A large-area field emission device (xe2x80x9cFEDxe2x80x9d) which is sealed under a predetermined level of vacuum pressure and method for making same includes a large-area substrate, an emitter electrode structure disposed on the substrate such that the emitter structure is disposed over a substantial portion of the substrate, a plurality of groups of micropoints, with each group having a predetermined number of micropoints and with each group being disposed at discrete positions on the emitter electrode structure, an insulating layer disposed over the substrate, with the insulating layer having openings therethrough which have a diameter within a predetermined range, and with each openings surrounding at least a portion a micropoint, an extraction structure disposed on the insulating layer, with the extraction structure having openings therethrough which have a diameter within a predetermined range, with each openings surrounding at least a portion of a micropoint, and with the openings in the extraction structure being aligned with openings in the insulating layer, a faceplate disposed above and spaced away from the extraction structure that is transparent to predetermined wavelengths of light, an indium tin oxide (xe2x80x9cITOxe2x80x9d) layer disposed on a surface of the faceplate towards the extraction structure, a matrix member disposed on the ITO layer, with the matrix member defining areas of the ITO surface that are to serve as pixel areas, with the pixel areas being aligned with the micropoints of a group micropoints, cathodoluminescent material disposed on the ITO in a plurality pixel areas, with the cathodoluminescent material at a particular pixel area being aligned to receive electron emitted from the micropoints associated that pixel area, and a plurality of spacers disposed between the faceplate and the extraction structure at predetermined locations, with each spacer having a height and cross-sectional shape commensurate with stresses that spacer will encounter caused by the vacuum pressure within the FED.

