An autofocus device and method for a camera that can process statistically the tracking and focusing of an object in high velocity motion. The device and method corrects the acceleration of the motion and computes a lens forwarding amount and an absolute position of the object. This is achieved by a camera system including a camera body and a focus lens. The camera body includes an autofocus detector, an autofocus processor section and a main CPU. The focus lens includes a lens, a lens driving gear, a lens CPU, and a motor. This structure, having an improved autofocus processor, enables highly accurate prediction tracking and autofocus control that accommodates fluctuations in an autofocus operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an autofocus device of a camera and method that enables highly accurate prediction tracking of objects moving with a high velocity, which have been difficult to focus until now. Moreover, focus precision is constantly obtained even when unstable motion due to the effects of fluctuation in autofocus detection of acceleration values are present.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a movement in the industry to make some acceleration corrections in addition to linearly predicting the change in position of the object image composition plane with the lens focused on infinite distance (hereafter "image plane position") for a moving object, especially for an object moving with a high velocity for which the time required for autofocus in a camera becomes critical. It is well known that, even when an object is in uniform motion, the behavior of the image plane cannot be expressed linearly corresponding to the motion. If, by chance, the motion of the image plane is guaranteed to be a linear motion like the motion of the object, a linear prediction method such as extrapolation of the past defocus amount data clearly results in sufficient accuracy.
Suppose an object is approaching the camera with a constant speed V and passing the vicinity of the camera at a distance h. The image plane position of the object is expressed in formula 1 below where f denotes the focal distance of the shooting lens. ##EQU1##
A graph of the formula plotted with the image plane versus time is a curve with a peak as illustrated in FIG. 1. The curve illustrated is an example of motion of an object moving with a speed of 80 km/h in which the closest point to the camera with focal length 400 mm is 10 m. The height of the peak and the condition of change of the slope depend on the focal distance of the lens, the velocity of the object, and the closest point of the object to the camera.
The simplest example of tracking motion or predicted driving is a method in which the image plane velocity is evaluated and extended; in other words, a method in which the future position of the object is predicted by extending a tangent line at a certain position to the function describing the image plane position. Of course, this method of predicted driving is well known (for example, Japanese Unexamined Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-14218) and is widely used today. In this method, is at least the lens is simply driven to the measured position without tracking. Compared to focusing motion methods in the past, this method has produced fairly good results for focusing on a moving body.
However, speaking from the point of view of predicting target position more precisely, the tracking of such a method is nothing more than approximating locally using a linear equation or line segments. It is intuitively clear from the characteristics of the curve that this method contains a certain amount of error existing between the positions of the predicted image plane and the actual image plane. An approximation function replacing the linear equation is needed since better tracking is induced by better fitting of the curve to the tracking curve.
If the tracking prediction by a simple linear approximation is not sufficient, then a different course of action must be taken. One answer to this problem is to evaluate the acceleration component of the image plane, or, in other words, an idea in which the velocity change is predicted linearly by studying the second derivative coefficients of the curve to obtain a closer approximation.
One example of this idea is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-285908. In this example, a quadratic equation is determined from three image plane positions, the current position, the position one moment before, and the position two moments before, and the respective times of the three positions. EQU y=at.sup.2 +bt+c (2)
A target position is predicted by substituting the future time t, for the time variable t in this function. Without much effort, one can clearly see that this method predicts the target image plane position by evaluating the image plane acceleration and by extending the velocity linearly into the future. This is because evaluation of the velocity as a linear function causes the function used to describe the image plane position to become a quadratic function.
However, the above-described conventional autofocus adjustment device has the following problems.
The first problem is caused by the use of a quadratic function. It is true that use of a quadratic function improves prediction accuracy over the linear prediction method, but because the image plane position is a reciprocal type function, described by formula 1, approximation by a parabola could not have a more significant probability than the approximation of the image plane position function by a curve instead of a line. In other words, because an image plane position function is a reciprocal type function, the velocity and the acceleration of the image plane become higher order reciprocal type functions, which is characteristic of a reciprocal type function; hence, a simple linear approximation of the functions obtained by differentiating the original function does not agree with the actual conditions. Even if efforts are made to interpret in line with the actual function, since f in the denominator of formula 1 is small enough to be neglected compared to the other terms, the image plane velocity and the acceleration can be obtained as follows. By making the value of h small, these functions become reciprocal functions of a higher order as the order of differentiation becomes higher from the velocity to the acceleration. ##EQU2##
To express the characteristics described above practically, the curvature increases as the curve gets closer to the center. In other words, the non-linear nature of the change in the acceleration becomes more significant. Thus, it can be concluded that a method to approximate a curve with such characteristics is not a preferred method. Since a parabola assumes that there is no change in the acceleration and that change in the velocity is linear, it is difficult to use a parabola over a gradient surface of the peak where change is very rapid.
Thus, various methods of approximating motion of the image plane corresponding to the uniform motion of an object have been tried without complete success. There should be a method more conducive to the actual conditions than the simple application and linear extension of second derivative coefficients obtained by non-advanced mathematics. A better method of approximation needs to be developed, especially around the gradient surface of the peak, though the peak itself and the very small neighborhood of the peak are not as critical.
The second problem in correctly predicting the image plane movement is as follows.
The output of defocus amounts from the autofocus detection equipment contains an error, which causes significant effects on computation of the acceleration and the velocity based on the output. In the case of a system such as the autofocus of a camera, the evaluation of the velocity and the acceleration is not normally obtained continuously, but rather is obtained by taking the differences between discrete data obtained intermittently. Because these discrete data contain fluctuations, if the velocity is 0 or if there is no change in the velocity, the difference between the data naturally represents only the fluctuations. The ratio of the error to the data increases with the order of the difference, causing the level of confidence of the data thus obtained to decrease. Even if much consideration is given to acceleration in predicting the image plane position and the image plane velocity, if the results lack a level of confidence or simply magnify the fluctuations of measured values, the true purpose of the correction itself is subverted. In determining velocity and acceleration, a method must be developed in which the fluctuations accompanying measurement are eliminated as much as possible.


An apparatus for detecting concealed surveillance devices coupled to a transmission line uses either a time domain or frequency domain reflectometry operation to locate any impedance anomalies on the transmission line and a non-linear junction detection operation to classify the located impedance anomalies as semiconductor or non-semiconductor based anomalies. The reflectometry operation utilizes the reflection of a test signal to determine the distance to any reflecting impedance anomalies on the transmission line that may be indicative of an electronic device being coupled to the transmission line. The non-linear junction detection operation then compares the amplitudes of re-radiated second and third harmonics of a transmitted fundamental frequency signal to determine if the reflecting impedance anomalies are the result of a semiconductor based non-linear junction. A DC bias voltage and a balanced load may be added to the transmission line to enhance the line's response to the test signals. Any unidentified semiconductor based anomalies are manually inspected to determine if they represent convert surveillance devices.

Counter surveillance professionals are obviously interested in locating concealed surveillance devices. Often these concealed surveillance devices are coupled to communication or power transmission lines so that they can monitor any transmissions on the line or use the lines to complete their own covert transmissions. The coupling of the surveillance device to the transmission lines usually creates an impedance anomaly on the line that affects the transmission of signals along the line under certain circumstances. Therefore, counter surveillance professionals need a way to locate impedance anomalies on transmission lines caused by surveillance devices coupled to the lines such that the surveillance devices can be removed.
Telecommunications and wiring inspection applications in the airline and automobile industries require examining wires and structures for the presence of harmful corrosive junctions and/or proper wire interconnections. Prior art methods for inspecting such systems are not able to both detect and classify impedance anomalies as either corrosive junctions or semiconductor device based connections. Therefore, an improved way of inspecting wired networks is needed.
Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been used by telecommunications providers as a testing device to locate impedance anomalies on their existing telephone transmission lines. These transmission lines typically contain one or more impedance anomalies due to connections to the lines by devices such as load coils and bridged taps. However, impedance anomalies may occur due to installation errors, faulty lines, or surreptitious connections. These anomalies result in a loss of transmission efficiency and performance because a portion of the energy propagating along the transmission line is reflected back in the direction of the transmitting source. These reflections can cause a significant reduction in signal amplitude when the reflected signal is combined with the original signal, thereby, disrupting any normal transmissions on the line. Time domain reflectometry is typically used to locate and quantify the significance of these anomalies.
Time domain reflectometry involves transmitting a test signal down the transmission line and measuring a time delay between the transmitting of the test signal and the reception of a reflection. If the velocity of propagation for the line is known, the distance to the reflecting impedance anomaly can be determined. Time domain reflectometry can provide some information about the type of impedance anomaly such as is the impedance anomaly more inductive or capacitive. It can also provide accurate range information to the anomaly. Unfortunately, time domain reflectometry cannot provide information about whether or not the anomaly is due to an electronic surveillance device or a mechanical connection or installation imperfection. Thus, since transmission lines typically have several impedance anomalies, a counter surveillance professional interested in locating concealed surveillance devices will be required to manually inspect each identified impedance anomaly to determine if the anomaly is the result of a concealed surveillance device.
Frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) can provide impedance information similar to time domain reflectometry, however frequency domain reflectometry uses a frequency swept waveform to detect any impedance anomalies on a transmission line. As the frequency of the waveform is swept through a range of frequencies, the transmission line's response to the swept waveform is monitored. The amplitude of the measured signal response will exhibit a variation with frequency that is a composite of the fluctuations in impedance due to any reflection points along the line under test. By examining these variations in the line's response to the swept frequency waveform, the location of the impedance anomalies can be determined. Like a time domain reflectometry process, an frequency domain reflectometry process can also provide information regarding the range and nature of the impedance anomaly, but it cannot predict whether or not the anomaly was caused by an electronic device or by some other type of discontinuity.
Therefore, in view of the above discussed deficiencies in the prior art, what is needed is an improved ability to detect impedance anomalies on a transmission line that correspond to electronic devices coupled to the transmission line.

