An OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) communication system that multiplexes data with a plurality of orthogonal sub-carrier frequencies, which includes a transmitter for converting a serial data stream into parallel data, and segmenting the parallel data into a plurality of blocks having a plurality of data blocks; inserting reference data having information representing a phase value and a position into which the reference symbol is inserted, into each of the segmented blocks; IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform)-transforming the respective blocks into time-based signals where sub-carrier frequencies are separately assigned to the data blocks; and determining phase factors of the IFFT-transformed time-based signals to reduce a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) where non-linear distortion occurs due to coincidence of phases of the data blocks IFFT-transformed with the sub-carrier frequencies, and phase-rotating the IFFT-transformed signals according to the determined phase factors before transmission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving side information in a partial transmit sequence (PTS) scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
OFDM technology has high spectrum efficiency because spectra of sub-channels overlap with each other while maintaining orthogonality. According to the OFDM technology, input information symbols are modulated by inverse fast Fourier transform (hereinafter referred to as "IFFT"), while the IFFT-modulated signal is demodulated by fast Fourier transform (hereinafter referred to as "FFT").
A brief description will now be made regarding operations of a transmitter and a receiver in a mobile communication system employing the OFDM technology (hereinafter referred to as "OFDM mobile communication system").
In an OFDM transmitter, input data is modulated with a sub-carrier through a scrambler, a coder, and an interleaver. The transmitter provides a variable data rate, and applies a different coding rate, interleaving size, and modulation scheme according to the data rate. Commonly, the coder uses a coding rate of ½ or ¾, and the interleaving size for preventing a burst error is determined according to the number of coded bits per OFDM symbol (NCBPS). QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 8PSK (8-ary Phase Shift Keying), 16QAM (16-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), and 64QAM (64-ary QAM) are used as the modulation scheme. A signal modulated with a predetermined number of sub-carriers by the elements stated above is summed up with a predetermined number of pilot sub-carriers, and then subjected to IFFT, thereby forming one OFDM signal. A guard interval for eliminating inter-symbol interference in a multi-path channel environment is inserted into the OFDM signal, and the guard interval-inserted OFDM signal is transmitted over a radio channel by a radio frequency (RF) processor, after passing through a symbol waveform generator.
In an OFDM receiver corresponding to the above-described transmitter, a reverse operation of the transmitter is performed and a synchronization process is added. First, a process of estimating a frequency offset and a symbol offset using a predetermined training symbol must be preferentially performed. Thereafter, a guard interval-eliminated data symbol is restored with a predetermined number of sub-carriers with which a predetermined number of pilot sub-carriers were summed up, through FFT. In order to cope with propagation delay in a radio channel environment, an equalizer eliminates signal distortion due to a channel from a received signal by estimating a channel condition. Data, a channel response of which was compensated through the equalizer, is converted into a bit stream and then deinterleaved by a deinterleaver. Thereafter, the deinterleaved data is restored into final data through a decoder for error correction and a descrambler.
The OFDM technology performs low-speed parallel transmission using a plurality of carriers instead of transmitting input data at high speed with a single carrier. That is, the OFDM technology is characterized in that it can realize a modulation/demodulation unit with an efficient digital device and is less susceptible to frequency selective fading or narrowband interference. Due to the characteristics stated above, OFDM technology is effective for the current European digital broadcasting transmission and high-speed data transmission adopted as the standard specification for a high-capacity mobile communication system, such as IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.16a, and IEEE 802.16b.
The OFDM mobile communication system transmits data with a plurality of sub-carriers, so an amplitude level of an OFDM signal can be represented by the sum of amplitude levels of the multiple sub-carriers. However, when a phase of each of the sub-carriers is changed without maintaining orthogonality, a phase of a particular sub-carrier may coincide with a phase of another sub-carrier. When phases of the sub-carriers are the same, an OFDM signal has a very high peak-to-average power ratio (hereinafter referred to as "PAPR"). An OFDM signal having a high PAPR reduces efficiency of a high-power linear amplifier and shifts an operating point of the high-power linear amplifier to a non-linear region, thereby causing inter-modulation distortion and spread spectrum between sub-carriers. In the OFDM communication system, the PAPR is a very important factor that affects communication performance. Therefore, a great amount of research has been conducted on a scheme for reducing the PAPR.
As a scheme for reducing PAPR in an OFDM communication system, there are provided a clipping scheme, a block coding scheme, and a phase rotation scheme. The clipping scheme, the block coding scheme, and the phase rotation scheme will be described herein below.
(1) Clipping Scheme
In the clipping scheme, if a level of a signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the level is forcibly clipped to the threshold value, thereby reducing PAPR. However, as a result, in-band distortion occurs due to non-linear operation, causing an increase in a bit error rate (hereinafter referred to as "BER"), and adjacent channel interference occurs due to out-band clipping noise.
(2) Block Coding Scheme
The block coding scheme codes surplus carriers and transmits the coded carriers to decrease PAPR of the whole carrier signal. The block coding scheme cannot only correct an error due to coding, but also decreases PAPR without distorting a signal. However, an increase in the number of the sub-carriers causes a drastic decrease in spectrum efficiency and an increase in the size of a look-up table or a generation matrix, disadvantageously increasing complexity and calculations.
(3) Phase Rotation Scheme
The phase rotation scheme is classified into a selective mapping (hereinafter referred to as "SLM") scheme and a partial transmit sequence (hereinafter referred to as "PTS") scheme. The SLM scheme multiplies each of M same data blocks by each of different phase sequences of length N, which are statistically independent of one another, selects a result having the lowest PAPR (i.e., a phase sequence having the lowest PAPR), and transmits the selected phase sequence. The SLM scheme is disadvantageous in that it requires M IFFT operations. However, the SLM scheme can considerably decrease PAPR and can be applied regardless of the number of sub-carriers.
Unlike the SLM scheme, the PTS scheme divides input data into M sub-blocks, performs L-point IFFT on each sub-block, multiplies each IFFT-transformed sub-block by a phase factor to minimize PAPR, and then sums the resultant sub-blocks before transmission. The PTS scheme is superior to the SLM scheme in terms of PAPR reduction, and is considered as the most effective and flexible scheme for reducing PAPR without non-linear distortion.
With reference to FIG. 1, a description will now be made of a transmitter for an OFDM communication system employing the PTS scheme (hereinafter referred to as "PTS-OFDM communication system").
FIG. 1 illustrates an internal structure of a transmitter for a conventional OFDM communication system employing a PTS scheme. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a transmitter 100 for the PTS-OFDM communication system includes a mapper 110, a serial-to-parallel (S/P) converter 120, a sub-block segmentation unit 130, a plurality of IFFT units 140, 142, 144, and 146, a phase factor determiner 150, a plurality of multipliers 160, 162, 164, and 166, and a combiner 170.
Referring to FIG. 1, information bits to be transmitted are first coded at a predetermined coding rate, and coded bits generated by the coding are interleaved and then provided to the mapper 110 as input data X. Although various coding schemes have been proposed, a turbo coding scheme using a turbo code, which is an error correction code, is typically used as the coding scheme. The predetermined coding rate includes ½ and ¾.
The mapper 110 maps the input data X to a corresponding modulation symbol according to a predetermined modulation scheme, and the S/P converter 120 provides the modulation symbols sequentially output from the mapper 110 to L parallel lines, where L represents the number of taps of the IFFT units 140 to 146. The sub-block segmentation unit 130 segments modulation symbols output in parallel from the S/P converter 120 into M sub-blocks X(1) to X(M) having the same length N (L=N×M). It is assumed herein that the S/P converter 120 and the sub-block segmentation unit 130 are separately provided. Of course, however, the S/P converter 120 can be removed, and instead, the sub-block segmentation unit 130 can include a function of the S/P converter 120. In this case, the sub-block segmentation unit 130 segments L symbols sequentially provided from the mapper 110 into M sub-blocks having a length N.
A sub-block conversion operation of the sub-block segmentation unit 130 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 illustrates sub-blocks segmented according to an adjacent sub-block segmentation scheme, FIG. 3 illustrates sub-blocks segmented according to an interleaved sub-block segmentation scheme, and FIG. 4 illustrates sub-blocks segmented according to a pseudo random sub-block segmentation scheme. In all of the sub-block segmentation schemes, sub-blocks must be segmented so that each sub-block should not overlap with other sub-blocks.
A description will now be made of the sub-block segmentation schemes.
(1) Adjacent Sub-Block Segmentation Scheme
The adjacent sub-block segmentation scheme segments modulation symbols of length L into sub-blocks by the sequentially adjacent modulation symbols. As illustrated in FIG. 2, if the length L is 12, the adjacent sub-block segmentation scheme segments the modulation symbols of length 12 into 4 sub-blocks by the 3 sequentially adjacent modulation symbols.
(2) Interleaved Sub-Block Segmentation Scheme
The interleaved sub-block segmentation scheme segments modulation symbols of length L into sub-blocks by interleaving. As illustrated in FIG. 3, if the length L is 12, the interleaved sub-block segmentation scheme segments the modulation symbols of length 12 into a total of 4 sub-blocks by combining 3 modulation symbols at periods of 4 modulation symbols.
(3) Pseudo Random Sub-Block Segmentation Scheme
The pseudo random sub-block segmentation scheme segments modulation symbols of length L into sub-blocks by pseudo-randomly selecting the modulation symbols. As illustrated in FIG. 4, if the length L is 12, the pseudo random sub-block segmentation scheme segments the modulation symbols of length 12 into a total of 4 sub-blocks by randomly combining 3 modulation symbols without any rule or pattern.
In FIGS. 2 to 4, in each of sub-blocks segmented by the sub-block segmentation unit 130, all other symbols than the L symbols located in the determined positions are all replaced with 0.
The IFFT units 140 to 146 perform IFFT on each of the segmented sub-blocks and generate IFFT-transformed sub-blocks x(1) to x(M). The phase factor determiner 150 receives the IFFT-transformed sub-blocks x(1) to x(M) and determines phase factors {tilde over (b)}(1) to {tilde over (b)}(M) in such a way that phases of the sub-blocks should be different than one another, in order to minimize PAPR when the sub-blocks x(1) to x(M) are summed. Next, the phase factors are matched with their corresponding sub-blocks. That is, the phase factor {tilde over (b)}(1) is matched with the sub-block x(1). In this manner, the phase factor {tilde over (b)}(M) is matched with the sub-block x(M). The multipliers 160 to 166 multiply the IFFT-transformed sub-blocks x(1) to x(M) by the corresponding phase factors {tilde over (b)}(1) to {tilde over (b)}(M), and provide their outputs to the combiner 170. The combiner 170 generates an OFDM signal {tilde over (x)} by combining (or summing) the outputs of the multipliers 160 to 166.
As described above, the PTS scheme can effectively reduce PAPR without distorting a sub-channel spectrum and can be applied regardless of a digital modulation scheme. However, in order to enable a receiver to restore (or decode) information data, side information for a phase factor for phase rotation must be transmitted along with the data. Therefore, in order to realize the PTS scheme in an OFDM communication system, a method for effectively transmitting the side information is required.

Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving side information of a partial transmit sequence in an OFDM communication system


A souvenir holder that is wearable through one or more band portions configured to form a loop. The one or more band portions provide penetration holes operatively associable with a breakaway closure system configured to move the loop between a locked engagement and an unlocked engagement. The unlocked engagement is defined by at least two modes, including a breakaway mode wherein the breakaway closure system breaks when one or more of the band portions are caught on an object while worn.

The present invention relates to souvenir accessories and, more particularly, a wearable souvenir holder by way of an adjustable band with a breakaway safety feature.
Souvenir coin machines are a staple at museums, theme parks, and other memorable exhibitions. The resulting elongated souvenir coin serves as a token of the memories forged at such events. And individuals enjoy collecting the souvenir coins but have no way of securely displaying them in everyday use or on their person. Current devices used to secure souvenir elongated coins are one size only and do not take wearers' safety into consideration; for example, a child can get the bands of these devices caught on objects, resulting in injury. Moreover, the one-size only bands do not fit small children hands or large adults adequately or appropriately, which furthers the safety hazard. Furthermore, the material used on other bands are thin and do not last long; rather, they stretch out and do not hold the souvenir item after extended use. In short, there is currently no souvenir coin holder that has a band with a safety breakaway feature or that is adjustable to accommodate the growth of the wearer.
As can be seen, there is a need for wearable souvenir holder by way of an adjustable band with a breakaway safety feature. The present invention embodies such a souvenir holder with lipped edges to secure an elongated coin or other souvenir, and the souvenir holder is wearable through a band that is adjustable to fit any individual's size and provides a break-away safety feature. The breakaway safety feature may include a double click closure to ensure a secure connection between the band and the wearer, while also enabling the closure to unlock or 'break away' if the band is caught on an object. As compared to the prior art, the band is made of a thicker material which is more durable, longer lasting and secures the souvenir item for the life of the wearer and possibly beyond.
As a result, the present invention allows any individual to wear their elongated souvenir coins (and change them as often as they like) while being adjustable to fit that individual to their liking with a safety break away feature in case where the band is caught on anything. Finally, the adjustability of the band enables the present invention to "grow" with the wearer so they can wear their souvenir elongated coin for a lifetime and/or pass it down to future generations.

Wearable souvenir holder with breakaway functionality


A method of depositing a dielectric coating, comprising the steps of forming an unroughened or roughened, as-cast or wrought substrate surface to receive the coatings; and flame spraying a single premixed thermoplastic epoxy/hardener powder onto the surface, the resultant in-flight heated powder being chemically activated to impact the surface and form a chemically adhering coating, the coating being cured in-situ to be dielectric and thermally conductive.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the technology of electrically isolating electrically functioning elements, and more particularly to an improved process for depositing electrically insulating thermoplastic coatings onto an unroughened or roughened substrate by flame spraying or equivalent spraying that cures the coating immediately.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Ceramic coatings are often used to electrically isolate elements in an assembly, such as isolating an alternator diode plate from high current in an adjacent member in an automotive alternator. In an automotive alternator, a rectifier employs negative and positive diode plates to convert A.C. current to D.C. These plates need to be electrically isolated but allow for thermal conductivity therebetween. Aluminum oxide is a typical ceramic candidate that is used for these coatings; it is usually applied in a four step process, comprising; (i) roughening a plate surface by grit blasting to receive the coating, (ii) masking parts of the surface (usually with consumable hardened steel) that do not receive the coating, (iii) using an argon/hydrogen plasma spraying process to melt and deposit a powder supply of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and (iv) sealing the porosity of the ceramic coating with an ultraviolet curable plastic overcoat. This process is costly and the ceramic is difficult to machine once deposited. It is also complex, requiring separate processing steps for roughening, masking, spraying and sealing which maybe unnecessary. The process limits certain physical characteristics of the coating to less than desirable bond strength, corrosion resistance and machineability.
Although flame sprayed epoxy coatings have not been used as dielectric coatings, they have been deployed for corrosion resistance and cosmetic applications. For such other applications, epoxy powders are usually applied by traditional powder coating processes such as electrostatic spraying followed by curing in an oven for a given time to fully activate and cure the epoxy. The art of applying epoxy by flame spray techniques has depended on the use of separate supplies of epoxide resin and hardener and has limited the type of resins that can be used because in-flight heating may not be effective to activate and cure the epoxy properly. Thus, the prior art has usually turned to plasma guns for depositing epoxy because they tend to increase or promote activation. Flame spraying has never been used to deposit epoxy coatings for electrical isolation, and when epoxy has been thermally sprayed, the powder material has not been cured in-situ as a direct result of thermal spraying.

Method of depositing a dielectric onto electrically conductive elements


A bread maker includes a frame, a bracket combined to a side part of the frame and formed with a combining hole, a door provided in front of the frame, and a door hinge combined to the door and formed with a combining projection rotatably combined to the combining hole of the bracket to allow the door to rotatably open and close. Accordingly, the bread maker has a simplified and a secure a door combination structure, thereby enhancing assembly efficiency and decreasing production cost. Further, the bread maker includes a bracket covered with a side cover when the door is open, thereby simplifying and improving the exterior appearance of the bread maker.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bread maker, and more particularly, to a bread maker having an improved door combination structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a bread maker has been developed, which automatically performs a series of baking processes to allow a user to easily and conveniently make the bread.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional bread maker that comprises: a frame 1, a back cover 2 attached to a rear part of the frame 1, a side cover 3 attached to a side part of the frame 1, and a door 4 rotatably combined to the front of the frame 1. Moreover, a combination structure of a bracket 5 and a door hinge 6 is provided to allow the door 4 to open and close.
However, according to the conventional bread maker, the combination structure of the bracket 5 and the door hinge 6 is relatively complicated. As a result, assembly work is difficult, and a relatively large number of components are required.
Further, according to the conventional bread maker, the door hinge 6 is curved inward to prevent the door 4 from being blocked by the side cover 3 while the door 4 is opened and closed. However, the inward curved shape of the door hinge 6 causes the combination of the door 4 and the door hinge 6 to be relatively weak in comparison to the weight of the door 4.
Further, according to the structure of the conventional bread maker, the bracket 5 is exposed to the outside when the door 4 is open, resulting in a faster deterioration of the bracket 5 and a complex exterior appearance of the bread maker.