The present invention relates to field emission devices (xe2x80x9cFEDsxe2x80x9d). More specifically, the present invention relates to large-area FED structures and the method of making such structures.
Currently, in the world of computers and elsewhere, the dominate technology for constructing flat panel displays is liquid crystal display (xe2x80x9cLCDxe2x80x9d) technology and the current benchmark is active matrix LCDs (xe2x80x9cAMLCDsxe2x80x9d). The drawbacks of flat panel displays constructed using AMLCD technology are the cost, power consumption, angle of view, smearing of fast moving video images, temperature range of operation, and the environmental concerns of using mercury vapor in the AMLCD""s backlight.
A competing technology is cathode ray tube (xe2x80x9cCRTxe2x80x9d) technology. In this technology area, there have been many attempts in the last 40 years to develop a practical flat CRT. In the development of flat CRTs, there has been the desire to use the advantages provided by the cathodoluminescent process for the generation of light. The point of failure in the development of flat CRTs has centered around the complexities in the developing of a practical electron source and mechanical structure.
In recent years, FED technology has come into favor as a technology for developing low power, flat panel displays. FED technology has the advantage of using an array of cold cathode emitters and cathodoluminescent phosphors for the efficient conversion of energy from an electron beam into visible light. Part of the desire to use FED technology for the development of flat panel displays is that it is very conducive for producing flat screen displays that will have high performance, low power, and light weight. Some of the specific recent advances associated with FED technology that have made it a viable alternative for flat panel displays are large-area 1 xcexcm lithography, large-area thin-film processing capability, high tip density for the electron emitting micropoints, a lateral resistive layer, new types of emitter structures and materials, and low voltage phosphors.
Referring to FIG. 1, a representative cross-section of a prior art FED is shown generally at 100. As is well known, FED technology operates on the principal of cathodoluminescent phosphors being exited by cold cathode field emission electrons. The general structure of a FED includes silicon substrate or baseplate 102 onto which thin conductive structure is disposed. Silicon baseplate 102 may be a single crystal silicon layer.
The thin conductive structure may be formed from doped polycrystalline silicon that is deposited on baseplate 102 in a conventional manner. This thin conductive structure serves as the emitter electrode. The thin conductive structure is usually deposited on baseplate 102 in strips that are electrically connected. In FIG. 1, a cross-section of strips 104, 106, and 108 is shown. The number of strips for a particular device will depend on the size and desired operation of the FED.
At predetermined sites on the respective emitter electrode strips, spaced apart patterns of micropoints are formed. In FIG. 1, micropoint 110 is shown on strip 104, micropoints 112, 114, 116, and 118 are shown on strip 106, and micropoint 120 is shown on strip 108. With regard to the patterns of micropoints, on strip 106, a square pattern of 16 micropoints, which includes micropoints 112, 114, 116, and 118, may be positioned at that location. However, it is understood that one or a pattern of more than one micropoint may be located at any one site. The micropoints also may be randomly placed rather than being in any particular pattern.
Preferably, each micropoint resembles an inverted cone. The forming and sharpening of each micropoint is carried out in a conventional manner. The micropoints may be constructed of a number of materials, such as silicon or molybdenum, for example. Moreover, to ensure the optimal performance of the micropoints, the tips of the micropoints can be coated or treated with a low work function material.
Alternatively, the structure substrate, emitter electrode, and micropoints may be formed in the following manner. The single crystal silicon substrate may be made from a P-type or an N-type material. The substrate may then be treated by conventional methods to form a series of elongated, parallel extending strips in the substrate. The strips are actually wells of a conductivity type opposite that of the substrate. As such, if the substrate is P-type, the wells will be N-type and vice-versa. The wells are electrically connected and form the emitter electrode for the FED. Each conductivity well will have a predetermined width and depth (which it is driven into the substrate). The number and spacing of the strips are determined to meet the desired size of field mission cathode sites to be formed on the substrate. The wells will be the sites over which the micropoints will be formed. No matter which of the two methods of forming the strips is used, the resulting parallel conductive strips serve as the emitter electrode and form the columns of the matrix structure.
After either of two methods of forming the emitter electrode are used, insulating layer 122 is deposited over emitter electrode strips 104, 106, and 108, and the pattern micropoints located at predetermined sites on the strips. The insulating layer may be made from a dielectric material such as silicon dioxide (SiO2).
A conductive layer is disposed over insulating layer 122. This conductive layer forms extraction structure 132. The extraction structure 132 is a low potential electrode that is used to extract electrons from the micropoints. Extraction structure 132 may be made from chromium, molybdenum, or doped polysilicon, amorphous silicon, or silicided polysilicon. Extraction structure 132 may be formed as a continuous layer or as parallel strips. If parallel strips form extraction structure 132, it is referred to as an extraction grid, and the strips are disposed perpendicular to emitter electrode strips 104, 106, and 108. The strips, when used to form extraction structure 132, are the rows of the matrix structure. Whether a continuous layer or strips are used, once either is positioned on the insulating layer, they are appropriately etched by conventional methods to surround but be spaced away from the micropoints.
At each intersection of the extraction and emitter electrode strips or at desired locations along emitter electrode strips, when a continuous extraction structure is used, a micropoint or pattern of micropoints are disposed on the emitter strip. Each micropoint or pattern of micropoints are meant to illuminate one pixel of the screen display.
Once the lower portion of the FED is formed according to either of the methods described above, faceplate 140 is fixed a predetermined distance above the top surface of the extraction structure 132. Typically, this distance is several hundred xcexcm. This distance may be maintained by spacers that are formed by conventional methods and have the following characteristics: (1) non-conductive or highly resistive to prevent an electrical breakdown between the anode (at faceplate 140) and cathode (at emitter electrodes 104, 106, and 108), (2) mechanically strong and slow to deform, (3) stable under electron bombardment (low secondary emission yield), (4) capable of withstanding the high bakeout temperatures in the order of 500xc2x0 C., and (5) small enough not to interfere with the operation of the FED. Representative spacers 136 and 138 are shown in FIG. 1.
Faceplate 140 is a cathodoluminescent screen that is constructed from clear glass or other suitable material. A conductive material, such as indium tin oxide (xe2x80x9cITOxe2x80x9d), is disposed on the surface of the glass facing the extraction structure. ITO layer 142 serves as the anode of the FED. A high vacuum is maintained in area 134 between faceplate 140 and baseplate 102.
Black matrix 149 is disposed on the surface of the ITO layer 142 facing extraction structure 132. Black matrix 149 defines the discrete pixel areas for the screen display of the FED. Phosphor material is disposed on ITO layer 142 in the appropriate areas defined by black matrix 149. Representative phosphor material areas that define pixels are shown at 144, 146, and 148. Pixels 144, 146, and 148 are aligned with the openings in extraction structure 132 so that a micropoint or group of micropoints that are meant to excite phosphor material are aligned with that pixel. Zinc oxide is a suitable material for the phosphor material since it can be excited by low energy electrons.
A FED has one or more voltage sources that maintain emitter electrode 20 strips 104, 106, and 108, extraction structure 132, and ITO layer 142 at three different potentials for proper operation of the FED. Emitter electrode strips 104, 106, and 108 are at xe2x80x9cxe2x88x92xe2x80x9d potential, extraction structure 132 is at a xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d potential, and the ITO layer 142 is at a xe2x80x9c++.xe2x80x9d When such an electrical relationship is used, extraction structure 132 will pull an electron emission stream from micropoints 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, and 120, and, thereafter, ITO layer 142 will attract the freed electrons.
The electron emission streams that emanate from the tips of the micropoints fan out conically from their respective tips. Some of the electrons strike the phosphors at 90xc2x0 C. to the faceplate while others strike it at various acute angles.
The basic structure of the FED just described generally will not include spacers when the diagonal screen size is below 5 inches. When the screen size is greater than 5 inches, spacers are needed to maintain the correct separation between the emitter electrode and the faceplate under the force of atmospheric pressure on the FED. As the FED devices increase in size, the need for spacers increases so this separation is properly maintained. An alternative to the use of spacers is the use of thick glass. However, this thick glass is heavy and expensive.
In the fabrication of small-area FED structures with diagonal screen sizes between 1-5 inches, there is little difficulty in achieving substantial uniformity in the thickness of the insulating and conductive layers that are disposed on the substrate, or in forming substantially uniform micropoints on the emitter electrode in openings in the insulating and conductive layers. Conventional deposition and etching techniques have been used for such fabrication. This also has been generally true with regard to FEDs with diagonal screen sizes up to approximately 8 inches. However, as the diagonal screen sizes of FEDs increase beyond 8 inches, there has been considerable difficulty in forming uniform micropoints by the Spindt process that will be discussed subsequently.
There are a variety of reasons why the above problems and difficulties exist, and the desired design goals have not been reached for large-area FEDs. Most of the reasons are that the fabrication techniques which permit the production of small-area FEDs fail miserably when a large number of openings need to be etched and aligned with micropoints, and when there are a large number of micropoints to be formed. Another reason is that the micropoints are not formed so that they have the proper properties needed to permit the production of high quality, high resolution images in large-area FEDs. A further reason is the high cost of fabrication if current technology is used. A yet further reason is the improper structure and placement of spacers in large-area FEDs. These problems exist whether a large-area FED is monochrome, 256 gray scale, or color.
Attempts to fabricate a lower FED structure (which includes the substrate, insulating and conductive layers, and micropoints) with the requisite uniformity in structure and performance have relied on a number of prior process methods. The process believed the best is the Spindt process which was developed in the mid-1960s. This process has been attempted to be used for fabricating large-area FEDs for the formation of micropoint structures for producing high quality, high resolution images. This process uses a directional molybdenum evaporation process that calls for depositing a thin molybdenum film on the surface of the conductive layer that is over the insulating layer. Preferably, this film has a thickness that is greater than the diameter of the openings that are made in the conductive and insulating layers. According to the molybdenum process, the openings in the conductive and insulating layers are closed with the molybdenum, then the micropoints are formed in the openings from the deposited molybdenum. That is, the micropoints are formed by removing unwanted molybdenum material from the surface of the conductive layer and within the cavity by conventional processing steps. This hopefully would leave substantially uniform molybdenum cones on the substrate that are aligned with the openings in the conductive and insulating layers. This whole process, however, depends on the uniformity in the thin film layer that is deposited and the accuracy of the etching process. As has been the case, however, this process is adequate for small-area FEDs but wholly inadequate for large-area FEDs because of a lack of uniformity in micropoint formation over the large-area and the high percentage of misalignments.
As the diagonal screen size of FEDs increases beyond 10 inches, there are distinct problems with current technology in producing FEDs with high quality, high resolution images. Moreover, there also are problems in overcoming the resistor/capacitor (xe2x80x9cRCxe2x80x9d) times for the large-area FEDs to operate efficiently. This is because it will take a relatively long period of time to charge the large capacitor formed by the emitter electrode, and the extraction structure.
Another problem with current technology is the spacers that are to be used for large-area FEDs. As the displays increase above 10 inches, there can be difficultly in maintaining the proper distance between the faceplate and emitter electrode. To overcome this problem, there is a desire to space the faceplate and emitter electrode farther apart and then use increased anode voltages in the range of 2-6 kV rather the lower voltages that are desired. In such devices, large diameter spacers are used to maintain the spacing.
An alternative has been to consider the use of clear glass spheres. This was thought to permit the use of lower anode voltages and smaller distances between the faceplate and emitter electrode. However, the use of these spheres has had a detrimental effect on the resolution of the FED because of the base-to-height ratio of the glass spheres. When large glass spheres are used some of the electrons emitted from the micropoints will contact the spheres rather than the phosphor pixel elements. This will mean that a number of electrons will not be used to produce the portion of the image they were meant to produce. The use of glass spheres also limits the amount of the anode voltage that can be used. Moreover, when glass spheres are used and low anode voltages are applied, the power consumption of the FED goes up dramatically, which is highly undesirable. On the other hand, if high anode voltages are used with glass spheres present, the spheres will breakdown.
Another proposed spacer for use in large-area FEDs has been long paper thin spacers. These spacers are 250-500 xcexcm high and 30-50 xcexcm thick. Such spacers would run along the whole length of the narrowest sides of the FED. These spacers are made from ceramic strips and considerably flimsy. As can be readily understood, the larger the diagonal size of the screen display of the FED, the less likely the ceramic strip spacers will be able to used to mount and align the emitter electrode and faceplate, or maintain separation of the anode and cathode under high vacuum.
There is a desire to have a structure that will permit the large-area FEDs to be built to operate efficiently. The large-area FEDs that are desired to be built with such a structure are those with a diagonal screen size of 10 inches or larger.
The present invention is a large-area FED and a method of making same. The large-area FEDs of the present invention are those with a diagonal screen size of 10 inches of greater.
The large-area FED of the present invention has a substrate into which an emitter electrode is formed. The emitter electrode consists of a number of spaced apart, parallel elements that are electrically connected. The elements that form the emitter electrode generally extend in one direction across the large-area FED. The width, number, and spacing of the parallel, spaced apart elements are determined by the needs of the FED.
At predetermined locations on the emitter electrode, above which pixels are to be situated, one or more micropoints are formed. These micropoints have a height in the range of 1 xcexcm. These micropoints are formed by etching. The micropoints, have at least their tips coated with a low work function material in a manner that vastly improves the performance of the large-area FED. In large-area FEDs, there generally are a pattern of micropoints at each location.
The low work function material that is placed on the micropoints by deposition, implantation, or other suitable method will lower the operating voltage and decrease the power consumption of the large-area FED. It is also understood that the micropoints may be coated at any of a variety of steps in the formation process. For example, the micropoints may be coated by any suitable method after completion of the cathode, such as ion implantation or deposition.
The low work function material also will result in more uniform performance among the micropoints across the entire large-area FED. Cermet (Cr3Si+SiO2), cesium, rubidium, tantalum nitride, barium, chromium silicide, titanium carbide, and niobium are low work function materials that may be used.
The coated micropoints on the emitter electrode elements are covered with an insulating layer and a conductive layer. These two layers when combined have a height greater than the tallest micropoint. This lower portion of the large-area FED is then subject to a CMP process to polish the topology caused by the micropoints and flat shoulders of the conductive layer surface. After polishing, the conductive and insulating layers are wet chemically etched to remove portions of the conductive and insulating layers to expose the micropoints. The wet chemical etching contemplated is a very controllable process that will ensure the desired results regarding the openings in the insulating and conductive layers. As such, once the wet chemical etching is completed, the openings in the conductive and insulating layers are self-aligned with the micropoints. This process also permits the micropoints formed on the substrate to retain their size and sharpness once exposed since the process does not etch any part of the micropoints in exposing them.
Spaced above the extraction structure is a faceplate. The faceplate is a cathodoluminescent screen that is transparent. The faceplate is capable of transmitting the light of cathodoluminescent photons, which the viewer sees.
An ITO layer is disposed on the bottom surface of the faceplate. The ITO layer is electrically conductive. The ITO layer is transparent to the light from cathodoluminescent photons and serves as the anode for the FED.
Pixel areas are formed on the bottom of the surface of the ITO layer. Each pixel is associated with a pattern of micropoints. The pixel areas have a phosphor material deposited in them in a desired pattern. In operation, the phosphor materials can be excited by low energy electrons.
The pixels are divided by a black matrix. The black matrix is made from a material that is opaque to the transmission of light and not affected by electron bombardment.
The faceplate is spaced away from the substrate a predetermined distance. This distance is maintained by spacers. Preferably, the area between the faceplate and substrate is under higher vacuum. The spacers may have different heights depending on their proximity to the edges or the center area of the large-area FED. This mix of spacers helps to maintain a substantially uniform distance between the faceplate and the substrate in light of the high vacuum within the FED. The spacers also are arranged in patterns which, in effect, section the large-area FED. Moreover, the spacers have a variety of cross-sectional shapes that aid in properly maintaining the distance between the faceplate and substrate under the high vacuum within the large-area FED.
Given the foregoing, the present invention for large-area FEDs may be characterized by (1) the use of the CMP process for obtaining uniformity in the conductive layer that is disposed over the substrate and insulating layer; (2) the proper use of spacers to maintain a desired uniformity in the gap between the conductive layer and the anode (which will help in achieving high resolution; (3) ensuring the micropoints have a low function material coating or implantation; and (4) and the connecting lines of the FED should be of low resistance and capacitance.
An object of the present invention is to provide a large-area FED structure that will produce high quality, high resolution images.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a large-area FED that operates at a relatively low anode voltage and has low power consumption.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a large-area FED that uses deposition, Chemical Mechanical Polishing (xe2x80x9cCMPxe2x80x9d) process, and wet chemical etching for the production of the self-align openings in the conductive and insulating layers the surround each micropoint.
Another object of the present invention is to maintain the lowest resistance and capacitance in the cathode address lines.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a large-area FED that used spacers of different heights and cross-section shapes to maintain a substantially uniform distance between the faceplate and substrate when there is a high vacuum within the large-area FED.
There and other objects will be addressed in detail in the remainder of the specification referring to the drawings.

