An HST propel system includes first and second pumps having displacements variable in response to movement of first (31) and second (33) control shafts, respectively; and a linkage arrangement for moving the control shafts in unison in response to movement of an operator input (37). The linkage arrangement comprises a crank arm (35) rotatable about its axis in response to movement of the input device, first (41) and second (51) input arms fixed relative to the crank arm, and first (45) and second (55) elongated control rods pivotally connected to the input arms. The system includes a swivel connector (43) cooperating with its input arm to define a swivel axis (S.A.1), fixed relative to the axis of the crank arm, and a swivel connector (53) cooperating with its input arm to define a swivel axis (S.A.2), moveable relative to the axis of the crank arm for straight tracking adjustment.

The present invention relates to hydrostatic drive systems, and more particularly, to such drive systems of the "dual path" type, having a pair of drive wheels (or tracks, etc.), each of which is driven by a separate, separately-adjustable hydrostatic transmission (HST).
A number of different types of vehicles use some form of dual path HST propel arrangement, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited to any particular type or configuration of vehicle. Therefore, and as an example, although the present invention will be illustrated and described in connection with a pair of drive wheels, it should be understood that the invention could be utilized also on a tracked vehicle, and references hereinafter to "driven wheels" will be understood to mean and include any of the known, possible types of outputs.
An example of a vehicle of the type which could utilize the present invention is a lawn care or turf care vehicle (a mower) especially one of the "wheel-steered" type, i.e., a vehicle in which steering is accomplished by driving one of the driven wheels at a different speed than the other driven wheel. By way of further example, the present invention may be utilized on vehicles of the "ZTR" type (zero-turn-radius) in which either driven wheel may be driven in either the forward or reverse direction, independently of the other driven wheel.
In the conventional dual HST propel system, the left and right driven wheels are driven by left and right hydrostatic transmissions, each HST including a motor having its output shaft adapted to drive its respective driven wheel. Typically, the motor is fixed displacement, but the pump hydraulically coupled to the motor is of the variable displacement type. It should be understood that the pump and motor of the HST may be of the axial piston type, or of the radial piston type, or of any other type wherein the pump displacement may be varied by variations in a manual input to the pump, such as a rotatable control shaft. By use of the term "manual" input, it should be understood that the invention could be utilized in a system having pumps with direct, mechanical operator input, or in one having pumps where the displacement is controlled by some sort of hydraulic servo system of the type now well known in the art.
The present invention relates especially to such dual HST propelled vehicles of the type in which the input from the operator, to select the vehicle speed, is transmitted to a speed control crank arm, to rotate the arm about its axis in an amount corresponding to the desired speed of the vehicle. Attached to the speed control crank arm are identical linkage arrangements, one to control the displacement of the pump on the left HST and the other to control the displacement of the pump on the right HST. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the two linkage arrangements are designed and intended to be identical so that, as the operator selects a desired vehicle speed, and rotates the speed control crank arm, the same input motion will be transmitted to the displacement control mechanism of both of the left and right pumps, for the purpose of transmitting the same drive speed to each of the driven wheels.
However, as is also known all too well by those skilled in the art, it is one thing to design the two propel paths (and the control linkages) to be identical, but it is another matter entirely to actually produce and install a pair of HST propel systems on a vehicle, and have them provide exactly the same speed of rotation of the driven wheels for any given operator input to the speed control crank arm. For example, there may be slight, unintended, differences between the linkage arrangements for the left and right HST (or slight differences in the displacements of the left and right HST pumps or motors). Finally, in some cases, there may be a slight difference in tire size which can result in a noticeable deviation from the intended "straight-tracking".

Speed equalizing linkage design for dual hydrostatic transmissions


A hinge includes a first housing, a second housing mechanically coupled to the first housing, a cam connected to one of the first housing and the second housing, a first connector mechanically coupled to the first housing, a second connector, and a cable coupled to the first connector and the second connector.

An imaging product, such as a multi function printer, may include modular devices. For example, an imaging product may have modules such as an image input terminal (ITT) and an image output terminal (TOT). An ITT may be mounted on an TOT to connect the modules together, yet still allow for relative motion between the two. A cable may connect an IIT with an TOT for both power and communications. Since these devices are modular devices, such a cable may be connected by an end user installing a new modular device such as a new ITT.
However, because of size constraints and other factors, a connector for a cable on a modular device may be difficult to install, particularly by the end user. Such difficulties lead to increased intermittent problems or failures due to poor connections, increased service calls, and a decrease in consumer confidence in both the imaging product and the manufacturer. Furthermore, any problems from poor or intermittent connections are exacerbated by the relative motion of modules of the imaging product.

Hinged module coupling with integrated cable connection


A method and apparatus for notifying a computer user of the occurrence of an event are provided. An indication is received that an event has occurred. In response to receiving the indication, a notification window is gradually displayed by varying the opacity of the window. When the event comprises the receipt of a new electronic mail message, the notification window includes a notification message indicating that the new electronic mail message has been received. If a predetermined period of time elapses without a selection of the new message notification window being received, the window is gradually removed. The new message notification window may be displayed above the displays provided by other executing applications.

Many information workers spend a considerable portion of their workdays using personal computers. For many users, this means switching between several different application programs to perform different tasks as needed. For instance, many users utilize a word processor or spreadsheet as their primary application program. They may also use other application programs secondarily as needed. For many users, this means switching between a primary application program, such as a word processor, that is executing in the foreground, to a secondary application program, such as an electronic mail ("e-mail") client application, that is executing in the background.
The switch between a primary application program and an e-mail client application executing in the background is frequently performed when a sound is played by the e-mail client application indicating that a new e-mail message has been received. Users switch to the e-mail client application typically to see who the message is from and what the message concerns. It may be frustrating for a user to switch away from their primary application to the e-mail client application only to find that the new e-mail message is unimportant or even unsolicited e-mail (called "spam"). The user then must switch back to the primary application program and resume their work.
Not only is it frustrating for a user to switch between application programs only to discover that a new e-mail message is unimportant, it is also costly. In particular, although it may only take a few seconds to switch between applications, these few seconds may add up to a substantial amount of time if done many times during a workday. Moreover, it also takes a large amount of time for a user to regain mental focus on the work being performed in the primary application program following a switch to an e-mail client application program. This type of interruption to the concentration of a user can seriously affect productivity if done many times during a workday.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

System for displaying a notification window from completely transparent to intermediate level of opacity as a function of time to indicate an event has occurred


A multichannel communications medium may have two or more channels available for transmitting information. A first transmission signal and a second transmission signal may be prepared from a same analog signal to be transmitted on a first channel and a second channel. For example, a phase shift or amplitude shift may be performed on the first transmission signal or the second transmission signal. The first transmission signal may be transmitted via the first channel, and the second transmission signal may be transmitted via the second channel. The phase shift or amplitude shift may be performed by analog components that are less complex than digital signal processors used for digital signal diversity. The analog components may be digitally controlled. The analog signal diversity may utilize cost effective analog components to improve the performance of the communications system over single channel communications without requiring complex digital signal processing of multiple signal paths.

Communications systems using conventional multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology exploit spatial diversity at the transmitter and at the receiver to increase throughput compared to a single-input single-output (SISO) system. In a wire-line MIMO system, multiple physical channels may be defined using conductors of a communications medium. For example, a powerline may have three conductors (e.g., a line or hot wire, a neutral wire, and a ground or protective earth wire) bundled together in a sheath. A wire pair consisting of two conductors may be used together to define a physical channel. To implement MIMO for powerline communications (PLC), two of the conductors may be used to carry signals while a third conductor may serve as a reference for both of the two signal-carrying conductors. As such, it is possible to have two physical channels in MIMO for PLC.
Current technologies for utilizing a multichannel communications medium may employ complex techniques to pre-condition the transmitted information into two distinct channels of information. For example, in one approach referred to as beamforming, the receiver may compute a pre-coding matrix corresponding to each active carrier and send it to the transmitter. The transmitter may use complex coding and digital signal processing to prepare two different streams of information to transmit via the multichannel communications medium. Despite the use of two different streams of information, the throughput may drop due to lower transmit power for each stream of information or due to cross-talk between the physical channels. Furthermore, the digital signal processing components may add to the cost and complexity of devices implementing beamforming.

Analog signal diversity in multichannel communications


There is provided a method of preparing a mixed liquid having a first property and a second property. The method includes providing a first set of liquids, a second set of liquids, and a third set of liquids. The method includes combining the provided sets of liquids. Further, the method includes varying at least one of the liquid flows of the first and second sets and at least one liquid flow of the third set to adjust the first property and the second property to their respective predetermined values in the resulting mixed liquid flow.