Surveillance device detection utilizing non linear junction detection and reflectometry


A method for selecting multiple content items in a list of content items is presented. In an embodiment, the method first displays a list of content items along the first direction on a display of the computing device. Then, the method detects a first portion of gesture for selecting a first content item in the list of content items. While the first content item is selected, the method detects a trigger for a second portion of the gesture, and then selects at least one second content item based on the second portion of the gesture. The trigger for the second portion of the gesture is a scroll gesture, and while the first content item is selected the scrolling of the list is disabled. A method for manipulating multiple content items in a list of content items is also presented.

Many programs in computing devices such as personal computers or smart phones feature editable content items displayed in the form of a list. A lot of times, selection of such items has to be done individually for each item, such as by checking a checkbox or tapping on the item. Such selection methods are prone to errors in both user side and machine side, and are not reliable and convenient to use, especially when a large number of items are to be selected. Therefore a simpler and more intuitive method for selecting multiple items at a time is desired to improve the efficiency of the user interacting with the content items.

Gesture-based selection and manipulation method


A highly reliable vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method is provided, which is capable of quantitatively calculating a degree of fatigue of a driver seated on a seat. The degree of fatigue of the driver seated on a seat is quantitatively calculated based on an amount of rearward deflection of a lower part of a backrest portion of the seat, a load applied downward to a front part of a seating portion of the seat, and a load applied rearward to an upper part of the backrest portion, in a state of the driver being seated on the seat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method for evaluating a degree of fatigue of a driver sitting on a seat of a vehicle such as a passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle or a bus, and to a vehicle seat evaluating method and vehicle seat evaluating apparatus using this vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to improve comfort in vehicles, development is desired of seats that cause little fatigue after a long sitting. To reduce the fatigue of the waist in particular is effective for relieving the fatigue of the whole body for the driver sitting on the seat.
The vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method includes a method in which a subject is asked to enter a feeling of seating and a feeling of fatigue (especially a feeling of fatigue of the waist) on an evaluation sheet, and a method in which the fatigue of the waist of a subject is evaluated by detecting the myoelectric potential of the waist, both after the subject is actually seated on a seat for a long time.
As described in the prior art, a problem of low reliability occurs with the method in which the subject is asked to enter a feeling of seating and a feeling of fatigue on an evaluation sheet. This is because the subject's subjectivity tends to influence the evaluation of the feeling of seating and the feeling of fatigue (especially a feeling of fatigue of the waist), and an objective and quantitative evaluation of the fatigue of the driver sitting on a seat is impossible.
In the method in which the fatigue of the waist of a subject is evaluated by detecting the myoelectric potential of the waist, the myoelectric potential detected is prone to noise (spike noise, i.e. noise of very small pulse width resulting from switching operations). The fatigue of the driver sitting on a seat cannot be evaluated properly only by detecting the myoelectric potential of the subject's waist. Further, its validity is not positive with respect to the existence of correlation between the fatigue of the driver sitting on the seat and the myoelectric potential of the subject's waist.
The object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method capable of quantitatively calculating a degree of fatigue of a driver seated on a seat, and to provide a highly reliable vehicle seat evaluating method and vehicle seat evaluating apparatus using this vehicle driver's fatigue evaluating method.

Vehicle-occupant fatigue-level assessment method, vehicle seat assessment method, and vehicle seat assessment device


An electronic tuner of the present invention is arranged such that between an input part of the amplifying circuit and the ground serially connected are a coil and a diode, and a capacitor is connected between the ground and a connecting part between the coil and the diode. The diode is brought into conduction when a voltage supplied from a VHF High control source is at High level, and the coil and input capacitance of the amplifying circuit makes up a gain correction circuit for improving a frequency characteristic of a received signal in a VHF High band. The diode is brought out of conduction when a voltage supplied from a VHF High control source is at Low level, and the coil and the capacitor makes up a trap circuit for improving a frequency characteristic of a received signal in a VHF Low band. This makes it possible to minimize price increase of the apparatus and to improve frequency characteristics in the VHF High band and VHF Low band.

Typically, an electronic tuner is an apparatus for selecting one signal from among a large number of signals sent from TV stations to receive a desired program.
Referring to FIG. 10, the following will explain the electronic tuner. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a typical electronic tuner.
As shown in FIG. 10, receiver signals supplied from an RF-IN terminal of a station-selecting section are first screened to pick out only a desired signal by a band-pass filter 101 (BPF (1)) which operates in accordance with a tuning voltage from a power source 106. Thereafter, the desired signal goes to an AMP 102 to be amplified. Next, the amplified receiver signal is further screened by a band-pass filter 103 (BPF (2)) which operates in accordance with a tuning voltage from the power source 106, and goes to a mixer circuit 104 (MIX).
The mixer circuit 104 is connected to a local oscillator circuit 105 (VCO) which can change an oscillation frequency with a tuning voltage from the power source 106. This local oscillator circuit 105 oscillates a local oscillation signal (LOCAL) in accordance with a tuning voltage and outputs it to the mixer circuit 104.
The mixer circuit 104 performs frequency conversion by mixture of the receiver signal with the local oscillation signal and outputs the frequency-converted receiver signal to an IF-OUT terminal.
This signal outputted to the IF-OUT terminal is referred to as IF signal. The frequency of this IF signal is determined by the difference in frequency between the local oscillation signal and the receiver signal.
Therefore, since the frequency of local oscillation signal is changed in proportion to the desired signal supplied from the RF-IN terminal, the frequency of IF signal is always constant.
Thus, the frequency of the IF signal is always constant, so that it is possible to select only a particular station and receive a program from the selected station.
Incidentally, since VHF used as frequencies for TV stations usually has a wide range of frequencies, an adopted tuner is an electronic tuner of a circuit arranged such that signals are received from the two-divided bands of frequencies. A lower band and upper band of the frequencies are referred to as VHF Low band and VHF High band, respectively.
Therefore, the electronic tuner has control source's lines for the respective bands. This makes possible to receive signals in a broad frequency coverage of VHF in such a manner that in the case where the electronic tuner receives the VHF Low band, a voltage of a VHF Low control source turns High and a circuit of the VHF Low band operates, and in the case where the electronic tuner receives the VHF High band, a voltage of a VHF High control source turns High and a circuit of the VHF High band operates.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a circuit arrangement of a stage before an AMP section shown in FIG. 10.
For example, an electronic tuner shown in FIG. 10 corrects a gain of VHF High band using a circuit (gain correction circuit 107) shown in FIG. 11.
Specifically, in the gain correction circuit 107 shown in FIG. 11, in the case where a voltage of the VHF High control source turns High, a voltage runs through R1 and a voltage appears at a cathode D1, which brings the cathode D1 into conduction. At this time, since the AMP has some input capacity, the circuit in FIG. 11 can be expressed equivalently as a circuit as shown in FIG. 12.
Here, when L1 is set to a proper value, filters occur at L1 and Ci, which can hold up a lower part of the gain. In other words, it is possible to flatly correct frequency characteristic inside a band (VHF High) by holding up a lower part of the gain.
Thus, the electronic tuner includes the foregoing gain correction circuit in some kind of form to improve the frequency characteristic at the VHF High band.
Further, the electronic tuner shown in FIG. 10 is subjected to IF interference described below, and deterioration of frequency characteristic, i.e. deterioration in performance of frequency characteristic occurs even in the VHF Low band.
It is desirable that the IF signal outputted from the IF-OUT terminal of the electronic tuner is a signal from the selected particular station. However, there is the possibility that other interfering signals which come in the electronic tuner due to various kinds of factors might cause deterioration in performance of frequency characteristic.
A typical example of factors of deterioration in performance of frequency characteristic is IF interference. This is an interference that in the case where an interfering signal having the same frequency as the IF signal exists in the RF-IN terminal, the interfering signal directly or indirectly passes through the circuit inside the electronic tuner and is outputted to the IF-OUT terminal, which deteriorates the signal for the selected particular station. This IF interference tends to occur at low frequencies, that is, frequencies close to those of IF signal (VHF Low band).
In order to improve the IF interference, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 105723/1992 (Jitsukaihei 4-105723, published on Sep. 11, 1992) discloses a technique of providing a trap circuit with at least one stage (variable trap circuit) inside the electronic tuner.
However, as described above, since the electronic tuner has been already provided with the gain correction circuit for the improvement of frequency characteristic at the VHF High band, provision of the trap circuit for the improvement of IF interference at the VHF Low band results in a large circuit configuration and price increase of the apparatus. Especially, for the proper improvement of IF interference, it is necessary to increase the number of stages in the trap circuit. Such a case results in a further large circuit configuration and further price increase of the apparatus.