Large-area FED apparatus and method for making same


An inkjet recording ink set comprising at least two inks, wherein each of the inks contains at least one dye having an anionic group, and even when any two inks in the ink set are mixed, precipitation of the dye does not occur.

With the recent popularization of computers, an inkjet printer is widely used for printing letters or an image on paper, film, cloth or the like not only at offices but also at homes.
The inkjet recording method includes a system of jetting out a liquid droplet by applying a pressure using a piezoelectric element, a system of jetting out a liquid droplet by generating a bubble in an ink under heat, a system of using an ultrasonic wave, and a system of ejecting a liquid droplet by drawing with an electrostatic force. The ink composition used for such inkjet recording includes an aqueous ink, an oily ink and a solid (fusion-type) ink. Among these inks, the aqueous ink becomes mainstream in view of production, handleability, odor, safety and the like.
The coloring agent used in such an ink for inkjet recording method is required to have high solubility in a solvent, enable high-density recording, provide good color hue, exhibit excellent fastness to light, heat, air, water and chemicals, ensure good fixing property and less bleeding on an image-receiving material, provide an ink having excellent storability, show no toxicity, have high purity, and be available at a low cost. However, it is very difficult to find out a coloring agent satisfying these requirements in a high level. Various dyes and pigments for inkjet recording method have been already proposed and actually used, however, a coloring agent satisfying all requirements is not yet found out at present. Conventionally well-known dyes and pigments having a Colour Index (C.I.) number can hardly satisfy both color hue and fastness required of the ink for inkjet recording method. Heretofore, studies have been made on a dye having good color hue and fastness with an attempt to develop a dye excellent as the coloring agent for inkjet recording. Particularly, a dye having good color hue and excellent fastness to ozone is highly desired.
On the other hand, many dyes are difficult to dissolve in water and readily precipitate, and it has been found that a problem in that when printed, an abnormal printed part (a failure in that a bronze part, i.e., a matted surface is formed as compared with a normal printed part) resulting from aggregation of dye in a high-density printed part is produced to deteriorate the image quality. The bronze part is readily generated particularly in a multicolor mixed part.
A method of increasing an amount of a water-soluble organic solvent used so as to prevent the precipitation of dye is not preferred, because the ejection property is worsened due to increase in the viscosity and the light fastness also tends to be worsened. A method of using a dye having high light absorbance in a low concentration may be considered, but a dye also satisfying other performances is difficult to find out in view of technique.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system (10) for reuse of available spreading codes includes a first communication device (100) and a second communication device (106). The first and second communication devices (100, 106) are capable of identifying spreading codes and operating frequencies that are optimum for their respective radios. The identity of the optimum spreading code and the frequency of the optimum frequency is communicated from one communication device (100) to another (106), hence allowing the two devices to communicate with each other using their respective optimum codes and frequencies. These codes and frequencies may be periodically updated to provide reusability of codes. By dynamically updating codes and frequencies without the use of a central station, the efficiency and reusability of codes in the CDMA system (10) is significantly enhanced.

In direct sequence Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, many transmitters may operate in a wide but same frequency space. The signals are discriminated at the receiver by the difference in their pseudo-random spreading sequences or codes. However, recovery of signals in the presence of a strong signal is almost impossible regardless of the spreading code used. This creates a problem commonly known as the near-far problem. The Receiver is incapable of receiving a signal when a strong signal is present on the same frequency. Such a condition significantly hampers the operation of the CDMA system until the strong signal disappears. It is therefore desired to have a CDMA system that allows communication between radios even in the presence of strong signals.

Communication device with code sequence and frequency selection system


An electrohydraulic pressing device is suitable for one-handed operation. The device includes a housing having a working head attached thereto, an electric motor provided within the housing for actuating the working head, the electric motor being rearward of the working head, an actuating switch for actuating the working head, a rearward switch provided within the housing rearward of the motor; and a lever extending from the actuating switch to the rearward switch. The lever is within the housing and the housing around the lever forms a gripping region. When the actuating switch is actuated, the lever is moved to actuate the rearward switch.

Apart from the customary electrohydraulic pressing devices which can be operated with two hands, more lightweight embodiments for one-handed operation are known. These are used for example for pressing pipe connections or pressing cable lugs at the ends of electrical lines, a lower pressing force, for example of 3 t, in comparison with the known, heavier two-handed pressing devices being achieved with these one-handed pressing devices.

Electrohydraulic pressing device and method for operating same


An optical network terminator of the present invention includes an optical wavelength division multiplexer for receiving an optical signal and incoherent light. An optical detection unit converts a downstream high speed and low speed optical signals into electrical signals. A laser diode converts an upstream signal into an optical signal. A high speed driving unit is supplied with power from a power supply unit to drive a forward-biased laser diode and establish a data and video channel. A high speed reception unit is supplied with the power to receive a downstream data and video channel. A charging unit outputs charged power at the time of a power failure. A low speed driving unit is supplied with the charged power to reverse-bias the laser diode to establish a voice channel. A low speed reception unit is supplied with the charged power to receive a voice channel.

