A charge/discharge control circuit has a voltage detector for detecting a voltage level of a secondary cell, a switch connected in series with the secondary cell, and a control circuit connected in parallel with the voltage detector for receiving and processing an output signal of the voltage detector and controlling an impedance of the switch. The voltage detector, the switch and the control circuit are integrated in a single substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the switch comprises an external connection terminal and a second terminal connected to the secondary cell, a first IGFET connected between the first and second terminals, a second IGFET connectected between the first terminal and a substrate electrode of the first IGFET, and a third IGFET connected between the second terminal and the substrate electrode of the first IGFET.

The present invention relates to a charge/discharge control circuit which can control charge/discharge of a secondary cell and it relates to a chargeable electric power source apparatus used for the charge/discharge control circuit.
A conventional electric power source apparatus provided with a secondary cell or battery is shown in a block diagram of FIG. 2. For example, such a type of apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-75430 entitled "Chargeable Type Electric Power Source Apparatus". More specifically, a secondary cell 101 is connected to an external terminal -V.sub.0 or +V.sub.0 through a switching circuit 103. Further, A charge/dischargecontrol circuit 102 is connected in parallel to the secondary cell 101. The charge/discharge control circuit 102 has a function to detect a voltage of the secondary cell 101. In either overcharged condition (where the voltage is kept higher than a predetermined value) of the voltage of the secondary cell 101 or overdischarged condition (where the voltage is kept lower than a predetermined voltage value), a signal for turning off the switching circuit 103 is fed from the charge/discharge control circuit 102. Accordingly, in the overcharged condition, the switching circuit 103 is turned off, so that a charge is interrupted to the secondary cell 101 from a primary electric power source which is connected to the external terminals -V.sub.0 and +V.sub.0. In case of the overcharged condition, the switching circuit 103 is turned off, so that a supply of the energy to a load (for example, a portable telephone using the secondary cell) is interrupted. Namely, the charge/discharge control circuit 102 controls the switching circuit 103 between the secondary cell 101 and the external terminals, thereby preventing a charge larger than necessary from the external terminals to the secondary cell 101 and at the same time preventing an excessive chargeability degradation of the secondary cell caused by an energy supply from the secondary cell 101 to the load connected to the external terminals.
Also, a chargeable electric power source apparatus as shown in a block diagram of FIG. 30 is known as another conventional example. In FIG. 30, a secondary cell 101 is connected to an external terminal -V.sub.0 or +V.sub.0 through a switching circuit 103 and a current sensing resistor 104. Further, A charge/discharge control circuit 102 is connected in parallel to the secondary cell 101 and an overcurrent detecting circuit 105. The charge/discharge control circuit 102 has a function to detect a voltage of the secondary cell 101. In either overcharged condition of the voltage of the secondary cell 101 or overdischarged condition, a signal for turning off the switching circuit 103 is outputted from the charge/discharge control circuit 102. Also, in the case where an accident occurs in the load to cause the overcurrent condition, a comparator 21 monitors the voltage of the current sensing resistor 104 and compares it with a voltage of a reference voltage circuit 106.
It is assumed that V.sub.REF [V] is the voltage value of the reference voltage circuit 106, R[.OMEGA.]is the resistance value of the current sensing resistor 104 (in this case, if the ON-resistance of the switching circuit 103 is assumed much smaller than R), and I [A] is the current flowing in this case, the current flowed is represented as following equation (1). EQU I=V .sub.REF /R [A] (1)
In this case, the output of the comparator is changed from "H" to "L", a transistor 107 is turned off, a capacitor 109 is charged by a constant current source 108, thereafter in a certain time lag, the output of a comparator 302 is changed from "H" to "L", and the switching circuit 103 is turned off. Namely, the constant current source 108, the capacitor 109 and the transistor 107 constitute a time delay circuit for delaying the output of the comparator 302. The delayed signal is input into the comparator 302 together with the signal of the reference voltage circuit 106. These signals are compared with each other in the comparator 302. The output turns off the switching circuit 103.
Another conventional electric power source apparatus provided with a secondary cell and a charge/discharge control circuit is shown in a block diagram of FIG. 37. For example, such a type of apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-75430 entitled "Chargeable Type Electric Power Source Apparatus". More specifically, a secondary cell 24 and a charge/discharge controlling IC 374 are connected to an external terminals +V and -V through switching transistors 372 and 373, respectively.
For instance, in the case where the voltage of the secondary cell 24 exceeds an overcharged voltage by the charging electric source connected to the external terminals +V and -V, the switching transistor 372 is switched over from the "ON" condition to "OFF" condition to thereby stop the charge from the external terminals to the secondary cell 24. Inversely, in the case where a portable equipment such as a video camera or the like is connected to the external terminals and electric charge is supplied from the secondary cell 24 to the portable equipment, if the voltage of the secondary cell drops below the overdischarged voltage, the switching transistor 373 is switched over from the "ON" condition to "OFF" condition to thereby stop the discharge. One of the transistors 372 and 373 functions as a "transistor" and the other functions as a "diode". The functions as the transistor and the diode are alternatively used in accordance with the charging or discharging condition. A substrate of each transistor is connected to an associated source so as to be capable of functioning as the diode.
The conventional charge/discharge control circuit as shown in FIG. 2, has a drawback of a large power consumption to shorten the service life of the secondary cell of the energy supply source. As a result, the period of time of use of the equipment to be driven by the secondary cell would be shortened. Further, under the overdischarged condition were the chargeability capacity of the secondary cell is degraded, even through the energy supply from the secondary cell to the external equipment by the switching circuit is interrupted, the power consumption of the charge/discharge control circuit per se provided within the power source apparatus causes the charge to be further discharged to accelerate the degradation of the cell and the service life thereof.
In order to overcome the above-noted short-comings inherent in the prior art system, an object of the present invention is to provide a chargeable power source apparatus with a long service life secondary cell by reducing the power consumption of thecharge/discharge control circuit.
The conventional charge/discharge control circuit shown in FIG. 30 suffers from the following defects. Namely, under the condition that a charger is connected with the terminals -V.sub.0 and +V.sub.0 from the outside and the secondary cell 101 is charged, when the secondary cell is fully charged, the switching circuit 103 is turned off. By this "OFF" operation, the potential between both ends of the secondary cell 101 is reduced, and the system is again kept under the charged condition, i.e., the switching circuit 103 is turned on. At the voltage after the completion of the charging operation, the detection of the full charge would be oscillated unstably.
As described in the description of the conventional system, when the overcharged condition appears during the charging operation to the secondary cell, the charge/discharge control circuit operates to turn off the switching circuit for controlling the charge to the secondary cell. However, since the charge/discharge control circuit is connected in parallel with the secondary cell, the current to be consumed during the operation is supplied from the secondary cell. The voltage drop occurs in the secondary cell by its supply of the current, and the voltage would be less than the overcharged detection voltage to thereby turn on the switching circuit. As a result, the operation is as follows: the voltage elevation of the secondary cell by the charging operation; the elevation up to the overcharged voltage; the voltage drop of the secondary cell by the operation of the charge/discharge control circuit; and the voltage elevation of the secondary cell by the charging operation again. The same operational steps are repeated so that the operation could not reach the overcharged condition. Also, in the case where the overdischarged condition is released during the charging operation of the overdischarged cell, the conventional system suffers from the same problem.
Also, when the charge/discharge control circuit is for first time connected to the secondary cell, unless a logic of the switching circuit is not secured, the initial condition would be unstable, and even if the voltage value of the secondary cell would be normal, the system would be brought into the overcharged condition or the overdischarged condition.
When the overdischarged condition of the secondary cell has been developed so that the voltage value is less than a minimum voltage at which the voltage detection circuit within the charge/discharge control circuit or the control circuit is operated, the output of the voltage detection circuit or the control circuit would be unstable. Namely, since the voltage of the secondary cell is further decreased from the overdischarged condition, even if attempts are made to charge the secondary cell from the primary power source, the charge/discharge control circuit could not normally operate the switching circuit, as a result of which the charge is impossible. Namely, once the voltage of the secondary cell has been reduced less than the minimum voltage of the charge/discharge control circuit, since it is impossible to perform the charging operation, it is impossible to reuse the cell although it is a "secondary battery cell".
Another problem inherent in the conventional system will be explained. In the case where the charger is connected to both ends of the secondary cell and the secondary cell is charged, if the charge/discharge control circuit is connected under the condition that polarities of the charger are different from those of the secondary cell (i.e., so-called reverse connection), a CMOS IC which forms the charge/discharge control circuit is latched up so that the charge/discharge control circuit malfunctions to cause a large current to flow through the secondary cell to degrade the cell.
Still another problem in the conventional system will be explained. In the case where an accident occurs in a load which is connected to both ends of the secondary cell, if a large amount of current will flow from the secondary cell, the switching circuit 103 is turned off by the overcurrent detection circuit or the voltage of the secondary cell is rapidly increased by turning off this switching circuit so that the reference voltage value of the charge/discharge control circuit is increased. As a result, the switching circuit 103 is again closed to cause the oscillation.
In order to solve the problems inherent in the conventional system, an object of the present invention is to provide a charge/discharge control circuit which never malfunctions.
Furthermore, in the case where two secondary cells are connected in series, the conventional system suffers from the following defects. Namely, the two secondary cells have respectively different consumption levels due to their service lives. However, if the sum of the voltages of the two cells may be kept over a certain level, there is no problem in use. In the conventional system, since each cell voltage is monitored, it is impossible to monitor the sum of the voltages. In some cases, even if it is possible to use the cells more, the cells are no longer used. Thus, the period of time for use of the equipment would be shortened. Also, if the cell which suffers the local consumption is charged in the same manner as for the other normal cell, the local consumption is further accelerated to considerably reduce the service life of the cell.
Also, the chargeable electric power source apparatus shown in FIG. 37 suffers from the following defect. In this system, the two switching transistors are interposed between the external terminals and the secondary cell, and respective substrates are kept at potentials of the source electrodes of the transistor on the external terminal side and the transistor on the secondary cell side. Therefore, these transistors are assembled separately from the assembly of the charge/discharge control IC. As a result, it is difficult to make the battery compact and the assembly cost is high.
Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a charge/discharge control circuit for a chargeable battery apparatus and a chargeable electric power source apparatus, which is small in size and low in cost with high reliability.

