An alternating-current power source can include a set of power storage units arranged in series and defining a power output. Each power storage unit can include a power storage device, a first connection configured to enable a voltage output of the power storage device, and a second connection configured to enable bypassing the voltage output of the power storage device.

Electrical power distribution systems manage the allocation of power from energy sources to electrical loads that consume the distributed electrical power. In an aircraft, one or more turbine engines provide for propulsion of the aircraft, and can further provide mechanical energy to generate electricity that ultimately powers a number of different accessories such as generators, starter/generators, permanent magnet alternators (PMAs), fuel pumps, and hydraulic pumps, e.g., equipment for functions needed on an aircraft other than propulsion. For example, contemporary aircraft utilize electrical power for electrical loads related to avionics, motors, and other electric equipment.


Food waste streams may be managed efficiently with a waste-processing facility, which in some embodiments may be co-locating a food distribution facility. The waste processing facility includes a pulper fluidly connected to an input configured to receive a heterogeneous waste stream including biodegradable and non-biodegradable components, the pulper configured to mechanically de-fiber the biodegradable component and form a de-fibered biodegradable material, and an anaerobic membrane bioreactor fluidly connected downstream of the pulper and configured to produce biogas and anaerobic effluent from the de-fibered biodegradable material.

In nature, plants extract nutrients from the soil to fuel their growth and, if not consumed, decompose into simpler forms of matter (for example, CO2 and soil nutrients), which become energy for the next generation of growing plants. As such, natural organic processes provide a "closed-loop" system of energy and nutrient cycles.
In contrast, in the food industry, waste is abundant. Government studies show that over 40% of the food produced in the U.S. goes to waste, and traditional waste-disposal practices bury over 90% of this waste in landfills, which in turn releases methane, which is more harmful than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. This "cradle-to-grave" system has over-taxed local landfills and has resulted in a growing movement to ban food waste from landfills. In addition, increased disposal site distances, combined with rising energy prices, make transporting waste a costly proposition. This system of waste disposal has also encouraged farmers to purchase increasingly expensive and environmentally harmful chemicals in order to replace soil nutrients lost due to industrial farming practices. The result is an "open-loop" system that does not properly value or recover waste.

Waste recovery, conversion, and utilization


An OLED display panel and manufacturing method are provided. Through disposing a light-shielding film on the packaging cover plate to prevent the laser from illuminating on the electrodes of the MED substrate during the laser scanning of the sealant to effectively protect the electrode. A portion of the light shielding film that overlaps with the thin layer region of the sealant has gradually decreasing light transmittance, which can prevent the problem that the thin layer region of the sealant is scorched by excessive laser energy, sufficiently ensures that the packaging effect, and reduces the generation of particles. In addition, the surface of the light-shielding film irradiated with laser light is a frosted surface, which can cause diffused reflection of the laser light irradiated on the light-shielding film to prevent the laser from directly reflecting on the laser head and protect the laser head from being burned and damaged.

An Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED) is a new generation of display. The OLED device generally includes a cathode, an anode, and an organic thin film clamped between the cathode and the anode. After the voltage is applied between the cathode and the anode, the organic thin film emits a light. The OLED display has many advantages such as self-luminous properties, fast response, wide viewing angle, and color saturation comparing to the liquid crystal display.
The water oxygen in the air will oxidize the active metal at the cathode of the OLED device and will react with the organic material, which will cause the OLED device to fail. Therefore, the effective encapsulation of the OLED device such that the OLED device is isolated from water and oxygen is essential for prolonging the life of the OLED device.
Currently, the packaging method for the OLED mainly includes: dry film and UV adhesive, surface encapsulation, frit adhesive (glass cement) encapsulation, thin film encapsulation. Because the frit adhesive has a good encapsulation effect, and the encapsulation method is convenient for different products with different sizes. Therefore, the fit adhesive encapsulation is an encapsulation method having great development potential. The fit adhesive encapsulation generally includes following steps:
Step 1: as shown in FIG. 1, coating multiple rectangular frit adhesive 300 on a packaging cover plate 100 which has been cleaned;
Step 2: as shown in FIG. 2, baking and curing the frit adhesive 300 in a high temperature. Usually, the baking temperature is greater than 500° C. Because of the material property of the frit adhesive 300, after coating, and high temperature baking, a cross-section of the frit adhesive 300 is trapezoidal;
Step 3: as shown in FIG. 3, in an N2 environment, coating an LV adhesive 700 at an outer periphery of the packaging cover plate 100 coated with the frit adhesive 300. The purpose of coating the UV adhesive 700 is to temporarily fix the packaging cover plate 100 and the OLED substrate 200 before sealing and connecting the packaging cover plate 100 and the OLED substrate 200 in order to temporarily isolate the OLED device 220 from the external air so as to have a fake package effect;
Step 4: as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, in the N2 environment, aligning and adhering the packaging cover plate 100 with the OLED substrate 200, and after the UV irradiation, the UV adhesive 700 is cured;
Step 5, as shown in FIG. 7, in an atmospheric environment, scanning the frit adhesive 300 from a side of the packaging cover plate 100 using a laser beam 950. Through the high temperature of the laser, the frit adhesive 300 is melt, cooled and cured in order to reach the purpose of adhering the packaging cover plate 100 and the OLED substrate 200 to have a real packaging effect;
Step 6, as shown in FIG. 8 to FIG. 10, cutting the outer periphery of the frit adhesive 300 along a cutting line 910, and discarding the scrap with the UV adhesive 700 to obtain an OLED display panel packaged by the frit adhesive 300 (panel).
The above frit adhesive encapsulation process generally has following problems:
The first problem is: as shown in FIG. 11, in the step 5 of the above frit adhesive encapsulation process, in order to fully cure the frit adhesive 300, a diameter of the laser beam 950 is greater than the width of the fit adhesive 300. However, a portion of the laser that exceeds the frit adhesive 300 will irradiate the electrode 230 of the OLED substrate 200 through the packaging cover plate 100, which will make the electrode 230 of the OLED substrate 200 to be scorched such that the OLED device 220 is failure.
As shown in FIG. 12, in order to avoid the above situation, one solution is to add a mask in the current machine. After being processed by the alignment system, a light-blocking region of a mask 850 blocks a portion of the laser beam 950 that exceeds the width of the frit adhesive 300 so that the laser beam irradiates on the fit adhesive 300 in order to protect the electrode 230 on the OLED substrate 200, however, the above method also exits the following problems: first, the above method requires to adopt a precise alignment system to support, the equipment is expensive, and easily to be abnormal; second, the laser beam blocked by the mask 850 will be reflected back to the laser head 810 such that the laser head 810 is burned and damaged.
The second problem is: as shown in FIG. 2, the frit adhesive 300 is trapezoidal after the step 2, that is, including a thick layer region at the middle portion and a thin layer region at two sides. As shown in FIG. 7, in the scanning process of the frit adhesive 300, because energies at different regions of the laser beam 950 are the same, the thin layer region at two sides of the frit adhesive 300 will be burned by overmuch laser energy, which will affect the packaging effect, and particles by burning will also affect subsequent processes.

OLED display panel and manufacturing method for the same

WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A pressure tool for rotor blade repair including a mobile support system including a support surface, a first bladder support assembly including a first inflatable bladder fixedly mounted to the support surface, a second bladder support assembly including a second inflatable bladder pivotally mounted relative to the support surface, and an activation mechanism operatively coupled to the second bladder support assembly. The activation mechanism is operable to selectively shift the second bladder support assembly relative to the first bladder support assembly. A fluid delivery system is operable to direct a fluid into each of the first inflatable bladder and the second inflatable bladder.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of rotor blade process tools and, more particularly to a mobile pressure tool for rotor blade processes.
Rotary wing aircraft include rotor blades that provide a motive force including both a lifting force and/or a propulsive force. Over time, rotor blades may experience foreign object damage (FOD). FOD may cause delamination, cracks, holes and the like in one or more blade surfaces. Additionally, rotor blades may wear as a result of frictional forces and entrained particles during operation.
Repair methods often include an application of pressure or a combination of pressure and heat to an area under repair. The pressure and/or heat to activate an adhesive and secure a repair patch to a surface of the rotor blade. At a depot, pressure may be applied by bladder tools that are moved into place with a crane. Multiple operators position the bladder tools at the area to be repaired, bring the bladder tools together and apply force. Field repairs often employ a vacuum bag to apply a desired pressure force.