A Wavelength Division Multiple Access Passive Optical Network (WDMA PON) is super high speed Internet transmission technology capable of replacing a current Very-High-Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL). If this WDMA PON is applied to a typical optical network, voice, data and video can be simultaneously used in real time for online games, super high speed Internet access, etc., in addition to voice and High Definition Television (HDTV) and various digital video services. In order to apply such a WDMA PON to a typical optical network, Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH), allowing an optical fiber to be deployed to the home of a subscriber, must be realized.
In a WDMA PON using a conventional fixed-wavelength fabry-perot laser diode, a fabry-perot laser diode is deployed in an optical network terminator, and a Central Office (CO) injects incoherent light into the laser diode, so that the oscillation wavelength of the fabry-perot laser is fixed at the wavelength of the injected incoherent light. At this time, if the fabry-perot laser diode acts as a light modulator having a gain, a bias current approaches an oscillation threshold current. Therefore, a considerable amount of power is consumed by the fabry-perot laser diode. However, if a situation where power is not supplied to an optical network terminator, that is, a power failure situation, occurs, it is impossible to drive the fabry-perot laser diode, so that a situation where a subscriber cannot communicate may occur.
This situation is a great interruption when a current wired telephone line has been replaced. In the case of the current wired telephone line, since the central office supplies power through the telephone line, communication is possible even in a power failure situation. However, in the case of FTTH transmission technology including WDMA PON, when power is not supplied, as in a power failure, a communication channel cannot be provided. Therefore, a subscriber cannot communicate with others when an emergency situation occurs.
Generally, if a current above an oscillation threshold current is applied to a fabry-perot laser, there are multiple oscillation modes output. However, if incoherent light, in which a narrow band wavelength is filtered, is injected from the central office, the modes at the wavelengths differing from the wavelength of the injected light among the multiple oscillation modes are suppressed, and the only an oscillation mode having the wavelength identical to that of the light injected remains in the output. That is, only the oscillation mode having a wavelength identical to that of the injected light remains, thus enabling the fabry-perot laser diode having the miltiple oscillation modes to be operated as in a single mode. These are the principles of the WDMA PON using a fixed-wavelength fabry-perot laser. In this case, an incoherent light source is placed in a central office. Since the central office is not affected by a power failure, incoherent light is always injected into an optical network terminator from the central office. Therefore, if this incoherent light can be modulated and the modulated light can be returned to the central office, communication is possible even in a power failure.
The modulation of incoherent light injected at low power can be performed by applying a forward bias current below a threshold current or applying a reverse bias current to a fabry-perot laser. If the fabry-perot laser is modulated at a current below an oscillation threshold current, total light output power is reduced compared to the case where a current above a threshold current is applied, but a modulated optical signal with intensity sufficient to transmit a low speed signal, the speed of which is an integer times 64 kbps, such as a voice signal, can be generated. Therefore, since a current below a threshold current is applied, power consumption can greatly decrease compared to the case where a fabry-perot laser is driven using a current above a steady state threshold current. Therefore, a communication channel can be established for a considerable period of time using a small capacity battery at the time of a power failure. Further, in the case of a forward bias, the output power of a laser diode varies even when incoherent light is not externally injected, so that a fabry-perot laser diode can be operated by utilizing the forward bias characteristics even in a construction in which an incoherent light source does not exist.
In the meantime, if a reverse bias voltage is applied to a fabry-perot laser diode, the fabry-perot laser diode acts as an electro-absorption modulator that absorbs externally injected light, instead of acting as an amplifier that increases optical power. That is, the reverse-biased fabry-perot laser diode absorbs part of the incident light, and the remaining part thereof is output after reflected by a mirror. At this time, since absorptivity varies with an applied reverse bias voltage, the voltage is adjusted to convert an electrical signal into an optical signal. In this case, the front facet of the fabry-perot laser diode needs to be anti-reflection coated so as to perform efficient modulation. Such anti-reflection coating on the fabry-perot laser diode is adapted to reduce the extent of wideband light reflected from an incident side of the fabry-perot laser diode. That is, if a fabry-perot laser diode that is not coated is used, the amount of light reflected from the incident facet is greater than the amount of light obtained after being absorbed by the fabry-perot laser diode. Then, a central office has difficulty in distinguishing such modulated signals from the reflected incoherent light. Because a reverse current of a laser diode is much lower than a forward current, power consumption of the laser diode operated in this way can be greatly reduced compared to the case where the laser diode is operated in forward bias. Furthermore, in order to increase modulation efficiency, the incident side of the fabry-perot laser diode may be anti-reflection coated and/or an opposite surface may be high-reflection coated.

Optical network terminator and optical network connection method using it

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A current controlled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor transconductive amplifier arrangement includes a first transconductive amplifier and a control circuit to control the transconductance of the first transconductive amplifier. The control circuit contains a second transconductive amplifier and an error amplifier formed in a feedback circuit, a current source to provide a current flowing through a resistor so as to supply an input voltage for the second transconductive amplifier, and a second current source and the output of the second transconductive amplifier coupled to the positive input of the error amplifier such that the transconductance of the second transconductive amplifier is in a linear relation with its bias current. The bias current of the first transconductive amplifier is mirrored from the bias current of the second transconductive amplifier by a current mirror, thus the transconductance of the first transconductive amplifier is linearly current controlled.

The present invention relates generally to a transconductive amplifier, and more particularly to, a current controlled transconductive amplifier.
As shown in FIG. 1, with an input voltage Vi a traditional transconductive amplifier has an output current Io in a relation
Io=gmxc3x97Vi,xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[Eq-1]
where gm is the transconductance of the transconductive amplifier T1.
In a general application, such as a GM-C filter, the transconductance thereof is controlled by an input voltage and is not necessary to have a linear relation with the input voltage. While in some applications, such as a telephone, the transconductance thereof is controlled by the line current and requires a linear relation to the line current. As shown in FIG. 2, the prior art constructs a transconductive amplifier with a differential stage composed of bipolar transistors. The transconductance of a bipolar transistor is proportional to the current flowing through the bipolar transistor, as a result, linear adjustment of the current flowing through the bipolar transistor can linearly control the transconductance of the bipolar transistor, and thus requirement of linear control of the transconductance of a transconductive amplifier can be met.
However, most present integrated circuits (ICs) are formed by metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) processes. In consideration of the consistence of manufacture process and circuit, it is obviously that the circuit shown in FIG. 2 is unsuitable to such circumstances. Even though the integration of bipolar transistor and MOS process is available, the manufacture processes will become complex and costly. It is thus desired a MOS transconductive amplifier.
Unfortunately, there is a problem presented in the MOS transconductive amplifier for that the transconductance of a MOS transistor and the current flowing through the MOS transistor have the relation
xe2x80x83gm=dId/dVgs=2Kp(W/L)(Vgsxe2x88x92Vt)=2(Kp(W/L)Id)xc2xd.xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[Eq-2]
That is, the transconductance of a MOS transistor is proportional to the square root of the current flowing through the MOS transistor. Therefore, it cannot obtain a circuit with linear control of the transconductance of a MOS transconductive amplifier by current as that does in FIG. 2.
A CMOS transconductive amplifier arrangement, according to the present invention, comprises a control circuit to provide a current to linearly control a first transconductive amplifier having a differential pair composed of a first and a second MOS transistors biased with a bias current, and a second transconductive amplifier matched to the first transconductive amplifier to provide an output coupled to an error amplifier and thus to form a feedback circuit to generate a current to provide the bias current for the second transconductive amplifier whose two inputs are coupled to a resistor therebetween flowing with a current provided by a first current source and output is coupled to a second current source with a current mirrored from the current of the feedback circuit by a current mirror for the bias current of the first transconductive amplifier so as to linearly control the transconductance of the first transconductive amplifier by a current.

Current controlled CMOS transconductive amplifier arrangement


Content displayed on a display element of a computing device can be rendered from a viewpoint that updates with changes in the relative position of a user's head, or other such feature, with respect to the device. At least one camera of the device can attempt to track the relative position in order to determine the proper viewpoint. When the user's head can no longer be seen, or when confidence in the determined relative position drops below an acceptable value, for example, the device can utilize information from another source, such as a motion or rotation sensor, to attempt to estimate the current position of the user's head. Physical limitations of the user with respect to the device also can be used to improve the accuracy of the determination.

As people are utilizing computing devices for an increasing variety of tasks, there is a corresponding desire to increase the ways in which users can interact with these devices. Certain computing devices enable a user to provide input using relative position or motion, such as by making a motion or gesture with respect to a camera of the computing device. In order to provide such input for a conventional approach, however, the appropriate portion of the user must be within the field of view of a camera of the device. Conventional front-facing cameras on a device are relatively high resolution but have a limited field of view. Accordingly, an amount of relative movement between the user and a device can cause the user to quickly move out of the field of view. When the user is out of the field of view, the relative position of the user cannot be determined and appropriate input cannot be provided.