Charge/discharge control circuit and chargeable electric power source apparatus


A sand/liquid separator provides for the conditioning of oil sands. Clean sand is separated from the ore and discharged for use as backfill. The sand/liquid separator machine includes horizontal shafts with paddles that act on a fluidized bed. The overall height of the machine is increased over prior art devices so the water volume is expanded. For a given residence time, more sand can be separated out than is otherwise possible. The water-to-sand ratio is an independent variable, water is recycled independent of the sand. The rate of water recycle depends only on the heat input needed and the clay content of the feed. The rate of water input is limited by the rise velocity needed to separate sand larger than forty-four micron from the water/liquid phase. This, in turn, determines the maximum oil sand feed rate based on the total clay in the feed at up to six percent, by weight, of clay in the middlings in the machine. This optimizes the performance of the process to cope with all the variables of heat input, ratio of oil sand feed to water, and clay content of the feed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to mining and specifically to the removal of bitumen from rocks, sands and clay.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vast deposits of oil exist throughout the world, and especially in Canada, as thick, heavy oil, in the form of bitumen mixed with solid minerals and water. The tar sands that hold the bitumen contain rich amounts of valuable minerals, especially alumina, in the sand itself. The sands include a fines fraction, defined as particles less than forty-four microns, that have a clay component (0-2 microns) and a silica fine sand component (2-44 microns). High bitumen content in the tar sand is usually associated with a low fines fraction. Conversely, a low bitumen content in the tar sand is usually associated with a high fines content.
Typically in the fines fraction there are found two parts silica fine sand component to one part clay component, e.g., one-third is clay. About thirty-five percent of such clay is alumina. Certain low grade ores, conventionally comprised of undifferentiated silica fine sand and clay, have as little as six percent alumina in the fines fraction. Such fines fractions are a problem when used in exothermic reactions that separate out the alumina. Fines fractions, with more than ten percent alumina, are much more easily processed with exothermic reactions. Therefore, it is desirable to have a bitumen separation process that can produce tar sands clays separated from fine sand.
John S. Rendall, the present inventor, describes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,112, issued Jan. 3, 1984, a method and apparatus for solvent extraction of bitumen oils from tar sands and their separation into synthetic crude oil and synthetic fuel oil. Tar sands are mixed with hot water and a solvent to form a slurry while excluding substantially all air. The slurry thus contains sand, clay, bitumen oils, solvent and water. This slurry is separated into bitumen extract, which includes bitumen oils, solvent and water, and a solids extract containing sand, clay, solvent and water. The bitumen extract is processed to selectively remove the water and fines. The bitumen extract is then processed to remove the solvent for recycle, and the bitumen as crude oil. Water is separated from the bitumen and solid extracts and is also reused.
A hot water bitumen extraction process is described by John S. Rendall in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,998, issued Oct. 24, 1989. Crushed tar sands are conditioned in hot water while excluding air. Oversized and inert rocks are removed by screening. A water immiscible hydrocarbon solvent is used to extract the bitumen content to form a bitumen extract phase, a middle water phase, and a lower spent solids phase, each of which are processed for bitumen oils and to recover solvent and water for reuse.
A method of extracting valuable minerals and precious metals from oil sands ore bodies is described by John S. Rendall and Valentine W. Vaughn, Jr., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,008, issued Jun. 23, 1992. Both coarse and fine sand fractions are produced after extracting the hydrocarbons, and both fractions contain valuable minerals and precious metals. These fractions are agglomerated with concentrated sulfuric acid and leached. The sulfuric acid mother leach liquor is processed to remove sulfate crystals of aluminum, iron and titanyl, while recycling the raffinate. The aluminum sulfate crystals are converted to cell-grade alumina product.
In United States patent application, Ser. No. 08/356,148, filed Dec. 15, 1994, John S. Rendall and Steven J. Lane describe a system and method for immediately separating oil sands into three layers using a logwasher with paddles that mix the oil sands with hot water and steam. The three layers of: bitumen, clay/sand/water slurry, and rock, effectively and immediately separate and are not re-mixed in further processing as was conventional. A clay fraction from the fines is further produced for mineral processing.
Canadian Patent Application, 2,165,252, of Steven J. Lane, which was laid open Jul. 16, 1997, describes a method of oil sands separation. Such method comprises introducing pre-sized oil sands into one end of a vessel. The oil sands are moved towards a solids outlet in the vessel while breaking up lumps in the oil sands. The solids are compressed at the solids outlet by maintaining a head of solids above a restriction in a hopper. Steam is introduced into the vessel to maintain the temperature of the interior of the vessel such that separation of bitumen from solids takes place, while gas dissolved in the bitumen nucleates and forms entrained gas bubbles within the bitumen that cause flotation of the bitumen. Hot water is introduced into the vessel and removes middlings from the central zone of the vessel to maintain viscosity of the central zone of the vessel such that bitumen and entrained gases rise through the central zone of the vessel to form a surface layer on the material in the vessel. The floating bitumen with entrained gases is then skimmed from the surface layer.