A plasma device includes a slot antenna (30) for supplying a high frequency electromagnetic field (F) supplied through a feeding part into a processing vessel (11). The feeding part has a cavity (35) for forming a resonator and converting the fed high frequency electromagnetic field (F) into a rotating electromagnetic field and supplying the rotating electromagnetic field to the slot antenna (30).

The present invention relates to a plasma device and plasma generating method for generating a plasma by an electromagnetic field supplied into a processing vessel by using a slot antenna.
In the manufacture of a semiconductor device or flat panel display, plasma devices are used often to perform processes such as formation of an oxide film, crystal growth of a semiconductor layer, etching, and ashing. Among the plasma devices, a high frequency plasma device is available which supplies a high frequency electromagnetic field into a processing vessel by using a slot antenna and generates a high-density plasma with the electromagnetic field. The high frequency plasma device is characterized in that it can stably generate a plasma even if the pressure of the plasma gas is comparatively low.
When various types of processes are to be performed by using the plasma device, the two-dimensional distribution (to be referred to as "surface distribution" hereinafter) of the plasma on a processing surface of a semiconductor substrate or the like must be uniformed.
As a method of generating a plasma having a uniform surface distribution by using a slot antenna, a high frequency electromagnetic field fed from a high frequency power supply may be converted into a rotating electromagnetic field, and the circularly polarized rotating high frequency electromagnetic field may be supplied to the slot antenna.
FIG. 21 is a view showing an arrangement of a conventional high frequency plasma device. FIG. 21 shows the longitudinal sectional structure of the arrangement of part of the conventional high frequency plasma device.
The conventional plasma device has a bottomed cylindrical processing vessel 111 with an upper opening, a dielectric plate 113 for closing the upper opening of the processing vessel 111, and a radial antenna 130 arranged above the dielectric plate 113 to radiate a high frequency electromagnetic field into the processing vessel 111.
A substrate table 122 is fixed to the bottom of the processing vessel 111, and a substrate 121 as a target object is arranged on the mount surface of the substrate table 122. Exhaust ports 116 for vacuum exhaustion are formed in the bottom of the processing vessel 111, and a nozzle 117 for supplying a plasma gas and process gas is formed in the side wall of the processing vessel 111.
The dielectric plate 113 is made of silica glass or the like. A seal member (not shown) such as an O-ring is interposed between the dielectric plate 113 and processing vessel 111, so that the plasma in the processing vessel 111 will not leak to the outside.
The radial antenna 130 is a kind of slot antennas, and is formed of two parallel circular conductor plates 131 and 132 which form a radial waveguide 133, and a conductor ring 134 which connects the edge portions of the conductor plates 131 and 132. An inlet 135 for introducing the high frequency electromagnetic field into the radial antenna 130 is formed at the center of the conductor plate 132 serving as the upper surface of the radial waveguide 133. A plurality of slots 136 for radiating an electromagnetic field F, which propagates in the radial waveguide 133, into the processing vessel 111 through the dielectric plate 113 are formed in the circumferential direction in the conductor plate 131 serving as the lower surface of the radial waveguide 133, thus forming the antenna surface of the radial antenna 130. The outer portions of the radial antenna 130 and dielectric plate 113 are covered by an annular shield material 112. Thus, the electromagnetic field will not leak to the outside.
In the conventional plasma device, the rotating electromagnetic field is supplied to the radial antenna 130 with the above arrangement.
More specifically, in order to supply a rotating electromagnetic field, the conventional plasma device has a high frequency generator 145 for generating a high frequency electromagnetic field, a rectangular waveguide 143 for guiding the high frequency electromagnetic field output from the high frequency generator 145, a rectangular cylindrical converter 147 for connecting the rectangular waveguide and a cylindrical waveguide, and a circular polarization converter 146 for converting a linearly polarized high frequency electromagnetic field into a rotating electromagnetic field.
As the circular polarization converter 146, for example, one having one or the plurality of sets of axial cylindrical stubs 146A made of conductors on the inner wall of a cylindrical waveguide to oppose each other is used, as shown in FIG. 22(c). The cylindrical stubs 146A are arranged in directions to form 45° with the main direction of the electric field of a TE11-mode electromagnetic field input from the rectangular cylindrical converter 147. When the plurality of sets of cylindrical stubs 146A are arranged, they are provided at an interval of λ/4 (λ is the guide wavelength of the propagating electromagnetic wave) in the axial direction, and convert the TE11-mode high frequency electromagnetic field into a rotating electromagnetic field the main direction of the electric field of which rotates about the axis of the cylindrical waveguide as the center.
In the conventional plasma device with the above arrangement, how the rotating electromagnetic field is supplied will be described as follows with reference to FIG. 22. FIG. 22 includes views schematically showing how the electromagnetic field propagates in the rectangular waveguide 143, rectangular cylindrical converter 147, and circular polarization converter 146. FIG. 22(a) shows the state of the electric field taken along A-A′ of the electromagnetic field which propagates in the rectangular waveguide 143 shown in FIG. 21, FIGS. 22(b), 22(e), and 22(f) each show the state of the electric field taken along an outlet B-B′ of the rectangular cylindrical converter 147, and FIGS. 22(c), 22(d), and 22(g) each show the electric field and the rotating direction of the electromagnetic field propagating in the circular polarization converter 146.
The high frequency electromagnetic field (FIG. 22(a)) which has propagated in the rectangular waveguide 143 from the high frequency generator 145 with the TE10 mode is converted by the rectangular cylindrical converter 147 into the TE11 mode (FIG. 22(b)), and is introduced into the cylindrical waveguide of the circular polarization converter 146. The high frequency electromagnetic field is then converted into a rotating electromagnetic field while propagating in the circular polarization converter 146 (FIG. 22(c)), and is supplied into the radial antenna 130 through the inlet 135 formed at the center of the conductor plate 132.
The rotating electromagnetic field supplied to the radial antenna 130 is, however, partly reflected by the conductor ring 134 located at the end of the radial waveguide 133. The reflected rotating electromagnetic field propagates in the circular polarization converter 146 in the opposite direction while rotating in the same direction (FIG. 22(d)). The reflected electromagnetic field is then reflected at the fixed end of the rectangular cylindrical converter 147 (FIGS. 22(e) and 22(f)), forms a rotating electromagnetic field rotating in the opposite direction to propagate in the circular polarization converter 146 (FIG. 22(g)), and is supplied to the radial antenna 130.
As a result, rotating electromagnetic fields having different phases and rotating directions are supplied to the radial antenna 130 in a mixed state. The polarized wave of the high frequency electromagnetic field at this time forms an ellipse as shown in FIG. 23. This decreases the surface distribution uniformity of the plasma generated in the processing vessel, and nonuniformity occurs in the plasma process particularly at the peripheral portion.
In this manner, if the rotating electromagnetic field converted by the circular polarization converter 146 is merely supplied to the radial antenna 130, it is difficult to obtain the surface uniformity of the plasma distribution due to the influence of the reflected electromagnetic field from the radial antenna 130.

Plasma device and plasma generating method


A LED module is disclosed comprising a LED chip including at least one LED arranged to direct a luminous output centered about an optical axis towards a light exit surface; an optical layer separated from the light exit surface by a spacing region having a lower refractive index than the optical layer and a material comprising the light exit surface, the optical layer being arranged to redirect the luminous output in a direction under a non-zero angle with the optical axis; and a collimating element over the optical layer, the collimating element being arranged to collimate the redirected luminous output in said direction. A lighting module including one or more of such LED modules is also disclosed.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are rapidly gaining popularity because of their longevity and low energy credentials. Advances in manufacturing have led to the emergence of chip-sized LED packages or modules in which at least one LED, and typically a plurality of LEDs are packaged together and presented as a single die. Such packages are therefore sometimes referred to as single die emitters (SDEs). Due to the Lambertian luminous distribution and brightness produced by such packages, they are considered a key enabler of LED-based solutions in a number of application domains, including automotive lighting and projection lighting.
Such LED modules typically produce a Lambertian luminous distribution centered about an optical axis of the package. In some application domains including but not limited to automotive front lighting, e.g. automotive head lamps, the use of such packages must therefore be combined with additional optical elements in order to reshape and redirect the luminous distribution in the desired direction, often to comply with the appropriate regulations concerning allowable beam profiles generated by different types of head lamps, e.g. full beams, dipped or low beams, and so on.
WO 2015/090706 A1 discloses a lighting device with beam shaping. The lighting device comprises a light source, an optical plate and a reflector. The optical plate is configured to provide a beam having a non-zero angle with the original optical axis of the light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,764,259 B2 discloses a lighting assembly including a semiconductor light source, a support with a recess within which the semiconductor light source is positioned, and a collimator having light entry and light exit openings joined together by at least one side wall. The collimator is moveable relative to the support. The collimator is attached to the support such that the light entry opening of the collimator and the recess are joined in a nested manner so that light emitted by the semiconductor light source within the recess enters the collimator through the light entry opening and exits essentially only through the light exit opening of the collimator for any position of the collimator over its range of motion. The lighting assembly further includes an actuator for moving the collimator over at least part of its range of motion.
This assembly is relatively bulky and costly.


