect the motor. Redundant seal sections are costly, however, and only add an additional amount of time before failure eventually occurs. Often, if the top seal section fails, vibration and leakage will also cause failure out of the other seal sections in fairly short order.

Pressure equalizer in thrust chamber electrical submersible pump assembly having dual pressure barriers


A method and system for monitoring data rate requests (DRRs) transmitted from an access terminal (AT) to an access network (AN). Each DRR includes a parameter indicating whether it is a null or non-null DRR. Upon the AT transitioning to a null-DRR state, the AT and AN determine an average parameter of a given number of DRRs and compare the average to a threshold. The AT selects a time duration based on the average and starts a timer. When the timer counts to the selected duration, the AT transitions from a mode in which the AT transmits data channel traffic and other traffic to a mode in which the AT prevents transmission of data channel traffic but allows transmission of other traffic. The AN compares the average to another threshold and determines whether it should transmit forward-link traffic channel data to the AT at a null or non-null data rate.

Many people use access terminals, such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), to communicate with wireless access networks, such as cellular wireless networks. These access terminals and access networks typically communicate with each other over a radio frequency (RF) air interface according to a wireless protocol such as Evolution Data Optimized (Ev-DO), perhaps in conformance with one or more industry specifications such as IS-856, Release 0 and IS-856, Revision A. Another protocol that may be used is known as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), perhaps in conformance with one or more industry specifications such as IS-2000. Other protocols may be used as well, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and/or any others.
Access networks typically provide services such as voice, Short Message Service (SMS) messaging, and packet-data communication, among others, and typically include a plurality of base stations, each of which provide one or more coverage areas, such as cells and sectors (i.e., individual areas of a cell that allow the cell to carry more calls). When an access terminal is positioned in one of these coverage areas, it can communicate over the air interface with the base station, and in turn over one or more circuit-switched and/or packet-switched signaling and/or transport networks to which the base station provides access.
Access terminals and access networks may conduct communication sessions (e.g. voice calls and data sessions) over a pair of frequencies known as carriers, with a base station of an access network transmitting to an access terminal on one of the frequencies, and the access terminal transmitting to the base station on the other. This is known as frequency division duplex (FDD). A base-station-to-access-terminal link is known as the forward link, while a access-terminal-to-base-station link is known as the reverse link. Each base station may transmit pilot signals to the access terminals via the forward link. The access terminals may use the pilot signals to determine which base station(s) to conduct the communication sessions.
In accordance with some wireless protocols, such as EvDO, each access terminal measures the signal-to-interference-and-noise-ratio (SINR) of the pilot signals received at that access terminal so as to determine a data rate at which it should receive data from the access network. In turn, these access terminals transmit to the access network data rate requests that indicate the determined data rate. The access network then transmits data to each access terminal at the data rate requested by that access terminal. Since SINR measurements of pilot signals may be used to determine data rates at which an access terminal will receive data from the access network, changes in interference and/or noise received and/or occurring at that access terminal may affect the data rate requested by that access terminal and, in turn, the rate at which that access terminal receives data via the forward-link.

System and method for reducing interference and noise to improve wireless communications


Techniques are disclosed for compensating for second-order distortion in a wireless communication device. In a zero-intermediate frequency (IF) or low-IF architecture, IM2 distortion generated by the mixer (20) results in undesirable distortion levels in the baseband output signal. A compensation circuit (104) provides a measure of the IM2 distortion current independent of the radio frequency (RF) pathway to generate an IM2 calibration current. The IM2 calibration current is combined with the baseband output signal to thereby eliminate the IM2 currents generated within the RF pathway. In one embodiment, the calibration is provided at the factory during final testing. In alternative embodiment, additional circuitry (156, 158) may be added to the wireless communication device to provide a pathway between the transmitter (150) and the receiver (146). The transmitter signal is provided to the receiver to permit automatic calibration of the unit. An internal signal source (162) may be used in place of the transmitter (150). The auto-calibration may be performed to eliminate IM2 distortion or permit optimization of the circuit to minimize other forms of distortion or interference.