Tracking head position for rendering content


A gateway apparatus connected to an image processing apparatus in a communicable manner and connected to an external apparatus via a network, and performing communication control between the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus, includes: a main CPU; a sub CPU; a first detecting unit configured to detect a state of a primary power supply; a second detecting unit configured to detect a state of a secondary power supply; a generating unit configured to generate a transfer instruction message; an acquiring unit configured to acquire information about a change in a state of the gateway apparatus or an apparatus located in the vicinity of the gateway apparatus; an updating unit configured to repeatedly perform updating of the transfer instruction message; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the last-generated or last-updated transfer instruction message to an external alternate apparatus.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gateway apparatuses, and more particularly, to a gateway apparatus that can control communication between an image processing apparatus connected to the gateway apparatus and an external apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Instead of server software that is operated by a server so as to reduce the server introduction/management costs in a LAN (Local Area Network), so-called cloud applications are now widely spread. When executed with the use of a so-called cloud server connected to the Internet, a cloud application can provide various kinds of services to a user.
In some cloud system that provides a cloud application in a usable form, the cloud application provides various kinds of services while communicating with devices such as MFPs (Multi-Function Peripherals) or printers that are operated in a LAN in each corporation. In such a cloud system, communication from the cloud application to a device is conducted. This communication is to access an MFP or the like in an intranet from the Internet. Therefore, due to the function of a so-called firewall normally located on a boundary between the Internet and an intranet, communication cannot be conducted in some cases. In an environment where private IP addresses are allocated to MFPs, for example, the IP address of an MFP cannot be designated from the cloud application side, and communication cannot be conducted. In view of this, a gateway apparatus that relays communication between an apparatus on the Internet side and a device in a LAN is used.
A gateway apparatus is constantly connected to a management server that can be connected thereto via the Internet, and relayed communication between an apparatus such as a cloud server on the Internet side and an image processing apparatus in a LAN can be established based on a result of communication with the management server.
The power supply for such a gateway apparatus is sometimes cut off due to a maintenance activity or the like. In view of this, an alternate apparatus having an alternate function of a gateway apparatus is prepared beforehand. When the power supply is cut off, the function is transferred from the gateway apparatus to the alternate apparatus, so that relayed communication between an apparatus on the Internet side and a device in a LAN can be conducted via the alternate apparatus.
JP 2008-210358 A discloses a method by which the data necessary for an electronic circuit unit to recover is saved in a nonvolatile memory in a data processing apparatus after a cutoff of the primary power supply is detected as a trigger, until the voltage of the secondary power supply drops to the lower limit of the operation-guarantee voltage of the apparatus.
In some cases, a power supply for a gateway apparatus is unexpectedly cut off. For example, when a problem occurs in a gateway apparatus, a user might inadvertently switch off the power supply for the gateway apparatus, or an accidental power failure might occur. So as to maintain relayed communication in such a case, the function needs to be transferred to an alternate apparatus before the voltage of the secondary power supply becomes lower than the operation-guarantee voltage of the CPU, with a cutoff of the primary power supply being a trigger.
The period from a cutoff of the primary power supply to a drop of the voltage of the secondary power supply depends on power consumption in the gateway apparatus. Therefore, to complete a function transfer without fail, the processing to be performed in the gateway apparatus needs to be minimized. To minimize the processing, the method described below may be employed, for example.
In some cases, a gateway apparatus has both a main CPU and a sub CPU. A CPU that has a relatively high information processing capacity but has a relatively high lower limit of the operation-guarantee voltage may be used as the main CPU, and a CPU that has a relatively low information processing capacity but has a relatively low lower limit of the operation-guarantee voltage may be used as the sub CPU. In this case, the sub CPU can be made to perform the transfer operation.
As the alternate apparatus that serves as the transfer destination is determined beforehand, the information necessary for the transfer can be sent beforehand. Here, the necessary information for the transfer includes a list of devices such as image processing apparatuses to be managed by the gateway apparatus in such a manner that relayed communication can be conducted, the IP address of the management server, and the like.
However, such a method has the problems described below.
Specifically, the alternate apparatus might be unable to transfer the function, because the power supply for the alternate apparatus is off, or normal communication cannot be conducted due to a network failure, for example. The method by which the alternate apparatus that is to serve as the transfer destination is determined in advance cannot cope with such situations.
Also, in a case where only a transfer instruction is sent to the alternate apparatus, the communication being relayed at the moment is discarded. Therefore, if a transfer instruction is issued while printing is being performed based on information transmitted from a cloud server, for example, the print job being performed is discarded, and the printing needs to be resumed from the top of the job.
To solve the former problem, it is possible to employ a method by which a device that is suitable for the transfer is selected from among alternate apparatuses while the state of each alternate apparatus that can serve as a transfer destination is checked. By such a method, however, the load on the main CPU becomes larger, and the processing requires a longer period of time. Therefore, the voltage might run out during the processing, and the transfer process might not be performed.
To solve the latter problem, it is possible to employ a method by which a function transfer is performed after the relaying of the communication being relayed is completed. However, the voltage might run out before the relaying is completed, and the transfer process might not be performed.


A sense amplifier sensing data on a pair of complimentary half-bitlines 301a, 301b connected to a static random access memory cell 300. First and second sensing transistors 405a, 405b amplify a voltage difference between first and second half-bitlines 301 during an active cycle. First and second restore transistors 404a, 404b pull the first and second half-bitlines to corresponding first and second voltage rails in response to the amplified voltage difference. SR Latch 406, 407 retains data from cycle to cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electronic memories and in particular, to circuitry and methods for dynamically sensing data in a static random access memory cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
Static random access memory cells (SRAMs) are useful in applications such as cache memory, where speed is a more critical consideration than power consumption and cell size. SRAM memory can be in the form of a discrete device, such as the L2 cache in a processing system, or be embedded within a larger processing device, such as the L1 cache found on-board many microprocessors. Even though speed is the most critical factor, reduced power consumption and noise minimization are always a major concern for the designers of SRAMs and in particular of embedded SRAM design.
One area where power consumption and noise become a particular problem is in the sense amplifier design. Recent trends in embedded high-speed CMOS SRAM memory design have made the traditional analog amplifier sensing schemes less attractive. Among other things, when traditional SRAM amplifiers are outputting data, the DC power consumption rapidly increases. In fact, the sense amplifier power consumption can often represent most of the overall SRAM power consumption. Additionally, traditional SRAM sense amplifiers produce system noise in the form of output switching transients. Not only do these output switching transients create signal transmission problems but, if the outputs of a large number of sense amplifiers are switching, they can also increase power consumption.
Thus, the need has arisen for new SRAM sensing circuitry and methods for constructing low power consumption, low noise SRAMs.

Circuitry and methods for dynamically sensing of data in a static random access memory cell


An air intake device has a base seat, a hollow main body disposed on the base seat, and a hollow cover seat disposed on the hollow main body. An intake guide pipe is connected to the connection pipe. A plurality of L-shaped plates are disposed in the hollow cover seat. An upper magnet is disposed in the hollow cover seat. A lower magnet is disposed in the hollow main body. The lower magnet has a taper lower portion. The hollow main body has an upper interior, an inner thread, a lower interior, a lower groove, and an upper groove. A hollow adjustment screw is inserted in the hollow main body. The hollow adjustment screw has a center hole and an annular recess receiving a seal ring. The base seat receives an air cleaner.

The present invention relates to an air intake device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air intake device which has two repulsive magnets.
A conventional air intake device can take the air into an engine. A large engine needs a large amount of air. A small engine needs a small amount of air. Therefore, various engines need various air intake devices.


An apparatus for avoiding a message collision between vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communications may include a channel busy percentage (CBP) determiner configured to determine a CBP and a controller configured to establish a data rate based on the determined CBP. When the CBP exceeds a preset reference value, the controller may adapt the data rate to an upper data rate. A method, system, and computer readable medium are further disclosed for performing the same.

IEEE wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE), which is a vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication standard, uses a basic safety message (BSM) as the most basic transmission method to recognize surrounding vehicles. For safe driving and fast networking, the BSM may be maximally transmitted within the allowable transmission environment.
The greater the number of vehicles on the road, the more BSMs are generated. Therefore, the possibility that a busy situation occurs in a channel used in the WAVE is increased.
When a busy situation occurs, a method of reducing the strength of message transmission may be considered. However, the method of temporarily reducing transmission strength has potential drawbacks. To this point, an example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the hidden terminal problem (HTP) maintained when the transmission strength is reduced in response to the busy situation, as described above.
FIG. 1 illustrates vehicle A, vehicle B, and vehicle C, as well as a communication range corresponding to each of the vehicles. In particular, vehicle A may communicate with vehicle B, and vehicle B may communicate with vehicle C. However, vehicles A and C are disposed outside the communication range therebetween. Since carrier sensing and the like are performed based on vehicle A, vehicle A determines that vehicle B does not communicate with other vehicles (for example, vehicle C) to transmit its own message. This may also be applied to vehicle C.
Even though the transmission strength can be reduced in response to the busy situation, vehicles which have the HTP relation still exist. Therefore, the reduction in receiving rate of a successful message (for example, BSM) is inevitable.
Accordingly, in V2V communication or vehicle to infra/vehicle/nomadic communication (V2X), when the busy situation occurs, a serious problem in recognizing surrounding vehicles may occur. Due to the small size of the contention window, as defined in the IEEE 802.11p revised bill, the opportunity to avoid a media access control (MAC) message collision is limited. In particular, the contention increases at the initial stage of message transmission.