A circuit for operating an electric motor includes a feedback arrangement which generates a control variable signal that is supplied to a drive stage for the motor. The circuit also includes a monitoring arrangement to ascertain whether the motor is overloaded. The monitoring arrangement emits an overload signal if it detects an overload state, and the control variable signal is then reduced. In one embodiment, the monitoring arrangement detects an overload state by comparing a motor voltage signal to a motor voltage limit value which is a function of the motor current, and emits the overload signal if the motor voltage signal is smaller than the motor voltage limit value.

The invention is based on a circuit for operating an electric motor, in which the current flowing through the motor is predetermined, the circuit having a monitoring arrangement for ascertaining an overload state of the motor, the monitoring arrangement comparing the motor voltage to a motor voltage limit value that is predetermined by a limit value generator and emitting an overload signal when the motor voltage limit value is not met.
A method of operating an electric motor in which the motor power can be changed as a function of the presetting of a nominal value is known from DE-A 41 29 086. If the nominal value is below a predeterminable threshold, corresponding to low motor power, the voltage applied to the motor is regulated. If the nominal value is above the threshold, corresponding to a higher motor power, the current flowing through the motor is regulated. The known method is supplemented by safety devices. Examples of safety devices include overcurrent shutoff and short-circuit shutoff. In overcurrent shutoff or overcurrent limitation of the current flowing through the electric motor, the actual current value signal emitted by a current sensor is supplied to an overcurrent limiter, which compares the signal to an internally-predeterminable threshold value. After a threshold is exceeded, the overcurrent limiter transmits a switching signal to a selection circuit to suppress the control signal for an end or drive stage. The shutoff signal can also be fed to the motor-drive circuit or the current regulator.
Depending on the type of application, it may occur that a limitation of the current flowing through the electric motor to a fixed, predetermined maximum value does not suffice to provide the used components with permanent protection against thermal overload.


Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for crowd control based on check-in time recommendations, including operations of receiving, from a plurality of users, travel information, the travel information including, for each of the plurality of users, a user identification, a departure location, and a departure time, determining a total number of passengers within a time interval associated to the departure time from the departure location, generating a recommended check-in time for each of the plurality of users based on the travel information and the total number of passengers, displaying for each of the plurality of users the recommended check-in time, and activating a setting of a ticket verification device to prevent access to a portion of the departure location for each of the plurality of users before the recommended check-in time.

Public transportation planning plays a very important role in regional and national infrastructure and security. Public transportation stations, such as train stations, are accessed by the public and often need to be optimized for crowd management. For example, train stations can become overcrowded due to many reasons, such as major local events, usage of trains during rush hours in working days, and public holidays. Crowd control is a public security practice that manages large crowds within public areas to prevent the outbreak of crowd crushes, and to optimize distribution and dispersion of passengers.

Crowd control and check-in time recommendation in public transportation stations


A method and apparatus for determining the range, radial velocity, and bearing angles of scattering objects reflecting RF signals or for determining the range, radial velocity, and bearing angles of sources RF signals. An array of antenna elements is utilized, the array of antenna elements each having an associated two state modulator wherein transmitted and/or received energy is phase encoded according to a sequence of multibit codes, the bits of the multibit codes each preferably having two states with approximately a 50% probability for each of the two states occurring within each given multibit code in said sequence of multibit codes, thereby allowing the determination of range, radial velocity, and bearing angles through digital computation after the scattered signals have been received.

Prior art direction finding methods include:                (i) A conventional electronic support measure typically utilizes a small sparse array (e.g., 16 elements) of broadband antennas (e.g., spirals) that are non-uniformly spaced, each equipped with a separate receiver to collect and demodulate incoming signals. By analyzing the relative amplitudes and phases of the received signals, their angles of arrival may be determined. This approach is described in "EW 103 Tactical Battlefield Communication Electronic Warfare" by David Adamy, published by Artech House. An advantage of the present technology is that it requires only a single receiver to obtain the angles of arrival, providing significant reduction in system cost.        (ii) Another approach to direction finding is based on the so-called Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm. This approach requires a more densely populated antenna array than the conventional technique described above, with a receiver behind each element. The signals received by all the elements are processed to determine the angles of arrival (see "Multiple Emitter location and Parameter Estimation", R. O. Schmidt, IEEE Trans. Ant. Prop., vol. AP-34, No. 3, March 1986). The technology disclosed herein offers significant cost advantage since only one or two receivers are utilized, rather than requiring that a separate receiver be associated with each element.
Prior art coded aperture beamforming technology includes:                (i) U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,029 describes obtaining radar data by sequentially switching between transmit and/or receive elements. This is closely related to a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). This approach differs from the present technology because it requires a complex matrix of RF switches that is costly to implement; it only requires a set of N single bit modulators inserted between the antenna elements and the summation network in a receiving application.        (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,314 describes a reflectarray with each antenna element containing switching devices that vary the reflection impedances of the elements. By setting the switching devices to particular values one obtains a reasonably well focused beam when the reflectarray is illuminated by a source. Changing the switching devices allows one to steer the reflected beam. The present technology is different in that the different modulator states are changed sequentially, each providing a wide angle, low gain (i.e., unfocused) beam. For example, if the modulators are single bit (i.e., two state) phase shifters, such as 0/180 deg phase shifters, all of the N modules (for an N element array) are all changed to a particular set of states, with a different set of states for each measurement. The modulator states are chosen to provide wide angle, low gain beams to cover the entire field of view. Effective high gain beams (i.e., focused beams) are then obtained in signal processing after the data is gathered.        (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,010 describes an antenna array divided into four quadrants, with the output of each quadrant modulated by a 0/180 degree phase shifter. By setting the phase shifters in various states one may obtain antenna patters similar to those produced by a monopulse array. There is apparently no disclosure of sequentially collecting data and then obtaining bearing angles through digital manipulation of the data. The technology disclosed herein utilizes modulators behind each antenna element (not each quadrant) and, unlike this prior art, does not form the desired physical beams but forms beams synthetically after the data is collected.
It is believed that no one has previously proposed RF digital beamforming by coding an antenna array aperture with single bit modulators. Conventional phased array antennas place multi-bit phase shifters behind each element to form sharp transmit or receive beam patterns for a single measurement through constructive and destructive interference of the element fields. On the other hand, the technology disclosed herein uses only single bit modulators (e.g., phase shifters) that do not form sharp beam patterns (i.e., "pencil beams") during a single measurement. Effective sharp beam patterns are produced digitally after data collection using digital signal processing. An important characteristic of the present approach, and one that distinguishes it from conventional phased arrays, as that the codes (phase shifter states) are selected so that the resulting beam patterns fill the desired field of view more or less uniformly, without any directive ("pencil") beams. Under these conditions, adding additional bits (beyond one bit) will not improve radar performance since single bit phase shifter control is sufficient to obtain a linearly independent set of measurements that may be "inverted" to estimate the antenna element signals and then processing these signals to produce digitally formed beams. A conventional phased array radar may be operated in this single-bit mode to obtain range, velocity, and bearing angle information in an acquisition period reduced by approximately a factor of N, where N is the number of beams within the field of view. This is possible because Code Aperture Radar (CAR) disclosed herein acquires information from all scatterers within the field of view from a single radar acquisition period (i.e., a single set of frequency sweeps of sufficient extent and duration to produce the desired range and velocity resolutions). In contrast, a conventional phased array must dwell for that same acquisition period (for the same velocity resolution) for each beam location, sequentially stepping through all N beam locations and therefore taking N times as long. The advantage of operating a conventional phased array radar in this mode is that information may be collected very quickly over the field of view and for any objects of interest the array may then be operated with multiple phase shifter bits to direct a beam at the object and improve the radar sensitivity.
An advantage of this technology is a significant simplification of the antenna array, resulting in reduction in cost and power dissipation, while still providing estimates of range, velocity, and bearing, and obtaining these estimates in a fraction of the time required by a conventional phased array to cover a wide field of view. Conventional phased array radar antennas contain substantial microwave electronics (e.g., multi-bit phase shifters and variable gain amplifiers) at each antenna element, resulting in very high cost and high power dissipation. Furthermore, a conventional phased array must obtain range and Doppler estimates for each beam position sequentially, resulting in a long acquisition time for high gain beams covering a wide field of view. The present technology acquires range, Doppler, and bearing estimates within the same time period as a single beam position of a conventional phased array radar, substantially reducing the total acquisition time.
Another advantage of this technology in a radar implementation is that transmitted RF energy is not required to be focused into a high gain beam, but instead may be radiated over a wide field of view. This produces a radar signal with a low probability of interception by electronic sensors.
Additionally, this technology provides the advantage of software reconfigurability since the beams are formed by digital computation (i.e., synthetically). By changing the parameters of the signal processing algorithm, beams pointing in any direction (within the field of view) with any beamwidth (within the limits set by diffraction) may be obtained from the same set of hardware.