Mobile pressure tool for rotor blade processes


A vertical take-off and landing aircraft with tiltable power for use on land and in the air includes: a body (3) provided with a drive device; wheels (8) being controlled to make the body move on the ground; and a front thruster (1) and a rear thruster (2) controlling the body to fly or take off/land, wherein transmission brace rods (5) are arranged on both sides of the body, and a first pivot (9) passes transversely through the body and is connected to the transmission brace rods on both sides of the body; wherein the front thruster is fixed on front ends of the transmission brace rods, and the rear thruster is fixed on rear ends of the transmission brace rods; wherein the central axes of the front and rear thrusters are perpendicular to the plane formed by the two transmission brace rods. By controlling a tilting angle of the front/rear thrusters, this aircraft has two basic functions of vertical take-off/landing and horizontal flight, so as to facilitate conversion between land travel and air flight. During flight in the air, the aircraft body always remains in horizontal state, thereby making the occupants feel comfortable and providing them with broad vision so as to operate the aircraft safely.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,581 discloses a flying car, wherein the flying car is provided at the front and rear portions of its body with a respective tiltable propeller, which can be stowed in the body.
When the flying car is flying in the air, the front and rear propellers are open with its propeller shaft horizontal, so that the propellers can generate a backward thrust force. When the thrust force is increased to a certain degree, the flying car will be ready to fly. This kind of flying car has the following disadvantages: firstly, the flying car cannot take off and land vertically; secondly, high-speed rotating of the propellers might hurt persons when the flying car operates on the ground; thirdly, the flying car has a complex structure with too many moving parts, and thus is difficult to be manufactured.
Chinese patent application No. CN200920053565.0 discloses a vertical take-off and landing flying car with two ducted propellers, wherein the two ducted fans are mounted onto the front and rear portions of a body of the flying car respectively, with a windward side of each fan upward; and wherein four wheels of the flying cars can also serve as an undercarriage of an aircraft. When taking off and landing, the flying car can be provided with a lift force by the two ducted fans arranged on the body of the flying car, so as to realize vertical take-off and landing. When flying in the air, the front portion of the flying car is tilted downward by a certain angle, so that the two ducted fans provide horizontal component forces, which thrust the aircraft to fly in a horizontal direction. This kind of flying car has the following disadvantages: firstly, it cannot fly at a high speed; secondly, when flying, the body of the flying car is tilted forward, which will make the driver very uncomfortable and hard to observe the conditions ahead of the flying car.

Vertical take-off and landing aircraft with tiltrotor power for use on land and in air


An OSD circuit for displaying advertising picture data on the screen of a television receiver is disclosed, and the circuit includes: an oscillator, a first counter, a second counter, a third counter, an F/F circuit, a ROM, and automatic color adjusting circuitry. The oscillator supplies clock signals to the first counter, and the first and second counters supplies horizontal and vertical scanning addresses to the ROM so as for the advertising picture data to be outputted from the ROM. The third counter, supplies a delay signal for displaying of an advertising picture data of a picture scene at a time, thereby inhibiting the output of the ROM for a certain period of time. The F/F circuit prevents a dual display of the advertising picture on the screen, and the ROM stores the advertising picture data separately for main color data, first sub-color data, second sub-color data and brightness data. The automatic color adjusting circuitry receives the advertising data consisting of the main color data, the first sub-color data and the second sub-color data from the ROM, and supplies an advertising picture having a color definitely contrasting to the color of the picture of the currently broadcasting program. If the OSD circuit of the present invention is applied to television receivers, not only advertising picture data can be continuously displayed for a certain period of time in a successive manner, but also a clear and harmonized picture color can be obtained.

Conventionally, there has been developed an OSD type television receiver which is capable of displaying special data (such as the selected channel number, sound volume, current time and the like) in the form of an OSD picture on a part of the screen in addition to the picture of the currently broadcasting program. However, such OSD data can be displayed or erased as desired by the watching person, and the color of the OSD picture is limited to a mono color font data.


A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components such as semiconductor dice on a semiconductor wafer, is provided. The method includes the step of providing all of the components on the wafer with resilient contact structures, such as metal pins having integral spring segments. The resilient contact structures are used to test the components to identify functional and non-functional components. Following this test, the resilient contact structures on the non-functional components are deformed, such that electrical communication with the non-functional components is prevented in a subsequent burn-in test. This permits the burn-in test to be performed using “shared resources” test equipment. A deformation apparatus for deforming the resilient contact structures includes a deformation block configured to compress, bend or shape the resilient contact structures on the non-functional dice.

Semiconductor components such as semiconductor dice and packages are routinely tested during manufacture. Semiconductor dice, for example, are typically fabricated on a semiconductor wafer using well known processes such as doping, masking, etching, and deposition of metals. Following fabrication of the dice, the wafer is probed and mapped to test the gross functionality of each die. A wafer prober and probe card can be used to electrically engage bond pads, or other test pads on the dice, and to apply test signals to the integrated circuits contained on the dice. The non functional dice are mapped in software or mechanically marked.
Following wafer probe, the functional dice can be singulated and packaged, or alternately retained in unpackaged form as known good die (KGD). Packaged dice are then burn-in tested by heating the dice while electrically biasing the integrated circuits on the dice. Bare dice can be burn-in tested using temporary carriers configured to temporarily package the dice. Burn-in boards are adapted to hold a large number of semiconductor packages, or temporary carriers for bare dice, in a chamber with temperature cycling capability. The burn-in boards are also in electrical communication with test circuitry configured to generate and to apply test signals to the dice.
In addition to burn-in testing, full functionality test can be performed on the packaged or bare dice to evaluate various electrical characteristics of the integrated circuits. Among the parameters that can be tested are input and output voltages, capacitance, pad leakage and current specifications. Memory devices can also be subjected to logic tests wherein data storage, retrieval capabilities, and response times are measured.
Recently, different processes have been developed for performing wafer level burn-in testing, prior to the dice being singulated from the wafer. One such process is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,829,128 and 6,032,356 to Eldridge et al., which are assigned to FormFactor Inc. of Livermore, Calif. This process involves probe testing the wafer to identify functional and non-functional dice, and then attaching resilient contact structures to the bond pads on the functional dice. The resilient contact structures can then be used to establish temporary electrical connections with the dice for performing burn-in tests. In addition, the resilient contact structures can be used to provide terminal contacts for the dice following singulation from the wafer.
FIG. 1 illustrates the prior art process sequence of fabricating the dice on the wafer, probe testing to identify functional dice, attaching resilient contact structures to the functional dice, and then burn-in testing the functional dice on the wafer using the resilient contact structures.
FIG. 2A illustrates a prior art semiconductor wafer 10 which comprises a plurality of semiconductor dice 12 having resilient contact structures 14 attached to bond pads 16 (FIG. 2C) of the dice 12. The resilient contact structures 14 have been attached to the functional dice 12F on the wafer 10 responsive to wafer probe testing. As shown in FIG. 2B, each functional die 12F includes the resilient contact structures 14, while each non-functional (defective) die 12NF does not include the resilient contact structures 14. FIG. 2C illustrates the resilient contact structures 14 attached to the bond pads 16 on a functional die 12F. In addition, the resilient contact structures 14 include a core 18 which comprises a relatively low yield strength metal, and a shell 20 which comprises a relatively high yield strength metal. Both the core 18 and the shell 20 are formed with a resilient spring shape or spring segment.
FIGS. 3A–3F illustrate various prior art configurations for the resilient contact structures 14. In FIG. 3A, a resilient contact structure 14A comprises a cantilever beam oriented at an angle to a contact force F. The contact force F can be applied during formation of a pressure or bonded contact with a mating electronic component, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). In FIG. 3B, a resilient contact structure 14B includes an S-shape spring segment configured for contact by the contact force F or a contact force F′. In FIG. 3C, a resilient contact structure 14C includes a U-shape spring segment configured for contact by the contact force F. In FIG. 3D, a resilient contact structure 14D includes a curved spring segment configured for contact by the contact force F. In FIG. 3E, a resilient contact structure 14E includes a C-shaped spring segment configured for contact by the contact force F. In FIG. 3F, a resilient contact structure 14F includes a spring segment configured for contact by the contact force F.
One shortcoming of the above wafer level burn-in process is that the wafer 10 must first be probe tested, and the resilient contact structures 14 attached to only the functional dice 12F. In general, the non-functional dice 12NF do not include the resilient contact structures 14 because their electrical connection to the burn-in board may compromise the burn-in test procedure. Specifically, conventional burn-in boards include a power grid for establishing temporary electrical connections to multiple dice at one time. The burn-in boards thus utilize "shared resources" to test a large number of dice at the same time. Non-functional dice 12NF can short the test signals, or otherwise adversely affect the test procedure.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have a method and system for electrically isolating resilient contact structures 14 on some of the dice 12, particularly the non functional dice 12NF. This would permit all of the dice 12 on the wafer 10 to be provided with resilient contact structures 14, such that wafer probe testing can be performed using the resilient contact structures 14. In addition, this would permit non-functional dice 12NF to be electrically isolated on a burn-in board, to permit wafer level burn-in tests to be performed.