In many industrial processes it is important to obtain liquids of precisely known composition and/or other characteristics, such as pH, ionic strength, viscosity, density etc. It is further not uncommon that the composition of the liquid should not only be at each moment precisely known and controlled, but also should vary with time in a precise and controlled manner.
Such liquids are usually obtained by mixing or blending two or more liquids with each other, typically using a blending system, usually an on-site blending system, which may provide for both isocratic and gradient blending modes (step gradient and linear gradient).
One application where the composition of liquids is of utmost importance is in the field of liquid chromatography, when buffers having a specified pH and optionally also ionic strength are utilized, the pH and ionic strength of the eluent being the two most important parameters that control selectivity of protein separations in chromatography, such as on ion exchange resins. Another such application is filtration.
Blending systems for delivery on-line of a desired liquid composition are typically based on two different approaches, i.e. (i) use of sensor feedback control of measured liquid parameters to set the proportions of liquid components giving the desired composition, and (ii) flow feedback control, wherein a recipe or formula for the mixing ratios of the liquid components to obtain the desired liquid composition are calculated, and wherein these proportions are then maintained by control via feedback of respective flow rates.
An example of the first-mentioned approach is disclosed in US 2008/0279038 A1 which describes a blending system for blending three liquids, a feed liquid and first and second adjusting liquids, using a continuous mode of operation. The feed liquid is, for example, water and the adjusting liquids may be a salt concentrated solution and alcohol, respectively. The liquids are mixed in a recirculation loop. The conductivity of the recirculated solution is sensed by a conductivity sensor communicating with a system controller which controls the valves and pumps of the system. A near infrared (NIR) sensor detects the alcohol concentration. When the target conductivity and the alcohol concentration levels have been attained, the output of the loop is delivered to the process. The salt concentrate solution and alcohol addition rates continue to be based on feedback control from the conductivity sensor and NIR sensor.
A different approach to liquid blending is to determine the exact relative component proportions or ratios in which liquids are to be blended to obtain a desired liquid mixture having the pre-defined characteristics, typically using an appropriate algorithm, and then produce a liquid mixture flow by feeding the different liquids by a metering system in the predetermined ratios.
An example of the above-mentioned second approach, which uses "flow feedback control" rather than "liquid parameter control", is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,250 B1, where an apparatus for liquid chromatography comprises an on-line metering device capable of feeding into a chromatographic separation device an eluent of one or more buffering species, an acid or a base, optionally a salt, and a solvent. The metering device calculates, by the use of an approximation of the Debye-Hückel equation, the relative proportions of the components required to obtain an eluent of a selected pH at a given salt concentration. This is accomplished by an iterative procedure where the different components are concomitantly varied in such a way as to take into account the interrelationship of the pH and the ionic strength in the liquid mixture.
A development of this method, which permits the use of higher concentrations of buffer and/or salt is disclosed in WO 2009/131524 A1. Here a mixer control unit is provided to control the relative component proportions using the equation of Debye-Hückel, wherein the ion size α in the Debye-Hückel equation is determined as the weighted mean ion size of all species contributing to the ionic strength of the liquid mixture, wherein the ionic strength of each species is used as weighting parameter. In this improved method, which preferably is computer-implemented, the exact composition is first calculated and the liquid mixture, typically a buffer, is subsequently prepared in a single step. In one embodiment, the buffer definition is obtained in-line in a continuous process.
A disadvantage of the above-mentioned methods based on calculation of the component proportions is, however, that one must know the exact concentrations and/or other characteristics of the stock solutions at the time of use. This deficiency is remedied by the method disclosed in International application publication number WO 2011/037530, wherein at least two different component stock solutions are mixed with each other and which comprises the steps of determining a selected property value for one or more of the stock solutions by sensing, in a flow of each stock solution separately, at least one characteristic related to the property value for the stock solution, and based on the determined property value or values, mixing the stock solution flows in mixing ratios giving the desired mixed liquid flow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative, and in several respects improved method for preparing a liquid mixture flow, such as a buffer, having pre-defined characteristics according to the first-mentioned approach based on feedback control via sensed liquid parameters, which may optionally be used together with the second method approach based on flow metering feedback control, and which may conveniently be automated, such as computer-implemented.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The headlight apparatus has at least one headlight unit which includes several headlight subunits (20;40;60; 61;70;90). A base low beam which illuminates a base region in front of the vehicle is produced by at least one of the headlight subunits (20;40) in such a way as to fulfill the basic minimum requirements for a low beam. Additional headlight subunits (60;61;70;90) are connectable to the headlight subunit (20;40) producing the base low beam. At least one of the headlight subunits (20;70) is constructed according to the projection principle and has a reflector, a light source and, following the reflector, a lens and a diaphragm. At least one of the headlight subunits (40;60;61) is constructed according to a reflection principle and has a reflector, a light source and, if necessary, a light permeable disk with optical elements in it. A concentrated or focused light beam is produced by the headlight unit or units (20;70) constructed according to the projection principle while a horizontally scattered light beam is provided by the headlight subunit or subunits constructed according to the reflection principle.

The present invention relates to a headlight for a vehicle which emits a variable or changeable light beam.
The headlight apparatus according to the invention is based on the headlight apparatus described in German Patent Application DE 43 13 914 A1. This headlight apparatus has at least one headlight unit, which comprises several headlight subunits. In a first operating state of the headlight apparatus a base light beam is emitted by at least one base headlight subunit, which illuminates a base region in front of the vehicle, and in at least one further operating state at least one additional light beam is switched on which is emitted by another base headlight subunit and which illuminates a region in front of the vehicle which does'nt cover the base region. In the above-mentioned document an embodiment of this headlight apparatus is described, in which the headlight subunits are built according to the projection principle and which have a lens arranged in the path of the light reflected by the reflector and a diaphragm between the reflector and lens as needed. Headlight subunits constructed according to the projection principle are however not all equally suitable for all desired properties of the light beam considering the required structural space, so that light beams with different properties cannot be optimally produced in a minimal space with this known headlight apparatus.

Headlight with multiple reflectors for producing a variable light beam


A magneto-optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus has the distinction of ID signal reproducing ability in read (reproducing) mode and in write (recording) mode. The disc recording format is based on sectors each including two identifiers in the address field. The apparatus analyzes a command from the host computer (step ST1). It sets the control parameter of write mode for the write command or the control parameter of read mode for the read command (steps ST4, ST5) so as to impose the distinction on the ID signal reproducing (readout) ability between read mode and write mode. Following the seek operation to the target track, it determines based on the ID signal detection as to whether a correct ID signal has not been retrieved from any of two identifiers in the target address field indicative of the error of ID signal reproduction (step ST7). It proceeds to the information writing or readout operation unless the ID signal reproduction ends in error (step ST8).

The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus, and particularly to a magneto-optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus.
Various recording formats have been proposed for magneto-optical discs. FIG. 9 shows a sector format of a 5.25-inch magneto-optical disc for recording user data at 512 bytes/sector, and FIG. 10 shows a sector format of a 5.25-inch magneto-optical disc for recording user data at 1024 bytes/sector. These sector formats differ only in the lengths of data field and buffer.
The sector formats shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 include an address field, a flag field, a data field, and a buffer.
The address field is a region having a record of a physical block address that is the physical address of the sector on the disc, and it is preformatted in the form of pits on the disc substrate. The flag field is a region in which flags indicative of the state of data in the sector are recorded. The data field is a region in which user data is recorded. The buffer is a marginal region provided so that the data field and the address field of the neighboring sector do not overlap in the event of a fluctuating disc rotation at recording.
The address field begins with a lead pattern called sector mark (SM), which is followed by three repetitive address information patterns each including a pattern of variable frequency oscillator (VFO) which provides the rotational phase of the revolving disc, an address mark (AM) which indicates the address data starting position and an identifier (ID) which contains a track number, sector number and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code used for the detection of reproduction error, and ends with a postamble (PA). The three identifiers (ID.sub.1, ID.sub.2, ID.sub.3) in the address field contain the same record of identification signal (ID signal).
The flag field includes a flag (FLAG) which indicates that data has been recorded, an offset detection flag (ODF) which is a mark for the tracking offset detection based on the push-pull scheme, and a region of automatic laser power control (ALPC) used for the adjustment of laser power level.
The data field includes a region for the record of PLL data pattern used for the variable frequency oscillator (VFO), a region for the record of data sync signal (SYNC), and a data field for recording user data, control bytes used for recording data in a relief sector in the case of a defective sector, error correction code (ECC), cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code used for error detection, and special code pattern (RESYNC) used for synchronization.
Based on the conventional sector formats shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in which the same ID signal is recorded repeatedly in three address fields for coping with defects on the disc, the operation of data write (recording) mode proceeds when the ID signal is read out correctly from at least two of three identifiers and the operation of data read (reproducing) mode proceeds when the ID signal is read out correctly from at least one identifier.
A problem of the above-mentioned conventional sector formats is that having three records of identifiers in each sector is too redundant.