Coded aperture beam analysis method and apparatus


An over-driving circuit for a display device having a display panel includes a first 4-color data generation module configured to generate output 4-color data of the previous frame based on 3-color data and a gain of the previous frame, and to generate output 4-color data of the current frame based on 3-color data and a gain of the current frame. The over-driving circuit also includes a second 4-color data generation module configured to generate input 4-color data based on input 3-color data and the gain of the current frame. The over-driving circuit further includes a data modulator configured to generate modulated data based on the output 4-color data of the previous frame, the output 4-color data of the current frame, and the input 4-color data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and, more particularly, to an over-driving circuit for a display device and a display device having an over-driving circuit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There are various types of flat panel displays being developed, which include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a plasma display panel (PDP), and electrophoretic display (EPD) device. The liquid crystal display device displays images by controlling an electric field applied to liquid crystal molecules according to a data voltage. In an active matrix driving type liquid crystal display device, each pixel has a thin film transistor (hereinafter, TFT).
As shown in FIG. 1, when data voltage VD changes from the previous data voltage level to the current data voltage level, the corresponding brightness BL may not reach a desired level due to the slow response speed of the liquid crystal display. Using an over-driving method, the liquid crystal display is able to compensate for the slow response speed caused by the unique characteristics of liquid crystal, such as viscosity and elasticity. In an over-driving method applicable to an RGB-type display device (i.e., a display device having Red, Green, and Blue pixels), the slow response time of liquid crystals can be improved by comparing an input data of the previous frame and an input data of the current frame, and if there is any data difference between them, modulating the input data of the current frame using a preset modulation value so as to increase the amount of change. As shown in FIG. 2, the over-driving method applicable to an RGB-type display device can achieve a desired brightness level MBL by modulating input data voltage VD using the preset modulation value and applying the modulated data voltage MVD to liquid crystal cells. In this over-driving method, the data voltage level is increased on the basis of a data change, in order to obtain the desired brightness corresponding to the brightness value of the input data within one frame period.
Display devices whose pixels include W (white) subpixels, in addition to R (red) subpixels, G (green) subpixels, and B (blue) subpixels, are currently under development. Herein, a display device whose pixels are divided into R, G, B, and W subpixels is referred to as a "RGBW-type display device." The W subpixels can reduce power consumption because they can increase the brightness of each pixel. However, applying the above over-driving method to the RGBW-type display device involves storing RGBW data of four colors in a frame memory, which is accompanied by the problem of having to increase the frame memory capacity. Also, there is no standard method of converting RGBW data into brightness and color difference information, and an over-driving circuit for the RGB-type display device is not compatible with an over-driving circuit for the RGBW-type display device. For this reason, there is a need to develop a new over-driving circuit applicable to the RGBW-type display device.

Over-driving circuit and display device having an over-driving circuit


A projection-type display apparatus, comprises a front lens group having a plural number of lenses, each having rotationally symmetric surface configuration, a rear lens group, being disposed in rear of the front lens group, including a refractive lens for diverting a light and having a rotationally symmetric surface configuration, and a plural number of free curved surface lenses, each having a rotationally asymmetric free curved surface configuration, and a reflection mirror, being disposed in rear of the rear lens group, having a convex configuration into a direction of reflection of light and a rotationally asymmetric free curved surface configuration, at least in a part thereof.

The present invention relates to an optical unit and a projection-type displaying apparatus using the optical unit therein, for conducting image display by projecting an image from a image display element(s), enlargedly, upon a screen.
In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. Hei 5-134213 (1993), for example, is already disclosed a technology for projecting an image on a screen into the direction inclined or oblique to the screen, while shifting the projection screen into the direction perpendicular to an optical axis of a projection system, with using an additional optic system, being disposed by inclining by a predetermined angle with respect to that optical axis of the projection system.
Also, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-157560 (2004), for example, there is already disclosed a reflection-type image forming optical system, for projecting an image on the image display element(s) onto the screen (i.e., the tracing surface), enlargedly, with using a plural number of reflection mirrors.


A hybrid-vehicle power generator control apparatus. Based on a difference electric power value, which corresponds to the difference between an electric power generator power command value given by a higher-hierarchy control unit and an output voltage value of an electric power generator, an electric power generator control unit calculates an electric power generator rotation speed command value and based on the calculated electric power generator rotation speed command value, the electric power generator control unit PWM-controls an output of the electric-power conversion system that performs electric conversion between the electric power generator and a battery, so that the rotation speed of the electric power generator is made to keep track of the electric power generator rotation speed command value and the output electric power value of the electric power generator is made to keep track of the electric power generator power command value.

A railroad vehicle is characterized in that because it travels by means of its iron wheels rolling over rail surfaces, its traveling resistance is smaller than that of an automobile. In particular, in a recent electric railroad vehicle, regenerative brake control is performed in which the main motor is operated as an electric power generator at the braking mode so that braking force is obtained and in which electric energy generated by the main motor at the braking mode is returned to the overhead line so as to be recycled as power running energy for other vehicles. It is known that an electric railroad vehicle equipped with a regenerative brake travels with approximately half energy consumption in comparison with an electric railroad vehicle that is not equipped with any regenerative brake. Therefore, an electric railroad vehicle equipped with a regenerative brake is an energy-saving one that effectively utilizes its characteristic that the traveling resistance is small.
Meanwhile, it is the present situation that in a local railroad or the like where the transportation density is low, meticulous passenger service is realized at low cost, by utilizing a diesel railcar that does not require any infrastructure such as an overhead line or a substation. However, because a diesel railcar has no means for regenerate energy for other vehicles through an overhead line or the like, the recycle of regenerative energy, which is performed by an electric railroad vehicle, has not been carried out. Accordingly, it has been considered that in order to realize energy-saving travel of a diesel railcar, there is no choice but to rely on the development of a high-mileage engine.
As a method of promoting energy saving even for such a diesel railcar, there has been proposed a hybrid diesel railcar in which an engine, an electric power generator, and an electric storage device are combined with one another (e.g., refer to Patent Document 1). In the hybrid diesel railcar, because a battery is provided, it is made possible that at the braking mode, the battery temporarily absorbs generative energy generated by the main motor, and the absorbed regenerative energy is recycled as part of energy required at the power running mode so that the energy saving can be realized.
In contrast, when the hybrid diesel railcar continues to descend a long distance with the regenerative brake, the battery is overcharged; thus, it is required to suppress the battery charging power through some sort of method. As a method for that, there is utilized a so-called engine brake in which the electric power generator is operated as a motor and the engine is utilized as a rotation friction load so that energy is intentionally consumed. In contrast, it is also made possible that as braking force for a vehicle, not a regenerative brake but a mechanical brake is utilized so that energy itself is suppressed and hence overcharging is prevented; however, when the time and trouble for the maintenance of a brake shoe, which wears away, is taken into consideration, it is desirable to refrain from utilizing the mechanical brake as much as possible; therefore, the usage of the engine brake has advantage.
The hybrid diesel railcar disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured with an engine, an AC power generator that is driven by the engine so as to output AC power, a converter that converts AC power into DC power, an inverter that inverts DC power into AC power, a motor that drives a railroad vehicle, a speed reducer that reduces the rotation of the motor and transfers it to a wheel axle, an electric storage device that has a function of performing charging and discharging with DC power, a service-power-source inverter, a service-power-source transformer, and a control apparatus; however, the control method at the foregoing engine braking mode is not described in detail.