1. Field
The present invention is related generally to wireless communication devices, and, more particularly, to a system and method for a distortion reduction calibration circuit in a wireless communication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems are proliferating as more and more service providers add additional features and technical capabilities. A large number of service providers now occupy a relatively limited portion of the radio frequency spectrum. Due to this crowding, increased interference between wireless communication systems is commonplace. For example, wireless communication systems from two different service providers may occupy adjacent portions of the spectrum. In this situation, interference may be likely.
One example of such interference occurs in a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless system. In one embodiment, a CDMA system occupies a portion of the frequency spectrum adjacent to a portion of the frequency spectrum allocated to a conventional cellular telephone system, sometimes referred to as an advanced mobile phone system (AMPS).
Conventional CDMA units attempt to eliminate undesirable signals by adding filters following the mixer stage. FIG. 1 illustrates one known implementation of a direct-to-baseband or low IF wireless system 10 in which a radio frequency (RF) stage 12 is coupled to an antenna 14. The output of the RF stage 12 is coupled to an amplifier 16, which amplifies the radio frequency signals. It should be noted that the RF stage 12 and the amplifier 16 may include conventional components such as amplifiers, filters, and the like. The operation of these stages is well known and need not be described in greater detail herein.
The output of the amplifier 16 is coupled to a splitter 18 that splits the processed signal into two identical signals for additional processing by a mixer 20. The splitter 18 may be an electronic circuit or, in its simplest form, just a wire connection. The mixer 20 comprises first and second mixer cores 22 and 24, respectively. The mixers 22 and 24 are identical in nature, but receive different local oscillator signals. The mixer core 22 receives a local oscillator signal, designated LOI, while the mixer core 24 receives a local oscillator signal, designated as LOQ. The local oscillator signals are 90° out of phase with respect to each other, thus forming a quadrature mixer core. The output of the mixer 20 is coupled to jammer rejection filter stage 26. Specifically, the output of the mixer core 22 is coupled to a jammer rejection filter 28 while the output of the mixer core 24 is coupled to a jammer rejection filter 30. The operation of the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 is identical except for the quadrature phase relationship of signals from the mixer 20. The output of the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 are the quadrature output signals IOUT and QOUT respectively.
The jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 are designed to remove unwanted signals, such as signals from transmitters operating at frequencies near the frequency of operation of the system 10. Thus, the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 are designed to remove "out-of-band" signals. In operation, the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 may be lowpass filters, bandpass filters, or complex filters (e.g., a single filter with two inputs and two outputs), depending on the implementation of the system 10. The operation of the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 are well known in the art and need not be described in greater detail herein. While the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 may minimize the effects of out-of-band signals, there are other forms of interference for which the jammer rejection filters are ineffective.
For example, distortion products created by the mixer 20 may result in interference that may not be removed by the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30. If one considers a single CDMA wireless unit, that unit is assigned a specific radio frequency or channel in the frequency spectrum. If an AMPS system is operating on multiple channels spaced apart from each other by a frequency ΔωJ, then the second-order distortion from the mixer 20 will create a component at a frequency ΔωJ in the output signal. It should be noted that the second order distortion from the mixer 20 will create signal components at the sum and difference of the two jammer frequencies. However, the signal resulting from the sum of the jammer frequencies is well beyond the operational frequency of the wireless device and thus does not cause interference. However, the difference signal, designated herein as ΔωJ, may well be inside the desired channel and thus cause significant interference with the desired signal.
In this circumstance, the AMPS signals are considered a jammer signals since they create interference and therefore jam the desirable CDMA signal. Although the present example refers to AMPS signals as jammer signals, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any other radio frequency sources spaced at a frequency of ΔωJ from each other may be considered a jammer.
If this second-order distortion signal is inside the channel bandwidth, the jammer rejection filters 28 and 30 will be ineffective and the resultant interference may cause an unacceptable loss of carrier-to-noise ratio. It should be noted that this interference may occur regardless of the absolute frequencies of the jammer signals. Only the frequency separation is important if the second-order distortion results in the introduction of an undesirable signal into the channel bandwidth of the CDMA unit.
Industry standards exist that specify the level of higher order distortion that is permitted in wireless communication systems. A common measurement technique used to measure linearity is referred to as an input-referenced intercept point (IIP). The second order distortion, referred to as IIP2, indicates the intercept point at which the output power in the second order signal intercepts the first order signal. As is known in the art, the first order or primary response may be plotted on a graph as the power out (POUT) versus power in (PIN). In a linear system, the first order response is linear. That is, the first order power response has a 1:1 slope in a log-log plot. The power of a second order distortion product follows a 2:1 slope on a log-log plot. It follows that the extrapolation of the second order curve will intersect the extrapolation of the fundamental or linear plot. That point of intercept is referred to as the IIP2. It is desirable that the IIP2 number be as large as possible. Specifications and industry standards for IIP2 values may vary from one wireless communication system to another and may change over time. The specific value for IIP2 need not be discussed herein.
It should be noted that the second-order distortion discussed herein is a more serious problem using the direct down-conversion architecture illustrated in FIG. 1. In a conventional super-heterodyne receiver, the RF stage 12 is coupled to an intermediate frequency (IF) stage (not shown). The IF stage includes bandpass filters that readily remove the low frequency distortion products. Thus, second-order distortion is not a serious problem with a super-heterodyne receiver. Therefore, the IIP2 specification for a super-heterodyne receiver is generally not difficult to achieve. However, with the direct down-conversion receiver, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, any filtering must be done at the baseband frequency. Since the second-order distortion products at the frequency separation, ΔωJ, regardless of the absolute frequency of the jammers, the IIP2 requirements are typically very high for a direct-conversion receiver architecture. The IIP2 requirement is often the single most difficult parameter to achieve in a direct down-conversion receiver architecture.
As noted above, the second-order distortion is often a result of non-linearities in the mixer 20. There are a number of factors that lead to imbalances in the mixer 20, such as device mismatches (e.g., mismatches in the mixer cores 22 and 24), impedance of the local oscillators, and impedance mismatch. In addition, factors such as the duty cycle of the local oscillator also has a strong influence on the second-order distortion. Thus, the individual circuit components and unique combination of circuit components selected for a particular wireless communication device results in unpredictability in the IIP2 value for any given unit. Thus, calibration of individual units may be required to achieve the IIP2 specification.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is a significant need for a system and method for wireless communication that reduces the undesirable distortion products to an acceptable level. The present invention provides this and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.