Apparatus for deforming resilient contact structures on semiconductor components


Methods and reservation stations for selecting instructions to issue to a functional unit of an out-of-order processor. The method includes classifying each instruction into one of a number of categories based on the type of instruction. Once classified an instruction is stored in an instruction queue corresponding to the category in which it was classified. Instructions are then selected from one or more of the instruction queues to issue to the functional unit based on a relative priority of the plurality of types of instructions. This allows certain types of instructions (e.g. control transfer instructions, flag setting instructions and/or address generation instructions) to be prioritized over other types of instructions even if they are younger.

Superscalar processors are designed to issue more than one instruction per clock cycle. Generally these processors comprise one or more reservation stations that receive and store instructions until they are ready to be issued to the out-of-order pipelines for execution. An instruction is said to be ready for issue when all of its input operands are available.
Each clock cycle the reservation station selects a number of ready instructions (e.g. one per out-of-order pipeline) and issues them to the out-of-order pipelines for execution. However, in any given clock cycle there can be a number of instructions that are ready for issue. Accordingly, there must be some mechanism for selecting ready instructions to issue to the out-of-order pipelines.
Typically the highest priority is given to the oldest ready instructions and the lowest priority is given to the youngest ready instructions. Issuing the oldest instructions as soon as possible ensures that the re-order buffer does not fill up and stall the dispatching of instructions. However, this policy alone does not ensure optimum processor performance.
The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of known processors.


A sagittal saw includes a blade and an actuator configured to drive the blade. The blade includes a first end, a second end opposed to the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and second end. The blade first end extends transverse to the longitudinal axis, and its movement defines a blade path. The blade path comprises a closed plane curve consisting of two loops meeting at a node ie, a figure-eight, whereby the blade path crosses over itself. The actuator includes a gear assembly configured to cyclically drive the blade so that the blade path includes multiple impulsive thrusts along the longitudinal axis in each blade path cycle. In addition, the blade cuts the work piece in both a first direction and a second direction in each blade cycle, the second direction opposed to the first direction.

Sagittal bone saws function through angular oscillation of the saw cutting blade, and are used primarily in applications that require plunge cutting of bone. However, when used at a high cutting rate, sagittal saws can sometimes generate a significant amount of heat, damaging or destroying bone cells in the immediate area of the cut. Damage to bone cells is undesirable since it can delay patient recovery time and reduce the effectiveness of the surgical procedure. One alternative to high cutting rates includes application of an impulsive thrust force wherein the cutting blade includes motion normal to, and directed into, the bone surface.


Cells of a flash memory are read by determining respective adaptive reference voltages for the cells and comparing the cells' threshold voltages to their respective reference voltages. The adaptive reference voltages are determined either from analog measurements of the threshold voltages of the cells' neighbors or from preliminary estimates of the cells' threshold voltages based on comparisons of the cells' threshold voltages with integral or fractional reference voltages common to all the cells. Cells of a flash memory also are read by comparing the cells' threshold voltages to integral reference voltages, comparing the threshold voltages of cells that share a common bit pattern to a fractional reference voltage, and adjusting the reference voltages in accordance with the comparisons.

The present invention relates to flash memories and, more particularly, to methods for reading such memories more reliably.
Originally, flash memories stored only one bit per cell. Flash memories that store two bits per cell now are available commercially, and flash memories that store more than two bits per cell are being developed. Flash memories that store one bit per cell are called "Single Level Cell" (SLC) memories. Flash memories that store more than one bit per cell are called "Multi Level Cell" (MLC) memories.
FIG. 1 illustrates how a bit pattern of three bits is stored in a MLC memory that is capable of storing three bits per cell.
The threshold voltage of a flash cell is in a range, called the "voltage window", from a minimum value Vmin to a maximum value Vmax. For historical reasons, writing data to a flash cell is called "programming" the flash cell. This is done by applying voltage pulses to the cell, to inject electrons from the cell's silicon substrate through the cell's oxide layer into the cell's floating gate, until the threshold voltage of the cell is high enough within the voltage window to represent the desired bit pattern. In a three-bit-per-cell memory, the voltage window is divided into eight voltage bands: from Vmin to V1, from V1 to V2, from V2 to V3, from V3 to V4, from V4 to V5, from V5 to V6, from V6 to V7 and from V7 to Vmax. A threshold voltage within one of the voltage bands represents a bit pattern as shown in FIG. 1: a threshold voltage between Vmin and V1 represents the bit pattern "111", a threshold voltage between V1 and V2 represents the bit pattern "110", etc. In general, the voltage window of a m-bit-per-cell memory is divided into 2m voltage bands.
To read a flash cell, the threshold voltage of the flash cell is compared to the reference voltages that define the voltage bands. In the case of some flash memories (hereinafter called "type 1" memories), reading a cell that stores a bit pattern of m bits requires m such comparisons. For example, when m=3, as illustrated n FIG. 1, the threshold voltage first is compared to V4. Depending on the outcome of that comparison, the threshold voltage is compared to either V2 or V6. Depending on the outcome of the second comparison, the threshold voltage is compared to either V1 or V3 or V5 or V7. Note that this comparison does not assume prior knowledge of the threshold voltage: circuitry in the flash memory returns a signal indicating whether the threshold voltage is higher or lower than the reference voltage to which it is being compared.
In the case of some other flash memories (hereinafter called "type 2 memories"), the threshold values of all the cells that are read collectively are compared to all 2m−1 reference voltages between Vmin and Vmax.
In a collection of flash cells, the threshold voltages of the cells are distributed statistically around the centers of their respective voltage bands. FIG. 1 shows the threshold voltages in the first voltage band distributed according to a distribution curve 10, the threshold voltages in the second voltage band distributed according to a distribution curve 12, the threshold voltages in the third voltage band distributed according to a distribution curve 14, the threshold voltages in the fourth voltage band distributed according to a distribution curve 16, the threshold voltages in the fifth band distributed according to a distribution curve 18, the threshold voltages in the sixth band distributed according to a distribution curve 20, the threshold voltages in the seventh band distributed according to a distribution curve 22 and the threshold voltages in the eighth band distributed according to a distribution curve 24. There are several reasons for the finite widths of these distributions:
1. The programming process is a stochastic one that relies on inherently stochastic processes such as quantum mechanical tunneling and hot injection.
2. The precision of the read/program circuitry is finite and is limited by random noise.
3. In some flash technologies, the threshold voltage of a cell being read is affected by the threshold voltages of neighboring cells.
4. Chip-to-chip variations and variations in the manufacturing process cause some cells to behave differently than other cells when read/programmed.
In addition, the threshold voltage distributions tend to change over time, as follows:
1. As a flash memory is programmed and erased, the voltage window tends to shrink and the voltage bands become biased. These phenomena limit the number of times a MLC flash memory can be erased and re-programmed.
2. The threshold voltage of a flash cell that is not programmed for a long time tends to drift downward. This phenomenon limits the time that data can be reliably retained in a flash memory.
The voltage bands of a flash cell should be designed to be wide enough to accommodate all these phenomena, but not too wide. A voltage band that is too narrow, relative to the associated threshold voltage distribution curve and relative to the drift of that curve over time, leads to an unacceptably high bit error rate. Making the voltage bands very wide relative to the associated threshold voltage distributions limits the number of bits in the bit patterns that can be stored in the flash cell. In practice, flash memories are designed to have one error per 1014-1016 bits read. Some flash technologies are unable to achieve this error rate while storing the desired number of bits per cell. Some flash memories based on such technology use error correction circuits to compensate for their high intrinsic error rates. Some NAND flash manufacturers have instructed their customers to incorporate error-correcting code in their applications.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, methods of reading flash cells that are more reliable than those known in the art.
Definitions
Reference voltages, such as the reference voltages illustrated in FIG. 1, that demark the boundaries of the voltage bands inside the voltage window, are termed "integral reference voltages" herein. The present invention introduces reference voltages that lie within voltage bands; such reference voltages are termed "fractional reference voltages" herein. Note that the voltages that define the voltage window itself (Vmin and Vmax in FIG. 1) are not considered reference voltages herein.
A bit pattern that has more than one bit has a least significant bit and a most significant bit. A bit pattern that has more than two bits has bits of different significance between the least significant bit and the most significant bit. In a bit pattern of m bits, the least significant bit is termed herein the bit of "significance level 0", the next-to-least significant bit is termed herein the bit of "significance level 1", etc., until the most significant bit is termed herein the bit of "significance level m−1".
Bits of one or more bit patterns also are grouped herein in "significance groups" that include bits of one or more significance levels. A significance group is a group of bits of consecutive significance levels. Like the significance levels of the bits of a bit pattern, the significance groups of the bits of one or more bit patterns are ordered from a least significant bit group to a most significant bit group. For example, the bits of three-bit bit patterns can be grouped into bit groups in four different ways. The first way is to form three bit groups: one bit group with the least significant bits (the bits of significance level 0), one bit group with the next-to-least significant bits (the bits of significance level 1), and one bit group with the most significant bits. The second way is to form two bit groups: one bit group with the least significant bits and one group with the bits of significance levels 1 and 2. The third way is to form two bit groups: one bit group with the bits of significance levels 0 and 1 and one bit group with the most significant bits. The fourth way is to treat the entire set of bit patterns as a single bit group.

