Author: claimsbot

1. A mowing device, comprising:
at least one rotor for rotation about a first rotation axis;
at least one blade holder;
at least one blade driven in rotation by the rotor;
wherein the blade is attached to the blade holder, and the blade holder is attached to the rotor by a breakable connection and a bolt or hinge, the bolt or hinge defining a second rotation axis situated at a radial distance from the first rotation axis, the blade holder being rotatable about the second rotation axis when released by the breakable connection to rotate the blade holder from a normal operating position to a retracted position, and wherein the breakable connection comprises a breaking pin connecting the blade holder to the rotor to prevent rotation of the blade holder about the second rotation axis to maintain the blade holder in the normal operating position during normal operation, and permit rotation of the blade holder about the second rotation axis to allow the blade holder to assume the retracted position when the breaking pin has been broken.
2. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the blade holder is rotatable between the normal operating position, in which the orbit path of the blade holder has a greatest first diameter, and the retracted impact position, in which the orbit path has a greatest second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter.
3. The mowing device according to claim 2, provided with means for forcing the blade holder to the retracted impact position.
4. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the breaking pin forms a shearing connection, and wherein the blade holder is arranged to transmit a force to the shearing connection if the blade or blade holder hits a hard foreign object, so that the shearing connection shears if the force exceeds a certain value.
5. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation axis, viewed in a perpendicular projection on a plane at right angles to the first rotation axis, is situated outside the blade.
6. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein, in the normal operating position, the second rotation axis of the blade holder, viewed in the direction of rotation of the rotor, is situated in front of the frontmost radial plane through the first rotation axis and the blade attached to the blade holder.
7. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the second rotation axis and the first rotation axis is smaller than the distance between the radial inner end of the blade and the first rotation axis.
8. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the assembly of blade holder and blade, viewed in the normal operating position, consists of a first portion which is situated, viewed in the direction of rotation of the rotor, in front of the radial plane with respect to a radial plane through the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, and a second portion, adjoining the first portion and situated behind said radial plane to which the blade is attached, and wherein the first portion has a mass which is greater than the mass of the second portion.
9. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor is provided with several separate blade holders which are each provided with a blade and which are arranged at regular distances from one another in the direction of rotation.
10. The mowing device according to claim 9, wherein, viewed in a perpendicular projection on a plane at right angles to the first rotation axis, the blade holders determine an interrupted plane.
11. The mowing device according to claim 4, wherein the shearing connection is designed to release several blade holders upon said impact so that they can rotate.
12. The mowing device according to claim 11, wherein the shearing connection is arranged in between the blade holders.
13. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor is provided with one or more stops for limiting the rotation of the blade holder about the second rotation axis.
14. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the blade is attached to the blade holder so as to be rotatable about a third rotation axis which is substantially parallel to the first rotation axis and is situated at a distance from the second rotation axis.
15. The mowing device according to claim 14, wherein the second rotation axis, viewed in the direction of rotation of the rotor, is situated in front of a radial plane through the first rotation axis and the third rotation axis.
16. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the blade holder comprises a first portion which rotates about the second axis to assume a non-retracted position when the blade holder rotates about the second rotation axis to assume the retracted position, wherein the first portion has a mass sufficient to maintain the blade holder in the retracted position when the rotor is rotated about the first rotation axis.
17. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor and blade holder are arranged to rotate the blade about the first rotation axis in a blade rotation plane in the normal operating position, and wherein the blade holder comprises inclined surfaces which engage with the rotor when the blade holder rotates about the second rotation axis to bring the blade outside the blade rotation plane when the blade holder rotates about the second rotation axis.
18. The mowing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor and blade holder are arranged to rotate the blade about the first rotation axis in a blade rotation plane in the normal operating position, and wherein the second rotation axis is not parallel to the first rotation axis of rotation, so that the blade is brought outside the blade rotation plane when the blade holder rotates about the second rotation axis.