Solvent-free method and apparatus for removing bituminous oil from oil sands


An optical device comprises: a liquid container that contains water-based liquid and oil-based liquid that are different in refractive index from each other and immiscible with each other to have respective optical-transmission properties so that light can transmit in a predetermined optical-axis direction; a coat film that covers at least part of an inner surface of the liquid container and has a hydrophilic/hydrophobic property changing with temperature; and a temperature regulator that regulates temperature of the coat film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device and optical unit transmissive of light, and to an imager capable of generating an image signal through focusing the light of from a subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, it is popular to incorporate an imager, capable of acquiring a digital photographic image by taking a picture of a subject, in a small-sized appliance such as a cellular phone or a PDA (personal digital assistant). By providing an imager on a small-sized appliance carried at all times, shooting is available at any time in a manner freely from carrying a digital or video camera in the related art.
Meanwhile, the endoscope is usually used at the medical site, to insert a small-sized imager in the body cavity and take images of the body interior. It is a recent practice to excise, at the site, a lump, etc. found upon photographing, by use of the excision tool attached on the endoscope. The endoscope draws an increasing demands as a medical device relieved of the burden on the human body.
It is the recent tendency toward using an imager considerably smaller in size as compared to the usual digital camera, as described above. The photographic image, as taken by the small-sized imager, is under improvement in quality by virtue of the development of small-sized CCDs high in pixel density and small-sized lenses improved in contrast. As for the problems left, there is a strong desire to mount a small-sized imager with such auto-focus and zoom functions as mounted as standard on the usual digital camera.
Auto focus and zoom functions are generally realized by moving a plurality of lenses in a direction along the optical axis (hereinafter, the direction along the optical axis is referred to as a front-rear direction) in the imager. However, in the small-sized imager for use in an endoscope, there is a difficulty in moving the lens within the imager or arranging a massive motor or cam mechanism to drive the lens.
In relation to this, there is proposed a liquid lens that the focal length can be changed by changing a liquid-surface form under the application of a voltage to an electrically-conductive liquid (see JP-A-2005-62864 and "Philips' Fluid Lenses, [online], Mar. 3, 2004, Royal Philips Electronics, [searched on Mar. 31, 2004], the Internet <URL: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0403/04030302philipsfluidlens.as p>, for example). For example, "Philips' Fluid Lenses, [online], Mar. 3, 2004, Royal Philips Electronics, [searched on Mar. 31, 2004], the Internet <URL: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0403/04030302philipsfluidlens.as p> describes a liquid lens structured with a tube having an inner wall covered with a water-repellent coating, a conductive water-based liquid and non-conductive oil-based liquid sealed in the tube, and an electrode for applying an electric field to the water-based liquid in the tube. In the liquid lens, the water-based liquid is a semispherical solid in the state no voltage is applied to the conductive water-based liquid, so that the water-based liquid and the oil have an interface assuming a convex form. The interfaces changes from the convex to a concave depending upon the magnitude of an electric field applied to the conductive water-based liquid. For this reason, radius-of-curvature varies as a lens thus enabling to change the focal length without restriction.
With such a liquid lens, focal length can be changed without moving the lens. Without providing a motor or cam mechanism as mentioned before, zoom and focus functions can be realized. Accordingly, the apparatus can be greatly reduced in size, and hence applied to a small-sized appliance, such as a cellular phone or an endoscope.
However, according to the liquid lens described in JP-A-2005-62864 or "Philips' Fluid Lenses, [online], Mar. 3, 2004, Royal Philips Electronics, [searched on Mar. 31, 2004], the Internet <URL: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0403/04030302philipsfluidlens.as p>, the conductive solution might be electrolyzed by the charge released from the electrode. Where used over a long term, the produced gas builds up into bubbles within the liquid container thus resulting in a problem that light scatter takes place to lower the transmittance of light.
This problem is generally true for the optical elements, such as parallel plates and prisms, without limited to the lens.


According to a particular embodiment, a method for assisting in a handoff is provided that includes receiving signaling from one or more access points, which may transmit information to a mobile station. The information may be used to execute a handoff from an enterprise network to a cellular network or from the cellular network to the enterprise network.

Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communications environments. In recent years, a series of protocols and architectures have been developed in order to accommodate a diverse group of end users having various needs. Some of these protocols relate to issues associated with handoffs.
As both public and private network systems grow in size and in sophistication, proper routing and efficient management of communication sessions and data flows becomes even more critical. Advances in technology have resulted in the deployment of various types of wireless networks. However, while most of these wireless networks often provide service to adjacent and/or overlapping physical spaces, most cellular and enterprise network protocols are incompatible and suffer from inadequate signaling between the two. In particular, handoff scenarios or signaling involving these two platforms are deficient. Additionally, battery consumption for mobile devices attempting to utilize both network can be less than desirable. Accordingly, the ability to provide an effective mechanism to properly handoff communications for an end user seeking to realize the benefits provided by multiple network environments, while minimizing power consumption, offers a significant challenge to network operators, component manufacturers, and system designers.

System and method for providing access points to assist in a handoff decision in a wireless environment


A self-contained interactive video display system. A projector projects a visual image onto a screen for displaying the visual image, wherein the projector projects the visual image onto a back side of the screen for presentation to a user on a front side of the screen. An illuminator illuminates an object near the front side of the screen. A camera detects interaction of an illuminated object with the visual image, wherein the screen is at least partially transparent to light detectable to the camera, allowing the camera to detect the illuminated object through the screen. A computer system directs the projector to change the visual image in response to the interaction.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of visual electronic displays. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a self-contained interactive video display system.
2. Background of the Related Art
For many years, information was typically conveyed to an audience by use of static displays. For example, product advertisements were presented using print ads and posters. With the advent of television and movies, information could be presented using a dynamic display (e.g., commercials). While more engaging than static displays, dynamic displays do not typically provide interactivity between a user and the display.
More recently, interactive touchscreens have been used for presenting information on flat surfaces. For example, an image may be displayed on a touchscreen, and a user may interact with the image by touching the touchscreen, causing the image to change. However, in order to interact with the image displayed on the touchscreen, the user must actually come in contact with the touchscreen. Moreover, typically touchscreens can only receive one input at any time, and are not able to discern the shape of the input.
Essentially, current touchscreens are only able to receive the input of one finger contact.
In some applications, such as point-of-sale, retail advertising, promotions, arcade entertainment sites, etc., it is desirable to provide an interactive interface for displaying information to a user. This interactivity provides an even more engaging interface for presenting information (e.g., media, advertisements, etc.). By catching the attention of a person, for even a few moments, the person may be more likely to absorb the information presented in the interactive display than in previous displays.
As described above, current interactive displays typically require a user to physically contact a touchscreen surface. By requiring contact with a touchscreen to provide interactivity, a large number of potential users are not interested in or intimidated by current interactive displays. Moreover, since only one user may interact with a touchscreen at a time, more users are excluded. Furthermore, because current touchscreens cannot discern the shape of input, they are limited in the type of information that can be presented in response to interaction.


A rack is provided wherein the type of micro-plate that is placed on the rack can be determined even when using one type of rack. The rack includes a bottom piece on which micro-plate is placed; at least one shielding component for recognizing the type of micro-plate; and a recognition unit having an enclosure disposed with a shielding component. When the rack is housed in a housing unit of an analyzer main unit, the shielding component is movable with respect to the enclosure so that the shielding component is positioned either in a detection position where detectable by a sensor or in a non-detection position where undetectable by the sensor.

Liquid chromatographic analyzers are used for analyzing liquid specimens. A liquid chromatographic analyzer uses a needle to collect liquid specimens, which are injected into an analysis flowpath. When doing this, the liquid specimen is contained in a test tube (container) that is made of transparent glass or plastic.
Liquid chromatographic analyzers are sometimes used to analyze many liquid specimens. This has led to liquid chromatographic analyzers that are equipped with auto-samplers (e.g., see Patent Literature 1). FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of a liquid chromatographic analyzer. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a portion of an auto-sampler. FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a rack on which two micro-plates are placed.
The auto-sampler 101 includes: a control unit 160 and housing unit 170, which houses rack 120, both of which are disposed in the liquid chromatographic analyzer main unit 150; a plurality of types (e.g., 7 types) of micro-plates 10 for holding a plurality of test tubes; and a plurality of types (e.g., 7 types) of racks 120 on which micro-plates 10 are placed.
A first micro-plate 10 is a case made of plastic. The first micro-plate 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with, for example, a width (X) of 85 mm, length (Y) of 125 mm and height (Z) of 25 mm. A first hole 11 through a 45th hole 11 are formed on the upper surface with five holes arranged in the X-direction (row direction) and nine holes arranged in the Y-direction (column direction). Each hole 11 is cylindrically-shaped which allows the lower half of a test tube to be inserted into a hole 11. The result is that 45 test tubes are held in the first micro-plate 10 arranged as described in the X-direction and the Y-direction.
Furthermore, a second micro-plate (not illustrated) is a case made of plastic. The second micro-plate has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with, for example, a width (X) of 85 mm, length (Y) of 125 mm and height (Z) of 25 mm. A first hole through a 32nd hole are formed on the upper surface with four holes arranged in the X-direction (row direction) and eight holes arranged in the Y-direction (column direction). Each hole is cylindrically-shaped which allows the lower half of a test tube to be inserted into a hole. The result is that 32 test tubes are held in the second micro-plate arranged as described in the X-direction and the Y-direction. In other words, different types of micro-plates are available, featuring different number of holes and different hole locations. The description of the third through the seventh micro-plate is omitted here.
The first rack 120 includes: a bottom piece 121 having, for example, a width (X) of 94 mm, length (Y) of 260 mm and height (Z) of 20 mm; a recognition unit 122 that is disposed at the front end (positive Y-direction end) of the bottom piece 121; and a grip part 123 that is formed at the rear end (negative Y-direction end) of the bottom piece 121. Two of the first micro-plates 10 can be placed in the Y-direction (column direction) on the upper surface of the bottom piece 121.
The first rack 120 is provided with a recognition unit 122 which allows the control unit 160 of the liquid chromatographic analyzer main unit 150 to automatically recognize the type of micro-plate 10 that is housed in the housing unit 170. The recognition unit 122 includes: an enclosure 124 that is made of resin and having a rectangular parallelepiped shape; and a first light-shielding plate 125 that is made of resin and protruding 4 mm out in the Y-direction from the enclosure 124.
The second rack (not illustrated) includes: a bottom piece having, for example, a width (X) of 94 mm, length (Y) of 260 mm and height (Z) of 20 mm; a recognition unit that is disposed at the front end (positive Y-direction end) of the bottom piece; and a grip part that is formed at the rear end (negative Y-direction end) of the bottom piece. Two of the second micro-plates can be placed in the Y-direction (column direction) on the upper surface of the bottom piece. A recognition unit includes: an enclosure that is made of resin and having a rectangular parallelepiped shape; and a first light-shielding plate and a second light-shielding plate both made of resin and protruding 4 mm out in the Y-direction and being aligned in the X-direction. In other words, the first rack 120 and the second rack have different number of light-shielding plates 125, and each micro-plate 10 has its own dedicated rack.
The housing unit 170 is provided with a plurality (e.g., three) of photosensors 71 at positions corresponding to the recognition unit 122 of the rack 120. Beach photosensor 71 includes: an emission unit 71a that emits light in the Z-direction; and a detection unit 71b which detects light from the emission unit 71a with a predetermined distance (e.g., 20 mm) of separation between them. Furthermore, a first photosensor 71, a second photosensor 71 and a third photosensor 71 are formed to be aligned with each other in the X-direction. In this way, if three photosensors 71 are provided, there are eight possible combinations in which photosensors 71 may be shielded or not shielded from light. Since it is desirable for the housing unit 170 to be able to automatically recognize the absence of rack 120, it is possible for the housing unit 170 to discriminate among 7 types of micro-plates 10, excluding the situation where none of the photosensors 71 is shielded from light.
The control unit 160 determines the type of micro-plate 10 that is housed in the housing unit 170 based on the status of the recognition information (light-shielding information) that is detected by the three photosensors 71.
For example, if the first rack 120 is housed in the housing unit 170, since the first rack 120 has the first light-shielding plate 125, the first photosensor 71 is shielded from light while the second photosensor 71 and the third photosensor 71 are not shielded from light. From this combination, it is determined that a first micro-plate 10 is housed in the housing unit 170. If a second rack is housed in the housing unit 170, since the second rack has both the first light-shielding plate and the second light-shielding plate, the first photosensor 71 and the second photosensor 71 are shielded from light while the third photosensor 71 is not shielded from light. From this combination, it is determined that a second micro-plate is housed in the housing unit 170.