Flash memories with adaptive reference voltages


Disclosed embodiments include a content consumption monitor (CCM) determines surges in content consumption based on changes in content consumptions scores. The CCM determines the content consumptions scores for domains and/or organizations (orgs) based on session events generated by different devices/users from the org and/or domain, a number of events generated by the org/domain, content and/or user interactions with the content indicated by the events, relevancy scores of the content to one or more topics, and/or other criteria. The CCM detects surges in consumption or interest in a topic for the domain/org when the consumption score reaches a threshold and/or within a period of time. The CCM may adjust the consumption score based on the changes in the relevancy, number of events and/or the number of users over different time periods. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Users receive a random variety of different information from a random variety of different businesses. For example, users may constantly receive promotional announcements, advertisements, information notices, event notifications, etc. Users request some of this information. For example, a user may register on a company website to receive sales or information announcements. However, much of the information is of little or no interest to the user. For example, the user may receive emails announcing every upcoming seminar, regardless of the subject matter.
The user may also receive unsolicited information. For example, a user may register on a website to download a white paper on a particular subject. A lead service then may sell the email address to companies that send the user unsolicited advertisements. Users end up ignoring most or all of these emails since most of the information has no relevance or interest. Alternatively, the user directs all of these emails into a junk email folder.

Machine learning techniques for detecting surges in content consumption


The invention concerns a sluice feeder comprising an inlet (1), an outlet (11), and a rotor (2), into which sluice feeder material to be fed from a first medium to a second medium sealed from the first medium is fed to the inlet (1). The inlet (1) is directed towards the centre portion of the rotor (2), the rotor (2) and a cooperating stator (7), respectively, show at least a radial opening (5, 8) each and are provided so that at least one pocket (9) is formed, which alternating opens and seals upon rotation of the rotor (2). The material is thrown radially outwards by the rotor (2) to the pocket (9) to finally be emptied from the pocket (9) to the outlet at the same time as the pocket (9) is sealed towards the inlet (1) by means of the stator (7).

When preparing wood fibres a separation of fibres from steam takes place in a fibre separation step where a cyclone or a centrifugal separator is used for this purpose. Preferably the steam is recycled also from this step. The pressure in the system before the fibre separation is in most cases 3-12 bar. The following process step may be the drying of the fibre. This takes place at a lower pressure, sometimes as low as atmospheric pressure. In order to prevent the steam from escaping to the drying step at lower pressure a pressure tight feeding of the fibre from the separation step is required.
When treating mechanical pulp for paper manufacturing this can be easily solved by a plug screw where the fed fibres are compressed and form a steam tight plug in the plug screw at the same time as it is further fed and subsequently may be fed to further treatment at a lower pressure.
On the contrary, when treating mechanical pulp for manufacturing of, for example, fibre board or MDF-technology, it is not possible to compress the fibres since lumps are thus formed, which cause problems at the drying of the fibres and at following manufacturing of end products. Instead a sluice feed may be used in which the separated fibre fall down into a pocket in its rotor provided in the sluice feeder, which rotor is rotated and the fibre falls out in the lower portion of the sluice feeder where a lower pressure may prevail without being compressed. The rotor and its pockets are sealed against the periphery of the sluice feeder.
A problem with traditional sluice feeders is that they cannot be driven at high speed since the fibres then will be thrown out of the rotor and thus the capacity will decrease. Since these sluice feeders must be rotated slowly they must be made large and voluminous in order to be able to sluice desired quantity of fibre in a certain period of time so that the production is not obstructed.


A wireless mouse includes a magnetic ball, a power generating device and a power storage device. The power generating device includes an inductive coil, being dome-shaped and partially covering the magnetic ball and configured for generating inductive voltage following the movement of the magnetic ball, and a converting unit, being configured for converting the inductive voltage to a stabilized DC voltage. The power storage device electrically is coupled to the power generating device and configured for being charged by the converting unit using the stabilized DC voltage and provide power for the wireless mouse.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to wireless mice, and particularly to a wireless mouse with a power generating function.
2. Description of Related Art
A mouse may be wired or wirelessly connected to a host such as a personal computer. In the case of the wired mouse, the mouse is powered by the host via the cable. However, because the mouse is tethered to the host by the cable, the range of movement of the mouse is limited. In the case of a wireless mouse, a battery is used to power the wireless mouse. However, frequent replacement of the battery is an inconvenient and also may be expensive for users. Moreover, if the battery is disposable, then disposing of the battery may not be environmentally friendly.
Therefore, what is needed is to provide a mouse, in which the above problems are eliminated or at least alleviated.

Wireless mouse with power generating function


The invention makes it possible to provide appropriate information that is highly visible to a user. A server is a server that provides information to a terminal device and includes: a storage section that stores a plurality of pieces of display information associated with search conditions and also stores a first search condition and a second search condition in association with each other; an identification section that identifies any of the search conditions and, if the identified search condition is the first search condition, identifies the display information associated with the first search condition, with a first predetermined number as an upper limit, and identifies the display information associated with the second search condition, with a second predetermined number as an upper limit; and a transmission section that transmits the identified display information to the terminal device.

Conventionally, an information provision system is known, in which information is provided to a terminal device such as a mobile phone via a communication network. In such an information provision system, a server that receives a search condition sent from a terminal device can provide information according to the search condition to the terminal device.
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes an automatic reservation system in which a list of shop information is sent to a mobile terminal based on reservation information (condition information) sent from the mobile terminal. In the automatic reservation system, the reservation information sent from the mobile terminal includes usage information according to a purpose of usage, cuisine genre information, and the like. A user can acquire a list of shops matching the desired purpose of usage or cuisine genre from the automatic reservation system by sending the usage information, the genre information, or the like as the reservation information to the automatic reservation system.

Server, method, and storage medium for searching and displaying results


Finger mascara includes: a container for containing a cosmetic material; an application unit coupled to the container; and a middle unit for detachably coupling the application unit to the container. The application unit includes: a finger insertion part in which a user can insert a finger from above; an outer cylinder surrounding the periphery of the finger insertion part and having an upward opening; a plurality of elastic supporting parts extending upward from the outer cylinder and capable of wrapping the finger inserted from above and being elastically transformed in a direction away from a central axis of the outer cylinder as the finger is inserted; a stick extending downward from one point of the inner space of the outer cylinder; and a brush for applying cosmetic material by coating the same thereon, wherein a free end of the elastic supporting parts is provided with a tip.