Apparatus and method for avoiding message collision between V2V communication

Korea University Research and Business Foundation


A radiation image is recorded on a plurality of photostimulable phosphor screens of a size that is smaller than the size of the elongate body. The screens are exposed to a radiation image of a grid of threads of attenuating material and a radiation image of the elongate body so that each of the screens stores part of the image of the body and superimposed thereon, part of the image of the grid. The screens are read out individually. Reconstruction of the image of the elongate body is performed on the basis of the reconstructed image of the grid.

In the field of digital radiography a technique has been developed wherein a radiation image, for example an image of X-rays transmitted by an object, is stored in a screen comprising a photostimulable phosphor such as one of the phosphors described in European patent publication 503 702 published on Sep. 16, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,661.
The technique for reading out the stored radiation image consists of scanning the screen with stimulating radiation, such as laser light of the appropriate wavelength, detecting the light emitted upon stimulation and converting the emitted light into an electric representation for example by means of a photomultiplier.
The signal is then digitized, processed and subsequently used to control the hard copy recording in image reproducing system such as a laser recorder. For diagnostic purposes the reproduction is viewed and analyzed on a lightbox.
Stimulable phosphor screens used in this technique are selected from a variety of sizes which are adapted to the body part that is examined.
The read out apparatus is designed so that it is able to accommodate and read all these sizes of screens.
However, examination types exist in which a larger part of the body is examined than can be recorded on a single, even the largest sized cassette (among commonly used cassette types).
Examples of such examination types are the diagnosis of the entire vertebral column or of the leg, so-called full leg-full spine examinations, where clinical indication requires that e.g. the full spine be examined at once to enable diagnosis or to qualify diagnosis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,045 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,541 such applications have been dealt with.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,045 discloses a method wherein a radiation image of a large object such as a vertebral column is recorded on first and second stimulable phosphor screens that are successively positioned in the image recording unit of the apparatus with their confronting ends superimposed on each other in the recording position. The stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated in the apparatus along a circulatory path through a recording unit, a read out unit and an erasure unit. Special features are provided to hold the sheets in position at the recording unit. After having been exposed, the sheets are consecutively fed to a read out unit where a digital signal representation of the image stored in a sheet is obtained. Then, the image signals representing the images read out of the two sheets are processed so as to combine image portions corresponding to the superimposed portions of the two photostimulable phosphor sheets, with the result that a combined image signal is produced. No details are given on the way in which this image processing is performed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,541 discloses another method and apparatus for recording a radiation image of an elongate body. The method is based on the use of a plurality of elongated stimulable phosphor screens that are successively fed along a circulary path in a combined and dedicated exposure and read out device. The disclosure generally relates to the handling of the sheets in such a dedicated combined exposure and read out device.

Method of recording and reading a radiation image of an elongate body


A vehicle having a first transponder circuit generating an over-the-air transmission signal and a reference signal is disclosed. The vehicle also has a receiver circuit that receives the over-the-air transmission signal. The vehicle also has an integrity-checking circuit receiving an integrity signal from the receiver circuit. The integrity signal is based on the over-the-air transmission signal received by the receiver. The integrity-checking circuit also receives the reference signal from the first transponder circuit. The integrity-checking circuit determines the integrity of the over-the-air transmission signal.

Conventionally, avionics engineers and certification bodies are improving and providing pilots and flight crews with information necessary to identify in-flight traffic. An approach has been to provide the flight crew with information on the location of other aircraft in the area. One exemplary system which is capable of providing this information, is known as a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS). TCAS systems are required for all airliners flying in the United States air space today. TCAS devices have been designed to interrogate transponders of other aircrafts, sometimes referred to as intruder aircraft. The TCAS system evaluates the threat of collision with the other aircraft and coordinates an avoidance maneuver for the aircraft. Another type of traffic information system is known as automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B systems are capable of providing position, velocity, and status information broadcast from an aircraft at regular intervals using information obtained from global positioning system (GPS) satellites and onboard systems. ADS-B systems may use the Mode S transponders and provide transmissions at regular intervals. Accordingly, ADS-B transponders need not be interrogated.
In an ADS-B system, a Mode S transponder or a squitter may be disposed in a first aircraft that continuously emits a squitter message. The squitter is a radio frequency (RF) signal that is generated by the radio-based transponder. In an ADS-B system since there is no reply to the ADS-B squitter message, it may be desirable to have knowledge of whether the ADS-B squitter is transmitting properly.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system in which an ADS-B squitter message may be checked by the systems of the transmitting aircraft. Further, it may be desirable to have an ADS-B system which not only determines whether the ADS-B squitter is transmitting but also whether the ADS-B message transmitted is correct.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.

ADS-B broadcast monitoring system and method


A relative position detection device is used for a traveling system that allows a first and second vehicles to travel such that the first vehicle precedes and the second vehicle follows the first vehicle. The detecting device includes a sensor pair of a first and second sensors and an arithmetic unit. The first and second sensors are located at the same height on the right and left end portions of the front surface of the second vehicle. The first and second sensors emits transmission waves from their located positions in their front directions and receives their reflected waves. The arithmetic unit detects a direction of deviation between the first and second vehicles in the right and left direction on the basis of a difference between a first intensity of the reflected wave received by the first sensor and a second intensity of the reflected waves received by the second sensor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a relative position detection device for a vehicle, and in particular to a relative position detection device that is applicable to a travelling system that allows a following vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, which detects a relative position of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle in the right and left direction.
2. Related Art
In related art, an unmanned vehicle travelling system is known that includes first and second unmanned vehicles and allows the first and second unmanned vehicles to travel such that the first unmanned vehicle precedes and the second unmanned vehicle follows the first unmanned vehicle.
In this regard, JP-A-H02-076009 discloses an unmanned vehicle travelling system including the first and second unmanned vehicles. In the travelling system, the second unmanned vehicle is provided with a plurality of reflective photoelectric switches on the front surface thereof, and the first unmanned vehicle is provided with a reflecting plate on the rear surface thereof. The photoelectric switches are separated from one another in the right and left direction by a predetermined distance. The reflecting plate is located on the same height as the photoelectric switches.
The photoelectric switches on the second unmanned vehicle emit light toward the first photoelectric switches. Then, only the photoelectric switches that receive the light reflected by the reflecting plate are turned on. Thus, an amount of positional deviation in the right and left direction of the second unmanned vehicle with respect to the first unmanned vehicle can be determined by detecting which photoelectric switches have been turned on.
In a travelling system that allows logistic vehicles or the like to travel in a platoon of vehicles, a distance between a preceding vehicle and a following vehicle increases compared to the travelling system disclosed in JP-A-H02-076009. The long distance between the vehicles makes it difficult to detect an amount of positional deviation in the right and left direction of the following vehicle with respect to the preceding vehicle by using light having a large attenuation factor with respect to a transmission distance, as described in JP-A-H02-076009. Additionally, on daytime public roads, there is a large amount of ambient light (white noise). The also makes it difficult to detect the amount of positional deviation in the right and left direction of the following vehicle with respect to the preceding vehicle by using light.
Further, in the case where ultrasound waves or electromagnetic waves are transmitted from a plurality of sensors separated from one another in the right and left direction by a predetermined distance as disclosed in JP-A-H02-076009, the long distance between two vehicles widens the range in which the ultrasound waves or electromagnetic waves are received. This allows the reflected waves to be received by sensors other than sensors opposed to the reflection plate, thereby reducing detection accuracy of the amount of positional deviation in the right and left direction. From this, a technique disclosed in JP-A-H02-076009 is applied to use narrow-directivity ultrasound waves or electromagnetic waves, but then cannot be used for wide-directivity ultrasound or electromagnetic waves.