Recording and reproducing apparatus including read/write mode reproducing control parameter setting means


A combination of a host system and data storage system that enables accurate performance testing of the storage subsystem is disclosed. In one embodiment, a driver of a host system receives a command message from a host system application. The command message enables the driver to generate and communicate one or more storage access commands to the data storage system. The driver then receives one or more execution results from the data storage system and determines and communicates the total execution time of the one or more storage access commands to the host system application. When the host system application determines performance of the data storage system the undesirable impact of the communication overhead between the host system application and the driver is minimized. Accordingly, accurate performance measurements of data storage systems are obtained.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to data storage systems, such as solid state drives, for computer systems. More particularly, the disclosure relates to measuring performance of data storage systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sellers of data storage systems, such as disk drives that comprise solid-state memory, commonly advertise that data storage systems possess certain performance characteristics. In turn, end users may expect or need certain performance characteristics and use data storage system advertisements to make buying decisions. For example, a prospective buyer of data storage systems may view an advertisement or specification sheet which indicates that particular data storage systems can perform 50,000 input/output commands per second (IOPS). The prospective buyer may need such data storage systems and choose to purchase the advertised systems.
To ensure that data storage systems perform as advertised, data storage systems are frequently tested using drive performance testing tools before the systems are sold to end users. Importantly, the performance tests should provide accurate measurements of performance characteristics of the data storage systems. Thus, there exists a need for tools to accurately measure performance of data storage systems.

Measuring performance of data storage systems


An article of footwear with a medial contact portion disposed on the medial side of the article is described. The medial contact portion includes a plurality of raised elements that extend outwards from the surface of the upper on the medial side. The raised elements are configured to contact a ball during passing or trapping to absorb and dampen forces associated with the impact of the ball with the article to provide cushioning. The sizing and spacing arrangement of the raised elements on the medial contact portion provide sufficient surface area to allow a portion of the surface of the upper to contact a ball. In one embodiment, the upper is made from a synthetic leather material that has substantially the same coefficient of friction under dry conditions and wet conditions.

The present invention relates generally to an article of footwear, and in particular to an article of footwear with a medial contact portion for contacting a ball.
Articles of footwear have been provided with various provisions for contacting a ball. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0167658 to Davis discloses a ball controlling surface on a toe portion of a shoe that includes a plurality of grooved rubber elements to provide friction. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0055183 to Lee et al. discloses a soccer shoe that includes a plurality of protrusions along an inner and outer side of the toe portion of the shoe.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an article of footwear that includes provisions for contacting a ball along a medial side of the article. There also exists a need in the art for an article of footwear with provisions for contacting a ball that is configured to be flexible and lightweight.

Article of footwear with medial contact portion


A radio communication apparatus of the present invention aims at improving an error rate characteristic in the end receiver. A repeater (radio relay device) RS2 receives a signal transmitted from a repeater RS1 at a point of time of signal transmission from the repeater RS1, and detects whether or not an error exists in the signal at a point of time of transmission. Also, when the repeater RS2 detects the error from a systematic bit S of the transmitted signal from the repeater RS1, such repeater RS2 generates error position information EI, replace a part of a parity bit P with the error position information EI, and transmits a resultant signal. The error detection result is notified through the control channel. The mobile station (mobile terminal) MS makes an error correction based on the error position information EI, and demodulates the signal by executing an error correction decoding process.

The multiple hopping transmission system using OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is known. This multiple hopping transmission system is the radio network that enables the user to communicate with the mobile terminal in a wider range since not only the mobile terminals can communicate directly with each other but also the mobile terminals can communicate mutually via other mobile terminal. In this radio network, the user can not only communicate with the base station in the cell to which the user's mobile terminal belongs but also access the base station out of the cell via other mobile terminal.
FIG. 1 shows a radio relay system as a premise assumed to communicate by using a plurality of radio relay devices. In FIG. 1, the base station BS applies an error correction coding to transmitted data, and generates a signal C1 and a signal C2. Here, the signal C1 and the signal C2 have a different redundancy respectively. For example, C1=systematic bit S and C2=parity bit are assumed.
A signal C1(S) and a signal C2(P) are transmitted to a mobile station MS (mobile terminal) through repeaters RS (radio relay units) provided to different propagation paths, i.e., a repeater RS1 and a repeater RS2. In this case, slots through which the signal C1(S) and the signal C2(P) are transmitted respectively are separate slots, and the repeater RS1 reproduces the signal C1(S) and repeats it and the repeater RS2 reproduces the signal C2(P) and repeats it. The mobile station MS executes an error correction decoding by using the signal C1(S) and the signal C2(P).
In this manner, when two repeaters RS1, RS2 pass on the signal from the base station BS to the mobile station MS respectively, these repeaters RS1, RS2 pass on a different system (a systematic bit S and a parity bit P) respectively to achieve the diversity effect.
In this case, the error correction system such as LDPC (Low Density Parity Check Codes), turbo code, or the like is executed as the error correction system. In the turbo code, two types of information of the systematic bit S and the parity bit P having different quality are generated as the error correction bit. The systematic bit S are more important than the parity bit P to the error correction.
As shown in FIG. 1, first the base station BS transmits the systematic bit S and the parity bit P to the repeater RS1 and the repeater RS2 by using two frames (#1, #2) respectively. Then, the repeater RS1 passes on the signal in a next frame #3, and the repeater RS2 passes on the signal in a frame #4 after next. The mobile station MS receives both signals from the repeater RS1 and the repeater RS2, and demodulates both received signals by an error correction decoding process.
In the process in the repeater RS in the prior art, the signal is transferred while applying a hard decision (the received signal has a value in a range of −∞ to +∞, but the signal is converted into −1 if the value is negative and converted into 1 if the value is positive) to the received signal. That is, a hard decision signal is transferred irrespective of the presence or absence of the error in the received signal. The reason why the signal is transmitted as it is even though such signal contains the error is that, because there is a possibility that the error can be corrected by the error correction decoding at the end receiving station, the final receiving performance may be improved and therefore the signal had better be transmitted (see Patent Literature 1, for example).    Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2001-189971


Aspects of the invention can provide a projector capable of projecting a high-quality image by illumination that does not produce a difference in size among illumination areas for respective colors including red, green, and blue. A light-source light from a light source can be separated into color lights by first and second dichroic mirrors provided in a color separation system, which independently go incident on corresponding liquid crystal light valves as illumination lights. Herein, a mutual chromatic aberration can be corrected by adjusting, as needed, the radii of curvature of respective field lenses provided in the color separation system for use in adjusting angles of incidence of illumination lights with respect to the liquid crystal light valves. This configuration makes it possible to illuminate the respective liquid crystal light valves by illumination areas of exactly the same size, which in turn enables a high-quality image having no display shadow to be projected.

Aspects of the invention can relate to a projector that projects an image with the use of a liquid crystal display panel or any other type of light modulation device.
As an illumination device for a liquid crystal display panel incorporated into a projector in the related art, a type in which a light-source light from a white light source is separated into lights of three colors and relay lenses are disposed in illumination optical paths for two colors, so that efficiency for utilization of illumination of respective colors is improved by compensating for a difference of optical path lengths with respect to the remaining one color can be used. See, for example, JP-A-1-243014.

Projector system for light modulation device


A fiber-treating agent is obtained by dissolving in water a reaction product resulting from co-hydrolysis and condensation of (A) a fluorinated alkyl group-containing alkoxysilane, (B) an alkyl group-containing alkoxysilane, (C) an amino group-containing alkoxysilane, and (D) an epoxy group-containing alkoxysilane. The fiber-treating agent is water soluble and thus safe while it imparts satisfactory water repellency, oil repellency, stain-proof property and even durable water repellency.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fiber treating agent for use in imparting water repellency, oil repellency and stain-proof property to such substrates as fiber articles. More particularly, it relates to a water soluble fiber-treating agent capable of treating fibers in a simple manner without a serious influence on the environment and a method for preparing the same.
2. Prior Art
Water repellent aerosol cans are commercially available as ready-for-use means for imparting water repellency to fabrics (typically, clothes) and leather. Typical are water repellent spray compositions based on fluoro-resin. Although Freon.RTM. analogues were used as the solvent in these water repellent spray compositions, they are now replaced by petroleum hydrocarbon solvents because of the recent concern on the environment as typified by ozone layer protection. The petroleum hydrocarbon solvents, however, can cause toxicosis to consumers. With the health and environment problems taken into account, there is a desire to have a safer water repellent spray composition.
From such a point of view, JP-A 97770/1995 discloses a spray composition comprising a silicone-acryl graft copolymer as a major component and an alcohol solvent. This composition, however, has problems that water repellency is not so high as provided by the fluoro-resin base compositions and no oil repellency is imparted. The alcohol solvent is less toxic, but not fully odorless.