Make-up cosmetics are cosmetics which are applied on a body such as a face or nails to lent a splash of color and make skin color beautiful after a basic product is used, and which conceal skin defects which cannot be covered by the basic product. For example, the make-up cosmetics may be classified as a base make-up which can unify the color of the skin of an entire face or cover skin defects such as melasma and freckle, thereby fixing a skin healthily and beautifully, and a point make-up which locally highlights or shades lip, eye, cheeks, nail or the like to deliver a three-dimensional effect, thus expressing his or her individuality. The base make-up includes, for example, make-up base, foundation, powder and the like, and the point make-up include, for example, lip stick, eye liner, mascara and the like.
The mascara, which is one of the point make-ups, is a cosmetic for highlighting eyelashes, and is used in a method in which a cosmetic material is coated on a brush and applied on eyelashes.
Such mascara is generally constituted by a container in which a cosmetic material is contained, and a lid to which a stick and a brush are integrally coupled. When consumers open the lid, the brush coated with cosmetic material is extracted, and a user can do make-up by applying the cosmetic material coated on the brush on the eyelashes while holding the lid.
However, as a user must do eyelash make-up while holding the lid by the hand, it is difficult to do precise eyelash make-up with a general mascara. Further, if a user inadvertently misses the lid held with the hand when doing make-up, a problem that the brush becomes dirty may occur.
In order to address aforementioned problem, Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0218237 has been proposed. Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0218237 relates to a finger insertion brush, wherein by coupling a brush stick 6 with a finger insertion device 1 in which a finger insertion part 2 is formed, a user can do make-up with only a finger without holding an application device.
However, according to Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0218237, the finger insertion part 1 is manufactured so as to have a fixed size, and thus users having a finger thickness different from the finger insertion part experienced inconvenience that inserting the finger into the finger insertion part 1 was limited.
In order to address aforementioned problems, Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0459829 has been proposed. According to Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0459829, there is proposed a make-up device set for disabled person, in which a thimble 112 for finger insertion is formed under the elastic supporting part 118 of a coil spring shape extended in a finger insertion direction, a brush stick 114 and an application tip 116 are formed under the thimble 112, and thus elastic deformation of the elastic supporting part 118 enables users having different finger thickness to use.
However, according to Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0459829, the finger is fixed with only one elastic supporting part 118, and thus the finger and the thimble 112 do not fixed firmly, which leads to a problem that precise make-up is difficult due to the shaking of the application tip 116.
Further, the thimble 112 of Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0459829 is exposed directly to outside, and there is problem that an outer surface of the thimble 112 and a seat slot 122 of the storage box 120 become dirty by the cosmetic material when the brush stick 114 and application tip 16 are entered and extracted into/from the storage box 120 in which a cosmetic material is stored. Particularly, if the outer surface of the thimble 112 is contaminated, a problem that a cosmetic material is smeared on a facial part which a user does not want during a make-up may occur.
Further, as the thimble 112 of Korean Utility Model Registered No. 20-0459829 is simply rested on and fixed to the storage box 120, the fixing state is very unstable, and thus it can be separated from the storage box 120 by a slight external force, which may problematically lead to contamination of the thimble 112, the brush stick 114, the application tip 116.


A content usage device includes (i) a license management unit that holds license information and (ii) a content output unit that uses a content in compliance with license information and outputs the content in at least one manner of a sound, video and data. The license management unit, upon receiving a request of license information from the content output unit, requests a license management unit of another content usage device to transfer the license information and acquires the license information, and passes the acquired license information to the content output unit. The content output unit uses a content in compliance with the license information passed from the license management unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a content usage device and a network system, and a license information acquisition method for using a content which is a digital work such as music and video using license information distributed from a server, and further relates to a technology for effective use of license information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, systems that distribute contents, via the Internet or digital broadcasting, that are digital works such as music, video and games have been developed, and a part of them is now in a phase for practical use. For distributing these contents, the methodology of content usage control, which restricts the number of reproduction (play/playback) times, moving and copying of the distributed content, has also been examined from a viewpoint of copyright protection, etc.
The conventional systems, as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2000-48076 and 2000-293439, have been modeled so that (i) a server distributes information (hereinafter referred to as "license information") that is necessary for content usage and restricts a content usage rule, and (ii) a plurality of content usage devices on a network system at home (home network) use the content using the license information distributed from the server so as to reproduce it.
Also, the license information distributed from the server is held by individual content usage device, and the content usage device uses the content using the license information held by the content usage device itself.
However, according to the conventional content usage device and network system, only the content usage device that requests the server to distribute the license information can receive the license information and use it. That is, the content usage device cannot use the content using the license information distributed from the server if it does not hold the license information in itself, even if the other content usage device holds that license information. That is a problem.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is, in consideration of the above problem, to provide a content usage device and a network system, and a license information acquisition method for effectively using license information distributed from a server.

Content usage device and network system, and license information acquisition method


A neonatal infant care headwall fixture defining an infant care station for concentrating infant care equipment in a neonatal health care facility includes a body formed from a plurality of wall members with at least one vertically extending wall member defining a front surface and at least one horizontally extending wall member defining a top surface with the front surface and top surface cooperating to define a recess for receiving therein at least a portion of an infant support structure to positively locate the infant support structure and to locate infant care equipment associated with the headwall fixture in juxtaposition with an infant support structure at least partially disposed with the recess.

The present invention relates broadly to hospital fixtures and, more particularly, to a headwall fixture which defines a station for neonatal infant care and provides a cluster of necessary services, equipment and accessories.
Neonatal infant care facilities are areas in hospitals which care for premature babies and other infants who are in some form of medical distress. They may be placed in cribs or incubators and, as is common in modern hospitals, typically require a plethora of equipment to support and sustain life.
As is also common, neonatal infant care is provided in large rooms with a plurality of individual stations that provide all the necessary equipment to care for one infant thereat. The equipment typically includes air, vacuum, oxygen and electrical services. Further, blood pressure monitors, heart monitors, and other analyzers are common. Additionally, tools and hand-held instrumentation need to be close at hand.
Currently, neonatal headwall fixtures are typically rectangular cabinets having flat walls. A crib or incubator on wheels is rolled into a position adjacent the cabinet and positioned at whatever orientation provides the best access to the necessary services, instrumentation and accessories. Such an arrangement remains unfocused in that the infant support device, be it crib or incubator, may be positioned in virtually any orientation with respect to the headwall fixture. This is likely a sufficient arrangement, yet it is less than ideal for attending to neonatal infant care.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority


A new Ipomoea plant named ‘Seki Blapalm’ particularly distinguished by compact and mounding plant habit that becomes more outwardly trailing with age, vigorous, freely branching with dense foliage, and very dark, almost black palmately lobed foliage, with soft purple-violet and white flowers.

The present invention comprises a new Ipomoea, botanically known as Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam, and commonly known as Ornamental Sweet Potato, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'Seki Blapalm.' These plants are grown, not for their flowers, but for their foliage and plant habit characteristics. These plants flower very rarely and then only under strict short day lengths. Each flower is ephemeral, in that it only lasts up to 24 hours, and blooms mostly through the night and early morning hours.
'Seki Blapalm' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar 'Seki Blapalm' has a compact and mounding plant habit that becomes more outwardly trailing with age, vigorous, freely branching with dense foliage, and very dark, almost black palmately lobed foliage, with soft purple-violet and white flowers.
'Seki Blapalm' originated from an open pollination in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The female parent was 'Sweet Caroline Purple' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,912). 'Sweet Caroline Purple' has a less compact plant habit, shorter petioles and lighter colored foliage than 'Seki Blapalm.' The male parent of 'Seki Blapalm' was unknown.
'Seki Blapalm' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in March 2007, in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The pollination took place in July 2006 and the seed sown in December 2006.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'Seki Blapalm' was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the March 2007 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in March 2007 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for 'Seki Blapalm' are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
'Seki Blapalm' has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Dec. 24, 2007. 'Seki Blapalm' has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.