In the diversity receiver, the RF switcher switches the received signals to supply them to the RSSI power detector equipped with diversity function. Subsequently, the RSSI power detector with diversity function feeds the RF switcher with an antenna switching signal. According to the determination of antennas at this instance, an IQ start-up signal for starting up the I/Q subsection is produced to make the I/Q subsection operate assuredly in response to a signal intended to receive, without operating the I/Q subsection in response to an erroneous detection of noise during processing therein, thereby eliminating useless operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio receiver and a method of selecting antennas. More specifically, the present invention relates to a radio receiver specifically applicable to for example a radio local area network (LAN), and particularly to a diversity type of receiver for receiving radio packets. The present invention specifically relates to a method of selecting antennas applicable to a diversity type of radio receiver.
2. Description of the Background Art
A diversity receiver scheme for use in wireless or radio transmission systems is adapted to receive electro-magnetic waves with two or more antennas, while selecting appropriate one of the antennas so as to use electromagnetic waves caught by an antenna in a better receiving state. A radio packet receiver employing such a diversity system comprises a high frequency circuit section and a baseband processor section. The high frequency circuit section is provided with a selector switch for selecting radio receive signals caught by appropriate one of the antennas and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter section for converting an output from the selector switch into a corresponding digital signal.
The selector switch periodically switches the antennas at a predetermined time interval to receive appropriate electro-magnetic waves. The A/D converter section includes an A/D converter for RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) for use in measuring the strength of electromagnetic waves and another A/D converter for I/Q (In-phase/Quadrature) components. The A/D converter section feeds the thus converted digital signals to the baseband section. The baseband section comprises an RSSI power detector subsection, an I/Q detector subsection and an I/Q demodulator subsection.
The A/D converter for RSSI in the high frequency section feeds the converted digital signals to the RSSI power detector subsection. Also, the A/D converter for I/Q components in the high frequency section feeds the converted digital signals to the I/Q detector subsection and the I/Q demodulator subsection.
The I/Q detector subsection, once detecting data, enables the I/Q demodulator subsection to operate. The I/Q demodulator subsection calculates self-correlation on the data received from selected one of the antennas to then store the obtained correlation value. Subsequently, it changes over the selector switch so as to receive waves from the other antenna and then calculates a self-correlation value on the data received from the other antenna. The baseband section compares the calculated self-correlation value with the stored self-correlation value to select one of the antennas which supplies a larger value in order to use thereafter the selected antenna as a receiver antenna.
On the other hand, the signal circuitry for the A/D converter for RSSI and the RSSI power detector subsection is used to detect, when transmitting, whether or not other terminals emit electromagnetic waves. In other words, it is used to determine whether or not the apparatus is allowed to transmit.
More specific diversity systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,392 to Hoshikuki et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,035 to Bantz et al. In Hoshikuki et al, the output of a reverse spread demodulation circuit is fed to a changeover control circuit, and the changeover control circuit selects a diversity receiver antenna in response to a correlation output generated when the preamble of a packet is received, while the change-over of the antennas is refrained from during receiving packets to maintain the state generating no bit error, thereby preventing deterioration in transmission efficiency in a multi-path environment.
Bantz et al discloses the control of a multi-path fading in a wireless communication system by dynamically combining a transmitter antenna diversity technique and a receiver antenna diversity technique with each other. Particularly in Bantz et al, there are disclosed antenna selection diversity and switching antenna diversity schemes. In the former scheme, a station is provided with a plurality of separate radio communication transceivers connected to respective, separate antennas spaced at a distance from each other corresponding to at least a fading coherence distance, and the antennas are selected after demodulation and packet buffering. In the latter scheme, a plurality of antennas are periodically switched at a given time interval, as with the system described above.
In the meantime, when receiving electro-magnetic waves in a radio communication environment, there may exist electromagnetic waves acting as interferential waves other than intended waves. In view of the effect of such interferential waves and the like, it is hardly determinable, in simple power detection by the RSSI power detector section, which one of the antennas connected is in its better receiver state. For the purpose of such determination, the diversity system is adapted, as described above, to calculate correlation values for each antenna in the I/Q demodulator subsection and compare the obtained correlation values with each other to thereby select appropriate antennas. However, the I/Q demodulator subsection has a number of operative circuits, which causes a significant amount of electricity to be consumed until an appropriate antennas is selected. In both Hoshikuki et al and Bantz et al, there is disclosed a method of selecting antennas in which one of a plurality of antennas is selected in the diversity to enable reception of better waves, while there is neither disclosure nor suggestion of reduction in electric consumption in selecting antennas.

Radio receiver for selecting appropriate diversity antennas by comparing correlation values and a method for the same


The present invention provides a disposable drain filter comprising a central shaft having a first end region and second end region, and a plurality of snaring discs having a central opening to accommodate the shaft. The snaring discs having radially emanating fins that form a fin snaring disc, wherein each fin is defined by a flat upper wall and a pair of side wall surfaces that meet at a single point, the flat upper wall having a plurality of upwardly projecting protrusions placed at the junction of the upper wall and side walls, to further grip materials. The fin has a narrow first end region affixed to the hollow tube, and a wide second end region. The second end regions of adjacent fins are separated by a 0.25 inch gap. A barb snaring disc is placed sequentially after each fin snaring disc, thereby forming an alternating sequence of snaring discs, wherein the barb snaring discs have radially emanating bristle extensions with barbs to further grip materials. The filter is dimensioned to take a resting position above the trap region of a shower drain. The filter can also be applied to a kitchen and lavatory drain.

Accumulation of solid and fibrous debris in drain pipes can cause backup of unsightly and unhygienic fluids in showers, kitchen sinks and lavatories. Clogged residential and commercial pipes are often cleared with abrasive chemical solutions which may harm individuals and the environment. The prior art discloses numerous systems employing traps, filters and strainers for preventing materials from clogging drain pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,843 discloses a drain strainer for installation into the vertical drain pipe of a bathing water drain for a shower or tub. The drain strainer includes a sieve receptacle having a substantially cylindrical basket, a bristle extension with a stem having a plurality of bristles, a support structure to suspend the sieve receptacle and bristle extension within the drain pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,729 B2 discloses a hair and fibrous shower trap that comprises a material trapping system loop structure. The loop structure is comprised of multiple, concentric circles fixedly attached to each other. The loop structure has a large opening at one end and a smaller opening at the other. The loop structure is dimensioned to fit pop-up, plunger, or push-pull drains for showers, bathtubs, or sinks. In one embodiment, the loop structure is called a salon trap which is shaped in such a manner as to fit within the screw-on opening to a sink trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,862 discloses a drain filter for preventing hair and debris from entering a drain of a bathtub, shower stall, lavatory, sink and the like having a liftable stopper and a flange. The filter has a body shaped and dimension to be adapted to extend entirely around the lifted stopper periphery and extends around the external periphery of the drain. The body is fabricated of a filamentary material with openings to allow for the free passage of water down into the drain, and has a plurality of outward projections above the opening to entangle hair and debris.
These approaches do not present an optimal system for trapping and removing hair from a drain pipe. Solutions which employ a basket-like structure to trap fibrous materials may be circumvented if the basket becomes clogged with small debris. Debris that accumulates in the lowest point of the basket may impede flow down the drain and inhibit the trapping action of the basket. Furthermore, unpleasant odors may be emitted from the drain pipe if debris, such as hair, is trapped in the low point of basket placed at an insufficient depth in the drain pipe. Solutions that place a filter in only the trap region of a drain will likely result in blockage and ineffective capture of fibrous materials since the trapping action takes place at the lowest point instead of the vertical drain pipe. Furthermore, removal of such a filter may be cumbersome since the filter would have to be removed from the bottom of the trap region. Solutions that employ a one system approach do not provide redundancy in the event that the capturing mechanism is compromised. Solutions that require modifications to be made such as altering the pop-up stopper can be both costly, difficult and unsanitary to remove.
In light of the shortcomings in the prior art, a system for trapping is desired that employs an ensnaring systems that has a multiple backup ensnaring mechanisms in the event that the primary ensnaring mechanism is circumvented. The ideal system will be easy to remove from a drain pipe, disposable, and extend from the vertical drain pipe up to or beyond the trap, thereby providing a large surface area for ensnaring materials.