19. A method for mowing using a mowing device, the method comprising:
providing at least one rotor for rotation about a first rotation axis;
providing at least one blade holder attached to the rotor by a breakable connection and a bolt or hinge, the breakable connection having a breaking pin and the blade holder being rotatable about a second rotation axis defined by the bolt or hinge, the second rotation axis situated at a radial distance from the first rotation axis;
providing at least one blade attached to the blade holder;
rotating the assembly of the rotor, the blade holder, and the blade about the first rotation axis;
preventing rotation of the blade holder about the second rotation axis to maintain the blade holder in a normal operating position during normal operation; and
upon impact of the blade against a hard foreign object, transmitting an impact force to the breaking pin to break the breaking pin and permit rotation of the blade holder about the second rotation axis to allow the blade holder to assume a retracted position.
20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of maintaining the blade holder in the retracted position after the impact.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A light source module for a light fixture, comprising:
a light source base
a light source connected to the light source base,
cooling means for cooling the light source and the light source base,
a dichroic reflector,
at least one heat sink which surrounds the dichroic reflector and is formed of a number of dishes with air gaps between the dishes that are directed essentially perpendicular to a center axis of the light source module and with an air gap between the heat sink and the dichroic reflector,
wherein the cooling means comprises a blower system for generating at least one forced air stream, the blower system being located at a distance from the light source, reflector and at least one heat sink and being connected thereto through at least one tube which ends in ducts that direct the at least one forced airstream in a direction towards at least the light source.
2. A light source module according to claim 1 wherein the ducts that also direct at least one forced airstream towards the light source base.
3. A light source module according to claim 1, wherein the ducts that direct at least one forced airstream towards the light source direct the airstream toward a top electrical connection of the light source.
4. A light source module according to claim 3, wherein at least two oppositely directed forced airstreams are directed toward the light source base, and wherein at least two oppositely directed forced airstreams are directed toward the light source electric top connection.
5. A light source module according to claim 2, wherein the light source base is placed in a cavity into which open at least two oppositely directed ducts for forced air, and wherein said cavity has an outlet connected towards the interior of the reflector and towards the air gap between the dichroic reflector and the heat sink.
6. A light source module according to claim 5, further comprising at least one heat filter in a light path from the light source, which heat filter reflects infrared light towards the heat sink.
7. A light source module according to claim 5, wherein the air gaps between the dishes forming the heat sink form a light trap for collecting infrared radiation.
8. A light source module according to claim 5, wherein the ducts have an essentially conical shape for increasing the velocity of the airstream leaving the ducts.
9. Method for generating at least one air stream for cooling a light source, comprising the steps of:
generating an air stream in a radial blower having a rotating fan that generates a mostly tangential airstream,
directing the tangential airstream through an outlet opening of the radial blower in a manner by which air streaming in a direction towards a wall of an outlet tube connected to the outlet opening is avoided, the outlet tube having an inlet opening of about the same open area as the open area of the outlet opening of the radial blower,
directing the airstream from an outlet end of the outlet tube into a duct leading to a light source.
10. Method for cooling a light source module with airstreams, the light source module comprising a light source base, a light source connected to the light source base, cooling means for cooling the light source and the light source base, a dichroic reflector, at least one heat sink which surrounds the dichroic reflector and is formed of a number of dishes with air gaps between the dishes that are directed essentially perpendicular to a center axis of the light source module and with an air gap between the heat sink and the dichroic reflector, comprising the steps of:
generating inlet forced air stream by a blower of the cooling means at a distance from the light source, reflector and at least one heat sink,
directing said inlet forced airstream through at least one tube which ends in ducts that directed air therefrom in a direction towards at least the light source.
11. Method for cooling a light source module by an air stream according to claim 10, wherein oppositely directed airstreams are directed toward an electrical connection of the light source so as to generate a turbulent air flow around the electric connection of the light source in said directing step.
12. Method for cooling a light source module by an air stream according to claim 10, wherein at least two blowing means generate airstreams, wherein the speed of the at least two blowing means are adjusted independently, and wherein the at least two blowing means are adjusted to operate at different speed at least during some time periods.