A system for monitoring cleanliness of a material handling system is disclosed. The system includes a measuring device, a first signal device, a second signal device, and a measuring host. The measuring device installed in the cartridges conduct the cleanliness measurements and obtains the measured result. The first signal device installed in the cartridges transforms the measured results to wireless signals. The second signal device installed in a predetermined location outside of the cartridges receives the wireless signal. The measuring host transforms the received wireless signals back to the measured results. The cartridges of the material handling system are also disclosed. The disclosed cleanliness monitoring system and the cartridge can reduce the cost.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to environment monitoring technology, and more particularly to a cleanliness monitoring system and the cartridges thereof
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Clean environments are needed for many technical fields, especially for factories manufacturing liquid crystal panels. The glasses for liquid crystal panels are transported by cartridges, and each of the cartridges may transport a few tens of glasses. The cartridges are transported by automatic material handling systems (AMHS) to corresponding stockers. The glasses are then retrieved from the cartridge by distributing devices in turns for corresponding manufacturing processes. After the manufacturing process, the glasses are transported back to the cartridges in turns, and the AMHS further transports the cartridge to another stocker for a next manufacturing process. The stocker and the tunnels connecting the stocker and the cartridges are part of the AMHS.
In manufacturing processes, the cleanliness of the environment directly affects the defective-free rate of the liquid crystal panels. As the defective rate results in significant costs for liquid crystal panels, each of the manufacturing processes of the liquid crystal panels has strict demands regarding the cleanliness. Especially, as the liquid crystal panels are deposited in the material handling system for the longest time, the cleanliness for the material handling system is the most critical one.
Currently, the cleanliness monitoring of the material handling system is conducted by a single measuring device operated by operators. The method has the following disadvantages. First, operators are also pollution sources. Second, the measuring device has to be shut down in some spots so that the capacity is reduced. Third, as the range of the factories is quite broad, a lot of measuring devices and the operators are needed so as to cover the range. For example, at least ten measuring devices are needed for the stocker with a length equaling to 60 meters, a width equaling to 6 meters, and a height equaling to 6 meters. Lastly, as the measurements are conducted by the operators, the hysteresis characteristic caused by the operators may result in the risk of defective rate.

Cleanliness monitoring system and cartridges thereof

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A camera control system consists of a plurality of camera apparatus, camera control units coupled to the plural camera apparatus, respectively, a transmission path connected to the camera units and a base station connected to the transmission path. The base station has a database and the database is stored with setting values concerning at least photographing direction, image quality and voice quality of the plural camera apparatus and the plural camera control units in a plurality of table formats. An arbitrary camera control unit has a memory unit. A desired setting value of those stored in the database is down loaded to the memory unit on the basis of a command from the camera control unit and the setting values of the plural camera apparatus and camera control units are modified with the down loaded setting value.

The present invention relates to camera control systems and more particularly, to a camera control system for centralizedly making adjustments and maintenance of a plurality of television camera apparatus.
Conventionally, in a camera apparatus for television broadcasting and video production or for industrial use, various values to be set to every one of the cameras provided at a photographing spot are saved in a camera controller located remotely from the camera apparatus. The data must however be managed camera by camera by an engineer in charge of adjustments of the cameras and normally a large number of values are set, thereby raising a problem that the setting operation becomes sophisticated.
A controller of television camera is known in which for the purpose of confirming whether a camera for reference use and another camera in adjustment are placed in the same condition, a means is provided for automatically switching video signals of these cameras and displaying them in an overlapped fashion. Such a controller as above is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-6-311419 entitled "Centralized Controller of the Television Camera". But the prior art controller in no way considers setting, management, adjustment and reutilization of various setting values (control parameters) of those cameras and especially, as the number of setting values increases, the operation of setting the values to the cameras becomes sophisticated undoubtedly. The prior art reference does not take diagnosis of abnormality of the cameras and maintenance thereof into account, either.


A housing assembly adapted to fit into a mortised recess in a door is provided for accommodating components of an electronic lock mechanism. The housing assembly comprises a housing including opposed major side walls at least partially defining an opening into the housing. A circuit board comprising electronic circuitry for operating the lock mechanism is disposed in the housing. A bracket for holding batteries is adapted to be disposed in the opening in the housing. The bracket is accessible when the housing is in the mortised recess of the door such that the bracket is movable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. In the first position the bracket is in the housing and in the second position the bracket is at least partially outside of the housing such that batteries may be inserted into or removed from the bracket.

This invention relates generally to electronic locks for doors, and more particularly to a housing assembly for an electronic lock for accommodating the electronics and power supply of the electronic lock.
Electronic locks for doors and exit device trim are generally of two types: those with the electronics and a power supply housed in a mortise assembly, a mortise-type lock, or in an escutcheon assembly, an escutcheon-type lock. A mortise assembly includes a rectangular housing, or case, which is designed to fit into a mortised recess formed in an edge of a door which is opposite to the edge of the door that is hinged to a door frame. When used in a mortise assembly, the electronics and power supply components are usually positioned to reduce the size of the pocket required in the door either vertically and/or horizontally. The mortise pocket is generally of a unique size that is specific to the electronics housing used. This presents an undesirable condition to door manufacturers and installers who must create a unique mortise geometry for each product. Moreover, maintenance of the lock, including simple replacement of the batteries, cannot be accomplished without opening the mortise lock case, making routine tasks complicated and difficult.
When the electronics and power supply are used in an escutcheon, the components are installed within an escutcheon housing, or trim plate, on the outside of the door. The aesthetics are less than desirable since the housing necessarily projects farther from the door surface and generally is positioned above the lock trim or exit device. This positioning can preclude the use of auxiliary hardware, and is inherently less vandal resistant by its visibility and accessibility on the surface of the door.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an arrangement for an electronic lock which is less complicated and more convenient than conventional locks. Ideally, the new arrangement allows ready field maintenance of the electronic components after the lock is installed in a door.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A wireless telephone system including a communication controlling unit for performing the line connection and line disconnection between personal stations, a timer setting unit for setting a timer to predetermined times in accordance with the line connection and the line disconnection, a timer time inputting unit inputted with the timer time of the timer, and a message transmitting unit for transmitting a message in accordance with the timer time and the line condition, whereby a communicator can make communication while grasping the present situation, thereby enabling smooth communication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless telephone system which is capable of communicating with another wireless telephone system with no intervention of a relay by a public base station, a cell station or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, a wireless telephone system communicates with another telephone system or wireless telephone system through a cell station or a public base station connected to a public line.
In addition, there has been increased in recent years the use of wireless telephone systems each having a transceiver mode in which direct communication is made between the wireless telephone systems.
However, a wireless telephone system mainly makes connection with a cell station or a public base station to perform communication. Many channels are used for such connection. Therefore, the number of channels allotted to permit the use in transceiver modes is small as compared with that of the channels for connection with the cell station or the public base station.
Accordingly, if a multiplicity of users make long-time communications in the transceiver modes, there may be the case where all of the channels for a transceiver mode are occupied. In such a condition, a user trying to start a new communication in a transceiver mode encounters a situation in which communication is impossible.
In order to cope with such a situation, the transceiver mode in a personal handyphone system (PHS) or the like, which is one kind of wireless telephone system, is established such that when communication is made for a first predetermined time (three minutes in the actual service), a line or circuit is automatically disconnected and the reconnection of the line is not possible during a second predetermined time (two seconds in the actual service) after the disconnection.
With such establishment, even if all of the channels for a transceiver mode are occupied when it is desired to start a new communication, the line of any the wireless telephone systems under communication in transceiver the mode is disconnected after a wait of the first predetermined time longest at the longest and the communication becomes possible through a channel which is turned into an idle condition due to this disconnection.
However, in the case where conversation is not completed in the first predetermined time in the transceiver mode, a user is obliged to wait at a minimum for the second predetermined time and to thereafter perform a calling operation again. This is troublesome.
Some of the recent wireless telephone systems realized for coping with the above situation have an automatic reconnection function. With the automatic reconnection function, a line is automatically disconnected after the lapse of a first predetermined time which is a communicable time, and a reconnecting operation is automatically performed after a second predetermined time which is subsequent to the disconnection and in which reconnection is impossible. Thereby, a user is saved from the labor and associated manipulation for a reconnection.
However, in the case of the above-mentioned wireless telephone system having the automatic reconnection function, the convenience of the saving of the labor for reconnection causes a user to neglect to complete a communication in the first predetermined time which is a continuously communicable time. Therefore, an uncommunicable time from the line disconnection until the line reconnection is yielded in the course of one's speech. As a result, a failure to hear an important matter occurs or an interruption of the speech may be generated due to the uncommunicable time.