A circuit providing a common voltage for a panel of a display includes a first operational amplifier, a second operational amplifier, a third operational amplifier, a capacitor and a switch circuit. The first operational amplifier outputs a first voltage. The second operational amplifier is powered by the first voltage and receives a polarity signal to output a second voltage. The third operational amplifier outputs a third voltage. The capacitor has a first end coupled to an output of the second operational amplifier and a second end coupled to an output of the third operational amplifier. The switch circuit couples the second end of the capacitor to the panel during a normal operation of the display, and couples one of a high constant voltage and a low constant voltage to the panel during a power saving operation of the display.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit providing a voltage for a display. More particularly, the present invention relates to a circuit providing a common voltage for a panel of a display.
2. Description of Related Art
In a liquid crystal display (LCD), common voltages (VCOM) are usually provided to drive a panel and prevent material from aging, in which the common voltages can be separated into two types when applied, i.e. direct-current (DC) common voltages and alternating-current (AC) common voltages. Specifically, when the AC common voltages are applied, the AC common voltages with different voltage levels are alternatively generated to drive the panel.
However, the common voltages are required to be constant during the frame inversion of the liquid crystal display; that is, the common voltages have to be stable during the power saving operation of the liquid crystal display, so that the liquid crystal display can be successfully operated in the sleep or standby state. Therefore, problems may arise when the AC common voltages are applied during the power saving operation of the liquid crystal display.

Circuit providing common voltage for panel of display


An isolation gasket is provided for interposition between joined pieces of a flow line. The gasket has a gasket body which electrically isolates the pieces from one another. In one embodiment the gasket has a pair of composite, insulative linings laminated on opposite sides of a metal core. An endless channel on each side of the gasket body surrounds a central flow opening and is formed of a depth sufficient to extend through the insulative lining and into the metal core. The outer sidewall of each endless channel is at an acute angle to its bottom wall, and the inner sidewall is at an angle of at least ninety degrees with respect to the bottom wall. The channels may be opposed to or offset from one another. Different channel cross-sections are described. An alternative gasket body may eliminate the metal core and be either a laminated composite body or of integral construction. Here, the endless channels are offset, and depths of the endless channels together exceed the gasket thickness so that the channels overlap to prevent radial fluid migration. In each case, seal elements are disposed in each channel and are configured so that the acutely angled channel outer sidewalls reduce the danger of gasket rollout.

The use of gasket materials as seals interposed in the joints or connections of various pieces of a flow line system has long been known, and the variety of sizes, shapes and materials used for gasket seals is multitudinous. Indeed, the needs of different flow lines and the demands placed upon seals in different flow line applications require increasing innovation in gasket technology, especially in flow lines of a type designated as critical service, i.e., flow lines serving to convey fluids at elevated pressures and/or temperatures.
The oil and gas production industry provides a ready example of an industry that requires critical service gasket technology due to the pressures and temperatures involved as well as to corrosive forces inherent in the extraction of oil and/or gas and the transportation of the produced oil/gas to refineries, gas plants, etc. The continued need for improved technology for these pipeline systems is three-fold. First, the pipeline systems employed in the oil and gas industry represent a huge capital investment so that the protection against damage of the various components of the system is cost effective. Second, there are high labor costs associated with the repair and maintenance of such pipeline systems where damage due to corrosion or gasket blowout occurs; these costs result from the amount of time involved to repair the system as well as in the expenses often associated where such pipeline systems are in remote geographic locations, as increasingly becoming the case in the oil and gas production industry. Third, and perhaps more significant, is the potential for environmental damage which can occur, especially in remote, pristine environments, should a pipeline system leak due to deteriorated pipeline components or connections therebetween. Such leakage in the presence of an electric field also creates the environmental danger of fire.
Damage to and deterioration of components in a oil and/or gas pipeline system is a problem that has long time been recognized and stems from several forces, including oxidation, chemical breakdown, electrolysis breakdown and mechanical breakdown. Although providing gasket materials which are resistive to normal oxidation and which are strong enough to withstand the mechanical forces in critical service applications must not be under emphasized, nonetheless the principal focus of deterioration of components used in oil and gas production concern destruction or breakdown of metals either by chemical or electrochemical reaction with the production environment. Numerous substances in the production environment serve to stimulate the corrosion process of metal components, for example, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and saltwater which are all extremely corrosive to the pipe system and extraction components. These corrosive compounds are abundant in the soil and sea extraction environments typically encountered in the hydrocarbon industry. It has for sometime been further recognized that the flow of oil and/or gas through a metal pipeline causes the production of an electrical current, and the discharge of this current accelerates corrosion of the pipeline components and increase fire danger where leakage result. Also, where two dissimilar metals are in electrical communication, a galvanic cell may be produced which accelerates corrosion of the metal components.
As a result of the recognition of the dangers of electric currents in pipeline systems, there have been many types of dielectric gaskets developed for use in the oil industry. Often, such gaskets employ soft dielectric materials either alone or as a lining on a metallic annular disk. Soft dielectric materials are subject to over compression upon installation which itself may result in leakage at the connective joint. The use of harder dielectric materials encounters problems of cracking when over compressed during installation. In either event, in critical service applications, the high pressure of the contained fluid can cause leakage through the dielectric gasket material and, since the electrical insulating capabilities of the dielectric gasket is a direct function of its thickness, such gaskets are vulnerable to blowout due to the high pressures of the contained fluid when thick section dielectric gaskets are employed.
As a result of these problems, a significant improvement in dielectric gaskets is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,600 issued Oct. 11, 1988 to Kohn, and the present invention is intended to be an improvement over the dielectric pipe flange gasket described in that patent. The present invention provides similar advantages of features with a simplified structure from a manufacturing standpoint. In the '600 patent to Kohn, then, a pipeline gasket is shown which is in annular gasket body which is a lamination of a pair of dielectric linings on opposite sides of a metallic disk. Opposite seal grooves are formed through each lining and into the metal disks, and these grooves are dovetail in cross-section. Ring seals, either in the form of O-rings or lip seals, are shown to be received in these dovetail channels. The structure shown in the Kohn patent has been sold for several years and, more than one year prior to the filing of this application, an improved seal constructed of a spring-biased polytetrafluoroethylene ring has replaced the O-rings and lip seals described in the '600 patent. This improved ring seal has an outer face which matches the outer sidewall of the dovetail and is thicker in dimension than the depth of the dovetail channel. Its width, however, is less than the width of the dovetail so that, upon compression, it may deform within the dovetail channel.
While the structure shown in the Kohn '600 patent as well as the improvement in the ring seal described above have offered a dramatic improvement in the isolation gasket industry, there are nonetheless remains the need to produce a gasket of comparable performance at reduced manufacturing costs. The present invention therefore is directed to such an improvement.

Isolation gasket for critical service flow line applications


Disclosed are several embodiments of a battery-less piezo-electric defibrillation system (2) comprising external piezo-electric defibrillator (4) and at least one electrode (5) connected thereto. The system includes a piezo-electric generator (6) connected to direct cardiac access—(5), or indirect subcutaneous electrode assemblies (30). The piezo-electric generator (6) is energized by a spring-driven striker element (8) and produces electrical pulse for defibrillation. The direct cardiac access electrodes (5) engage the heart muscle directly via the intercostal space. Alternatively, indirect subcutaneous electrodes (34a) are positioned under patient's skin.

Modern emergency medical practice strives to provide the most advanced and timely diagnosis and treatment as possible, since time factor is often crucial to the successful clinical outcomes.
One of the sudden critical health crises is cardiac ventricular fibrillation (VF) which is invariably fatal unless treated promptly. The common way to treat VF is to administer an electric pulse to the heart which shocks the heart muscle and induces it to revert to its normal contraction pattern. This procedure is called defibrillation and is effected by an apparatus called 'defibrillator'.
There are two types of defibrillators: the external and internal, the latter implanted into a patient's body.
External defibrillators are relatively large and contain a large battery pack and a high voltage generator. The weight of an external defibrillator is in the order of 2-3 lbs (1-1.5 kg). The generated high voltage pulse is administered to a patient via two large conductive paddles positioned on his chest and side, respectively. The defibrillator batteries have to be periodically tested and if of the rechargeable type, recharged, which adds to the maintenance labor and expenses for the system's owner.
The implantable defibrillator, being very small and light is permanently surgically implanted into a patient's body, and its electrical lead is inserted into the heart. The outer case of the device is made of metal and acts as a second electrode to complete the path of electrical current through the heart. The implantable defibrillators are used in patients with chronic cardiac disease and their implantation requires a major surgical procedure in a hospital setting.
In an emergency situation providing an external defibrillator in a timely manner can be problematic, since due to its size and weight it presents a carry challenge to first-response medical personnel who are frequently over-burdened with other equipment and may not have an external defibrillator in their medical kit. Also, some first-responders, such as for example motorcycle patrol policemen may not carry a defibrillator due to the limited carry space on their motorcycles. Waiting for the response team with a defibrillator to arrive may spell death for the VF sufferer. On the other hand, to implant a small defibrillator under field conditions and within an extremely short 'window of opportunity' is not feasible.
Still, having a defibrillation capability 'on-hand' in an emergency is very desirable in view of its potential in saving lives.
In addition, it would be desirable to have a defibrillator system of the 'store-and-forget' type: the one not requiring any service, like periodic testing or re-charging of the batteries.