Rack with movable shielding component, and auto-sampler having the rack


An actuator includes a bistable mechanism having a tension beam and a compression beam defined by a relief slit in a flexible substrate; and a first shape memory element that upon heating actuates the actuator from a first position to a second position. A heat source can be thermally coupled to actuate the first shape memory element, or the first shape memory element can be heated by passing current through the element. The actuators can be formed in an array. Such arrays can be useful for tactile displays, massagers, and the like. Also included are methods of operation and manufacturing.

Restoring mechanisms, also known as "overcenter mechanisms," "snap springs," "snap blades," and the like, are components of many devices, including valves and electrical switches.
Monostable mechanisms are known. For example, a rigid support can be overlaid by a membrane with projections that restore push buttons, such as those of a telephone keypad, back to an undepressed position. However, such designs lack a second stable position as in a bistable mechanism.
Discontinuous cantilever bistable mechanisms are known, wherein discontinuous cantilevered tongues are held in relation to each other by a surround fashioned from the same sheet as the cantilevers. These discontinuous cantilevers can impart bistable movement to a notched rod captured between the tips of the cantilevers. Discontinuous cantilevers can be undesirable, however, for applications needing a smooth surface on the bistable mechanism.
Dome-like bistable mechanisms, including linear and planar arrays thereof, have been fabricated of thin sheet metal. However, common materials typically limit the height of the dome to about 10% of its diameter, and consequently the maximum throw can be limited to about twice the dome height (hence, about 20% of a diameter).
Disk-like bistable mechanisms are known where a disk is buckled by insertion into a circular housing slightly smaller than the disk. Alternately, or in conjunction, disk mechanisms can be buckled by introduction of a part, such as a rod, that radially displaces portions of the mechanism. These designs can require assembly and one or more additional parts for proper function, and can have limitations similar to dome-like mechanisms.
A micromechanical continuous buckled beam mechanism includes a bistable bridge spanning a recess in an underlying support material. Such a design includes at least two parts (the bridge and the rigid support which must be assembled). Moreover, the rigid support can be unsuitable for applications requiring flexibility and/or for macroscopic applications where the added weight of the rigid support is undesirable.
Piezoelectric actuators are known, but can be expensive and bulky, and can require complicated control electronics. Shape memory alloy actuators are known, but can involve significant amounts of heat generation and can have high power requirements, and can be limited in frequency. For example, maintaining a stable position with existing shape memory actuators can require continuous input of power, which can be undesirable for portable applications and can generate undesirable amounts of heat. Moreover, the operation frequency of shape memory actuators can be limited by heat dissipation because the alloy needs to cool below its activation temperature before the actuator can be operated again.

Thin, flexible actuator array to produce complex shapes and force distributions


A system that includes low voltage power line subnet coupler that provides bi-directional communications between multiple power line subnets while substantially preventing the flow of power is provided. The system may include a power line communications device coupled to a first LV power line subnet, and a low voltage power line subnet coupler providing a data communications path between the first low voltage power line subnet and a second low voltage power line subnet. Additionally, some embodiments include a low voltage repeater communicatively coupled to the second LV power line subnet.

Well-established power distribution systems exist throughout most of the United States, and other countries, which provide power to customers via power lines. With some modification, the infrastructure of the existing power distribution systems can be used to provide data communication in addition to power delivery, thereby forming a power line communication system (PLCS). In other words, existing power lines that already have been run to many homes and offices, can be used to carry data signals to and from the homes and offices. These data signals are communicated on and off the power lines at various points in the power line communication system, such as, for example, near homes, offices, Internet service providers, and the like.
Power system transformers are one obstacle to using power distribution lines for data communication. Transformers act as a low-pass filter, passing the low frequency (e.g., the 50 or 60 Hz) power signals and impeding the high frequency signals (e.g., frequencies typically used for data communication). As such, power line communication systems face the challenge of communicating the data signals around, or through, the distribution transformers. In the past, power line communications systems typically have installed a bypass device at each transformer. However, such installations can be expensive and time consuming.
Thus, there is a need for a power line communications system that does not require installing a network element at each utility pole or at each distribution transformer, that can ensure the safety of the power distribution system, and provide reliable communications. These and other advantages may be provided by various embodiments of the present invention.

Multi-subnet power line communications system and method


A method and a system for determining the presence of at least one determined microorganism in a Petri dish comprising one or more colonies of microorganisms and a culture medium, and a computer program product which, when executed, allows the method of the invention to be performed.

It is well-known in the domain of microbiology that analysis is carried out on the growth of biological samples comprising, for example, microorganisms, cellular or sub-cellular extracts, in order to determine the presence of specific bacteria and to identify said bacteria. Thus, a corresponding disease can be diagnosed.
In the prior art, some solutions exist to identify a bacteria. The solutions are based on methods comprising a supervised learning algorithm which uses criteria called descriptors. The descriptors relate to the colour, the form and the structure of the bacteria.
Such methods also operate with a step for determining the location of isolated colonies of bacteria. The location may be provided either by the user in a semi-automated manner or by applying a specific segmentation algorithm in an automated manner. However, both of these methods of providing the location are inaccurate and generate some errors which lead to an incorrect determination of the location.
The published patent application US 2015/0087017 discloses a method for an automated classification of bacterial colonies. The method is based on a classification step of bacterial colonies within a Petri dish, said classification step being based on criteria such as colour, shape and outline for each bacterial colony.
However, such an automated method does not apply for the analysis of the content of a Petri dish. Indeed, the environment around the bacterial colonies in the Petri dish also has to be analysed to identify a specific biological phenomenon related to said bacterial colonies and their interaction with the culture medium. Such biochemical reactions are used by biologists to distinguish between different microorganisms and allow for making or ruling out diagnostic hypothesis.
For instance, in respect of analysing the growth of microorganisms in a Petri dish containing blood agar culture medium, the methods of the prior art include a step for identifying the nature of the haemolysis phenomenon to determine the level to which the blood cells in the agar medium are degraded in order to characterize specific microorganisms. The haemolysis phenomenon relates to the capability of certain microorganisms to produce a protein which is able to destroy the blood cells of the agar. There are three types of haemolysis phenomenon, designated by alpha, beta and gamma as follows:                the alpha-haemolysis phenomenon produces a greenish discoloration that surrounds a bacterial colony growing on the blood agar. This type of haemolysis phenomenon represents a partial decomposition of the hemoglobin of the red blood cells of the blood agar;        the Beta haemolysis phenomenon represents a total decomposition of the hemoglobin of the red blood cells in the vicinity of a bacterial colony.        the Gamma haemolysis phenomenon corresponds to the absence of any decomposition in the area around a bacterial colony.
In other situations the interaction between the bacteria and the medium generates visible artefacts surrounding the colonies such as the appearance of a specific colour. These colour changes are due to chemical reactions between the culture medium and metabolites produced by the bacteria, wherein said chemical reactions can be interpreted as positive or negative reactions depending on the nature of the microorganism itself. Nowadays, such a step is provided by the user who has to watch the content of the Petri dish to determine the nature of the haemolysis phenomenon or colour changes around the colonies. However, such a human analysis may lead to errors. In addition, in the situation where there is an increased number of Petri dishes to be analysed, said identification step is a time consuming process.
Thus, there is a need to improve the methods of the prior art to allow an automated identification of a biological element in a Petri dish in an efficient manner.