A method and apparatus is provided for interleaving frame buffer controllers in two dimensions. Each frame buffer controller includes an edge stepper, a subspan stepper and a span stepper. The subspan stepper separates each span line into a plurality of parts. Each frame buffer controller provides pixel data for certain parts of the span line. The parts are defined by a start value, a stop value and a starting color value.

Computer graphics systems commonly are used for displaying graphical representations of objects on a two dimensional display screen. Current computer graphics systems can provide highly detailed representations and are used in a variety of applications.
In typical computer graphics systems, an object to be represented on the display screen is broken down into a plurality of graphics primitives. Primitives are basic components of a graphics picture and may include points, lines, vectors and polygons, such as triangles. Typically, a hardware/software scheme is implemented to render, or draw, on the two-dimensional display screen, the graphics primitives that represent the view of one or more objects being represented on the screen.
Typically, the primitives that define the three-dimensional object to be rendered are provided from a host computer, which defines each primitive in terms of primitive data. For example, when the primitive is a triangle, the host computer may define the primitive in terms of the x,y,z coordinates of its vertices, as well as the R,G,B color values of each vertex. Rasterizing hardware interpolates the primitive data to compute the display screen pixels that are turned on to represent each primitive, and the R,G,B values for each pixel.
FIG. 1 illustrates the components of typical rasterizing hardware. A frame buffer controller 1 includes an edge stepper 3, a span stepper 5, and a memory controller 7. The edge stepper 3 determines through interpolation from the primitive data the pixels along each edge of a primitive and the corresponding color values. The pixels determined by edge stepper 3 define points on the ends of lines of pixels in the primitive. A line of pixels is called a span. The span stepper 5 receives the pixel data from the edge stepper for each line of pixels and determines the color values for each pixel in the line of pixels. The pixel and color values are provided to the memory controller 7 which writes the information in a video-random access memory (VRAM) 9. A display controller (not shown) drives the display based upon the contents of the VRAM.
Since the calculation process in the edge stepper 3 and span stepper 5 is complicated, the process can be slow. Using more than one frame buffer controller in parallel can increase the processing speed. FIG. 2 illustrates two parallel frame buffer controllers 1, 2. Each frame buffer controller 1, 2 includes an edge stepper 3, 4, a span stepper 5, 6, and a memory controller 7, 8. The memory controllers 7, 8 are connected to separate VRAMs 9, 10. The display controller combines the pixels stored in both VRAMs 9, 10 to generate the final display. When operating in parallel, each frame buffer controller may determine the values for specified lines of the screen (spans of pixels). The edge stepper 3, 4 on each frame buffer controller 1, 2 skips the non-specified lines of pixels. Although FIG. 2 illustrates two frame buffer controllers, any number is possible. Although the use of multiple frame buffer controllers in parallel can increase processing speed, the assignment of span lines to each frame buffer controller can be inefficient. Depending upon the shape and orientation of a primitive, the processing time for the span lines in frame buffer controllers can vary widely. For example, for a short, wide triangle primitive, one frame buffer controller may have scan lines covering a larger portion of the primitive at the base, and another frame buffer controller may have scan lines covering only a small portion at the tip. Since the primitives are provided simultaneously to each frame buffer controller, the processing time for the whole system depends upon the longest processing time in any frame buffer controller.
Alternatively, frame buffer controllers may be assigned to process different primitives. However, since primitives may be processed in any order, large FIFO memories are needed to reorder the pixel data to the correct positions and adjust for overlapping primitives.