An integrated circuit, and method for manufacturing the integrated circuit, where the integrated circuit can include a phototransistor comprising a base having a SiGe base layer of a predetermined germanium composition and a thickness of more than 65 nm and less than about 90 nm. The integrated circuit can further include a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) receiving an output from the phototransistor. The phototransistor and the TIA can be built on a silicon substrate.

Fusing the advantages of optics with electronics promises a number of advantages in VLSI systems. While there are fundamental advantages to using opto-electronic systems, industry acceptance of such systems depends on their cost-benefits relative to fully electrical systems. If the cost of optoelectronic systems is high, their usage will be restricted to niche applications.
Industry leaders, however, expect to use optical boards for their processors in the future. They expect that the future data rates will make electrical board signaling very costly, since it will require increased trace thickness, using exotic substrates with lower dielectric loss tangents, employing differential signaling techniques or more sophisticated transmitters and receivers. All these potential solutions are costly, and make optical interconnect technology an increasingly attractive alternative.
Optical interconnect technology still poses its own cost problems in short-distance applications. This technology depends largely on components made of gallium-arsenide and germanium, which are more expensive than silicon. These components are then integrated with silicon systems using hybrid integration techniques, such as wire bonding, flip-chip bonding and wafer bonding.
Wire-bonding, the simplest of all the hybrid techniques, involves connecting the photodetector chip and the receiver chip with physical wires after fabrication. Wire-bonding thus involves post-fabrication steps leading to an increase in cost and design time. Wire-bonding adds additional parasitic effects, in the form of bond-wire inductance and pad capacitance, and constrains the design of opto-electronic systems. Since wire-bonding pads need to be allocated space on chip, the number of input/output signals is limited.
Detector and receiver chips 3 can be flip-bonded, as shown in FIG. 1 (Prior Art), to eliminate wiring and therefore eliminate the parasitic effects. This technique is efficient only if the receiver/detector substrate is transparent to the light incident on the detector. Otherwise, it requires costly procedures to thin the substrate and make it transparent to the wavelength of light being used. This technique, like wire bonding requires post-fabrication steps. This, along with the precision required in flip bonding, makes the technique costly.
With wafer-bonding, it is possible to bond detector and receiver wafers together. Recent advances in this technology include i) sequential processing, which involves single crystal growth and transfer and ii) parallel processing, which involves fabricating separate wafers and transferring the thinned donor layer. Sequential processing causes degradation of the performance of the lower layers due to thermal cycling. Parallel processing involves issues of reliable thinned wafer transfer. These techniques are still at research stage and are not expected to be low cost. Since these hybrid techniques can be cost-intensive and are not expected to become less expensive, current research is focused on ways to make photodetectors in silicon, eliminating hybrid integration. Constructing opto-electronic systems in silicon can also provide a number of advantages including mature fabrication techniques, ease of design and verification, and, as in the electronics case, improved yields.
With respect to silicon-based photodetectors, in order to improve the bandwidth-efficiency of silicon detectors, either a large on-chip photodiode bias voltage or non-standard processing techniques can be used. Silicon p-n and p-i-n photodiodes can have response time issues due to the long absorption depth at 850 nm. Large bias voltages can improve the carrier velocity, and hence, the response time. However, using an additional power supply voltage can involve additional cost, possibly offsetting any cost benefits that might be incurred from integrating detectors in silicon. Non-standard processing, like using deep trenches, thicker active layer SOI substrates, and fully depleted SIMOX substrates, can restrict the detector applications since they may not be compatible with the logic process fabrication.
A disadvantage of silicon for IR detectors at 850 nm wavelength light has been the long absorption length (¼ 20 μm) required for high responsivity. The thickness of these detectors can degrade bandwidth due to both parasitic effects and carrier transport mechanisms and can make high speed operation with good responsivity a challenge.

Monolithic silicon-based photonic receiver


There is disclosed a high containment device, apparatus or system for withdrawing sample material from process or manufacturing equipment with substantially no leakage of the sample material to the external environment and which is of syringe-type construction, thus preventing possible contamination of such environment or workers operating processing and/or production equipment in such a situation, especially where hazardous materials are involved. The high containment device, apparatus or system disclosed is used in combination with process or manufacturing equipment thus providing a system which results in the prevention of leakage of possible hazardous material to the environment and possible contamination of equipment operators thereby.

A wide variety of sampling devices or systems which permit the withdrawal of samples from a production or processing equipment line are known. Moreover, dependent upon the materials being made or processed, that is, whether they are hazardous materials or innocuous materials, various devices have been developed for withdrawing samples from a pipe, which is part of the production line, or from other elements of a production line. Moreover, such sampling systems, devices or equipment vary greatly with respect to their complexity, as well as their particular construction, in order to prevent any leakage to the external environment which results not only in loss of materials and the need for moping up operations, as well as preventing contamination of process or manufacturing operators and the external environment.
Examples of such systems, devices and the like include U.S. Pat. No., 3,321,977 issued May 30, 1967, to Topham. It discloses a sample injection valve having a chamber with an inlet port and an outlet port, as well as a port to permit material to be expelled from a chamber. Another example of a fluid sampler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,623 issued Dec. 24, 1968 to Andrasko. It discloses a sampler for removing a fluid sample from a closed conduit. It employs a tubular bushing that is permanently installed transverse to the conduit. Another example of a sampler is U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,499 issued Feb. 1, 1972, to Saint-Andre, discloses a device for taking samples of fluid from a hydraulic circuit while operating under pressure. The device comprises a hollow body having a chamber connected into the circuit through a very small opening that is normally closed by a point at the end of a spring-pressed plunger slidable in the chamber and having near the point lateral channels which lead into a central longitudinal channel through which the sample is discharged when the plunger is pulled down against its spring in order to open the opening. This device also includes a controlled-leakage passage which prevents accumulation of solid particles, thus keeping the device clean and preventing contamination of subsequent samples.
Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,543 issued Jul. 10, 1984 to Mieth, discloses a cleanable sampling valve which may be incorporated into the product line of a manufacturing equipment arrangement. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,452 issued Apr. 8, 1986 to Masson discloses a device for taking a liquid from a conduit which contains the liquid or for injecting a liquid into the conduit. Patentee discloses a valve mounted on a conduit from which a sample of liquid which flows along the conduit may be withdrawn or material may be injected into the conduit. Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,453 issued Apr. 8, 1986 to Taylor, discloses a gear case oil sampling device for use with a gear case which contains a quantity of lubricating oil. An axially bored access plug is connected to the gear case. The plug includes an oil tube immersed in the lubricating oil when the gear system is idle. An air core valve normally closes the plug bore. In this device, an oil sample container is disposed slidably around a piston for longitudinal movement of the container relative to the piston and an axially bored piston rod projects out of the container open end and is connectable with the access plug in a plug valve opening manner to provide fluid communication between the container and the gear case oil. Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,571 issued Dec. 2, 1986 to Slater, discloses a grab sampler for liquids and especially for crude oil flowing through pipelines. The sampler is provided with a set of concentric tubular members including an outer body, an inlet and outlet; and a sleeve and hollow piston, respectively axially slideable within the body and sleeve. The piston is provided with an internal and non-return valve at its base. The sleeve, piston base and body are capable of defining a sample chamber so as to trap a sample of liquid flowing through the pipeline. Application of pressure on the piston displaces the trapped sample through the non-return valve to the inside of the piston and is recovered therefrom by sample removal means.
Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,507 issued Jul. 28, 1987 to Terrell, discloses an apparatus for removing a sample from a material conveying conduit and delivering the sample to a remote testing or other deposit location without any manual handling of the sample. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No., 5,129,267 issued Jul. 14, 1992 to Nicholls, discloses an on-line product sampling apparatus for measuring product samples from a product stream in a flow line having a sampling aperture. The apparatus includes a sampling tube which contains product samples that a piston removes from the flow line via the aperture. The piston cycles through a sample-return cycle, during which it removes a product sample from the product stream and then returns it to the product stream. The sampler is provided with a sensor for sensing physical properties of the removed product samples during the time they are held within the sample tube and during the piston cycle.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,495 issued Oct. 12, 1993 to Kuhner, discloses a closed loop sampling system using quick-connects. The system dramatically reduces emission of sampled hydrocarbons and other fluids to the external atmosphere.
As is readily apparent from the various Patents mentioned above, sampling devices and the like, such as those described in these Patents, are relatively complex in structure and, while they generally achieve the objects for which they were developed, in a satisfactory manner, there still exists a need for sampling devices and systems which are simple in structure, while still acting in a manner to provide high containment of any materials being removed from a production line for purposes of sampling the same and preventing any substantial leakage or the like of any hazardous materials to the surrounding environment and thus preventing contamination of the environment, and operators of the production line. The present invention fulfills such needs.