Relative position detection device for vehicle


An in-situ oil shale production system used for economically mobilizing and extracting hydrocarbons in an underground oil shale deposit. The production system includes a plurality of injection wells, a plurality of production wells and a thermal energy carrier, called herein “TECF”. The TECF is injected through the injection wells into a naturally occurring, highly-permeable zone. The highly-permeable zone is used to create a porous heating element. The porous heating element, at high temperatures in the range of 900 to 1300 degrees F., mobilizes and retorts the hydrocarbons in the porous heating elements. The hydrocarbons with the TECF then flow from the porous heating element through the production wells to the ground surface for refining. The surface area of the large porous heating element provides a means for economic, in-situ retorting of hydrocarbons from a carbon-rich, oil shale geologic formation.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of hydrocarbons, water and other products from a fixed-bed carbonaceous deposit such as well characterized in oil shale deposits, in coal bed deposits, in tar sand deposits and other geological formations found in the western United States and Canada and more specifically, but not by way of limitation, to an in-situ production system for the extraction of hydrocarbons and other products in an oil shale deposit. The production system uses a plurality of injection wells and production wells with a thermal energy carrier fluid, called herein "TECF". The TECF is used to create a porous heating element in a horizontal or near-horizontal highly-permeable zone for retorting hydrocarbons from the highly-permeable zone and adjacent less-permeable zones.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, most prior-proposed, in-situ oil shale retorting technologies are dependent on oil shale rock formations for radial transmission of thermal energy Btu's from the wall of a well bore out into the surrounding rock. In this type of radial geometry, heat flow outwardly from a very small porous heating element surface area of a well bore wall (i.e., about 2 to 3 square feet per foot of well bore porous heating element length), the Btu's heat flow rate is very limited. This limited, heat flow rate per well bore thereby requires drilling a large multiplicity of closely spaced well bores to achieve economic production rates. Such a requirement for a multiplicity of closely spaced well bores is environmentally unacceptable and is economically very cost/price limiting.
The subject oil shale production system is based on the injection, from a line of injection wells, of TECF as volatilized hot vapors, into either a horizontal or near-horizontal, natural-occurring, highly-permeable zone or a horizontal or near-horizontal, highly-permeable hydraulic fracture zone to create a desired, very large porous heating element in an underground surface area. The surface area of the large porous heating element provides a means for economic, in-situ retorting hydrocarbon form a carbon-rich, oil shale geologic formation,

Oil shale production system using a thermal-energy-carrier fluid for creating a porous heating element in a highly permeable zone


Approaches are described for generating a multiview autostereoscopic image from a stereo three-dimensional input image pair. A stereo to multiview rendering system receives a stereo three-dimensional image including a left image and a right image at a first view position and a second view position, respectively. The system generates a first input warp and a second input warp that maps the left image and the right image to a third and fourth positions, respectively, where the third and fourth positions lie between the first and second view positions. The system generates a plurality of output warps based on the first warp and the second warp. The system resamples each output warp in the plurality of output warps to create a plurality of partial output images. The system interleaves the plurality of partial output images to generate a composite output image.

Field
The present application relates to the field of computer animation and, in particular, to efficient stereo to multiview rendering using interleaved rendering.
Description of the Related Art
High-quality multiview displays are being introduced to the consumer market. Multiview displays are associated with autostereoscopy, which involves methods of displaying stereoscopic images without requiring the viewer to wear special glasses to achieve a three-dimensional (3D) effect. Such multiview displays are expected to become widely available in the coming years. Typically, multiview displays present multiple input views taken from different perspectives to the viewer, whereas 3D content from movie production presently provides two-view stereoscopic content—one for the left and one for the right eye. Various approaches for converting two-view stereoscopic content to multiview content provide good results but suffer from high demand for computational power, and correspondingly long rendering times. As a result, such approaches are currently not able to provide real-time stereoscopic to multiview conversion.

Efficient stereo to multiview rendering using interleaved rendering

ETH Zurich (Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Zurich)


A system and methods for providing users with comprehensive search results in response to queries entered by the user over a computer network. The user may access the network and enter a query in order to obtain information related to the query. The network is associated with a plurality of electronic files and a metadata database for accessing the files. The key terms of the query will be identified and may be expanded to include additional terms that have been previously identified as related to the key terms entered by the user. The expanded query is used to provide the user with information that contains or is identified by terms that may or may not be included in the query entered by the user, but nevertheless is relevant thereto.

Performing a search over the Internet or other networks in order to locate information relevant to the search terms entered by a user is quite often a laborious task. Typical search engines or other searchable databases enable users to search only the terms the user has entered. A few search engines and searchable databases will automatically search synonyms of the terms entered by the user. Others provide a list of related terms after a search is complete and the results are displayed, in order to enable a user to subsequently perform a further search on a related term. Searching for information in that manner may or may not provide useful results. Moreover, such searches rarely, if ever, provide a comprehensive set of search results including not only information relevant to the terms entered by the user but also information relevant to unentered terms wherein the entered and unentered terms are pre-determined to be related. The ability to automatically search and obtain information containing unentered terms related to the entered terms is helpful in providing comprehensive search results.
Providing the ability to automatically expand on key terms entered by a user as part of a query allows a search of accessible electronic files to return a comprehensive set of search results comprising relevant information that may have been missed had the query not been expanded. Expanding the query entered by a user to include related terms enables a user to obtain a comprehensive set of results limited only by the number of related terms associated with the terms contained in the query entered by the user.

Method and apparatus for providing comprehensive search results in response to user queries entered over a computer network


A device for spinal correction includes a stabilizer assembly including a hinge including a first rod-bearing leaf; a second rod-bearing leaf rotatably coupled to the first rod-bearing leaf to provide coronal or sagittal freedom of movement, or both, of the stabilizer assembly; a locking mechanism to lock the first and second rod-bearing leaves at a desired angle; a first stabilizing rod coupled to the first rod-bearing leaf; a second stabilizing rod coupled to the second rod-bearing leaf; and a plurality of monoaxial or polyaxial links, wherein each monoaxial or polyaxial link is movably coupled to the first or second stabilizing rod and is movably couplable to a first spinal rod or a second spinal rod fixed to the spine; wherein the stabilizer assembly is couplable to the first or second spinal rod to stabilize the spine to prevent compression, distraction, or translation of the spinal cord during a spinal correction.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with the use of a device to stabilize and manipulate a deformed spine on which a vertebral column resection (VCR) or spinal correction is being or has been performed into a desired position and then fixing the spine in that configuration. In some cases of severe spinal deformity, it is advisable to remove one or more vertebrae to allow manipulation of the spine into a more normal curve, sometimes in stages over a period of time. The spine must be stabilized for performance of the VCR; manipulated into the more normal configuration; held in place over a period of time until the spine adapts to that configuration, and sometimes stabilized and manipulated repeatedly during subsequent spinal corrections and then held in place until the spine adapts to each new configuration. Prior art method and systems are difficult and risky because they do not provide for fine control of the initial stabilization during the VCR, stabilization, manipulation, or the long-term fixing in place of the spine without risk of compression, distraction, or translation of the spinal cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,433,433, to Montello, et al., is said to disclose a posterior vertebral plating system comprising a plate and a plurality of attachment members. The plate is said to have a plurality of holes extending through the plate from an upper surface to a lower surface, and the plate is configured to extend along the posterior side of at least two vertebrae adjacent at least one boney structure of each of the vertebrae. The holes are said to be spaced in such a way that a first plurality of holes is positionable over a boney structure of a first vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the first vertebra and a second plurality of holes is positionable over boney structure of a second vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the second vertebra. The attachment members are said to be insertable through the holes of the plate and into the boney structure of a corresponding vertebra to fix the plate to the vertebra.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,004,538, to McNab et al., is said to disclose a surgical instrument that includes a first arm engageable with a first spinal construct disposed with a first vertebral surface. A second arm is said to be connected with the first arm via a pivot and to be engageable with a second spinal construct disposed with a second vertebral surface. The first arm is said to be movable to rotate the first spinal construct relative to the pivot and/or the second arm is said to be movable to rotate the second spinal construct relative to the pivot such that the first vertebral surface is moved relative to the second vertebral surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,579,126, to Zhang, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 10,105,166, to Zhang, et al., are said to disclose a rod link reducer of a spinal fixation system that includes a first and a second spinal rod manipulator; a first spinal rod manipulator joint connected to the first spinal rod manipulator and a second spinal rod manipulator joint connected to the second spinal rod manipulator; a first and a second translatable transverse shaft connected to the first and second joints, respectively; and a universal reducer connected to both the first and second translatable transverse shafts, wherein the universal reducer, the shafts and the linkers provide movement and temporary fixation of a spine that has been manipulated into a final position during spinal surgery.
Methods and systems for stabilization, manipulation, and fixation of a deformed spine subject to a VCR are ineffective and risky. Effective methods and systems that reduce risk for stabilization, manipulation, and fixation of a deformed spine subject to a VCR to prevent compression, distraction, or translation of the spinal cord are desirable.