1. An apparatus for controlling an operating mode of an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) embedded in a programmable device, comprising:
a configuration circuit configured to receive a configuration signal from configuration memory of the programmable device and a host signal from a host bus of the programmable device, and further configured to output a control length check disable signal the value of which depends on the value of at least one of the configuration signal and the host signal, wherein the configuration circuit comprises:
a register configured to provide the control length check disable signal;
a first multiplexer configured to select one of the host signal or the control length check disable signal as a first output signal in response to an enable signal of the Ethernet MAC; and
a second multiplexer configured to select one of the configuration signal or the first output signal as an input to the register in response to a reset signal of the Ethernet MAC; and
a parameter check circuit configured to receive a control signal derived from at least one of the control length check disable signal and the configuration signal, and further configured to selectively disable checking a length of each control frame in frames received by the Ethernet MAC based on a value of the control signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the enable signal is a first value if the host signal includes valid data and a second value if the host signal does not include valid data; and
the first multiplexer selects the host signal if the enable signal is the first value and selects the control length check disable signal if the enable signal is the second value.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the reset signal is either asserted or not asserted; and
the second multiplexer selects the configuration signal if the reset signal is asserted and selects the first output signal if the reset signal is not asserted.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reset signal is a logical combination of a asynchronous reset signal coupled to the Ethernet MAC from the programmable device and a software reset signal derived from the host bus of the programmable device.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:
the host check signal is a first value if the Ethernet MAC is coupled to a host controller on the host bus and a second value if the Ethernet MAC is not coupled to a host controller on the host bus; and
the multiplexer selects the control length check disable signal if the host check signal is the first value and selects the configuration signal if the host check signal is the second value.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a multiplexer configured to select one of the configuration signal or the control length check disable signal as the control signal received by the parameter check circuit in response to a host check signal of the Ethernet MAC.
7. A method of controlling an operating mode of an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) embedded in a programmable device, comprising:
receiving a configuration signal from configuration memory of the programmable device and a host signal from a host bus of the programmable device;
generating a control length check disable signal the value of which depends on the value of at least one of the configuration signal and the host signal, wherein the generating a control length check disable signal comprises:
storing a value for the control length check disable signal in a register;
selecting one of the host signal or the control length check disable signal as a first output signal in response to an enable signal of the Ethernet MAC; and
selecting one of the configuration signal or the first output signal as an input to the register in response to a reset signal of the Ethernet MAC;
deriving a control signal from at least one of the control length check disable signal and the configuration signal; and
selectively disabling checking a length of each control frame in frames received by the Ethernet MAC based on a value of the control signal.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein:
the enable signal is a first value if the host signal includes valid data and a second value if the host signal does not include valid data; and
the host signal is selected if the enable signal is the first value and the control length check disable signal is selected if the enable signal is the second value.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein:
the reset signal is either asserted or not asserted; and
the configuration signal is selected if the reset signal is asserted and the first output signal is selected if the reset signal is not asserted.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reset signal is a logical combination of a asynchronous reset signal coupled to the Ethernet MAC from the programmable device and a software reset signal derived from the host bus of the programmable device.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the deriving comprises:
selecting one of the configuration signal or the control length check disable signal as the control signal in response to a host check signal of the Ethernet MAC.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein:
the host check signal is a first value if the Ethernet MAC is coupled to a host controller on the host bus and a second value if the Ethernet MAC is not coupled to a host controller on the host bus; and
the control length check disable signal is selected if the host check signal is the first value and the configuration signal is selected if the host check signal is the second value.
13. A programmable device, comprising:
an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) having a receive client interface for providing frames as output;
a receive client circuit, coupled to the receive client interface, for processing the frames;
a configuration memory having a storage location storing a value of a configuration signal coupled to the Ethernet media access controller;
a host controller coupled to a host bus that provides a host signal to the Ethernet media access controller;
a configuration circuit configured to receive the configuration signal and the host signal, and further configured to output a control length check disable signal the value of which depends on the value of at least one of the configuration signal or the host signal, wherein the configuration circuit comprises:
a register configured to provide the control length check disable signal;
a first multiplexer configured to select one of the host signal or the control length check disable signal as a first output signal in response to an enable signal of the Ethernet MAC; and
a second multiplexer configured to select one of the configuration signal or the first output signal as an input to the register in response to a reset signal of the Ethernet MAC; and
a parameter check circuit configured to receive a control signal derived from at least one of the control length check disable signal or the configuration signal and to provide a frame length error signal to the receive client circuit, and
further configured to selectively disable checking a length of each control frame in the frames received by the Ethernet MAC based on a value of the control signal.