A rapid refrigeration apparatus includes a container having a container upper end, a container wall with a container opening in the container upper end bordered by a container rim, the container liquid container contents; a receptacle extending within the container and containing a refrigerant, the receptacle including a cup portion sized to fit into the container opening, a cup flange sized to rest against and sealing secured to, the container rim and a cup wall, at least a portion of which is expandable, the cup wall having cup wall opening mechanism for releasing the container contents into the receptacle; and a lid sealingly secured to the cup flange and including a lid opening mechanism for releasing the refrigerant from the receptacle into the atmosphere and for releasing the container contents from the receptacle for consumption; the lid opening mechanism including a lid opening mechanism activation mechanism for voluntarily opening the lid opening mechanism at a selected moment in time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of food and beverage containers. More specifically the present invention relates to a self-cooling container apparatus containing a beverage or other food item and to methods of assembling and operating the apparatus. The terms "beverage", "food item" and "container contents" are considered equivalent for purposes of this application and used interchangeably.
For the first several preferred embodiments, the apparatus includes a container such as a can containing a beverage and having a conventional unified bottom and side container wall terminating in an upper sealing flange referred to hereinafter as a container rim. A refrigerant receptacle is provided including a receptacle cup having a cup wall having an expandable portion and having a cup sealing flange, hereinafter referred to as a cup rim, which extends laterally from the cup wall. As an alternative to the cup with an expandable wall, a secondary vessel is placed within the container to contain the beverage and to define a narrow annular refrigerant chamber between the container and vessel, providing an broad surface area for heat transfer. A conventional beverage can lid is further provided, including a lid panel with a lid opener mechanism and a lid lateral edge.
A method of apparatus assembly is provided including the steps of lowering the cup through the container rim so that the cup displaces some of the beverage in the container; resting the cup rim on top of the container rim; placing the lid on top of the cup so that the lid lateral edge rests on the cup rim; and crimping the lid lateral edge and cup rim onto the container rim. Either before or after the lid is placed onto the cup, a refrigerant chilled to a liquid state is introduced into the cup. After crimping, the refrigerant is warmed to ambient temperature, whereupon it partially evaporates and develops internal pressure against the cup wall and the lid.
A method of operation is provided in which the consumer operates the lid opener mechanism to open the lid and thereby releases vaporized refrigerant from the receptacle cup. The remaining liquid refrigerant progressively boils into a vapor state and escapes through the opener mechanism, drawing heat out of the beverage through the cup wall. Once all of the refrigerant has been released, the cup wall is opened with a cup wall opener mechanism to permit the beverage to flow into the cup, and then out of the container through the lid opener mechanism for consumption.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have previously been self-cooling containers for food items including refrigerant receptacles with widely spaced apart, rigid receptacle walls. The receptacle is opened when cooling is desired and the refrigerant is progressively discharged from the receptacle, extracting heat from the container contents. A problem with this construction is that, as the volume of the liquified refrigerant falls during discharge, the refrigerant surface area in thermal contact with the walls of the receptacle diminishes, so that progressively colder refrigerant is in contact with a progressively smaller conductive surface area. The result is an exponentially falling refrigerant evaporation rate.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a self-cooling container apparatus containing a refrigerant receptacle with either expandable or narrowly spaced apart walls for a rapid and efficient transfer of heat out of the container contents.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus in which a smaller volume of cold refrigerant is exposed to a larger heat transfer surface area such as by corrugating the refrigerant receptacle wall, to increase the evaporation rate of the liquid refrigerant.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which both releases refrigerant and opens passage for the container contents with a single action by the consumer.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture, safe and reliable.

Self-cooling beverage and food container and manufacturing method


A head disk assembly for a hard disk drive having a mechanical actuator latch subassembly. The head disk assembly includes an enclosure, a disk, a pivot bearing cartridge, and a head stack assembly. The enclosure includes a base that preferably includes integral side walls. The disk has a recording surface that has an annular landing zone. The head stack assembly includes a head supported to be moved radially relative to the recording surface and to be brought to rest at a position in the landing zone. Significantly, the head disk assembly also includes a unitary latch base member and a unitary pivot latch member. The unitary latch base member has a mounting portion for mounting the latch base member to the base, an arm extending parallel to the major interior-facing surface, an inner crash stop post including an engaging end, and a pivot post. The arm also includes a spring holding post. The unitary pivot latch member has a bore surrounding the pivot post to allow pivot motion of the pivot latch member. The unitary pivot latch member also includes a receiving surface, a latch surface and a spring holding mount. In one embodiment, the head disk assembly also includes a spring for biasing the unitary pivot latch member in a latched or an unlatched position. The head stack assembly also includes a tang which engages the engaging end and the latch surface to define an inner crash stop and latch.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hard disk drives. More specifically, this invention relates to an actuator latch in which the latching mechanism is effectuated by mechanical components.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information
A large market exists for hard disk drives for mass-market host computer systems such as servers, desktop computers, and laptop computers. To be competitive in this market, a hard disk drive must be relatively inexpensive, and must accordingly embody a design that is adapted for low cost mass production. In addition, the hard disk drive must provide substantial storage capacity, rapid access to data and reliable performance. Numerous manufacturers compete in this large market and collectively conduct substantial research and development, at great annual cost, to design and develop innovative hard disk drives to meet increasingly demanding customer requirements.
Each of numerous contemporary mass-market hard disk drive models provides relatively large capacity, often in excess of a few gigabytes per drive. Nevertheless, there exits substantial competitive pressure to develop mass-market hard disk drives that have even higher capacities and that provide rapid access to data at lower prices. Another requirement to be competitive in this market is that the hard disk drive must conform to a selected standard exterior size and shape often referred to as a "form factor." Generally, capacity is desirably increased without increasing the form factor or the form factor is reduced without decreasing capacity.
Satisfying these competing constraints of low-cost, small size, high capacity and rapid access requires innovation in each of numerous components and methods of assembly including methods of assembly of various components into certain subassemblies. Typically, the main subassemblies of a hard disk drive are a head disk assembly ("HDA") and a printed circuit board assembly ("PCBA").
The HDA includes: an enclosure including a base and a cover; at least one disk having at least one recording surface; a spindle motor for causing each disk to rotate; and an actuator arrangement. The printed circuit board assembly includes circuitry for processing signals and controlling operations of the drive.
In a contemporary mass-market disk drive, the actuator arrangement is a type often referred to as a rotary voice coil motor (VCM) actuator. The rotary VCM actuator in a head disk assembly typically includes a permanent magnet arrangement forming part of the voice coil motor, a head stack assembly (HSA), and a pivot bearing cartridge that includes a shaft attached to the base to define an axis of rotation for the rotary actuator. The HSA includes a separate head gimbal assembly (HGA) for each recording surface. The HGA includes transducing structure for writing to and reading from a recording surface of a disk. The transducing structure can be a single inductive transducer such as a thin film head, or a structure including an magnetoresistive (MR) element for reading and an inductive element for writing. The transducing structure is suitably contained in a structure referred to interchangeably as a slider or a head. The HSA further includes a coil-carrying wing or cantilevered portion, the coil of which forms another part of the voice coil motor. The HSA further includes a swing-type structure, and a flex circuit assembly. The swing-type structure has a ring-shaped portion (e.g., a bore extends through it) for surrounding the pivot bearing cartridge, and further includes a plurality of arms cantilevered from the ring-shaped portion.
Each HGA includes a load beam and a slider. Each load beam has a supported end and a free end, with the supported end being supported by one of the arms. Each head is supported by one of the load beams at its free end and is positioned adjacent a disk recording surface when in use.
For each head and recording surface, the relative position of the head and the recording surface involves a vertical distance (such as a flying height or contact) and a radial distance (where the head is relative to the center of the recording surface).
As for vertical distance, while the disks are spinning at normal speed of operation, each head flies adjacent to a recording surface of a disk on a cushion of flowing air. When power is removed and the disks discontinue rotating, the heads "land" on the adjacent surfaces.
As for radial positioning, the HSA forms part of a servo system for controlling the radial position of the heads. The operations of the servo system include track seek operations and track following operations. During a track seek operation, the voice coil motor generates relatively high torque to cause the HSA to rotate about the pivot bearing axis and thereby move the heads radially relative to the disk recording surfaces. During track following operations, the voice coil motor generates relatively low torque in an amount and direction to maintain the heads at substantially the same radial position relative to tracks on the recording surfaces throughout the track following operation.
While the power is off, it is desirable to "park" each head in a position such as on an annular region of the recording surface referred to as a "landing zone." The landing zone is typically located within another annular zone (e.g., the zone used for recording and reading signals which may be further subdivided into zone bands). To park the heads, the HSA is held to prevent it from rotating even if the drive is dropped, struck or otherwise mishandled. To hold the HSA (and thus the heads) in place while the drive is not in use, the HDA typically includes an arrangement that performs a latching function. A related function is a crash stop function. That is, it is desirable to provide an arrangement for limiting the angular motion of the HSA to a range having an inner limit and an outer limit, and for effectively securing or "latching" the HSA while parked.
One such arrangement is illustrated in Prior Art FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. The illustrated prior art arrangement includes a magnetic actuator latch subassembly 34 and a tang 5. Magnetic actuator latch subassembly 34 includes a dual-post unitary crash stop member 35 having a mounting portion 40 for mounting to a base of a disk drive, a pair of cantilevered, oppositely-projecting arms 36 and 42, and a pair of posts 44 and 48 each supported at a far end of a respective one of the arms 36 and 42. The arrangement also includes a generally cylindrical magnet 46 supported by post 44 in an orientation such that its axis is parallel to the cantilevered arms 36 and 42. Tang 5 is cantilevered to project from a portion of an HSA in a direction such that, in the HDA, the tang 5 is movable between the pair of posts 44 and 48 of the dual-post unitary crash stop member 35.
The tang 5 is generally paddle shaped with first and second oppositely facing surfaces. One of these oppositely facing surfaces abuts post 48 of the dual-post unitary crash stop member 35 to perform the outer crash stop function. The other oppositely-facing surface abuts an end of the cylindrical magnet 46 to perform the inner crash stop and latching functions.
While such an arrangement is useful for its intended purpose, it has certain performance drawbacks. For instance, attractive force of magnet 46 decreases sharply as the separation distance between the magnet 46 and the tang 5 increases when the tang moves out of a latched position. As a result, the cylindrical magnet 46 may accidentally delatch and release the tang 5 when the hard disk drive is dropped, struck or otherwise mishandled.
Such accidental delatching may cause undesirable motions of the head relative to the recording surface of the disk. For instance, the head may crash into the disk (head slap) and cause damage to the disk and the head. Furthermore, debris dislodged from such crashes can cause problems in the operation of the disk drive. In addition, substantial costs are associated with the manufacture of magnetic actuator latch subassembly 34 since the cost of magnet 46 is relatively high compared to the other components of magnetic actuator latch subassembly 34.
Thus, a need exists for an HDA with a low cost actuator latch arrangement that provides for securely holding the HSA in a fixed position when the head is parked and minimizes the risk of accidental delatching.