Method, system and computer program product for determining the presence of microorganisms and identifying said microorganisms


A haptic communication system having a range of sensors embedded with an operator's attire. Data collected by the sensors is processed by a computing device local to the operator and is communicated via a haptic modality in real-time to other team members and robotic assets in the system.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a communication system that allows communication of body position(s) through haptic communication. More specifically, this pertains to an automated haptic communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Specific environments are characterized by individual and team decision makers who may be spatially (line of sight) separated and must coordinate to share information and resources to attain mission goals in dynamic and uncertain situations. Examples of such environments include, but are not limited to military, law enforcement, medical, first responder, etc. In addition to communications between team members, communications between team members and robotic platforms are also required. Communications between team members in a military environment include radio, voice, and hand-and-arm signal communications. Currently, communication and situational awareness of unit members may be limited during military operations. Radio communications between unit members are often transmitted and received on a single channel creating a communication challenge as only one given unit member can transmit information at any given time. Voice and voice-over-radio communications are also limiting in situations in which noise discipline must be maintained, as well as situations in which combat noises drown out voice communications. Standard hand-and-arm signal communications can be silently propagated from one team member to another within line of sight. However, this takes time and requires additional attention in order to receive commands. In addition, hand-and-arm signals are vulnerable to enemy interception.
Communications between robotic platforms and human operators may also be limited. Robotic assets, often used in hostile areas, perform tasks that are hazardous for humans. Such tasks include reconnaissance missions, searching a specific area to gather tactical intelligence, etc. Robotic assets combine sensors, such as laser range finders, sonar, global positioning systems, ultrasound, compasses, and digital video cameras, providing information about the world around them with a computational platform. A robotic asset is typically controlled from a remote location using an operator control unit, which exploits the operator's visual and auditory modalities, requiring the use of one or both of the operator's hands.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that would provide for real-time capture of individual location and action information, as well as static and dynamic hand signals, to subsequently present this information to other team members and robotic assets in a manner not requiring exploitation of the auditory and visual modalities of team members. The above objective is met in the present by combining a sensor based gesture recognition system with representation of the sensed information to a remote team member via a haptic display.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and system for dynamically controlling the horizontal scrolling of data contained in a stored table of arbitrary size in a windowing environment. The list of data to be scrolled through is stored in memory with certain columns designated as sticky. Responsive to input from the user, a process is invoked to either scroll left or right through data contained in the stored list. A "must display" column is determined based on the current display in the window and the direction of scrolling. The sticky columns that can fit with the "must display" column are determined and placed on the display. Sticky columns that cannot be placed on the display with the "must display" column due to window size limitations are temporarily suppressed. Additional non-sticky columns are placed on the display on a space-available basis including the placement of a partial column that fills the display.

This invention relates generally to data display and control systems and more particularly to a technique for the dynamic control of horizontal scrolling on a data display device.
In data processing systems, an application often has information for users that is too large to fit on the display screen. Applications, therefore, provide users with the ability to scroll information both vertically and horizontally. Furthermore, in a windowing environment, scrolling capabilities are even more important because several windows can appear on the screen simultaneously, limiting the space available for information in each window. Users have the ability to change the size of windows dynamically in a windowing environment, further limiting the available display space.
During the horizontal scrolling of a display list containing more columns of information than can be displayed simultaneously, certain columns are made "sticky" in order to provide the view-to-view continuity necessary to maintain the context of the data. Sticky columns are those columns in a displayed list that remain in place when the user makes a request to scroll the list horizontally. Sticky columns usually represent key values that help to identify a row and remain in place when the remainder of the columns are shifted. Sticky columns are always the leftmost columns in a displayed list and can fill the entire display window.
Several existing systems use combinations of hardware and software to control the scrolling of data on display screens. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,478 to Olsen. This patent teaches an apparatus for horizontal scrolling on a screen display on a character-by-character, or line-by-line basis. A scroll control memory is provided with the video memory for storing at least one bit for controlling horizontal scrolling on a character-by-character basis.
Other related art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,637, U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,251, U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,294, U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,514 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,343. However, none of the aforementioned patents provide a capability for the software-controlled horizontal scrolling of a stored list of data of arbitrary size in a window on a display screen that can be dynamically altered through the user's interface with an application. Existing software applications permit horizontal scrolling of data through a stored list; however, these applications are tailored specifically for the data in the stored list. Consequently, the stored list has a fixed and known table dimension, and the data is displayed on the entire screen. A specific example is the CALLUP software product, a licensed program of International Business Machines Corporation. CALLUP is an internal telephone book, organization directory, and directory of services in electronic form.
The present invention overcomes this deficiency of existing systems.

System and method for dynamic control of horizontal scrolling


A replaceable component is installable in and removable from a printing device and contains one or more supplies used in printing by the printing device. A memory and a port are in the replaceable component. Data that characterizes usage of the one or more supplies in printing by the printing device is stored in the memory. The data can be transferred through a cable from the port to a host computer using a data transfer protocol of the port.

Most types of printing devices are equipped with items that are used up and/or have a life cycle during printing operations. These items can include one or more printing supplies, a printing media (e.g. paper) available to be printed on during the printing, a printing substance (e.g. ink, toner, etc.) available for application to the printing media during the printing, a laser printer drum, a laser printer developer, a laser printer fuser, a printing media transfer belt, staples for stapling the printing media during the printing process, a storage volume that is available to store paper that has been printed on by the printing device, and the like. These items are referred to herein as replaceable components. When a replaceable component is exhausted or is at the end of its life cycle, the replaceable component must be replaced for the printing device to continue to function properly. For example, a replaceable component such as a toner cartridge can be refilled when it is exhausted, or a toner cartridge that is out of toner can be removed from a printing device and a full toner cartridge can then be installed in the printing device to provide a toner for further printing operations.
Replaceable components can be manufactured with memory which can be placed on the replaceable component itself or within a label affixed to the replaceable component. This memory is typically used to store printer-related data that the printer reads to determine various printing parameters. For example, the memory may store the model number of a toner cartridge so that the printer may recognize the toner cartridge as valid or invalid for use with that printer. Other examples of memory storage include printer firmware revisions, a list of accessories installed in the printer (e.g. input trays, output bins, extra memory, network card(s) etc.), the date and place of manufacture, etc.) Printer usage data may also be stored in the memory. As documents are printed, the printer usage data is accumulated in the memory as the replaceable component is used in the printing operations of the printer. The printer can communicate with the memory in the replaceable component to determine and interpret the data in the memory. A drawback of this arrangement is that this data cannot be retrieved unless the replaceable component is installed in a printing device. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods, replaceable components, and systems that provide communication with memory in a replaceable component without requiring a printing device.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A power unit mounting device for a motor vehicle includes a first plate, a second plate secured to the vehicle body and a bracket member having a flat plate portion which is disposed between the first and second plates. A first active damping actuator is intimately disposed between the first plate and the flat plate portion and a second active damping actuator is intimately disposed between the flat plate portion and the second plate. Each of the first and second active damping actuators selectively expands and contracts in accordance with an electric power applied thereto. Connecting bolts are used for connecting the first and second plates to tighten the first and second active damping actuators therebetween. A controller is employed for controlling the electric power in such a manner that the expanding and contracting vibrations of the first and second active damping actuators are equal in amplitude but different in phase by 180 degrees.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to mounting devices for mounting an automotive power unit or the like and more particularly to power unit mounting devices of a type which is equipped with an active damping actuator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of power unit mounting devices the above-mentioned type is disclosed in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication No. 59-23140. In the device of this publication, for absorbing vibrations caused by a power unit, there is employed a unit of laminated electrostrictive elements whose thickness varies in accordance with a sine-wave voltage applied thereto. The unit is disposed between the power unit and a support structure in such a manner that the vibrations of the power unit can be cancelled by the repeated variations in thickness of the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements. That is, the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements and the power unit are so arranged that the direction in which the thickness of the unit of electrostrictive elements varies is consistent with the direction in which the power unit vibrates. Therefore, vibrations transmitted from the power unit to the support structure can be reduced to a minimum level.
In fact, the power unit mounting device of the publication has such a structure that the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements is sandwiched between upper and lower plates which are connected through connecting bolts and nuts. The upper plate is secured to the power unit and the lower plate is connected through a rubber vibration insulator to the support structure.
However, in this known mounting device, due to its inherent construction, the expansion and contraction of the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements cause repeated applications of stress to the connecting bolts. This tends to shorten the life of each bolt.
Furthermore, in this known mounting device, the connecting bolts are quite strongly fastened by the nuts for assuredly holding the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements even under the contraction condition of the same. However, this tight fastening of the bolts prevents the unit of laminated electrostrictive elements from achieving a sufficient expansion, and thus, the vibration damping effect of the device is poor.