14. The programmable device of claim 13, wherein:
the enable signal is a first value if the host signal includes valid data and a second value if the host signal does not include valid data; and
the first multiplexer selects the host signal if the enable signal is the first value and selects the control length check disable signal if the enable signal is the second value.
15. The programmable device of claim 13, wherein:
the reset signal is either asserted or not asserted; and
the second multiplexer selects the configuration signal if the reset signal is asserted and selects the first output signal if the reset signal is not asserted.
16. The programmable device of claim 13, further comprising:
a multiplexer configured to select one of the configuration signal or the control length check disable signal as the control signal received by the parameter check circuit in response to a host check signal of the Ethernet MAC.
17. The programmable device of claim 16, wherein:
the host check signal is a first value if the Ethernet MAC is coupled to the host controller on the host bus and a second value if the Ethernet MAC is not coupled to the host controller on the host bus; and
the multiplexer selects the control length check disable signal if the host check signal is the first value and selects the configuration signal if the host check signal is the second value.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An image generation system which generates or edits an image using a plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a division unit dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
a providing unit providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
a distribution unit distributing a plurality of divided images obtained by said division unit to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices;
a display unit displaying the divided image and the reference image in the image generation device; and
an integration unit integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
2. An image distribution device for use in an image generation system which generates or edits an image using a plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a division unit dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
a providing unit providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
a distribution unit distributing a plurality of divided images obtained by said division unit to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices; and
an integration unit integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
3. An image generation device in a plurality of image generation devices for use in an image generation system which generates or edits an image using the plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a display unit receiving from an image distribution device a divided image obtained by dividing a target image and a reference image corresponding to the target image and displaying the divided image and the reference image; and
a transmission unit generating an image corresponding to the divided image at an instruction of a user, and transmitting the image to the image distribution device.
4. A method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
distributing a plurality of divided images to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices;
displaying the divided image and the reference image in the image generation device; and
integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
5. A propagation signal transmitting a program, which is executed by a computer, for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
distributing a plurality of divided images to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices; and
integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
6. A storage medium storing a program for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
distributing a plurality of divided images to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices; and
integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
7. An image generation system which generates or edits an image using a plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a division unit having at least a function of dividing a target image into a plurality of areas and a function of dividing the target image into layers when the target image is formed by a plurality of layers;
a distribution unit distributing images divided by said division unit to corresponding image generation devices;
a generation unit generating or editing a divided image corresponding to the received divided image in each image generation device;
an integration unit integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein
said distribution unit distributes only a divided image requiring generation of a corresponding divided image to the image generation device.
9. The system according to claim 7, wherein
said distribution unit distributes together with the divided image to a corresponding image generation device a first identifier identifying the target image, and at least one of a second identifier identifying an area divided by said division unit and a third identifier identifying each layer.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein:
each image generation device assigns the first identifier and at least one of the second and third identifiers to a generated or edited divided image; and
said integration unit integrates divided images based on identifiers assigned to divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
11. The system according to claim 7, wherein:
said distribution unit distributes time series information defining moving picture to be generated together with the divided image to a corresponding image generation device; and
said image generation device generates a plurality of divided images corresponding to the received divided images according to the time series information.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein
said integration unit integrates the plurality of divided images generated by the plurality of image generation devices into a plurality of images.
13. The system according to claim 7, wherein:
said distribution unit distributes image movement information defining movement of an image element drawn in a distributed image together with the divided image to a corresponding image generation device; and
said image generation device generates a plurality of divided images corresponding to divided images received according to the image movement information.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein
said image movement information contains as a condition of defining movement of the image element at least one of information defining required time, information defining a time interval of each frame of moving picture, information defining enlargement or reduction of the image element, and information defining rotation of the image element.