Mechanical actuator latch subassembly with overcentering spring for a disk drive


A portable pet training device includes a generally L-shaped base having a flat bottom wall and an upstanding end wall that can be placed practically in any location on any support surface. A coil spring is anchored at one of its ends to the upstanding end wall and extends in cantilevered fashion over the bottom wall to a free end on which a bell is attached. A housepet may be conditioned to strike the spring which in turn causes the bell to ring when it is necessary to gain the attention of a caretaker.

Housepets, and particularly dogs, are usually trained or on their own develop some way of communicating to their caretaker when they need to go outside the house to relieve themselves. Some dogs bark, pant, and or pace about the house and make a general nuisance of themselves which is not always clearly understood by the caretaker as a signal to go outside. Still other pets engage in more destructive behavior such as chewing up objects, scratching at the door or carpeting, etc. The latter behavior can result in extensive and costly damage to the house and its contents.
Another problem that sometimes arises is where a housepet becomes confused when placed in an unfamiliar environment, such as the house of another caretaker or when traveling with the pet while on vacation. In such surroundings, the pet may alter its behavior and be unable to signal its need to go outside or else may engage in destructive acts such as chewing, scratching, etc. to gain attention.
A pet training device constructed in accordance with the present invention overcomes the foregoing objections.


A method for provisioning a telematics units comprising the steps of: initiating a wireless over the air service provisioning session between a telematics unit and a wireless network carrier, wherein data is downloaded from the wireless network carrier to the telematics unit during the over the air service provisioning session; and upon completion of the over the air service provisioning session between the telematics unit and the wireless network carrier, automatically initiating a call from the telematics unit to a telematics service provider, wherein at least a portion of the data downloaded from the wireless network carrier to the telematics unit is uploaded to the telematics service provider.

Wireless communications devices, including mobile or handheld units, are typically provisioned via a method entitled OTASP, or Over The Air Service Provisioning. OTASP downloads telephony parameters, including a MIN (Mobile Identification Number), a PRL (Preferred Roaming List), and other data from a carrier OTASP server to a mobile unit, making the mobile unit ready for use. The MIN is a phone number assigned by the carrier or wireless service provider to the mobile unit. A PRL is a list of bands and channels in order of preference that the mobile unit uses when attempting to locate and connect to a cell system.
Some telematics service providers, or TSPs, offer personal calling services that allow a telematics subscriber to place and receive calls using a telematics unit. This enables the telematics unit to function in a similar fashion to a handheld mobile unit. OTASP performs well for carriers provisioning mobile units, but may be more difficult to use as a tool allowing third party entities, such as TSPs, to enable personal calling services. If the TSP and carrier are different entities, their systems may not be on the same network. Thus, there may be a delay between the time when the telematics unit is provisioned and the time when the TSP has the information identifying the newly provisioned telematics unit due to the necessity to transfer data from the carrier system to the TSP. It is desirable to minimize or eliminate this delay to speed the enabling of telematics services between the TSP and the owner of the telematics unit.

Method for provisioning a telematics units


Apparatus and methods for removing formate ions from electroless metal plating baths employing formaldehyde as a reducing agent and typically comprising polyvalent anions as metal chelant and/or counterion. The apparatus and methods employ anion filtration to separate polyvalent anions from monovalent formate ions and ion exchange units to remove metal and metal chelant species from formate-containing streams. Preferred aspects of this invention provide apparatus and methods for removing formate from electroless copper plating baths.

Plating baths for the electroless deposition of copper are common and typically comprise a copper salt, e.g. copper sulfate, a complexing agent such as EDTA and a formaldehyde reducing agent. As copper is depleted from such plating baths, formaldehyde is oxidized to a formate and excess sulfate ions are generated. Copper ions and formaldehyde can be added to replenish a plating bath. Removal of formate and sulfate ions can be effected by withdrawing a purge stream. Besides the unwanted formate and sulfate ions, a purge stream also contains valuable species such as copper ions, formaldehyde and EDTA. Environmental awareness of the robustness of EDTA for the mobilization of toxic metals makes it less desirable to dispose of EDTA-containing solutions in waste streams.
Spent plating baths are traditionally treated by adding reducing agent such as sodium borohydride to precipitate elemental metal; residual soluble metal is precipitated with strong complexing agents, e.g. dithiocarbamate. Metal chelant complexes can be decomposed by oxidizing chelants, e.g. with peroxides, perchlorates or other oxidizing acids.
Because of the difficulties in treating spent plating baths, disposal in landfills is often a method of choice for disposing of spent plating solutions or metal sludge precipitate from plating baths. For instance, metal recyclers often prefer to avoid spent electroless nickel solutions because of the high phosphorus content.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,497 discloses methods of removing copper from sulfate solutions using aliphatic oximes. Cognis, Inc. (Santa Rosa, Calif.) has disclosed that such an extraction process can be used to treat copper and nickel electroless solutions to reduce the metal content producing a solution suitable for disposal, e.g. by sewering. Such solvent extraction methods have not been enthusiastically adopted for treating plating baths comprising copper complexed with EDTA, in part because common commercial extractants are not especially effective in extracting copper from complexes with EDTA.
Cardotte in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,661 discloses the use of hyperfiltration membranes to process copper electroless plating solutions, e.g. to concentrate for re-use salts of EDTA. Such membranes are more permeable to formaldehyde and formate ions than EDTA salts. It has been found that a sufficiently high level of copper salts permeate such membranes both as formate salts and EDTA salts. Such copper-containing permeate streams are unsuitable for waste disposal in many places. Moreover, such EDTA-concentrated streams are typically unsuited for recycle without further treatment, e.g. to remove another anions, most commonly sulfate which is present as the principal copper counterion.

Methods and apparatus for treating electroless plating baths


The invention is a sense-and-avoid display system that obtains position and/or velocity data for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and other aerial vehicles (AVs) from one or more radar and/or GPS data sources by wireless and/or wired data transfer pathways. The UAV and AV data are used to compute and display: present and projected future positions of UAV and other AVs; time and distance of closest approach between UAV and an AV; and recommended change in UAV's flight path and/or flight speed for conflict avoidance. This information is provided to the UAV pilot in 2D and 3D graphic displays.