Telephone system having disconnection information outputting function

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An endoscope apparatus used in combination with a near infrared light irradiation unit that irradiates near infrared light on a target irradiation section. White light and the infrared light are irradiated on a target observation area including the target irradiation section. The imaging means spectroscopically images a reflected light image of the target observation area, which is outputted as a spectral image signal. The storage section includes estimated matrix data. The IR image signal generation means generates an IR image signal constituted by an estimated value of reflected light intensity of the near infrared light by performing a matrix operation on the spectral image signal using the estimated matrix data and spectral matrix data of the near infrared light. The color image signal generation means generates a color image signal based on the spectral image signal and the IR image signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus for obtaining a color image of a target observation area by irradiating white illumination light thereon. More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus used in combination with a near infrared light irradiation unit that irradiates near infrared light on a target irradiation section. The invention also relates to a program for use with the electronic endoscope apparatus for generating a color image signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Developments of optical tomographic image obtaining systems for obtaining optical tomographic images of living bodies and the like are under way. Well-known methods for obtaining optical tomographic images include the method using optical interference caused by frequency-swept coherent light, the method using optical interference caused by low coherence light, and the like.
In particular, an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) system that obtains an optical tomographic image by measuring a light intensity of low coherence interference light through heterodyne detection is put into practical use.
The OCT system obtains optical tomography information of a target measuring object through the steps of: splitting low coherence light outputted from a light source, which includes SLD (Super Luminescent Diode) or the like, into measuring light and reference light; slightly shifting the frequency of either the reference light or measuring light by a piezo device or the like; irradiating the measuring light on the target measuring object; causing interference between the reflected light reflected from the target irradiation section and the reference light; and measuring the optical intensity of the interference light through heterodyne detection as described, for example, in non-patent document "Real-time in vivo imaging of human gastrointestinal ultrastructure by use of endoscopic optical coherence tomography with a novel efficient interferometer design", A. M. Rollins et al., OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 24, No. 19, pp. 1358-1360, 1999. By slightly changing the optical path length of the reference light through slight movement of a movable mirror or the like disposed in the optical path of the reference light, information at a predetermined depth of the target irradiation section where the optical path length of the reference light corresponds to the optical path length of the measuring light. Then, by repeating the measurement while slightly moving the section for irradiating the measuring light, an optical tomographic image of a predetermined area may be obtained.
The use of such OCT systems allow diagnosis of invasion depth of early cancer and the like, so that efforts for developing a method for obtaining an optical tomographic image within a body cavity by guiding measuring light and reflected light through the OCT probe insertable in a forceps channel of an endoscope apparatus are underway as described for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,185. The aforementioned patent publication describes an OCT system that includes an OCT probe having an optical fiber for guiding measuring light, and a mirror disposed at the distal end of the optical fiber and reflects the measuring light to an orthogonal direction. The OCT system displays a tomographic image of a wall of a body cavity by inserting the OCT probe into the body cavity through the forceps channel of the endoscope, and rotating the mirror disposed at the distal end of the probe.
Most of such OCT systems use near infrared light as the measuring light in order to reduce the optical loss at the target irradiation section. The near infrared light, however, is not visible, so that visible light, such as He—Ne laser, or the like is concentrically superimposed thereon and used as aiming light.
In the mean time, in the field of laser therapy systems, near infrared light, such as YAG laser or the like, is also used, and here again visible light is used as the aiming light.
Recently, in putting into practical use, the downsizing and simplified structure have been demanded for the near infrared light irradiation unit used in optical tomographic image obtaining systems and the like. In order to superimpose the aiming light concentrically with the near infrared light, however, it is necessary to dispose an optical device, such as a dichroic mirror or the like, or a coupler for combining the light or the like in the optical path. This causes a problem that the downsizing and simplified structure for the near infrared irradiation unit is prevented. On the other hand, the near infrared light irradiation unit without aiming light causes a problem that the section irradiated by the near infrared light is not visually recognized.

Electronic endoscope apparatus and program


An optical test apparatus. The test apparatus includes an optical source. A first optical switch is connected to the optical source. An attenuated responsivity test path may be selectively coupled to the first optical switch. A return loss test path may alternatively be selectively coupled to the first optical switch. A second optical switch may be selectively coupled to the attenuated responsivity test path or the return loss test path. An optical splitter is connected to the second optical switch. The optical splitter is configured to connect to a ROSA. A detector is connected to the optical splitter. The detector is configured to connect to a test meter.

1. The Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to equipment for testing fiber-optic components. More specifically, the invention relates to gauging optical return loss in fiber-optic components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber-optic networking can be used to communicate in modern high-speed networks. To transmit data on a fiber-optic network, the data must be converted from an electronic signal to an optical signal. This conversion may be done for example by using a transmitting optical subassembly (TOSA). The TOSA often includes a light generating device such as a laser or light emitting diode (LED). The light generating device is modulated according to the digital data to produce a modulated optical signal.
When optical signals are received, those optical signals must generally be converted to an electronic signal. This is often accomplished using a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA). A ROSA generally includes a photo sensitive device such as a photodiode connected to a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). When an optical signal impinges the photo sensitive device, a modulated current is induced in the photo sensitive device. This current can be converted by the TIA to an electronic signal usable by digital devices on a network.
Manufacturers of ROSAs and TOSAs typically perform various performance testing on the ROSAs and TOSAs before they are delivered to distributors and end customers. This performance testing can be used to detect defects or to sort components into groups of different rated values. More particularly, testing directed towards the ROSA may include testing the responsivity of the ROSA to a modulated optical signal, testing the amount of current produced for a given amount of optical signal and so forth. The ROSA may also be tested to determine a parameter known as optical return loss. Optical return loss is a measurement of the amount of optical signal that is reflected off of the face of the ROSA when an optical signal impinges the ROSA. This reflected light may cause unwanted reflections and interference in an optical network. Further, reflected light reduces the amount of power available for converting the optical signal to an electronic signal.
Different testing conditions may be needed to test different characteristics of the ROSA. For example, when testing the ROSA for responsivity or to measure current verses optical signal received, it is often desirable to use a low power optical signal so as not to trigger the automatic gain control circuitry in the TIA. However, when testing for optical return loss it is desirable to use a higher power optical source. Optical return loss may be as low as −12 dB. Therefore, if a low-power optical signal is used to test for optical return loss, the reflected optical signal may be insufficient to perform an accurate measurement. Maintaining different testing configurations for testing a ROSA may be relatively time-consuming. For example, testing a ROSA can include installing the ROSA in various test jigs to characterize the operating characteristics of the ROSA.


Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for reducing the processing demands of shading primitives in rendering a 2D screen image from a 3D model. A device includes a fine rasterizing component to employ multiple screen image samples per screen image pixel to perform fine rasterization to identify a set of visible primitives, a coarse rasterizing component to employ a single shading image sample per shading image pixel to perform coarse rasterization from the same perspective as the fine rasterization to identify at least one primitive along a path of a shading image pixel, and a shading component to shade a primitive identified by a screen image sample of a first screen image pixel as visible within the shading image pixel and identified as along the path of the shading image sample associated with the shading image pixel to derive a color value. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The rendering of two-dimensional (2D) computer generated images (CGI) from three-dimensional (3D) models, once done only as part of performing relatively specialized computer-based functions, is increasingly employed in ever more aspects of operating computing devices. Specifically, although video games continue to present the most prevalent use of such images, their use has begun to take hold in websites and as part of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) of an ever increasing array of devices.
Although advances in the design of graphics rendering hardware and increases in the efficiency of rendering algorithms have enabled much of this increasing use of CGI based on 3D models, these advances and efficiency increases have not been sufficient to fully address the limits in processing and power resources that are typical in portable devices. Specifically, the work of shading graphics primitives to provide color and texture to objects in an image continues to demand considerable processing resources, which in turn, places considerable demands on the limited power resources afforded by the batteries and/or other power sources typically found in portable devices. Further, as the pixel resolutions of the displays incorporated into portable devices continue to increase, reductions that have been made in processing and power requirements have been overwhelmed by the exponential increase in the amount of shading caused by such resolution increases. Still further, as expectations of realism in CGI have heightened, shading has become more routinely augmented with implementing motion blur and/or depth-of-field effects.
Previous efforts have been made to at least limit these increasing demands on power resources by attempting to directly reduce the amount of shading that is performed. Various techniques have been devised to make determinations of what graphics primitives and/or what portions of graphics primitives actually need to be shaded. Unfortunately, despite alleviating some of the shading burden, many of these previous efforts require extensive changes to graphics rendering hardware that can ironically increase power resource requirements, including ever more specialized graphics processing units (GPUs) and/or considerable alteration of the architectures of typical hardware-based graphics rendering pipelines to support such features as the generation and sorting of complex buffers.