Hybrid-vehicle power generator control apparatus


A method of printing bar codes, comprising the steps of reading destination data from a piece to be delivered, on which the destination data is provided and which has at least first to third regions, printing a bar code representing the destination data on the piece, and printing on the piece a bar code representing sender's data when the piece is found to be a destination-unknown one.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of printing bar codes on pieces to deliver, such as mail pieces, and a method of reading bar codes printed on pieces to deliver, which help enhance efficiency of delivering the pieces. The invention also relates to a method and system for encoding and decoding bar codes, which are fit for use in bar-code encoding/decoding system designed to increase the efficiency of delivering pieces.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japan a postal zoning system has long been adopted to enhance mail-delivering efficiency. In the postal code system, a sender writes on the mail piece (i.e., the letter) a postal code. The postal code consists of either three figures or five figures, designating the zone in which the receiver lives. The sender mails the mail piece, which is transported to the nearest post office, along with other mail pieces. In the post office, the postal codes written on the mail pieces are optically read. The mail pieces are sorted in accordance with the codes thus read, more efficiently than otherwise.
Recently, a new postal zoning system has been proposed in which the conventional postal code be replaced by a novel postal code consists of seven figures. The sender writes on a mail piece the novel postal code designating the receiver's town and the address number designating the receiver's lot number. In the central post office, an optical character reader (OCR) reads the postal code and address number written on the mail piece, both codes thus read are converted into a bar code, and the bar code is printed by a bar-code printer on the mail piece, i.e., an envelope or a post card. The mail piece with the bar code printed on it is sent to the local post office. In the local post office, a bar code reader reads the bar code on the mail piece and outputs the data representing the postal code and address number. In accordance with this data, the mail piece is sorted automatically, thereby increasing mail-delivering efficiency even more.
It is proposed that a so-called "VCS (Video Coding System)" be used if the OCR fails to read the bar code (i.e., novel postal code and address number). The VCS prints a bar code on the mail piece, which represents an ID number indicating the date of reading the bar code, the serial number of the bar-code printer and the lot number for the mail piece. The image data of any mail piece on which the ID number is printed is displayed to an operator. The operator reads the postal code and the address number written on the mail piece and inputs both codes, which are converted into a bar code.
The bar code representing the postal and address codes and the bar code representing the ID number are printed at a prescribed position on that side of the mail piece on which the sender has written the receiver's name and address. The bar codes may overlap the receiver's name or address, because the sender can write the receiver's name and address at any position he or she choose on said side of the mail piece. In this case, the bar codes are not read at all or read incorrectly. If the bar codes are not read at all, the receiver's name and address written by the sender must be read and input by the operator, making it difficult to increase the mail-delivering efficiency and inevitably increase the cost of delivering mail. If the bar code are read but incorrectly, the mail piece will be delivered to a wrong person and be eventually reach the receiver much later.
The bar code representing the ID number can be far smaller than the bar code representing the postal and address codes, and is less likely to overlap the receiver's name or address than the bar code representing the postal and address codes. Hence, the probability that it is not read at all or is read incorrectly is low. Nonetheless, it may not be read at all or may be read incorrectly, just like the bar code which represents the postal and address codes.
As indicated above, the bar code printed on a mail piece, which represents the destination data (e.g., a postal code and an address number), is not read at all or is read but incorrectly if it overlaps the receiver's name or address written on the mail piece. As a consequence, the receiver's name and address must be read and input by the operator, which inevitably reduce the mail-delivering efficiency, or the mail piece is delivered to a wrong person.
Representing the destination data, the bar code printed on a mail piece does indeed helps to improve mail-delivering efficiency. If the bar code cannot be read or is read but incorrectly, however, the operator needs to pick out the mail piece so that a postman may return the mail piece to the sender. Inevitably, the efficiency of returning mail pieces to the senders cannot be raised.
Accordingly a first object of the invention is to provide a method of printing bar codes on mail pieces such that address-unknown pieces can be automatically picked out, thereby to enhance the efficiency of returning the mail pieces to the senders.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method of printing bar codes on mail pieces, which can increase the reliability of the bar codes which represent destination data items.
A third object of the invention is to provide a method and system which can encode and decode bar codes representing numerical data such as ID numbers, with high reliability.

Method of printing bar codes on pieces to deliver, and method and system for encoding and decoding bar codes


A dc motor speed control circuit is provided. A first circuit utilizing an opto-electric sensor for providing an input signal corresponding to a desired dc motor speed is connected to a second circuit and the second circuit is connected to the dc motor, wherein the second circuit responds to the input signal and causes current to flow through the dc motor corresponding to the input signal. A temperature circuit, voltage level circuit and current level circuit may also be connected to the second circuit to control the dc motor.

The present invention relates to the control of motors and, more particularly, to a simplified circuit for the control of a direct current (dc) motor using opto-electric sensing.
DC motors are designed and used in a variety of applications, such as golf carts and fork lifts to name a few. Various techniques or systems have been utilized to control the speed and operation of direct current motors. However, these techniques or systems have generally involved complex electrical circuitry which is not only space intensive but also relatively expensive to manufacture. As the use of dc motors, and the vehicles they power, has become ever more pervasive, there has become a great need for a reduction in the space and cost of the control circuitry.
Therefore, what is needed is a simplified circuit for the control of a direct current motor.

Opto-electrically controlled direct current motor speed control circuit


A logic circuit includes first and second input, an output, an input acknowledgement node, an output acknowledgement node, a logic evaluation block, a pre-charging circuit, and a completion detection circuit. The logic evaluation block performs a logic evaluation of first and second input signals at the first and second inputs, and to output an output signal corresponding to the logic evaluation. The pre-charging circuit pre-charges the logic evaluation block in response to the first input signal and an acknowledgement signal at the input acknowledgement node. The completion detection circuit generates an acknowledgement signal at the output acknowledgement node in response to the second input signal and the output signal.

The recent trend in miniaturizing integrated circuits (ICs) has resulted in smaller devices which consume less power, yet provide more functionality at higher speeds. The miniaturization process has also resulted in stricter design and manufacturing specifications. Various electronic design automation (EDA) processes are developed to generate, optimize and verify designs for semiconductor devices while ensuring that the design and manufacturing specifications are met. Logic synthesis is one such EDA process.

Logic circuit and system and computer program product for logic synthesis

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A gas suction filtration apparatus in which a liquid filter medium is contained in a closed container. A gas intake pipe is positioned so as to introduce the gas to be filtered into the bottom of the container and a suction device applies a suction force to the upper part of the container to draw the gas through the liquid filter medium. Gas-liquid mixing plates are disposed in the container which have numerous holes for passage of the gas therethrough. The mixing plates have diameters only slightly smaller than that of the container, and preferably the gap between the outside diameter of the plates and the inside diameter of the container is smaller than the diameter of the holes so that substantially all of the gas to be filtered must pass through the holes to facilitate contact between the gas and the liquid filter medium.

Heretofore, there have been known various apparatuses called filtration apparatuses, removal apparatuses and suction apparatuses by which specific gas components contained in gas (air) are recovered by adsorption or microorganisms and fine particulate solid contained in gas are adsorbed and then removed using a down-washing shower and the like.
However, the conventional filtration and adsorption apparatuses are structurally complex and should be applied special principles or techniques to their filtration and adsorption mechanisms. As an inevitable consequence, such apparatuses themselves are expensive "chemical apparatuses", resulting in an economical deficiency.
In particular, as for apparatuses suitable for removal of MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which causes so called "hospital infection" and pollen of Sugi (Japanese cedar) which causes so-called "pollen disease", both which are recent problems, or apparatuses suitable for removal of floating agricultural chemicals which cause so-called "House disease" which is a problem for persons engaged in vegetable culture in a house containing vinyl, or apparatuses suitable for removal of puzzolana or sand and dust in desert, any useful one has not been provided yet.
Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a suction filtration apparatus which can be constructed very simply due to its extremely simple principle and, furthermore, which can exhibit more excellent filtering property particularly in removal of substances which may cause such various kinds of air pollution as described above, which being current problems, than the conventional apparatuses in spite of its simple structure.