Use of an unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV") for airborne surveillance, remote sensing, communications, atmospheric sampling and other related purposes is an attractive approach that, at its best, incorporates flexibility, flight safety, and meaningful data acquisition. However, for flight safety, the determination and display of the flight paths of two or more aerial vehicles ("AVs") in the same 3D airspace is not straightforward. Particularly challenging is estimating and displaying the time and distance of closest approach between two conflicting AVs, where one of the AVs is a ground-controlled UAV.
The critical steps for actual UAV collision avoidance is subdivided into two categories: (i) computations and recommendations provided by the system; and (ii) tasks performed by the UAV pilot. The UAV pilot is here defined as being equivalent to the UAV operator or controller responsible for changing the flight path and flight speed of the UAV for the purpose of collision avoidance.
What is needed is a sense-and-avoid display system that provides the UAV pilot with a graphic display of air traffic activity. The system needs to highlight potential airborne conflict involving the UAV, and provide recommendations for maintaining a safe separation distance between the UAV and other AVs in real time or near-real time.

Closest points of approach determination for unmanned aerial vehicle ground-based sense-and-avoid display system

Abstract: In standard mode of operation, UAV position and/or velocity data are obtained from UAV ground control station (GCS), while data for other AVs are obtained from a non-GCS data source (e.g., radar). In an alternative mode, UAV and other AV data are obtained from the same non-GCS data source. This alternative is an option when UAV is equipped with an identification device (e.g., transponder) and UAV is distinguished from other AVs using data obtained from an AV identification system (e.g., IFF).


Molten salt solar receiver and procedure to reduce the temperature gradient in said receiver. The receiver consists of at least one panel of semi cylindrical geometry, formed by a combination of vertical pipes. The receiver (10) is supplied with a heat transfer fluid made up of molten salts which originate from a recirculation system which is composed of a mixture deposit (6), a hot salt storage tank (9) and a cold salt storage tank (8); the mixture tank (6) which is supplied by a part of the hot heat transfer fluid (4) which exits the receiver (10) and the cold heat transfer fluid (5) which exits the cold salt storage tank (8); the hot salt storage tank is connected to the exit of the receiver (10) so that a part of the heat transfer fluid which does not recirculate is stored (3).

Found within the technical field of high concentration solar thermoelectricity are solar central tower systems in which direct solar radiation is reflected by a field of heliostats towards the receiver, situated on the upper part of the tower (optical system focus). The receiver is the system where all the solar radiation coming from the solar field concentrates. This solar energy transforms into the thermal energy of the heat transfer fluid. In the event that water is not used as a heat transfer fluid, a heat exchanger is required where the thermal energy from the heat transfer fluid is transferred to the water for the production of steam, overheated at a high temperature. Finally, this overheated steam is carried to the turbine and then to an alternator to generate electricity.
Currently, there are different types of receivers to which variations can be made to the heat transfer fluid as well as the way the energy is transferred to it or the configuration of the receiver itself. Of this type, there are pipe receivers, volumetric receivers, receivers of direct or indirect energy exchange, saturated steam and overheated steam receivers, etc.
The receivers on concentrated solar power towers can be exterior or dispose of a cavity located on the upper part of said tower with the aim of reducing thermal losses. The configuration must allow the incident power to exceed the losses caused by radiation and convection. In molten salt receivers, the temperature reached on the surface of the receiver is greater than in saturated and overheated water/steam receivers, which is why radiation losses are also greater; however, this is solved by generating overheated steam at higher temperatures through the use of the exchanger, which leads to greater efficiency in the thermodynamic cycle.
Therefore, the main advantage of molten salt receiver plants stems from the fact that, to work with heat transfer fluid at high-energy levels, after the use of the heat exchanger for the production of overheated steam, temperatures are reached that are greater (550° C.) than those obtained in plants with receivers that directly produce overheated steam (520° C.); thus the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle is increased and consequently increases the performance of the turbine. If instead of using water/steam, we use a mixture of molten salts as a heat transfer fluid, it is estimated that the efficiency of the cycle can increase from 28% to 38%.
The salt towers hitherto existent have presented technical and economic difficulties that have led to short operating periods, which is not viable for a commercial plant in which life spans of between 20 years and 25 years are demanded.
Patent US2008000231 is a clear example of the technology that has existed up until now. Within this patent there is a description of a central tower solar receiver system using molten salts, whose panels are supplied with the salt originating from a cold tank. Once heated, the heat transfer fluid transfers its heat to an exchanger for the production of steam, which is finally used for the production of electricity. The heat transfer fluid which is already cold is sent back to the receiver so that it can be heated again.
The technical problems presented during operation in these plants are mainly related to the resistance of the materials and to the control of the system during transitory states (passing of clouds). Some of the technical difficulties encountered were the appearance of cracks in the sections of the pipes welded to the collectors, where the entrance and exit of the working fluids (headers) take place. This is due to high thermal gradients, the corrosion of the valves for flow distribution control caused by the highly corrosive effect of the mixture of molten salts at high working temperatures, the solidification of the heat transfer fluid inside the pipes especially in areas with a low flow of incident radiation, etc.
The configurations of salt receivers hitherto existing are cylindrical and external. A receiver of this type is composed of panels in groups of eight panels, so that the receiver is divided into four sections (north-east, northwest, south-west and south-east). In turn, each panel is composed of thirty-two vertical pipes.
The entrance of cold heat transfer fluid (cold salts), originating from the cold storage tank, takes place in the central panels situated at the north face (first panel north-east section and first panel north-west section). Half of the entering flow is carried towards the panels in the north-east section and the other half towards the north-west section, with a descending vertical path, alternatively ascending in the adjacent panels (path in the shape of a serpent). Once the eight panels situated at the north face (north-east and north-west) have been passed through, a cross flow is produced, which is to say, the exiting flow from the north-east panels enters the section with the south-west panels and the exiting flow from the north-west panels enters the section with the south-east panels.
As with the sections situated at the north face, the flow of the heat transfer fluid inside the pipes of the adjacent panels is serpent-shaped until it exits.
The exit of the heat transfer fluid takes place at the central panels situated at the south face of the receiver.
According to that explained previously, the molten salt receivers can present various difficulties such as for example, large thermal losses if dealing with an external receiver and structural damage due to the high operating temperatures, the distribution of incident flow (not uniform), thermal tensions to which the material is subjected and the effects of corrosion on the material.
The thermal cycles are generated due to the exposure of the receiver surface to concentrated solar radiation by the heliostat field (with which the metal in the pipes reaches temperatures close to 800° C.), and to the heat transfer fluid temperature gradient between the entrance (290° C., melting point) and the exit of the receiver (565° C., degradation temperature of the salt).
The aforementioned problems with molten salt receivers can be reduced through the use of this new receiver design when dealing with a cavity receiver (installed in the high part of a tower inside a gap or cavity) which also reduces the temperature gradient between the exit and the entrance of the molten salts in the receiver thanks to the recirculation which is explained below. To do so, this invention aims to recirculate a part of the exit flow (mixture of hot molten salts).
The importance of the design and the configuration of the receiver stems from here. A suitable design and configuration of the receiver will lead to stable system control during the operation of the solar plant, especially during transitory periods (passing of clouds); guaranteeing in this way the integrity of the structure and its durability (useful life of the receiver between 20 and 30 years).
Furthermore, the use of molten salts as a heat transfer fluid and a means of thermal storage allows improvements in the efficiency of the thermoelectric solar plant, given that the temperatures reached are higher without the need to increase the operating pressure as would be required with water/steam; which implies a lower cost of the receiver.


A motion vector detection circuit includes a single representative point memory into which representative point data at a preceding frame of all of a plurality of detection blocks formed in a motion vector detection area in an overlapped manner are written. All pixel data at a current frame of the motion vector detection area are written into a single pixel memory. The representative point data are selectively read-out from the representative point memory, and the pixel data of a detection block corresponding to the selected representative point data are read-out from the pixel memory. Then, correlation of the selected representative point data between the pixel data is determined by a correlator, whereby a motion vector can be detected. Since all the representative point data and all the pixel data in the motion vector detection area are respectively written into the representative point memory and the pixel memory, it is possible to reduce the number of components and a cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motion vector detection circuit and an object tracking camera apparatus using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a motion vector detection circuit in which a motion vector of an object is detected by determining correlation of pixel data in a plurality of detection blocks formed in a motion vector detection area between representative point data of the detection blocks, respectively, and an object tracking camera apparatus using such a motion vector detection circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One example of conventional such a kind of motion vector detection circuit and object tracking camera apparatus are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 7-322126 H04N 5/232, H04N 5/225! laid-open on Dec. 8, 1995. In the prior art, a plurality of detection blocks are formed in a motion vector detection area in an overlapped manner, and there are provided with latch circuits for latching pixel data at a current frame of the respective detection blocks, latch circuits for latching representative point data at a preceding frame of the respective detection blocks, and correlators for determining correlation of latched pixel data between latched representative point data for each of detection blocks, and a motion vector is then detected on the basis of outputs of the correlators.
However, since it is necessary to provide two latch circuits and one correlator for each detection block, there was a problem that the number of the components becomes large, and therefore, a cost is high.

Motion vector detection circuit and object tracking camera apparatus