Water soluble fiber-treating agent and method of making


A counting mechanism (100) for a dispenser comprising: a first and a second housing part (110, 120) that are rotatable relative to each other; and a counting ring (130) disposed between the housing parts. The first housing part has a protrusion (111) which abuts the counting ring, holding a portion of the counting ring in contact with the second housing part. The relative rotation of the housing parts causes the protrusion to slide against the surface of the counting ring to drive a rolling movement of the counting ring around the circumference of the second housing part, such that a predefined rotation of the housing parts produces an incremental rotational displacement between the counting ring and second housing part to record a count. The counting mechanism provides a large gear reduction ratio in a compact form which is straightforward to manufacture and provides an accurate and reliable record of counts.

Counting mechanisms and devices are well known in the art and take many different forms with the common aim of providing means to incrementally count a number of events. Such mechanisms are often incorporated into samplers to record a count of sampling events and dispensers to record a count of dispensing events. A particularly important application of counting mechanisms within dispensers is in medical devices where they can provide a record of the number of doses dispensed and remaining.
Medical devices such as inhalers, nasal sprays and injection pens are all used to deliver medication to a patient. These devices often contain multiple doses and can be used by a patient over several days or weeks. As the devices reach a near empty state, the device may emit a dose that is less than the label claim. Frequently this loss of dose is not visible to the user and therefore may result in an insufficient dose being delivered with possible implications for the effective treatment of a related condition.
It is therefore desirable for users to keep track of the number of doses that they have administered, to ensure that they are neither underdosing (leading to a lack of efficacy) nor overdosing (with potential side effects and complications). For these reasons it is desirable to include a counting mechanism in the device that indicates the number of doses remaining in the device, and that locks out to prevent the device being used once a certain number of doses have been used.
An ideal counter has a number of requirements. It must be robust and reliable and should accurately count doses regardless of how the user uses the device. It should only count when a dose has actually been delivered and it should not be possible to back track or rewind the counter and it should not lose or gain counts when dropped. The counter should also be easy to read, preferably with colouring, such that users can clearly see the number of doses remaining at a glance. Lastly, it should be low cost and easy to manufacture. Many counters in devices such as pMDIs (pressurised metered dose inhalers) contain a large number of parts in order to achieve the previous functions. This increases the cost and means such devices are more liable to malfunction through failure of one of the many components.
A large number of counters have been disclosed in the prior art, for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,844 discloses counters for nasal sprays and U.S. Pat. No. 9,022,039 discloses counters for simulated cigarettes. However, primarily counters have been disclosed for inhalers as several regulatory authorities have mandatory requirements for such devices.
In particular a wide range of counting mechanisms have been proposed to be used with pMDIs including mechanisms with ratchet and pawl mechanisms (US2002139812), face gears (U.S. Pat. No. 8,740,014), kick wheels (U.S. Pat. No. 8,820,318), escapement mechanisms (US2002195102) and helical tracked teeth (US20060231093). pMDI counters have a challenging set of requirements in that they must accurately keep track of the very small reciprocating movement of the actuator stem and translate this motion into a small count. As a result these counters are often very complex consisting of multiple parts and mechanisms so that they are insensitive to manufacturing tolerances.
However, there are fewer counters disclosed in the prior art that are for devices actuated using a large rotational movement, whereby the large rotational movement must be geared down into a much smaller movement of a counter wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,601 discloses a counter for a DPI (dry powder inhaler) which converts the rotation motion of a metering drum into small counts using a large geared wheel and ratchet. Although large gear reductions can be achieved with a wheel and ratchet, the counter wheel must be substantially larger than the metering drum in order to achieve the right resolution which inhibits such a mechanism being provided in a compact and user friendly device.
The counter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,054 comprises a spindle and tooth mechanism. An indicator flag, which is threaded onto the spindle moves upwards as the spindle is turned, indicating the count. The counter can achieve large gear reductions (60:1) and is low cost, however the resolution of the counter is limited by the length of the spindle which means that it is difficult to identify individual counts. Furthermore, the spindle requires a long, fine thread which is difficult to accurately mould with implications on the cost of manufacturing the device.
WO02006062448 discloses a counting mechanism containing an indicator strip, preferably metal, arranged around a rotatable feed wheel. The spacing of numbers on the feed wheel can be controlled so that a large number of doses can be displaced per rotation. However this requires a substantial amount of tape as there is no gear reduction, therefore having implications for the ease of manufacture and the extent to which the mechanism can be incorporated in a compact, user friendly device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,645 discloses a counter for a DPI which contains two counter rings where the first (units counter ring) is driven by the indexing of the device using a large Geneva wheel and the second counter ring (tens) is driven via the first counter ring via a Geneva mechanism. The Geneva mechanism is used to convert the large continuous rotation of the counter ring into the intermittent rotation of the tens counter ring. In order to achieve the large (˜120:1) gear reductions necessary to display all of the doses, the described patent has to have multiple gear reduction stages with the consequent additional parts, additional backlash and additional tolerance sensitivity.
There accordingly exists a need for a counter which is capable of large gear reductions whilst being compact such that it can be combined in a user friendly device with a small form factor. There is a further need for the counting mechanism to be formed from a minimum of constituent parts to increase the ease of manufacture and assembly while keeping associated costs down. The counter should record counts accurately and reliably whilst being robust to wear such that the counter may be used over the lifetime of the device in which it is employed. Finally there exists a need to provide means for the device to automatically lock after a certain number of counts such that, when employed in a dispenser for example, the number of doses dispensed is limited.


A superscalar microprocessor including a floating point unit implements a floating point adder with a leading zero anticipator that predicts the number of leading zeros in the significand sum of the floating point adder. The leading zero anticipator outputs a control signal to a shifter to shift the sum of the significand adder to eliminate the leading zeros. The number of leading zeros is also provided to an exponent circuit that reduces the magnitude of the exponent to reflect the shifted significand. The leading zero anticipator includes a pattern generator that outputs an intermediate pattern with a number of leading zeros approximately equal to the number of leading zeros in the sum. A counter circuit counts the number of leading zeros and provides one or more one-hot control signals to the shifter. In one embodiment, the significand shifter implements two stages of one-hot multiplexers to provide the desired shift. The counter circuit outputs a one-hot course control signal to a first stage multiplexer and a one-hot fine control signal to a second stage multiplexer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of microprocessors and, more particularly, to the normalization of floating point numbers within microprocessors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Superscalar microprocessors achieve high performance by executing multiple instructions per clock cycle and by choosing the shortest possible clock cycle consistent with the design. As used herein, the term "clock cycle" refers to an interval of time accorded to various stages of an instruction processing pipeline within the microprocessor. Storage devices (e.g. registers and arrays) capture their values according to the clock cycle. For example, a storage device may capture a value according to a rising or falling edge of a clock signal defining the clock cycle. The storage device then stores the value until the subsequent rising or falling edge of the clock signal, respectively. The term "instruction processing pipeline" is used herein to refer to the logic circuits employed to process instructions in a pipelined fashion.
Microprocessors are configured to operate upon various data types in response to various instructions. For example, certain instructions are defined to operate upon an integer data type. The bits representing an integer form the digits of the number. The binary point is assumed to be to the right of the digits (i.e. integers are whole numbers). Another data type often employed in microprocessors is the floating point data type. Floating point numbers are represented by a significand and an exponent. The base for the floating point number is raised to the power of the exponent and multiplied by the significand to arrive at the number represented. While any base may be used, base 2 is common in many microprocessors. The significand comprises a number of bits used to represent the most significant digits of the number. Typically, the significand comprises one bit to the left of the binary point, and the remaining bits to the right of the binary point. The bit to the left of the binary point is not explicitly stored, instead it is implied in the format of the number. Generally, the exponent and the significand of the floating point number are stored. Additional information regarding the floating point numbers and operations performed thereon may be obtained in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standard 754.
Floating point numbers can represent numbers within a much larger range than integer numbers. For example, a 32 bit signed integer can represent the integers between 2.sup.31 -1 and -2.sup.31, when two's complement format is used. A single precision floating point number as defined by IEEE 754 comprises 32 bits (a one bit sign, 8 bit biased exponent, and 24 bits of significand) and has a range from 2.sup.-126 to 2.sup.127 in both positive and negative numbers. A double precision (64 bit) floating point value has a range from 2.sup.-1022 and 2.sup.1023 in both positive and negative numbers. Finally, an extended precision (80 bit) floating point number has a range from 2.sup.-16382 to 2.sup.16383 in both positive and negative numbers.
The expanded range available using the floating point data type is advantageous for many types of calculations in which large variations in the magnitude of numbers can be expected, as well as in computationally intensive tasks in which intermediate results may vary widely in magnitude from the input values and output values. Still further, greater precision may be available in floating point data types than is available in integer data types.
Floating point numbers are typically normalized such that the significand comprises one bit to the left of the binary point and the remaining bits to the right of the binary point. Normalization may be performed after an arithmetic function is performed on two normalized floating point numbers. For example, if a smaller floating point number subtracted from a larger floating point number, the result may have a number of leading zeros in the significand. To normalize the result, the significand is typically shifted such that the most significant digit of the significand is to the left of the binary point. At the same time, the exponent is reduced by the number of bit positions which the significand is shifted. Unfortunately, detecting the number of leading zeros of an arithmetic result and shifting the result introduces latency into the floating point operation. What is desired is an expedited apparatus and method of detecting the leading zeros of a significand and normalizing the significand.