A blank for magnetic hard disk and a method for producing the same are provided, characterized in that the attachment or adhesion of a blank of a disk shape to each other can be prevented when such blank is stacked together for disk annealing, thereby improving the productivity of magnetic hard disk, and that the damage of blank surface can be prevented during blanking. Firstly, an aluminium alloy plate is subjected to continuous surface washing process with an etching solution while winding off the aluminium alloy plate in a coil, whereby the oxide film on the surface of the aluminium alloy plate is removed to concurrently deposit insoluble smut on the surface. Then, the aluminium alloy plate after the washing process is pressed for blanking thereof into a blank of a disk shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blank for magnetic hard disk produced by blanking an aluminium- or aluminium alloy plate in the form of a disk, and a method for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a blank for magnetic hard disk and a method for producing the same, characterized in that even after annealing such blank stacked on each other, the blank can be peeled off from each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
The magnetic hard disk materials to be used as a recording medium for computer systems and the like should be demanded to have the following properties;
1. the materials should be of light weight; PA0 2. the materials should be non-magnetic; PA0 3. the materials should be rigid; PA0 4. the materials can readily procure excellent surface precision by precise processing and grinding; and PA0 5. the materials should be inexpensive. PA0 1. finishing a product of a given dimension; and PA0 2. for subsequent plating process and polishing process, removing the oxide film layer on the blank surface and decreasing the surface roughness of the blank prior to plating process. The surface roughness of the blank is about 30 nm after the substrate processing.
Therefore, aluminium alloy plates are generally used as magnetic hard disk materials. Aluminium alloy plates of 5,000 series, such as 5086 alloy, in particular, are excellent in terms of the properties described above. Therefore, such aluminium alloy plates are used, in the forms of coating-type media or thin-film media, as aluminium materials for hard disk drive (HDD) as a recording medium for computer systems.
Such aluminium disks are generally produced as follows. Producing firstly an aluminium alloy ingot, the ingot is then subjected to soaking process and hot rolling prior to cold rolling, to prepare an aluminium alloy plate at a given plate thickness. The resulting aluminium alloy plate is blanked into a disk form, which is defined as so-called blank. The blank thus prepared is stacked together for pressure loading so as to remove the distortion and for subsequent annealing while the stacked blanks are kept at a temperature above 300.degree. C. (such annealing is referred to as `disk annealing` hereinafter). The individual blanks after such disk annealing adhere to each other because the blanks are in contact to each other, at such a high temperature under a high pressure for a long period, which causes Al and Mg atoms in one blank to be transferred into an adjacent blank. Hence, the individual blanks should necessarily be peeled off from each other after annealing.
After the termination of peeling, such individual blanks should be subjected to substrate processing. The term `substrate processing` means a process of grinding the surface of a blank by means of a grindstone of about #3000. The processing is for the following purposes;
By processing the substrate-processed blank with Ni--P plating of a thickness of 20 .mu.m or less, intensity and hardness can be imparted to the disk to prevent the occurrence of data error because of disk damage. Furthermore, the plating film should be polished so as to remove so-called plating defects developed in the Ni--P plating and to prepare the Ni--P plating film into a smooth film. The process makes a magnetic head at low flotation, to yield highly dense recording.
Following the cost down of computer systems in recent years, the cost down of the substrate processing has been demanded. As the method for decreasing the cost of the substrate processing, a method has been known, comprising preliminarily removing the surface oxide film of an aluminium alloy plate prior to grinding, thereby improving the grinding rate. For aluminium disk production on the basis of the method described above, investigations have been made of a method comprising melting and removing the surface oxide film of a blank with nitric acid or phosphoric acid prior to blanking of an aluminium alloy plate into a disk form and subjecting the resulting blank to substrate processing.
During the process of continuously melting and removing the surface oxide film of an aluminium alloy plate with nitric acid or phosphoric acid while winding off the aluminum alloy plate in a coil, however, the blank should adhere to each other because the blank is in contact, through the clean aluminium surface with no oxide film, to each other which causes the transfer of Al and Mg atoms between such blanks when the blank is stacked together at a high temperature and a high pressure for disk annealing. Hence, the individual blanks adhere to each other more tightly, so a higher peeling strength is required than those by conventional processes, when these blanks are to be peeled off from each other after the completion of disk annealing. Therefore, the individual blanks are peeled off from each other with much more difficulty. Consequently, the productivity of aluminium disk is down, involving potential damage of disk surface during peeling.
During blanking process, additionally, the aluminium alloy plate with the surface hard oxide film preliminarily removed with nitric acid or phosphoric acid is disadvantageously more readily damaged of the surface thereof than aluminium alloy plates with the surface oxide film never removed.
So as to enhance the peelability of a disk after disk annealing, it is effective that an appropriate oxide film is present, as an inclusion for preventing the transfer of Al and Mg atoms, on an aluminium material, and a method therefor is proposed as is found in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 6-84170. Adversely, however, the presence of such oxide film makes more difficult the grinding process of a blank material into a substrate, involving the decrease of the productivity, disadvantageously. So as to prevent this, a blank after disk annealing and peeling should necessarily be washed with nitric acid or phosphoric acid so as to remove the oxide film prior to surface grinding. Then, washing process should be introduced. Additionally in this case, individual peeled-off blanks should be washed at a minimum unit (one blank at the lower limit) each time. In any way, the productivity will be decreased from the respect of the overall substrate production process, which is not necessarily effective.
In such problematic circumstances, the present invention has been attained. The object of the present invention is to provide a blank for magnetic hard disk and a method for producing the same, characterized in that even after removing the oxide film of the blank so as to improve the grinding rate, the adhesion or attachment of the blank to each other can be prevented during disk annealing, thereby improving the productivity of magnetic hard disk and that the damage of the surface of the blank can be prevented during the blanking process.

Blank for magnetic hard disk and method for producing same


A shuttle lock for a below-knee prosthesis comprising a body portion having a vertically extending hole for receipt of a pin from a roll-on suction suspension sleeve located within a socket, and a cup-shaped flange positioned on a upper surface of the body portion for receipt of the socket to provide on-axis alignment of the pin to the shuttle lock. The shuttle lock further includes a sprag clutch for engagement and disengagement of the pin.

Various types of foot and leg prosthetic devices are well known in the art. Such devices frequently include some form of attachment for coupling the device to the distal end of the limb of the amputee and for extending to the ground to provide body support. Leg prosthesis are generally of two types, being an above knee prosthesis and a below knee prosthesis. One form of below-knee prosthesis is fabricated as an assembly having a flexible roll-on suction suspension sleeve, a socket, a shuttle lock, a lower leg component and a foot. The shuttle lock provides rigid attachment of the suspension sleeve to the socket and lower leg component.
Some currently available shuttle lock components utilized in below-knee prosthesis designs consist of a ratchet style or clutch style cylindrical body portion having a hole for receipt of the suspension sleeve pin. The body includes a release button to disengage a gear located within the body from the pin.
A problem with existing types of shuttle lock designs is that the cylindrical body must become intregal and permanently molded to the prosthetic socket during fabrication. If the cylindrical body is improperly positioned during fabrication, the pin may not align easily and consistently with the shuttle lock latching mechanism. The only alternative is either to refabricate the socket, which can be time consuming and generate additional costs, or try to train the patient to overcome the difficulty he faces in donning the prosthesis.
Consequently, there exists a need for a new and improved shuttle lock for a below knee prosthesis that can be positioned and repositioned at any time on the distal socket to provide on-axis alignment of the pin to the body of the shuttle lock to alleviate patient frustration and eliminate rejection of an improperly aligned socket.


The invention provides an apparatus, system and method for allowing multiple television (TV) sets to communicate with each other in synchronizing their audiovisual signal output (when set to the same TV channel) to allow simultaneous viewing of common programming content.

Many television (TV) users prefer to view multiple TV set units simultaneously tuned to the same broadcast station and/or television program (for example in a bar or restaurant displaying multiple TV sets tuned to the same sporting event) and many homes have televisions in different rooms of the house (such as the kitchen and/or living room and/or bedroom) that are all simultaneously tuned to the same TV channel to allow a user to view the same program while moving between rooms.
With the advent of cable and satellite TV control units along with digital video recorders (DVRs) as well as high-definition (HD) TV sets (and other "pass-through" electronic devices) for processing television signals, delay can be introduced into one or more of the signals during processing to cause the timing of commonly displayed programming content to become unsynchronized (i.e., "out of sync") when simultaneously viewed on multiple TV sets, which in turn can create audio "sound echoes" and mismatched video streams. There are no known solutions to this problem other than to "splice" (or manually split) a single signal between two or more television sets in order to "sync" the audio and visual images so that they are all displayed in concert with each other.

Apparatus, method and system for synchronizing a common broadcast signal among multiple television units

International Business Machines Corporation


A message object corresponding to an input voice signal moves upward as time passes, like a bubble, after the voice signal is input. Accordingly, the user can recognize the input data easily and intuitively. The user selects a desired recognized message object and drags and drops the message object to a desired destination object. In this way, the user can transmit a voice signal associated with the message object to the terminal corresponding to the destination object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program. In particular, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program, in which a preferable method for information processing can be provided.
2. Description of the Related Art
A personal computer can perform various processes by using text data input via a keyboard or voice data captured by a microphone. The input data can be transmitted as a message to another personal computer through a network.
The message input to the personal computer is, for example, stored in a file. When the user transmits the message, he or she has to recognize the file containing the message from the file name so as to read the message. Also, a received message is stored in a file. Thus, when the user reads the message, he or she has to recognize the file containing the message from the file name so as to read out the message.
That is, in known arts, a user cannot easily and intuitively recognize data (message) used in a personal computer from the display mode of an icon of a file, and thus cannot perform a series of processes easily.