Methods and devices are disclosed for tracking site-specific microstructure evolutions and local mechanical fields in metallic samples deformed along biaxial strain paths. The method is based on interrupted bulge tests carried out with a custom sample holder adapted for SEM-based analytical measurements. Embodiments include elliptical dies used to generate proportional and complex strain paths in material samples. One example holding device includes a base having a floor and walls that extend to form a chamber for a sample, the floor having apertures for receiving a pressure-supplying fluid, a cover having an opening and configured such that the cover and base can be coupled together to tightly clamp a sample in the chamber, and washers disposed between the base and the cover, each washer having openings extending therethrough change at least one of a shape and a size of the opening formed in the cover.

What limits the processing limits and service lifetime of structural metals such as FE-, Ti-, Co-, Ni-, and Al-based alloys is nucleation, growth, and coalescence of microstructural damage. In such alloys, damage nucleates as a result of strain incompatibilities and stress concentration between present phases. For a given microstructure, damage mechanisms can vary with local loading conditions and have a direct influence on macroscopic properties such as necking and failure. For example, as damage accumulation takes place before localization, it can significantly impact the forming limit curves (FLC). An improved understanding of the plasticity and damage micro-mechanisms is thus critical in the search for better alloys for numerous structural applications. Moreover, a better understanding of the link between local strain paths and damage mechanisms would shade light on tangled phenomena such as the evolution of FLCs in complex strain paths.
Multiple damage mechanisms can be present in a given alloy. For example, in dual-phase (DP) steels, two mechanisms typically dominate: martensite cracking and martensite-ferrite decohesion. The relative importance of such competing mechanisms can be strongly dependent on local strain paths. In DP steels, a thorough quantitative investigation of damage events in uniaxial, plane strain and biaxial tension has shown that martensite cracking is strongly promoted in biaxial strain states. Quantification of damage incidents can be a tedious task that may require imaging systems with sub-micron spatial resolution, for example, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a nano-computed tomography instrument. In situ experiments, coupled with strain mapping techniques, can be an efficient way to track and tally damage events in different strain paths.
Using scanning electron microscopes (SEM), secondary and backscatter electron images can provide statistically relevant data on the location and type of damage events as they can be used to observe large fields of view (mm2) with high spatial resolution (<50 nm). With in situ deformation experiments, mesoscale loading conditions can be measured with digital image correlation (DIC). The DIC technique also can provide a quantitative evaluation of strain localization at the microstructure scale. To benefit from the imaging capabilities of SEMs, a variety of in situ deformation stages have been developed to enable the collection of SE and BSE images at the surface of macro-samples in several strain paths, for example, uniaxial tension, biaxial tension, and shear deformation.
Image-based analyses can provide valuable understanding on the interplay between strain fields and the morphology of the microstructure. Simple morphology-based models can predict trends such as where damage is preferentially nucleated (e.g., in narrow ferrite channels in DP steel) or how some loading conditions influence damage initiation (e.g., martensite cracking can be promoted in biaxial strain paths because of increased notch effects in irregular-shaped martensite islands). To explain the scatter in damage density observed locally, such models need to integrate the role of microstructural features such as boundary types, orientation distributions, and defect densities. Those features cannot be measured through conventional SE or back-scatter detector (BSE) images, but can be accessible with SEM-based analytical techniques.
Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) can be used in the SEM to obtain quantitative information on the microstructure such as orientation and phase distributions, boundaries, and local defect densities. The EBSD technique can provide valuable insights into plastic strain fields (with kernel average misorientation (KAM) approaches and geometrically necessary dislocation GND density estimations) and intragranular elastic strain fields. Moreover, EBSD and ECCI can be well suited to investigate plasticity at the dislocation scale. When applied in situ during deformation experiments, the two techniques can be used to track microstructural evolutions and balance them against local strain fields. For example, in situ EBSD can be used to discuss interactions between crack propagation and microstructural features in an austenitic stainless steel. In DP steel, both techniques can be coupled on a deformed sample to investigate the impact of grain and interphase boundaries on the triggering mechanisms of micro-damage features.
One challenge in using multiple techniques consecutively at each step is to find a sample geometry and a loading setup that can fulfill the geometrical requirements of each technique, for example, imaging at a high tilt angle for EBSD or at short working distances for ECCI. In uniaxial tension, several commercial machines designed to pull on flat tensile samples can allow imaging and EBSD. Tilting clamps can be used to reach approximately a 70° tilt, but in some cases the whole stage can be inclined with the microscope stage if the EBSD camera is placed low enough in the chamber (with the sample at an inconvenient working distance of approximately 30 millimeters). To investigate biaxial strain paths, cruciform sample geometries can be employed but, because of the geometrical requirements associated with conventional EBSD, concessions typically have to be made. When using in situ machines with two independent loading axes, degraded EBSD conditions can be met with typically low tilt angles, for example, about 58°. A miniaturized clamp can fit fully tilted under the pole piece and converts a uniaxial load into an equi-biaxial one. In this configuration, quality in situ EBSD can be performed on cruciform samples to study plasticity mechanisms. One additional limitation to the use of cruciform samples for damage monitoring is that the deformation can be intentionally localized by thinning the sample at the center. In that sense, the point of failure can be strongly dependent on the sample geometry and lightly dependent on local microstructure characteristics, for example, texture, phase distribution, and morphology. It can then be questionable whether the damage and failure mechanisms observed are fully representative of the ones activated in sheet forming operations. It appears then that no fully satisfactory solution is available to study damage mechanisms with SEM analytical techniques in situ, especially along bi-axial and complex (non-proportional) strain paths. This is surprising given that, strain paths can strongly influence the nature and distribution of damage mechanisms, contributing to the evolution of forming limit curves.
Accordingly, there exists is a need for in situ deformation experiments involving analytical and imaging techniques to fully understand and characterize the origin and growth of local damage in metallic alloys.

Devices and methods for holding a sample for multi-axial testing


The window-frame judgment unit judges that a section to be drawn has entered a window-frame area according to the main deflector data and the stage position information to output judgment signal. The main deflector calculator receives the main deflector data and calculates calculation data for driving a driving unit based on the main deflector data. The transfer controller detects output of the judgment signal and completion of drawing in the section under drawing to receive a transfer of the calculation data from the main deflector calculator and transfer the calculation data to the driving unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithography system and a lithography method using the same. More particularly, it relates to a lithography system and a lithography method that can accelerate processing of main deflector data in beam positioning.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the semiconductor circuits have become smaller and more highly integrated, a charged particle beam lithography system has increasingly been used instead of conventional photolithography system. The charged particle beam lithography system draws a pattern on a mask using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam.
In order to accelerate the drawing speed in electron beam patterning technologies, various technologies have been proposed, and they are now used in real systems. For example, a mode called "variable beam shape mode" is used. In this mode, a variable-shape beam having variable beam shapes may be projected according to a pattern shape to be formed, by overlapping first and second rectangle apertures. Thereby, as compared with the case where a circular beam is used, the number of exposure can be lowered greatly.
Moreover, a mode called "a continuous stage moving mode" is employed as a mode that improves a drawing speed by shortening the stage moving time. This mode draws each frame, by dividing a pattern to be drawn on a sample (a mask) into a strip-shaped "frame areas" and continuously moving the stage.
Moreover, "a vector scan mode" has been proposed as a deflection mode of an electron beam. A vector scan mode further divides a "frame area" into small areas called "sub-field areas", and the sub-field area is patterned by deflecting a variable shaped beam to its required part only (for instance, see JP H01-152726 A).
This mode employs two deflectors: a main deflector; and a auxiliary deflector. The main deflector serves for positioning a beam to one sub-field area. The auxiliary deflector serves for patterning in a sub-field area.
In a conventional lithography system using this mode, a time for processing auxiliary deflector data is longer than that for processing main deflector data. Therefore, a problem to be solved was to shorten the processing time of the auxiliary deflector data for shortening the patterning time.
However, since downsizing of the sub-field area is in progress recently, the number of the sub-field areas is increasing. For this reason, a processing time of the main deflector data is increasing, and a processing time of auxiliary deflector data is decreasing. Therefore, it is becoming eminent that the processing time for main deflector data affects the stage moving speed, and the throughput of the lithography system tends to become lower.