System and method for triangle rasterization with frame buffers interleaved in two dimensions


A HV MOS transistor device having a substrate, a gate, a source, a drain, a first ion well of a first conductive type disposed in the substrate, and a plurality of field plates disposed on the substrate is disclosed. The HV MOS transistor device further has a first doped region of a second conductive type positioned in the first ion well. Therefore, a first interface and a second interface between the first ion well and the first doped region are formed, and the first interface and the second interface are respectively positioned near the drain and the source. In addition, the first interface is positioned under a respective field plate to produce a smooth field distribution and to increase the breakdown voltage of the HV transistor device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-voltage MOS (HV MOS) transistor device, and particularly, to a HV MOS transistor device having a P doped region positioned in an N ion well and a plurality of field plates to produce a smooth field distribution when subject to a high drain voltage and prevent the HV MOS transistor device from breakdown.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current power systems provide an alternating current having a variety of frequencies ranging from 50 to 60 Hz, and a voltage ranging from 100 to 240 volts (V). Every electrical device has a particular working voltage and frequency condition, and therefore, electrical devices and related passive elements utilized in the electrical devices, such as inductors, capacitors, resistors and transformers, act as a switch to determine the value of the voltage and the type of the current thereof. For example, a conventional air conditioner utilizes a power supply providing a low-voltage current for the inner facilities. The power supply switch reduces the voltage provided by the outer power system to an appropriate voltage for the inner facilities. In addition, the power supply switch has the characteristics of high efficiency, low weight, small size and reduced power consumption. High-voltage metal-oxide semiconductor (HV MOS) transistor devices may function as switches and are broadly utilized in CPU power supplies, power management systems, AC/DC converters, LCD/plasma TV drivers, automobile electronic components, PC peripheral devices, small DC motor controllers, and other consumer electronic devices.
Here, the structure of a prior art HV MOS transistor device is described briefly. Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior art HV MOS transistor device 1. The HV MOS transistor device 1 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 2. The HV MOS transistor device 10 has a source 3, a gate 4, and a drain 5. The source 3 is positioned next to a heavily P doped region 6. Both the source 3 and the heavily P doped region 6 are formed in a P-type well 7. The drain 5 is formed in an N well 8 that is formed in a deep N well 9, forming a triple-well structure. As shown in FIG. 1, a gate dielectric layer 10 is formed on the source 3. The gate 4 is disposed on the gate dielectric layer 10 and extended to approach a field oxide 11 disposed between the source 3 and the drain 5. The active area of the HV MOS transistor device 1 is isolated by a plurality of field oxide layers 12 from other devices formed on the same semiconductor substrate 2. In addition, another HV MOS transistor device, in which a P doped region is used inside the N well, is disclosed. The device is optimized to increase the breakdown voltage thereof. However, the power source supplied by the outer voltage source is an AC power. The usual waveform of an AC power circuit is a sine wave, and a 240V AC power may alter its voltage from −300V to +300V. The voltage may be over 600V in an instant. This is greater than the breakdown voltage of most HV MOS transistor devices in the field and leads to HV MOS transistor device damage. Therefore, an HV MOS transistor device capable of withstanding high voltages is required.