On-the-fly one-hot encoding of leading zero count


An apparatus and method for removing mercury from an incoming gas stream contaminated with mercury so as to deliver an outgoing gas stream free of the removed mercury introduces ozone into the gas stream to deposit mercury carried by the gas stream on separator elements so as to remove the deposited mercury from the gas stream. The deposited mercury is washed off of the separator elements, and the removed mercury is collected for further processing.

The continuing pursuit of more stringent regulations pertaining to the control of contaminants emitted into the ambient atmosphere has led to the requirement for more effective treatment of emissions emanating from commercial and industrial processes.
One of the more difficult to deal with toxic substances encountered in industrial exhausts is mercury. Mercury, in the form of mercury vapor, is prevalent in industrial exhausts, and the removal of mercury from industrial exhausts has received much attention in efforts to attain effective results with economy.
The present invention accomplishes effective removal of mercury from industrial exhausts, with economy, through the utilization of a known physical characteristic of mercury. As reported in page 343 of a text entitled BASICS OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY, by B. V. Nekrasov, published by Chemical Publishing, Moscow, 1969, in the presence of even minute traces of ozone, mercury will tend to lose its liquidity and will be deposited on the wall of the vessel within which it is contained, in the manner of a thin film. The present invention provides method and apparatus which takes advantage of that physical characteristic to accomplish the removal of mercury from industrial exhausts.

Apparatus and method for removing mercury from a gas stream


Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass negative-tone, solvent developable, self-imageable polymer compositions useful for forming films that can be patterned to create structures for microelectronic devices, microelectronic packaging, microelectromechanical systems, optoelectronic devices and displays.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate generally to photoimageable compositions containing certain oxetane compounds or polymers having such functional groups for forming microelectronic and/or optoelectronic devices and assemblies thereof, and more specifically to compositions encompassing polynorbornene (PNB) polymers having norbornene-type repeating units that exhibit improved mechanical properties.
Description of the Art
Organic polymer materials are increasingly being used in the microelectronics and optoelectronics industries for a variety of applications. For example, the uses for such organic polymer materials include interlevel dielectrics, redistribution layers (RDL), stress buffer layers, chip stacking and/or bonding, leveling or planarization layers, alpha-particle barriers, passivation layers, among others in the fabrication of a variety of microelectronic and optoelectronic devices. Where such organic polymer materials are photosensitive, thus self-imageable, and therefore, offer additional advantage of reducing the number of processing steps required for the use of such layers and structures made therefrom. Additionally, such organic polymer materials enable the direct adhesive bonding of devices and device components to form various structures. Such devices include microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) and the semiconductor device encompassing a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor dam structure, and the like.
While certain of the currently available organic photosensitive compositions are used in some of the aforementioned applications, there is still a need for organic photosensitive compositions which feature improved mechanical properties especially in such applications as RDL, chip stacking/bonding and CMOS, where organic materials with higher modulus and tensile strength provide better advantages in fabricating the devices.
Accordingly, there is still a need to develop self imageable photosensitive polymer compositions which feature desirable mechanical properties, i.e., featuring higher tensile strength and modulus with no negative effect on percent elongation while maintaining good stress buffer property and also exhibit high photospeed, bond adhesion, improved thermal oxidative stability and most importantly integration into all involved process steps. Also, it is desirable to process such materials in commonly used solvents.

Photoimageable compositions containing oxetane functionality


A spherical aberration correction control device for controlling a spherical aberration correction section for correcting a spherical aberration of an optical beam irradiating an optical disc. The spherical aberration correction control device includes a spherical aberration control signal generation section for generating a spherical aberration control signal; and an output section for outputting the spherical aberration control signal to the spherical aberration correction section. A correction amount by which the spherical aberration is corrected is changed by the spherical aberration correction section in accordance with components of the spherical aberration control signal. The spherical aberration control signal generation section generates the spherical aberration control signal such that a sum of correction amounts corresponding to the respective components of the spherical aberration control signal becomes substantially zero with respect to a target correction amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spherical aberration correction control device and an optical disc apparatus, and in particular to a spherical aberration correction control device for controlling a spherical aberration correction section for correcting a spherical aberration of an optical beam irradiating an optical disc, and an optical disc apparatus including the spherical aberration correction control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, optical discs such as DVD-ROM discs, DVD-RAM discs, DVD-RW discs, DVD-R discs and DVD+RW discs and DVD+R discs have been developed as high density, large capacity recording mediums.
An optical disc apparatus for recording information on such optical discs or reproducing information recorded on such optical discs generally uses an optical lens (objective lens) having a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.6. In order to realize a higher density and a larger capacity in recording information on or reproducing information from the optical discs, it has been proposed to use an optical lens having a numerical aperture of 0.8 or greater.
When using an optical lens having a numerical aperture of 0.8 or greater in an optical disc apparatus for accessing the data on an optical disc, generation of a spherical aberration cannot be ignored, which is not a problem when an optical disc having a numerical aperture of 0.6 is used. The spherical aberration is caused by a non-uniform thickness of a protective layer which protects an information face of the optical disc.
Currently, in order to eliminate the influence of the spherical aberration, the spherical aberration is corrected, or the correction amount of the spherical aberration is switched. Such correction of the spherical aberration and switching of the correction amount of the spherical aberration are especially effective when the optical disc has a plurality of information faces (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-157750, paragraphs 0070 through 0101 and FIGS. 1 through 8).
FIG. 33 is a timing diagram illustrating a conventional operation for switching the correction amount of the spherical aberration. Part (a) shows a time-wise change in a spherical aberration correction lens driving signal, and part (b) shows a time-wise change in a correction amount of the spherical aberration in consideration of the thickness of the protective layer. Part (c) shows a time-wise change in a moving speed of a spherical aberration correction lens, and part (d) shows a time-wise change in a moving acceleration of the spherical aberration correction lens.
In order to switch the correction amount of the spherical aberration to a target correction amount, the spherical aberration correction control device is conventionally operated as follows. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 33, the spherical aberration correction lens driving signal is switched in one step. As shown in part (b), the correction amount of the spherical aberration fluctuates with respect to the target correction amount when the spherical aberration correction lens driving signal is switched. In other words, the post-switching correction amount has a fluctuation component with respect to the target correction amount. The fluctuation component of the post-switching correction amount decreases in accordance with time, and as a result, the post-switching correction amount is converged to the target correction amount in a prescribed time period.
According to the conventional technique of correcting the spherical aberration, the correction amount of the spherical aberration is switched to a target correction amount as described above. The post-switching correction amount has a fluctuation component with respect to the target correction amount, and the fluctuation amount requires a prescribed time period to become zero. Therefore, it is time-consuming to switch the correction amount of the spherical aberration to a target correction amount.
The conventional technique does not consider the deviation in the correction amount of the spherical aberration. The correction amount of the spherical aberration deviates, for example, when the manner of arrangement of the optical disc apparatus is changed, (e.g., when the optical disc apparatus which has been located vertically is located horizontally or vice versa), when a change in the temperature around the optical disc apparatus changes the wavelength of the laser or sensitivity of the control system, or when variance of the spherical aberration correction section occurs during mass production of the spherical aberration correction control device. In such cases, there is a problem in that the spherical aberration cannot be properly corrected.