Information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program


A controller provides authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) services for a network, the controller comprising a control unit having one or more processors and a Representational State Transfer (REST) interface executed by the control unit to receive application data that specifies an interface method and a resource identifier for a resource, the resource identifier conforming to a subscriber management resource model. The REST interface determines, based on the resource identifier, a record for a subscriber management construct corresponding to the resource. The REST interface applies, to the record, an action corresponding to the interface method to modify access to the network by a subscriber.

Network service providers typically deploy one or more servers to manage authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) functionality for networks that offer services to one or more subscribers. The protocol most commonly used by the servers to communicate with clients is the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. The RADIUS protocol is described in Carl Rigney et al., "Remote Authentication Dial In User Server (RADIUS)," Network Working Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Request for Comments 2865, June 2000, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety (referred to hereinafter as "RFC 2865"). Another AAA framework, known as the Diameter protocol, extends and replaces RADIUS. Diameter is described in V. Fajardo et al., "Diameter Base Protocol," Network Working Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Request for Comments 6733, October 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety (referred to hereinafter as "RFC 6733"). The RADIUS, Diameter, and other AAA protocols are referred to hereinafter using the term, "AAA protocol," which provides a "AAA framework" for applications.
To request access to a service, a subscriber connects to a network access server (NAS) that acts as a gateway to the service as provided by a service provider network (or the Internet, e.g.). If the NAS is a AAA client configured to communicate with a AAA server for the service provider network using the AAA protocol, the NAS confirms that the subscriber is authentic and is authorized to access the service by requesting the AAA server to validate the access request from the subscriber. Upon validating an access request, the AAA server responds to the NAS with a AAA protocol message directing the NAS to accept the access request and establish a session enabling connectivity between the subscriber and the service provider network for the requested service.

Subscriber management using a restful interface


Disclosed is a vibration motor. The vibration motor includes a bracket including a support tube protruding from the bracket, a case coupled with the bracket, a support shaft supported by the bracket and the case, a bearing rotatably fitted around the support shaft, a rotor fixed to the bearing to rotate together with the bearing, thereby generating vibration, a stator mounted on the bracket to rotate the rotor through interaction with the rotor, a support member installed around the support tube, and a first washer interposed between the support tube and the bearing and supported by the support member.

The present invention relates to a vibration motor.
An electronic appliance such as mobile communication equipment includes a vibration motor generating vibration as an incoming signal or an input signal.
The vibration motor includes an eccentric rotor, which is rotatably installed in a housing and provided therein with a coil, and a stator including a magnet facing the eccentric rotor. Accordingly, if a current is applied to the coil, the rotor rotates due to the interaction between the coil and the magnet, thereby generating vibration.


The microscope apparatus has an objective lens, a sample base on which an observation sample is placed, a sensor target mounted on the tip portion of the objective lens, and a non-contact sensor mounted on the sample base. The non-contact sensor detects the distance to the sensor target. The microscope further has a motor that moves the objective lens along the optical axis and the controller that controls the motor to keep the relative distance between the tip portion of the objective lens 5 and the sample base constant while the control switch is ON.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, sample observation using a microscope is performed so that an objective lens is brought close to a sample placed on a microscope stage to magnify a target observation part on the sample. In this case, the objective lens brought close to the sample decreases in depth of focus with an increase in magnification, leading to difficulty in positioning the objective lens to the observation sample. In addition, even a slight change in the distance between the objective lens and the sample will greatly degrade an observation image.
Although the apparent positions of the objective lens and observation sample are very close to each other, the mechanical linkage length of them is very large because of the interposition of many mechanical parts such as a microscope frame, objective lens moving mechanism, and revolver. These mechanical parts tend to change their dimensions due to changes in temperature. As the number of mechanical parts increases, therefore, the amount of change in dimension increases. In addition, as the mechanical linkage length increases with an increase in the number of mechanical parts, this structure is susceptible to vibrations, resulting in a large vibration amplitude.
Even if, therefore, the objective lens is focused on the observation sample at the time of observation, the distance between the objective lens and the sample greatly changes as the dimensions of the respective mechanical parts change with a change in ambient temperature due to the operation of air conditioning equipment. This readily causes defocusing. In addition, when slight external vibrations are applied to this structure, the distance between the objective lens and the sample changes due to a large vibration amplitude. This readily causes defocusing in the optical axis direction or horizontal direction.
For the reasons described above, even if the focus is adjusted on an observation sample at the time of observation using a microscope, as the ambient temperature changes due to the ON/OFF operation of an illumination lamp and the activation of an internal power supply and air conditioner, the dimensions of mechanical parts change to change the distance between the objective lens and the sample. This causes defocusing.

Microscope apparatus having an objective displacement detection system

Research Organization of Information and Systems


A gas-insulated low- or medium-voltage load break switch includes: a housing defining a housing volume for holding an insulation gas at an ambient pressure; a first arcing contact and a second arcing contact arranged within the housing volume, the first and second arcing contacts being movable in relation to each other along an axis of the load break switch and defining a quenching region in which an arc is formed during a current breaking operation; a pressurizing system having a pressurizing chamber arranged within the housing volume for pressurizing a quenching gas from an ambient pressure p0 to a quenching pressure pquench during the current breaking operation; and a nozzle system arranged within the housing volume for blowing the pressurized quenching gas in a subsonic flow pattern from the pressurization chamber onto the arc formed in the quenching region during the current breaking operation. The nozzle system includes at least one nozzle arranged for blowing the quenching gas from an off-axis position predominantly radially inwardly onto the quenching region.

Load break switches (LBS) constitute an integral part of the gas-insulated ring main units assigned to the task of switching load currents in a range of 400 A-2000 A (rms). When switching a current, the switch is opened by relative movement of the contacts (plug and tulip) away from each other, whereby an arc may form between the separating contacts.
A traditional load break switch typically uses a knife switch or, in more advanced designs, a mechanism (e.g. a puffer mechanism) to cool and extinguish the arc. In load break switches with a puffer mechanism, quenching gas is compressed in a compression (puffer) volume and released, through the center of the tulip, towards the arc for extinguishing the arc. An example of this flow is shown in FIG. 4 and described in more detail below.
Typically, SF6 is used as the quenching gas because of its excellent dielectric and cooling properties. Low interruption current, coupled with the efficient cooling properties of SF6 allow for a relatively low pressure build-up for interrupting the arc in LBS, which enables a low-cost solution for the drive and the overall design of the traditional load breaker.
WO 2013/153110 A1 discloses a high-voltage gas circuit breaker, which is designed to interrupt short-circuit currents in a range of tens of kiloamperes at high voltages above 52 kV, For this purpose, the circuit breaker has an extinguishing-gas pressurization system, which includes a piston-driven pressurization chamber and/or a self-blasting heating chamber that is or are fluidally connected via a heating channel to a nozzle system providing a nozzle constriction or nozzle throat to confine the arc-blowing gas and to accelerate it above the speed of sound. Such circuit breakers are used in high-voltage transmission systems, and in particular in high-voltage substations (air-insulated or dielectric-gas-insulated switchgear assemblies).
Circuit breakers are in contrast to load break switches that e.g. form part of ring main units (RMUs, so-called secondary medium voltage equipment), which are designed for distributing electric energy at relatively low rated currents of several 100 A and at relatively low rated voltages up to e.g. 36 kV or up to 24 kV or up to 12 kV. The load break switch can switch-off only nominal load currents and only up to typically 2 kiloamperes at most.
EP 2 958 124 A1 discloses an arc-extinguishing insulating material molding and a gas circuit breaker using same.
EP 1 916 684 A1 discloses a gas-insulated high-voltage circuit breaker having a nozzle with a first throat and a second throat for providing locally subsonic flow, followed by a nozzle diffusor part for providing strong supersonic gas expansion.
WO 84/04201 discloses an SF6-gas load break switch for distribution voltages, which has a piston and nozzle system for arc blowing. Therein, the rapid motion of the piston generates a blow of insulating gas through holes in the piston for directing the gas around first ends of the contact rods and through the nozzle to quench the arc. Due to high speed operation of the breaker drive and hence piston motion, due to hermetic sealing and due to the small diameter of the SF6-gas load break switch, high gas pressures and thus supersonic flow conditions are are generated.

Gas-insulated low- or medium-voltage load break switch