Techniques for deferred decoupled shading


A brushless permanent magnet electric motor with a fixed radial air gap is operated to a much higher speed than normal maximum speed by the reduction in effective magnet pole strength. Increasing the amount of axial misalignment of the permanent magnet rotor and stator proportionally increases the speed and reduces the torque. The permanent magnet rotor is offset axially to provide axial misalignment between the rotor magnet poles and the stator, reducing the effective magnet pole strength or flux to the stator. An integral constant velocity linear bearing is used to couple the movable rotor and the fixed position motor shaft. A thrust bearing is actuated to offset the magnetic rotor against the attractive magnetic forces toward the stator. The use of a constant velocity linear bearing allows the motor shaft, radial support bearings, position encoder, cooling fan, and output coupling to remain in a constant position while rotor position is offset.

The present invention relates to permanent magnet electric motors of the radial air gap type. More particularly, the present invention relates to permanent magnet electric motors of the radial air gap type in which the axial alignment of the rotor and stator can be varied to control speed and applied torque.
Permanent magnet electric motors are known to be efficient producers/users of rotational power. Brushless permanent magnet motors eliminate the commutator and brushes that are commonly used with an electric controller that switches current to conductors in more conventional electric motors. The brushless electric controllers used in permanent magnet electric motors allow the conductor coils to be located in stationary motor stators, which react to movement of rotors containing permanent magnets.
Brushless permanent electrical motors are known for their durability, controllability, and absence of electrical sparking. These factors pose problems in commutator equipped electrical motors.
Unlike many other types of electrical motors, permanent magnet electrical motors have a linear relationship between the product of EMF (voltage) x current (amps) and output torque. This characteristic is ideal for the traction loads of electric vehicles and other applications where a linear torque/speed relationship simplifies control.
Conventional permanent magnet motors can apply high output torques up to an rpm limit called the base speed. The base speed rpm is governed by the phenomena of permanent magnet motors building up xe2x80x9cback-emfxe2x80x9d electrical potentials as rotational speeds increase. The back-emf is governed by the magnetic gap flux density, number of winding turns, and rotational speed. As the rotational speed of a permanent magnet motor increases, the back-emf will build up until it equals the supplied voltage. Once the back-emf equals the supplied voltage, permanent magnet motors will not operate any faster. This back-emf rpm limiting characteristic protects permanent magnet motors from the over speed damage that is common with series wound electrical motors used in vehicle applications. The back-emf base speed characteristic that protects permanent magnet motors also tends to limit the dynamic rpm range.
In order to accelerate from rest or from low speeds, many electric vehicles have a fixed reduction drive ratio that is set for high torque. While such configurations provide the necessary high torque to overcome inertia, it results in a low base speed and a limited top speed. In addition to a low speed, constant torque operation, it is desirable for many motor vehicles to also have an upper range of constant power, where speed can increase with decreased torque requirements.
There are methods by which to operate a brushless permanent magnet motor or other motor type beyond the base speed. These methods can be broadly classified as either those using electrical means or those using mechanical means.
Methods of electrically enhancing speed or varying magnet flux include high current switching of additional phase coils or switching the way the phase coils are connected. The costs of such contactors and their contact wear tend to negate the advantages of a high durability brushless motor. Supplemental flux weakening coils have also been used to reduce stator flux and increase speed. This latter approach typically requires contactors and increases heating effects in the stator. Other methods can achieve higher speed operation by varying the waveform shape and pulse angle of the applied driving current or voltage.
Other known methods include the use of DC/DC amplifier circuitry to boost the supply voltage in order to achieve a higher motor speed. This method increases system costs and decreases reliability and efficiency. Such electrical approaches to increasing a motor""s base speed are exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,677,605 to Cambier et al., 5,739,664 to Deng et al. and 4,546,293 to Peterson et al.
Mechanical approaches to increasing a motor""s base speed include configurations that vary the radial air gap between a tapered or conical rotor and stator. U.S. Pat. Nos. 829,975 and 1,194,645 to Lincoln disclose a conical rotor and shaft that is moved axially by a worm gear to adjust air gap and speed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,648,090 to Voin and 4,920,295 to Holden et al. each disclose a conical rotor in an alternator that is adjusted axially to vary air gap and the alternator output. U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,419 to Miller discloses a conical rotor that is moved axially to increase air gap and reduce magnetic drag on a flywheel energy storage system when the motor is not energized. In all of these patents, the rotor and stator remain engaged and changes in the magnetic air gap is achieved by small axial movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,976 to McEntire discloses motor stator coils of an AC induction motor that are moved axially between shorted and non-shorted portions of a dual rotor to vary speed. McEntire requires complex multiple lead screws or ball screws to effect stator movement and a double length rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,710 to Masuzawa et al. discloses a magnet rotor that is split into two sections. For normal slow speed operation, the magnetic north and south poles of both rotor sections are aligned. As motor speed increases, centrifugal weights rotate one rotor section so the magnetic poles have increasing misalignment with speed. The magnetic pole misalignment causes a reduction in magnetic flux and back-emf, which allows the motor to run faster than normal base speed. This system is self contained, but requires a split rotor and the centrifugal apparatus to move the one rotor segment into misalignment. The strong repulsive forces of like magnet poles produce thrust to push the rotor segments apart. When the poles are misaligned, the attractive forces of unlike magnetic poles add to the centrifugal positioning force and override the springs used to restore the alignment position. These factors add to the complicated design and effect durability, and cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,802 to Rao discloses a pancake type motor that uses a fixed axial air gap. In this type of motor the axial gap is functionally equivalent to the radial gap in an internal cylindrical rotor motor design with a radial air gap. The individual magnet sectors in the rotor are mounted on spring loaded radial tracks. When the rotor rpm increases, centrifugal force causes the magnet sectors to extend radially, reducing the active area of magnet aligned with the stator coil and reducing the back-emf. This causes the motor to run faster than the base speed. Rao is similar to Masuzawa et al. and Holden et al. mentioned above in the centrifugal method of activation. The design of Rao requires extensive machining of the radial magnet tracks which increases costs and adds to the complexity. In addition, maintaining a sufficient level of balance of this magnet rotor is complicated by several factors. Even after the rotor is balanced with the magnets at their inboard position, as speed increases the position of the individual magnets is affected by difference in mass of the magnets, spring constants/rates, and sliding friction of the magnets along the tracks. Small variations in the resultant in the individual magnet positions would have a disastrous effect on the balance at high rotor speeds. These factors would necessarily adversely effect the ability to reduce back-emf of the motor and operate above the base speed.
According to various features, characteristics and embodiments of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds, the present invention provides a brushless permanent electrical motor which includes:
a stator having a plurality of stator magnetic poles and windings for generating a rotating field in the stator magnetic poles, said stator having a central axis and a substantially uniform inner diameter;
a rotor provided with a plurality of permanent magnets at a peripheral surface thereof and having a central axis which coincides with the central axis of the stator, the rotor further having a substantially uniform outer diameter;
a rotatable shaft upon which the rotor is coupled, the rotatable having a central axis which coincides with the central axis of the stator; and
means for moving the rotor with respect to the stator along the rotatable shaft.
The present invention further provides a method of operating a brushless permanent magnet electric motor beyond its normal base speed which involves:
providing a brushless permanent magnet electric motor having a stator, a rotor, and a rotatable shaft upon which the rotor is coupled; and
moving the rotor with respect to the stator along the rotatable shaft.

Brushless permanent magnet motor with variable axial rotor/stator alignment to increase speed capability


An apparatus includes a deployable supplemental inflatable restraint, which, after a deployment, vents supplemental inflatable restraint internal contenst to a vehicle passenger compartment, a signal line for sensing deployment of the supplemental inflatable restraint, a command generator for developing a command responsive to the sensed deployment, and an atmosphere control system for providing a flow of fresh air into the vehicle passenger compartment responsive to the developed command.

In typing supplemental inflatable restraint systems, the supplemental inflatable restraint inflate an airbag upon sensing a sudden deceleration of the vehicle and then quickly deflates. In some typical systems, the contents of the inflated supplemental inflatable restraint are released into the vehicle passenger compartment upon deflation of the supplemental inflatable restraint. Such contents include both particulate and non-particlate matter.

Automatic venting supplemental inflatable restraint system