Spherical aberration correction control device and optical disc apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A shift register includes a plurality of stages each having a pull-up transistor, a pull-down transistor and a flip-flop, the plurality of stages outputting high level output voltages sequentially for one horizontal period in response to at least one clock signal and a start signal, and an AH control circuit connected to input terminals and output terminals of the plurality of stages to control output signals of all the stages into a high level for one frame.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This specification relates to a shift register, and particularly, to a shift register configuring a gate driver, which is disposed in a flat panel display device such as an organic light emitting diode device to sequentially drive each pixel, a driving method thereof, and a flat panel display device.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Examples of flat panel display (FPD) devices that substitute for cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices, include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a field emission display (FED) device, a plasma display panel (PDP) device, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device, which may be referred to as an organic electroluminescent display (OELD) device, and the like.
Among others, the OLED device has characteristics of high luminance and low operation voltage, and also are self-light emitting devices of generating light by themselves so as to exhibit a high contrast ratio and implement a display with a very thin profile. Also, the OLED device has a fast response time of about several micro seconds (μs), as compared with LCD devices, so as to easily implement a moving picture. The OLED device has additional advantages of an unlimited viewing angle and stability at low temperature.
The OLED device is a current driving type, which represents a gradation of an image by controlling a current which flows on an organic light emitting diode (OLED) disposed on a display panel. In the current driving type, a spot defect (e.g., mura) is caused due to deviations of characteristics of driving transistors for controlling OLEDs. Accordingly, a separate compensation circuit is generally mounted within the display panel to compensate for the characteristic deviation for each driving transistor. The compensation circuit is a sequential compensation type in which pixels on the same horizontal line are driven after being sequentially compensated for by one horizontal period (1h), or a simultaneous emission driving type in which every pixel on a display panel is simultaneously compensated for and driven for one frame.
In the simultaneous emission type, a gate driver which drives pixels on the display panel turns on a switching transistor of each pixel by outputting a gate output voltage (Vout) of high level (VGH) for all of the pixels, and a data driver outputs a predetermined data voltage within one frame. Then, a compensation circuit senses a current flowing through each driving transistor to determine a compensation level of the data voltage for each driving transistor.
Here, the related art gate driver, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a shift register having a plurality of stages 1ST to nST for outputting output voltages Vout to gate lines in synchronization with a clock signal CLK. With the configuration, the first stage 1ST receives a start signal Vst to output a first gate output signal Vout1 of high level for a first horizontal period 1H, and the second stage 2ST receives the first gate output signal Vout1 as the start signal Vst to output a second gate output signal Vout2 of high level. Hence, the second stage 2ST is unable to output the second gate output signal Vout2 if the first stage 1ST does not output the first gate output signal Vout1.
That is, the related art gate driver has the structure of sequentially outputting the gate output signals Vout1 to Vout n by one horizontal period (1H) for one frame. This structure, however, has a limit in that the simultaneous emission type compensation circuit cannot be applied thereto.

Shift register, driving method thereof and flat panel display device


A developing device configured to form toner cloud without making toner particles adhere to the electrostatic transport substrate having electrodes. By applying periodical voltages to electrodes, electrically charged toner particles float on the electrostatic transport substrate. Also, a rotatable toner transporter designed to carry toner particles floating on the electrostatic transport substrate. Also, a two-component developer bearer including a sleeve with magnets on which the two-component developer is borne. The two-component developer borne on the sleeve is sent to the toner transporter by rotation of the sleeve. There, toner particles are transported to the toner transporter because of the electric bias applied between the two-component developer bearer and the toner transporter. Toner particles electrically floating on the toner transporter are sent to the photoconductor for development.

1. Field of the Invention
A developing device for developing latent images into toner images has been used in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional developing devices include one-component developing devices or two-component developing devices. One-component developing devices develop latent images to toner images with developer containing toner particles but not containing carrier particles. Two-component developing devices develop latent images to toner images with developer containing toner particles and carrier particles.
Two-component developing devices are suitable for a high-speed image forming apparatus and are broadly used in medium-speed and high-speed image forming apparatuses. It is common to pack the two-component developer with high density when the developer touches latent images, in order to form a high quality image. To pack the two-component developer with high density, the diameter of carrier particles is reduced in size. Carrier particles with the diameter of 30 μm are commonly used. However, demand for high quality image has grown stronger, with the size of one pixel required to be equal to or smaller than the size of conventional carrier particles. Therefore, in terms of the reproducibility of isolated dots, it is desirable to reduce the size of carrier particles further.
However, when carrier particles are downsized, the magnetic permeability of carrier particles tends to decline, resulting in carrier particles dropping from a development roller during image production. If a carrier particle dropped from the development roller attaches to a latent image carrier, it will result in image distortion caused by adhesion. Dropped carrier particles also will result in additional side effects such as injury of the photoconductor. Various efforts has been tried to reduce the adhesion of dropped carrier particles. For example, research has been performed relative to material having higher magnetic permeability. Research has also been conducted to raise the magnetic power of magnets disposed within the development roller. However, it is difficult to find a solution that meets a requirement for low cost and a requirement for high quality of image at the same time. Moreover, with the trend of downsizing the developing device, the development roller is getting smaller and it is even more difficult to design a development roller having a strong enough magnetic field to suppress carrier particles.
In addition, two-component developing devices develop toner images with developer particles that are arranged along a magnetic field, thus forming a chain-like shape called a "magnetic brush" so that the developer particles are in contact with and rub latent images. This development process tends to result in the distorted toner image because of the unevenness of conventional magnetic brush density. Although it is possible to improve the image quality by applying an alternating bias between the development roller and the latent image carrier, it is difficult to remove the distortion of toner images caused by the unevenness of the magnetic brush in density.
In addition, it is desirable to reduce non-electrostatic adherence between toner particles and the latent image carrier when toner particles are transferred or removed from the latent image carrier. It is well known that the non-electrostatic adherence between toner particles and the latent image carrier can be reduced effectively by reducing a friction coefficient of the surface of the latent image carrier. However, reducing a friction coefficient tends to reduce the efficiency of development or reproducibility of isolated dots because the magnetic brush passes through the latent image carrier too smoothly.
On the other hand, one-component developing devices are frequently used in conventional low-speed image forming apparatuses because it has advantages of mechanical simplicity and easy downsizing. In conventional one-component developing devices, a regulating blade or roller is pressed to a development roller to form a thin layer of toner particles on a development roller, and toner particles are electrically charged due to the friction with the regulating blade, roller or the development roller. The electrically charged thin layer of toner particles is carried to a development area in which the development roller faces the latent image carrier.
The conventional one-component developing device is classified as a contact type or a non-contact type. In a contact type one-component developing device, the development roller is contact with the latent image carrier. In a non-contact type one-component developing device, the development roller is not contact with the latent image carrier. Toner particles are compressed on the development roller in either type of developing device, making it difficult for the toner particles to move smoothly in response to an applied electric bias. Therefore, a strong alternating bias is often applied between the development roller and the latent image carrier in order to obtain the high quality image. However, even when a strong alternating bias is applied, it is still difficult to stabilize the amount of toner particles to be adhered on to a certain area of latent image and to develop an isolated dot with high resolution uniformly. In addition, toner particles tend to deteriorate easily because of a strong stress that toner particles suffer when the thin layer of toner particles are formed. Once toner particles deteriorate, the thin layer of toner particles tends to be uneven. Therefore, one-component developing devices are not suitable for a high-speed image forming apparatus or for long time use.
To address one or more of the issues described above, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-100575 discloses a hybrid type of developing device in which a one-component developing device and a two-component developing device compensate for demerits of each other. Although this type of developing device requires a larger space and more components, it solves some problems explained above. However, this device has the same problem as the conventional one-component developing device in that it is difficult to develop an isolated dot with high resolution uniformly.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-113474 discloses a developing device with high frequency alternating bias on a wire. The alternating bias is applied to the wire causing toner particles to form a toner cloud and makes it possible to improve the reproducibility of an isolated dot with high resolution. Although this type of the developing device requires a complicated structure, it makes it possible to develop latent images with high image quality stably.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-21967 discloses a developing device configured to form a toner cloud stably and effectively by forming an electric field curtain on a rotating roller. This type of developing device is suitable for obtaining toner images with high image quality and suitable for downsizing at the same time. However, this device requires specific set up conditions for forming an electric field curtains in order to obtain high image quality. If the development process is executed under wrong set up conditions, the image quality can be worse than that of other type of developing device.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-341656 discloses another developing device configured to form a toner cloud. This developing device transports toner particles electrically with a driving alternating electric field of 3 or more phases instead of conveying toner particles mechanically by a toner carrier.
In order to stabilize the amount of electrical charge of toner particles, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-205644 proposes to provide a storage area in which toner particles are electrically charged by electrical voltage before being transported to an electrostatic transport substrate.
However, the developing devices shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-341656 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-205644 each suffer certain deficiencies. Toner particles with weak charge tend to stay on the electrostatic transport substrate because toner particles with weak charge do not respond to electric field well. Therefore, a cleaner is required to remove toner particles on the electrostatic transport substrate.
In addition, the amount of toner particles transported on the electrostatic transport substrate tends to fluctuate in response to fluctuation of the charge amount of toner particles. The developing device shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-205644 is useful to enlarge the charge amount of toner particles but is not useful to make the charge amount of toner particles even. Therefore, for keeping high image quality, there is also a need to make the charge amount of toner particles even.