15. The system according to claim 7, wherein:
said image generation device outputs a divided image being generated; and
said integration unit integrates divided images being generated from respective image generation devices; and
said distribution unit transmits an image integrated by said integration unit to each image generation device.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein
said image generation device outputs a divided image being generated at an instruction from a source of the divided image or at each predetermined time interval.
17. The system according to claim 7, wherein:
said image generation device outputs a divided image in a difference data format; and
said integration unit regenerates a divided image by adding a newly received divided image to a previously received divided image, and integrates regenerated divided images.
18. The system according to claim 7, further comprising
an alarm unit raising an alarm when a position of an image element contained in a target divided image are not consistent with a position of the same image element contained in an adjacent divided images.
19. The system according to claim 7, wherein
said division unit divides a target image based on an arrangement of an image element in the target image or a characteristic of the target image.
20. The system according to claim 7, wherein
said division unit divides the target image such that a sum of lengths of division lines for dividing the target image is smallest.
21. The system according to claim 7, wherein
said division unit divides the target image depending on a number of image generation devices.
22. An image distribution device for use in an image generation system which generates or edits an image using a plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a division unit having at least one of a function of dividing a target image into a plurality of areas and a function of dividing the target image into layers when the target image is formed by a plurality of layers;
a distribution unit distributing images divided by said division unit to corresponding image generation devices;
an integration unit integrating divided images generated by the plurality of image generation devices.
23. An image generation device in a plurality of image generation devices for use in an image generation system which generates or edits an image using the plurality of image generation devices, comprising:
a generation unit receiving a divided image obtained by dividing a target image from an image distribution device, and generating a corresponding divided image; and
a transmission unit transmitting a divided image being generated at an instruction from said distribution unit or at each predetermined time interval.
24. The device according to claim 23, further comprising
a display unit displaying an image obtained by integrating divided images being generated by the image distribution device.
25. A propagation signal transmitting a program, which is executed by a computer, for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
providing at least a function for dividing a target image into a plurality of areas and a function for dividing the target image into layers when the target image is formed by a plurality of layers;
distributing the divided images divided by said function to corresponding image generation device; and
integrating divided images generated by the plurality of image generation device.
26. A propagation signal transmitting a program, which is executed by a computer, for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
receiving a divided image obtained by dividing a target image from an image distribution device, and generating a corresponding divided image; and
transmitting a divided image being generated at an instruction from said image distribution device or at each predetermined time interval.
27. A storage medium storing a program for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
providing at least a function for dividing a target image into a plurality of areas and a function for dividing the target image into layers when the target image is formed by a plurality of layers;
distributing the divided images divided by said function to corresponding image generation device; and
integrating divided images generated by the plurality of image generation device.
28. A storage medium storing a program for providing a method of generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said method comprising:
receiving a divided image obtained by dividing a target image from an image distribution device, and generating a corresponding divided image; and
transmitting a divided image being generated at an instruction from said image distribution device or at each predetermined time interval.
29. A computer program product for generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said computer program product comprising:
a program code for dividing a target image into a plurality of divided images;
a program code for providing a reference image corresponding to the target image to be displayed on the plurality of image generation devices;
a program code for distributing a plurality of divided images to corresponding image generation devices, and distributing the reference image to the image generation devices; and
a program code for integrating divided images generated or edited by the plurality of image generation devices.
30. A computer program product for generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said computer program product comprising:
a program code for providing at least a function for dividing a target image into a plurality of areas and a function for dividing the target image into layers when the target image is formed by a plurality of layers;
a program code for distributing the divided images divided by said function to corresponding image generation device; and
a program code for integrating divided images generated by the plurality of image generation device.
31. A computer program product for generating an image by generating or editing an image using a plurality of image generation devices, said computer program product comprising:
a program code for receiving a divided image obtained by dividing a target image from an image distribution device, and generating a corresponding divided image; and
a program code for transmitting a divided image being generated at an instruction from said image distribution device or at each predetermined time interval.