Hinge-link spinal correction device and method

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children


The present invention is to provide a push-cord energy saving lamp holder that is easy for the stripping of power cord, which comprises: a lamp holder body, having push-cord holes and nearby cord-stripped sockets at its top, and first lodging troughs and second lodging troughs in its internal; a set of push-cord stands, each having a plug face from which a power connect face and a conducting face are formed by bending its top and bottom portions, where the edge of the power connect face is further divided into a power connect notch corresponding to the push-cord hole and a cord-stripped trench corresponding to the cord-stripped socket; a set of conducting springy slices, having a plug face lodged in the second lodging trough for a fixing and a conducting face connected to the conducting face of the push-cord stand; and a cover plate, placed on the hollow of the lamp holder body, having a set of positioning grooves on the plate, which accommodate the insertion of the conducting terminals of an energy saving lamp; the cord-stripped socket is designed for accommodating the insertion of a slender cord-stripped tool, where the tool is pushed to bend the cord-stripped trench, which in turn bends the power connect notch, and the effect causes the conducting end portion of the power cord is released easily from the push-cord hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to push-cord energy saving lamp holders that are easy for the stripping of cord, more particularly, to one that has a cord-stripped socket next to the push-cord hole of the lamp holder body, where a slender stripping tool can be inserted to easily actuate the stripping of the power cord.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Energy saving lamps gradually become the main stream of illumination because of their saving energy, which considerably facilitates the popularity of the energy saving lamp holders among lighting appliances. Whatever the structure it could be, the energy saving lamp holder has to connect to the power supply for the illumination of the lamp. In general, the joining between the energy saving lamp holder and the power cord is categorized into two ways, threaded type and push-cord type, where the threaded type is more complicated in the manipulation that results in unpopularity; the joining operation of the push-cord type is done by inserting the conducting end portion of the power cord directly into the push-cord hole of the lamp holder for the purpose of a clamping. Due to the easy handling of the joining, the push-cord type for sure gains popularity. However, it is hard to strip the power cord once the joining is firm. A strip of the cord by force will generally bring in electric shock or destroy of the joining with the lamp holder, which is actually the worst drawback.

Push-cord energy saving lampholder easy for the stripping of cord


An apparatus and method for monitoring state information in a trial run mode of a multi-airconditioning system in which a plurality of indoor units are controlled by only one outdoor unit is disclosed. The apparatus and method connects a dedicated controller to the outdoor unit in a trial run mode of the multi-airconditioning system, such that it controls the indoor units and monitors state information of the indoor and outdoor units. The apparatus includes a trial-run-mode controller and a control input & state display unit. The trial-run-mode controller connected to the outdoor unit includes a trial-run-mode program for automatically detecting poor installation of the multi-airconditioning system. The control input & state display unit is connected to the trial-run-mode controller, enters control signals capable of performing control and monitoring operations of the trial run mode executed after the multi-airconditioning system has been installed, and outputs information associated with the control signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-airconditioner for controlling a plurality of indoor units using only one outdoor unit, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for monitoring state information in a trial run mode, which connects a dedicated controller to the outdoor unit in a trial run mode, such that it controls the indoor units and monitors state information of the indoor units and the outdoor unit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, airconditioners are classified into a multi-airconditioner which includes a plurality of indoor units, each of which is installed in individual rooms, and a single outdoor unit connected to the indoor units; a separated-type airconditioner composed of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and an integrated-type airconditioner in which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are integrated in one body.
The multi-airconditioner has been designed to connect a plurality of indoor units to a single outdoor unit. Generally, a single outdoor unit is installed at the outside, and a plurality of indoor units are installed into individual rooms to be cooled, such that the above-mentioned multi-airconditioner provides individual rooms with cool air.
As described above, the above-mentioned multi-airconditioner connects a plurality of indoor units in parallel to only one outdoor unit, such that a central microprocessor (e.g., a CPU) of the multi-airconditioner cools individual rooms including the indoor units via a communication line according to a multi-airconditioning scheme. Since the multi-airconditioner has a complicated wiring structure due to unique operation characteristics thereof, a user or operator must pay great attention to a wiring connection and pipe arrangement between the outdoor unit and the indoor units when the multi-airconditioner is initially installed at a desired location.
FIG. 1 shows a structural diagram illustrating a conventional multi-airconditioning system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional multi-airconditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units 14a, 14b, and 14c installed in individual rooms to cool multiple areas; a plurality of controllers 15a, 15b, and 15c for controlling individual operations of the indoor units 14a˜14c; a central controller 12 and a high-class central controller 13 for controlling operations of the multi-airconditioning system; and an outdoor unit 13 connected to the indoor units 14a˜14c via a communication line and a pipe line.
The above-mentioned multi-airconditioning system compresses a refrigerant using individual inner compressors of the indoor units 14a˜14c, liquefies the compressed refrigerant using a condenser, transmits the liquefied refrigerant to an inner evaporator of the outdoor unit 11 via an expansion valve, and controls the inner evaporator of the outdoor unit 11 to vaporize the refrigerant, and generates vaporization heat, such that it cools rooms using the vaporization heat.
The above-mentioned operations are controlled by control values of a variety of sensors contained in the indoor units 14a˜14c and the outdoor unit 11, or a variety of operation variable values.
If the multi-airconditioning system is installed as described above, a user or operator controls the multi-airconditioning system to enter a trial run mode to determine whether the multi-airconditioning system is normally installed.
During the trial run mode, the multi-airconditioning system operates the indoor units 14a˜14c connected to the outdoor unit 11, and determines whether cooling/heating airconditioning functions are normally operated.
Two methods have been widely used to operate the indoor units 14a˜14c. Firstly, the multi-airconditioning system operates individual controllers 15a˜15c connected to individual indoor units 14a˜14c to perform the trial run mode. Secondly, the multi-airconditioning system operates the central controller 12 and the high-class central controller 13 installed in a predetermined management room.
In the case of the above-mentioned trial run mode, a user or operator installs the outdoor unit at a specific place located at the outside of a predetermined building, enters the building to perform the trial run mode, operates the indoor units, recognizes operation state information of individual indoor units, goes to the specific place including the outdoor unit, and finally inspects operations of the outdoor unit.
Therefore, the above-mentioned conventional method for performing the trial run mode of the multi-airconditioning system allows the user or operator to suffer unexpected troubles and inconvenience in the trial run mode.
Also, the above-mentioned conventional method can recognize only operation state information of the multi-airconditioning system, such that it cannot correctly recognize not only a pipe arrangement state between the outdoor unit and the indoor units, but also cooling/heating control operations of the outdoor and indoor units.
If there arises variation in operation state information due to installation position information (e.g., high or low installation position) of the indoor and outdoor units and seasonal factors of installation time, the above-mentioned conventional method may cause the user or operator to suffer many problems in correctly recognizing the changed operation state information.

Apparatus and method for monitoring state information in trial run mode of multi-airconditioner


A structural element includes: at least one hollow metallic body (4) with a closed cross-section, an external surface (24), and at least one adhesion lug (22) formed on the external surface (24); and at least one plastic body (6) which is moulded over the metallic body, covering the external surface (24) of the metallic body in such a way as to at least partially cover the adhesion lug (22) in order to connect the plastic body (6) to the metallic body (4). According to one aspect of the invention, the adhesion lug (22) protrudes over the external surface (24) of the metallic body (4), the adhesion lug (22) being closed, connected to the metallic body (4), and having an undercut (40) in relation to the external surface (24) of the metallic body (4). The inventive structural element can be applied to the front of motor vehicles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structural element for a motor vehicle of the type comprising:                a hollow metal body having a closed cross-section having an external surface and at least one anchor pattern formed on the external surface, and        a body of plastics material covering the external surface of the said metal body so as to at least partly cover the anchor pattern to connect the plastics body to the said metal body.
Such a structural element is generally referred to as a "hybrid" because of the combined use of metal and plastics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document WO 2004/05 6610 describes a structural element of the aforesaid type in which the metal body is a tube and the anchor patterns are provided in the form of openings made in the tube.
However the openings made in the tube reduce the mechanical strength of the tube and, as a consequence, the structural element.

Structural element for a motor vehicle, corresponding motor vehicle, and method for producing one such structural element