Triboelectric charging device and field assisted toner transporter


A card reading device for receiving and/or passing on information provided by or for a card. The card reading device has a compartment that makes it possible for the card to be pushed into the card reading device. The card reading device described is distinguished by a resiliently held locking element which, in an initial position, protrudes into the compartment and is configured in such a way that the card can make contact with a first region or a second region of the locking element when it is pushed into the compartment. In particular, the entry of the card is dependent on its orientation when it is pushed into the card reading device. When the card runs onto the first region, the locking element can be pushed away by the card, allowing the entry of the card into the compartment. When the card runs onto the second region of the locking element, the latter keeps the compartment blocked and thereby prevents the continued entry of the card into the compartment.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card reading device for receiving and/or passing on information provided by or for a card. The card reading device has a compartment for receiving the card and a locking mechanism.
There are many different types of card reading devices. One of the possible embodiments is known from European Patent EP 0 472 692 B1, in particular from FIGS. 1 to 3 therein and the description referring to them. The card reading device described in the European Patent EP 0 472 692 B1 is intended for the reading of so-called SIM cards or SIMs. SIMs are currently used in particular in mobile phones for subscriber identification. Here, "SIM" is the abbreviation for "Subscriber Identity Module". In particular on account of their small dimensions (25*15 mm), SIMs are increasingly replacing the relatively large chip cards previously used for this purpose.
The SIM in general has on its surface a multiplicity of surface contacts (generally 6 or 8 of them), which are precisely defined in their position and have to be contacted by the card reading device to permit an exchange of information. To make it possible to prevent the SIMs from being incorrectly placed or inserted into the card reading device, the essentially rectangular SIM has in one of its corner portions a so-called (standardized) polarizing bevel.
SIMs of this type are pushed into the card reading device known from European Patent EP 0 472 692 B1, to be more precise into its compartment provided for this purpose. If the SIM is correctly oriented, the portion of it having the polarizing bevel protrudes rearward out of the card reading device and can be brought into engagement there with an arresting mechanism.
The arresting mechanism is formed by a holding arm, extending from the card reading device, and an arresting element provided at the free end in the form of a stop. The stop is configured and positioned in such a way that, in the properly, i.e. correctly oriented, inserted state of the SIM, and only in this state, it can grip behind the rear edge of the SIM protruding out of the card reading device, to be more precise essentially its polarizing bevel, and can thereby arrest the SIM in its reading position.
The holding arm can be pushed away resiliently by hand in order not to be in the way of inserting the SIM into the card reading device and removing it from the same in a way which cannot be overcome.
The relatively laborious insertion of the SIM into the card reading device involves pushing the holding arm away manually. However, damage and malfunctions of the SIM are possible as a consequence of an incorrectly oriented insertion of the SIM into the card reading device, for which the arresting mechanism evidently cannot offer any reliable protection. Understandably such problems cannot be ignored.
A card reading device that is significantly improved in this respect is the card reading device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,120. This card reading device has a resiliently held locking element which, in the starting position, protrudes into the compartment and is constructed in such a way that the card can make contact with a first region or a second region of the locking element when it is pushed into the compartment, in particular in a way dependent on its orientation when it is pushed in. When the card runs onto its first region, the locking element can be pushed away by it, releasing the compartment for continued pushing in of said card. When the card runs onto the second region of the locking element, the latter keeps the compartment blocked and thereby prevents continued pushing in of the card. Such a locking element makes it possible that the card can only be inserted into the card reading device in a correctly oriented manner. However, as before, an arresting mechanism is required for arresting the card in the reading position, with the result that the structural configuration and/or operation of the card reading device remains relatively complicated.


A polymer memory and its method of manufacture are provided. One multi-layer construction of the polymer memory has two sets of word lines and a set of bit lines between the word lines. The word lines of each set of word lines have center lines that are spaced by a first distance from one another, and the bit lines have center lines spaced by a second distance from one another, the second distance being less than the first distance. Three masking steps are required to manufacture the three layers of lines. Older-technology machinery and masks are used to form the two layers of word lines, and new-technology machinery and masks are used to manufacture the bit lines.

1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a polymer memory of the kind having a ferroelectric polymer memory material, and to its method of manufacture.
2). Discussion of Related Art
A polymer memory typically has a plurality of conductive word lines extending parallel to one another in an x-direction, and a plurality of bit lines extending parallel to one another in a y-direction, such that an array of cells is created, each cell being where a respective word line crosses over a respective bit line. Information can be written to or be read from one of the cells by selecting the word and bit lines that cross over the cell, and then providing a voltage to or sensing a current from one of the word or bit lines. A ferroelectric polymer memory material may, for example, space the word lines from the bit lines and may have its conductivity change at select cells by applying a select voltage over respective word and bit lines crossing over the select cells.
As computers require more memory, the need exists to include a larger number of cells in a given area, thus necessitating the need for equipment upgrades from one generation of polymer memory to the next. Some polymer memories have a total of 12 layers of metal lines, with 8 layers of ferroelectric polymer memory material between the layers of metal lines. The traditional belief has been that tooling has to be upgraded in order to photolithographically form all 12 layers of metal lines. This can lead to an equipment upgrade ratio of 40% or more, which is generally regarded as being too high when transitioning from one memory product to the next.

Polymer memory having a ferroelectric polymer memory material with cell sizes that are asymmetric


This invention relates to a new method for treating or preventing brain damage caused by NMDA receptor hypofunction (NR/hypo), using drugs such as lisuride which stimulate (agonize) activity at the 5HT-2A class of serotonin receptors, but which do not cause hallucinations. Data disclosed herein indicate that stimulation of both 5HT-2A and 5HT-2C receptors causes hallucinations, while stimulation of 5HT-2A receptors but not 5HT-2C receptors does not. Accordingly, to be useful herein, non-hallucinatory 5HT-2A agonists should either (1) antagonize (suppress) activity at 5HT-2C receptors, or (2) have no significant effect on activity at 5HT-2C receptors. Selective non-hallucinatory 5HT-2A agonists can be used in either of two treatment methods disclosed herein.. One such treatment comprises administering a 5HT-2A receptor agonist as a "safener drug" which accompanies an NMDA antagonist drug that is being used for a therapeutic purpose.. Another method disclosed herein involves the use of a 5HT-2A agonist drug, by itself, to combat a naturally-occurring form of NMDA receptor hypofunction which occurs in people suffering from schizophrenia. Although 5HT-2A agonists would not be optimally effective in treating long-standing cases of chronic schizophrenia, where pathological changes in the brain have already reached maximal or severe levels, 5HT-2A agonists can be administered early in the illness, such as at the first signs of schizophrenic illness, and continuously thereafter to prevent the development or worsening of pathological brain dysfunction and the resulting psychosis.

The present invention relates to neurology and pharmacology, and to drugs for treating or preventing problems in the central nervous system (CNS). More specifically, this invention involves drugs that activate a certain type of receptor in the brain which is normally activated by serotonin. This receptor is called the 5HT-2A receptor.
The following Background sections provide introductory information on several types of receptors on the surfaces of neurons inside the brain, and on various neurotransmitters and drugs that stimulate or suppress activity at these receptors. Although the drugs that are the subject of this invention stimulate certain serotonin receptors, these drugs are intended to solve problems involving an entirely different class of receptors, triggered by glutamate. Therefore, glutamate receptors are described first, followed by serotonin receptors.