Lithography system and lithography method using the same


A block decoding method and apparatus capable of decoding and outputting data in a longitudinal direction, which scans a compressed datastream and accordingly obtains a start address in the compressed datastream for each MCUR of a decompressed image, such that the apparatus can obtain blocks rotated with 90 degrees by performing a Huffman decoding in a longitudinal direction, a de-zigzag arrangement, an inverse quantization, an IDCT and a rotation. Since the decoding direction is identical to the output direction of a printer, only a desired column of data in the decompressed image is temporarily stored for output and accordingly the required memory size is relatively reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a block decoding method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a block decoding method and apparatus capable of decoding and outputting data in a longitudinal direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Block decoding is an image compressing/decompressing technique, and JPEG decoding is one of the most popular block decoding schemes. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a JPEG decoder 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the JPEG decoder 10 is essentially constructed by a decoding device 110, a de-zigzag arranging device 120, an inverse quantizer 130, an inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) device 140, a color space converter 150, a controller 160 and a memory device 170, thereby decoding a JPEG compressed image file 100 in which table data 102 and format data 103 that are associated with a compressed data datastream 101 thereof are provided. The table data 102 includes a Huffman coding table 111 and an inverse quantization table 131 such that the decoding device 110 can perform a Huffman decoding on the compressed datastream 101 in accordance with the Huffman coding table 111 when the JPEG decoder 10 decodes the compressed image file 100 to thus obtain an one-dimensional block consisting of pixels arranged in one dimension. In accordance with the JPEG standard, the de-zigzag arranging device 120 arranges the one-dimensional block into a two-dimensional block consisting of pixels arranged in two dimensions. As shown in FIG. 2, the arrows direct the sequence of pixel arrangement from the one-dimensional block to the two-dimensional block. Namely, the pixels are arranged in a directional sequence: transverse (right), diagonal (left-down), down, diagonal (right-up) and so on.
The inverse quantizer 130 performs inverse quantization on the two-dimensional block in accordance with the inverse quantization table 131 to thus obtain a two-dimensional inverse quantization block. FIG. 3 is an example of a content of the inverse quantization table 131. The IDCT device 140 converts the two-dimensional inverse quantization block from frequency domain to spatial domain. The color space converter 150 performs color conversion on the two-dimensional spatial block to thus convert its YCbCr format into a RGB format, thereby obtaining a decompressed image block similar to its source image.
The controller 160 controls the entire JPEG decoding to obtain an RGB decompressed image 200, and performs an initialization and setting on the internal registers of the devices 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150. The memory device 170 temporarily stores the JPEG compressed image file 100 and the decompressed image 200.
As cited, the JPEG decoder 10 requires sequentially decoding the blocks of the compressed datastream 101 first and then re-combines them into the complete decompressed image 200. For example, as to the decompressed image 200 represented by the picture shown in FIG. 4, the JPEG decoder 10 sequentially decodes each block 41 in a direction A (horizontal). When printing the decompressed image 200, a typical printer feeds paper in a B direction and fetches each block 41 of the decompressed image 200 in a direction C (longitudinal). Accordingly, it is seen that the JPEG decoder 10 decodes the compressed datastream 101 for obtaining every block 41 and storing them to the memory device 170 first and then fetches the decompressed image 200 in the direction C for printing it out. However, the memory device 170 is increased with higher image resolution for storing more data. For an example of the decompressed image 200 with ((M+1)×(N+1)) blocks, if every block has red, green and blue colors and requires a memory space of 8×8×3 bytes, the size of the memory device 170 required by the JPEG decoder 10 is up to ((M+1)×(N+1)×64×3) bytes, which needs a very high hardware cost.
To overcome this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,166 granted to Ratnakar, et al. for an "Image transformations in the compressed domain" records additional information about compressed blocks along with coding and compressing. However, the additional information including indexes of the compressed blocks is not necessary in the JPEG standard but provided for a special JPEG decoder. In accordance with the additional information, the JPEG decoder can decode data in the longitudinal direction and output a re-arranged and re-compressed JPEG file based on a requirement of image rotation and mirror. Such a technique requires the additional processes in coding and compressing, and this system is suitable to implement the functions of rotation and mirror in a digital image input system because it does not teach or disclose any longitudinal processing for a non-digital image input system. In addition, Ratnakar discloses the processing of image mirror and rotation in frequency domain, not in spatial domain. Further, the processing of image mirror and rotation in frequency domain tends to a theoretical study rather than implement in practice. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved block decoding method and apparatus to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Block decoding method and apparatus capable of decoding and outputting data in a longitudinal direction


A freestanding conveyor personnel gate includes a support or base portion and a conveyor portion, which is pivotable and movable relative to the support between a closed position and an open position. The gate includes a latch mechanism which is operable to latch the gate in both the open and close positions. The latch mechanism is operable via a handle which is movable in either direction to disengage the latch mechanism and to raise or lower the conveyor portion toward its open or closed position. The conveyor portion is balanced and supported via a strut member which is pivotally mounted at the conveyor portion and the support portion. A biasing member is provided to bias the conveyor portion toward its closed position when the conveyor portion is moved past a neutral point between the open and close position. The biasing member is further operable to bias the conveyor portion toward its opened position when the conveyor portion is moved past the neutral position toward the open position of the gate. The biasing member thus self propels the gate toward its opened or closed position, while the latch mechanism locks the gate in the respective position once that position is reached by the conveyor portion.

The present invention relates generally to personnel gates for conveyors which open to allow a person to pass from one side of the conveyor to the other, and close to connect an upstream portion of the conveyor with a downstream portion of the conveyor via a conveying surface of the personnel gate.
It is known to provide conveyor personnel gates between portions of a conveying path to allow people to get from one side of the conveying path to the other. The personnel gates typically are lowered to a closed position, whereby the conveying surface of the gate extends between an upstream and downstream portion of the conveying path to form a generally continuous conveying path. The gates may be raised to an opened position, such that a person may walk through the opening at the gate to cross from one side of the conveying path to the other.
Typically, such conveyor gates are pivotably mounted to an upstream end of the conveying path and are closed to engage a saddle or receiving bracket at the downstream end of the conveying path. This requires corresponding mounting components at both the upstream and downstream ends of the conveying path, such that the gates are not easily installed at various conveying paths. Accordingly, the gates may be applicable only to the specific conveyors for which they are designed, which may further lead to many designs of conveyor gates in order to provide gates for various conveyor designs.
Conventional conveyor gates are manually raised and lowered between their opened and closed positions. A concern with many of the prior art conveyor gates is that when released by an operator during the closing process, the gates may slam down to their closed position. Not only is this hard on the components of the gate and the conveyor, which may lead to greater maintenance and repair costs, this also raises safety concerns for a person or persons who may be walking past or under the gate as it slams down to its closed position. Additionally, many prior conveyor gates are not securable in their upward or open position, such that the conveyor gates may unexpectedly close without manual intervention.
Also, when raised to their upright, open position, the upper end of most conventional gates extends the entire length of the gate above the height of the conveyor at which it is mounted, because the gate is pivotable about a fixed horizontal axis at the conveyor. The gate thus may interfere with low overhead clearance conveyors or other items at a low height above the conveyor and gate.
The present invention is intended to provide a conveyor personnel gate which is movable between opened and closed positions and which may be latched in both the opened and closed positions. The gate is easily moved between its opened and closed positions in response to a biasing member which assists in raising and lowering the gate in a controlled manner.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a conveyor personnel gate comprises a support, a conveyor portion and a latch. The conveyor portion is pivotally support by the support and pivotable about a generally horizontal axis at the support. The latch is operable to latch the conveyor portion relative to the support in both an opened position and a closed position. The latch may include a user handle which is operable to actuate the latch in response to movement of the user handle. The user handle may also allow a user to move the conveyor portion of the gate between the opened and closed positions via movement of the handle. Preferably, the conveyor portion is self-propelled in a controlled manner to the opened position when the conveyor portion is positioned between a particular position and the closed position. Additionally, the conveyor portion may be self-propelled to the open position when the conveyor portion is moved to a position between the particular position and the closed position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a conveyor personnel gate comprises a support, a conveyor portion and a handle operated latch assembly. The conveyor portion is pivotally supported by the support and is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis. The handle operated latch assembly includes a grasp handle at the conveyor portion and a latch. The grasp handle is movable relative to the support to move the conveyor portion about the axis. The latch is operable to latch the conveyor portion in at least one position, and is unlatched in response to movement of the grasp handle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a conveyor personnel gate comprises a support, a conveyor portion and a biasing member. The conveyor portion is pivotally supported by the support to pivot about a generally horizontal axis. The biasing member is operable to control movement of the conveyor portion about the axis between a generally horizontal closed position and an open position. The biasing member is interconnected between the support and the conveyor portion such that the biasing member biases the conveyor portion toward the closed position when the conveyor portion is positioned between a neutral position and a closed position. The biasing member further biases the conveyor portion toward the opened position when the conveyor portion is positioned between the neutral position and the opened position. In a preferred embodiment, the biasing member is interconnected between the support and the conveyor portion via an over center mount arrangement. Optionally, the gate may further include a damper which is operable to dampen, retard or otherwise control movement of the conveyor portion toward the closed position.