Use of 5HT-2A serotonin agonists to prevent adverse effects of NMDA receptor hypofunction


Loss of decoding time prior to the vertical synchronization signal when motion video is arbitrarily scaled and positioned by placing the frame switch point at the completion of frame decoding and synchronizing the bottom border of the scaled image therewith while maintaining low latency of decoded data. High latency operation is provided only when necessitated by minimal spill buffer capacity and in combination with fractional image size reduction in the decoding path in order to maintain image resolution without requiring additional memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to decoding of digital video image information and, more particularly, to decoding of digital motion video signals with high quality and arbitrary scaling and positioning while achieving low latency and minimal memory capacity requirements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Transmission of data in digital form is generally favored over transmission in analog form at the present time in view of the inherent degree of noise immunity and potential for facilitating error correction and data compression. These qualities are particularly desirable in regard to image data where small artifacts caused by noise or transmission errors are particularly evident to the eye. However, the volume of data that may be necessary to express a full range of color and intensity in an image at high resolution is particularly large and data compression is particularly important for acceptable performance of systems for communicating, manipulating and presenting still or moving images.
In fact, the amount of data in an image is so large that a high degree of compression is required for practical management of transmission and storage during decoding of digitized data, particularly for moving images or video programs. Accordingly, a number of data compression standards have been developed to deliver a sufficient degree of compression and allow image decoding within required response times. For example, a standard referred to as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) has been developed and widely adopted for compression of still images. This standard allows substantial flexibility in coding in order to allow an arbitrarily high degree of data compression with minimized degradation of image quality. Similarly a standard known as MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) has been developed for coding sequences of images to be reproduced by a display device in sufficiently rapid succession to achieve the illusion of motion, referred to as motion video. The MPEG standard particularly exploits redundancy between frames or fields to achieve a higher degree of compression and higher decoding speed.
Due to differences in the implementation of these standards and the way image data is utilized between still and video images, decoding in accordance with the JPEG standard is usually implemented in software with a data processor and display such as a personal computer (PC) while decoding in accordance with the MPEG standard is generally implemented in hardware such as a so-called set-top box (STB) in connection with a television set or a computer monitor. A set-top box comprises an audio decoder and a video decoder for signals which are fed to them from a multiplexed transport signal carrying numerous (e.g. often several hundred or more) audio and video channels.
An audio and video channel pair is coupled together by control parameters in their respective data streams that permits re-synchronization of the two streams with respect to each other but with a substantially fixed transmission delay. In the video stream, at a basic level, the signal for re-synchronization of audio and video is referred to as the presentation time stamp (PTS).
By far the simplest and most widely implemented method to achieve a PTS synchronization point is to choose a fixed point in time relative to the video decode and display of a motion video image and to make a synchronization decision based upon whether the fixed point falls before or after an internal clock signal. The chosen fixed point typically is located between one video field and the next sequential video field and generally defines a frame of two fields which make up a single image of the motion video image sequence. Another typical point is the change between the decode of one compressed video picture and the decode of the next sequential compressed video picture. In most cases, these criteria result in the same point, depending on the decode latency for each picture.
At this PTS synchronization point, a decision is made to either continue with normal decode processing or to take corrective action such as omitting or skipping over an image if decoding is slow or repeating the output of an image if decoding is running too fast. To make this decision, the difference between the PTS and the internal clock signal is tested at the same point relative to the displayed picture and a confident decision can be made at every image to take corrective action as soon as excessive differences are detected.
The above synchronization technique has worked well for full-screen images decoded by early video decoders. However, some functions such as arbitrarily scaled images and picture-in-picture displays at arbitrary screen locations, which were developed and provided in television sets receiving analog transmissions which do not require significant decoding, are now being demanded in STBs. Arbitrary change of dimensions (e.g. image aspect ratio) has also been demanded (particularly for so-called letterbox format presentation of uncropped movie film frames which are desirably presented in a band across the center of a television screen and well above the bottom of the image area). That is, it is now required that the STB display a scaled image or picture-in-picture of any desired size, shape and location on the display screen in addition to the data processing intensive decoding of images from compressed data.
As is understood by those skilled in the art, frame structured compressed image data is decoded in an order which is different from the order in which the image elements are presented in a scanned display pattern such as an interlaced raster. Therefore, decoded data must be stored in the STB for a period which varies within a field or frame until the proper location is reached in the scan pattern. The maximum storage period or latency of data from decoder to display is referred to as decode latency or decoder latency and is important in determining the capacity and configuration of memory required to perform the required storage and read out of data in synchronism with the display while decoding time may vary widely.
The functionality requirement of arbitrarily scaled and positioned image presentation has important implications in regard to decoder and display synchronization and image quality. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, if the bottom of any arbitrarily scaled and located image is significantly above the bottom of the display frame, a correspondingly significant amount of decoding time is lost since the entire image must be decoded and processing for scaling and positioning performed well before the end of the display frame or field (where the PTS synchronization point is typically located) is reached. Further, as the picture position rises on the screen, the time gap between the end of the picture display and the PTS synchronization point, also referred to as the frame switch point, increases as does the error in the calculation for monitoring PTS synchronization.
For example, in a PAL, NTSC or other standard system using 1.5 frames of latency between decode and display of reference images, often referred to as "I" (independent) or "P" (predicted) images, (which are fully decoded rather than wholly or partially interpolated or predicted from prior and/or subsequent images), there is only 0.5 images of latency between decode and display of bidirectionally interpolated ("B") images, for which a future image must be decoded to enable interpolation, while the PTS synchronization point, where a decision is made whether or not to decode the next field or frame, is located at the vertical retrace interval of the display. Therefore, it can be easily understood that if the bottom of the scaled and/or positioned image is above the bottom of the raster display area, the decoding of a B image must be completed significantly before the vertical retrace interval and frame switch PTS point to avoid corruption of the top (e.g. first displayed) field of the B picture.
That is, in the case of a frame structured encoded picture where both the top and bottom fields (sometimes referred to as odd and even fields) are decoded simultaneously, the image B0 (an interpolated image using both preceding and following images) is required to be fully decoded significantly before the next frame switch point to maintain a 0.5 image latency; without which the top field of the B0 picture being displayed in an interlaced fashion would be corrupted. In other words, the decoded image must be buffered for 0.5 frames (one field) in order to read out data in the proper order for display because both fields of a frame are decoded concurrently and the decoding must be complete by the time the lower edge of the top frame of the scaled image is reached for interlaced display. The lost decode time in this case is inherent for a decode latency of 0.5 and increases as the picture placement rises on the screen.
Longer decode latency is a possible solution although it may complicate synchronization and, more importantly, carries substantial hardware costs that are commercially unacceptable to provide the amount of memory required to store the decoded image (and audio) data for the increased period. For example, to increase latency from 1.5 fields to 2.0 fields in the above scenario would increase the amount of high speed access memory required by at least an amount to contain a display field and, at a minimum, similarly increase the amount of circuitry necessary to control and appropriately access the memory, particularly during corrective action for synchronization even in the rudimentary forms described above.
Further, in order to maintain the image decode latency of only 0.5 for partially interpolated pictures, the size of the frame buffer must be increased as the size of the displayed result is decreased and the upper boundary of the scaled image is made to appear lower on the display. The specific component of the frame buffer that must be increased in capacity is referred to as a spill buffer and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,765 which is hereby fully incorporated by reference.
In essence, a spill buffer is required even for full frame images since new decoded data can not be stored until the previous frame/field data has been read out; thus requiring an increase of frame buffer capacity for an interval equal to the vertical blanking interval, any top border of the field and a number of scan lines corresponding to a macroblock band (usually sixteen lines) into which the image is divided for compression. For arbitrary scaling and positioning where the top border could approach the frame height, a spill buffer capacity in excess of a full field would be required; substantially the same amount of extra storage as would be required for 2.0 frame latency. If a spill buffer is not provided, this period, subsequent to the PTS timing, would also be lost for decoding purposes since no memory locations would be available to receive decoded data in the frame buffer. Again, provision of such amounts of memory as is required by spill buffers in STBs is prohibitive and will be so well into the future.
Additionally, as images are scaled to smaller sizes the image quality tends to degrade since the frame buffers are constructed with a finite number of taps to subsample the image data. The number of taps is not increased and cannot be effectively increased as the picture is scaled. Therefore, the resolution of the picture becomes relatively lower as size is reduced. Increasing the number of taps causes a significant increase in memory access bandwidth required to feed original picture data to additional taps. Variation of the number of effective taps with picture size that is desirably continuously variable is also prohibitively complicated for inclusion in STBs.
Due to the memory requirements alluded to above and the difficulty of increasing speed of decoding, at some point, achieving display of small and high-positioned images requires an adjustment between decode and display latency. One approach is disclosed in "MPEG Video Decoder with Integrated Scaling and Display Functions", now U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,051, which is hereby fully incorporated by reference. In that approach, a fixed amount of scaling was performed in the decoding path and the scaled image simply placed on the screen. Performing scaling in the decoding path reduces the amount of required data storage capacity in the frame buffer to the point that a spill buffer may not be used and its size thus limited as may be dictated by economic constraints. However, this function has substantially less than the full desired flexibility of continuous and arbitrarily variable image scaling.
In summary, decoding of B images is the most difficult among the types of image a STB may be required to decode because they are the most compressed and require a greater number of references to previous and future decoded images in the decoding process. Decoding of B images also presents the most demanding requirements for scheduling buffering and output of the decoded image data. Therefore the loss of decoding time due to scaling and positioning is most critical for B images which make up a substantial fraction of the images in a compressed motion picture sequence and effectively prevents flexible scaling and positioning in a commercially feasible STB at the present state of the art.

Low latency video decoder with high-quality, variable scaling and minimal frame buffer memory

International Business Machines Corporation