This disclosure relates generally to fan shrouds for machine fans, and, more particularly, to the structure and design of double bell mouth shrouds and placement of double bell mouth shrouds relative to a machine fan. In some examples, a fan shroud encircling a circular fan having a plurality of fan blades can be provided. Some example fan shrouds can include an inlet adapted to receive air and an outlet adapted to outlet air. The inlet can include an inlet radius, and the outlet can include an outlet radius. In some examples, the outlet radius can each be about 10% of the fan diameter.

Conventional fan shrouds can improve airflow through a fan installed and/or operating on a machine. Fan shrouds can reduce airflow recirculation from high pressure to low pressure side of the fan, can reduce airflow entrance & exit losses in and out of the fan, and/or can reduce airflow separation and vortices near the fan blade tips. Improving fan shroud designs to maximize operation of the fan can be desirable.
Additionally, machines are generally compact and do not have much space for large components. Improving fan shroud designs to reduce the space needed to mount a fan shroud can also be desirable.
Japanese Patent No. 4269326 (JP '326), titled "Shroud of Cooling Fan for Radiator," purports to address improving fan shroud performance. The JP '326 patent describes a bell-mouth shaped fan shroud positioned between a radiator and a cooling fan, where the fan shroud design includes a ratio of 40% against the width of the fan's blades. The design of the JP '326 patent, however, provides a relatively large space requirement, and therefore the space that the fan shroud takes up on the machine can be less than optimal. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved bell mouth fan shroud and methods of designing and placing the bell mouth fan shroud.


This inflator of this invention includes a casing with a chamber containing an oxidizer gas. An exit port is located at one end of the casing which is closed by a burst disk. An exit tube extends into the chamber from the exit port to provide an orderly path for generated gases to leave the chamber. A fuel cell holding a liquid fuel is located at another end of the casing. A piston is driven in the fuel cell by gases from an igniter to drive the liquid fuel into the chamber. An igniter channel interconnects a region containing hot gases from the igniter to a region in the chamber where the liquid fuel and the oxidizer gas are mixed together. An injector tube conveys the fuel from a discharge end of the liquid fuel cell to a combustion region adjacent the igniter channel.

Air bags for protection of occupants of vehicles require that a substantial volume of gas quickly be delivered under pressure. There are numerous design constraints, among them being the small spaces available for storage of the inflator, often in the hub of a steering wheel, or in a door panel. In order to generate a sufficient volume of gas from a suitably small source, solid propellant materials are frequently utilized.
Such materials, while capable of generating the necessary volume of gas, involve many problems of their own. In manufacture they are hazardous, and the device must be assembled in conditions which arise to the standards of toxic propellant loading. After installation, these materials remain as an unseen risk to dismantlers, because they are hazardous materials. In the event of a vehicle fire, there is the risk of an unexpected the event of a vehicle fire, there is the risk of an unexpected explosion. Furthermore, they often generate undesirable gaseous products. Other constraints are that the output gases should not be in a condition to harm the bag itself. Compliance with these constraints is often attained at the cost of undesirable complexity.
It is an object of this invention to provide a gas source which consists only of benign "green" reactants, which if they leak are harmless to the environment or to nearby persons, and which will not autoignite. The gases produced by them are benign.
It is another object of this invention to provide a gas source whose output is not harmful to the bag itself, such as from particulates or from excessively hot inflation gases.
Because the air bag must be fully inflated within a few milliseconds, it could be presumed that a very steep rise in pressure is desirable. Such is not the actual situation. An air bag is multipli-folded and very tightly packed in order to be stored in a small volume. Too sudden a burst of gas might simply shoot the folded bag at the passenger. What is required is a rather slow initial pressure rise to allow the bag to begin to unfold, followed by a more rapid rise in pressure to inflate the bag quickly. The total event will still take only a few milliseconds, but there is assurance that the bag will unfold correctly.
As the art of air bags has developed, it has become increasingly evident that different inflation rates to different inflated pressures are desirable. For example, a small child who is belted in requires a less stressful restraint than a heavy passenger who is not belted in. The rate of increase of pressure to a desired maximum pressure, and the maximum pressure itself can advantageously be made very different.
Such variability cannot be attained with the use of solid propellant martials. Such materials are one shot, and develop gases according to their own stoichiometry. It is possible to throttle or by-pass some of the generated gases, but these techniques require specialized controls. Because air bags are generally designed for a 20 year installation life, any complexity is undesirable.
The use of a liquid propellant to drive the inflator offers, in addition to the advantages already discussed, means to vary the output rates and pressures which can be as simple as providing a plurality of igniters, which can be initiated (if at all) at different times, a plurality of exit orifice configurations which will be selectively opened, and means to vary the rate of flow of fuel to the oxidizer. All of these are readily established by sensors which are responsive, for example, to whether a seat is occupied, whether the occupant is belted, and how much the occupant weighs.
Accordingly, an air bag need not be deployed into an empty, seat, and a child need not face the same vigorous restraint as a heavy adult.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an air bag inflator which utilizes "green" constituents, and enables all or any of the above additional advantages to be attained.


In an embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a substrate with a fluid slot, and a chamber layer over the substrate that defines a firing chamber and a fluidic channel extending through the firing chamber and in fluid communication with the slot at first and second ends. The device includes a tophat layer formed as a two-layer stack over the chamber layer, and a nozzle bore over the firing chamber that comprises a greater cavity formed in a first layer of the stack and a lesser cavity formed in a second layer of the stack, the greater cavity encompasses a larger volume than the lesser cavity.

Fluid ejection devices in inkjet printers provide drop-on-demand ejection of fluid drops. Inkjet printers produce images by ejecting ink drops through a plurality of nozzles onto a print medium, such as a sheet of paper. The nozzles are typically arranged in one or more arrays, such that properly sequenced ejection of ink drops from the nozzles causes characters or other images to be printed on the print medium as the printhead and the print medium move relative to each other. In a specific example, a thermal inkjet printhead ejects drops from a nozzle by passing electrical current through a heating element to generate heat and vaporize a small portion of the fluid within a firing chamber. In another example, a piezoelectric inkjet printhead uses a piezoelectric material actuator to generate pressure pulses that force ink drops out of a nozzle.
When nozzles sit exposed to ambient atmospheric conditions while in idle non-jetting states, evaporative water loss through the nozzle bores can alter the local composition of ink volumes within the bores, the firing chambers, and in some cases, beyond an inlet pinch toward the shelf/trench (ink slot) interface. Following periods of nozzle inactivity, the variation in properties of these localized volumes can modify drop ejection dynamics (e.g., drop trajectories, velocities, shapes and colors). When printing resumes after an inactive, non-jetting period, there is an inherent delay before the local ink volumes within the nozzle bores are refreshed. This delay, and the associated effects on drop ejection dynamics following a non-jetting period, are collectively referred to as decap response. Continued improvement of inkjet printers and other fluid ejection systems relies in part on mitigating decap response issues.

Fluid ejection device with two-layer tophat