Author: claimsbot

1. A liquid ejection head drive device that drives a liquid ejection head that ejects recording liquid droplets from a plurality of nozzles disposed in correspondence to a plurality of drive elements as a result of drive signal voltages being applied to the plurality of drive elements by a plurality of drive signal voltage generating units that are disposed in correspondence to the plurality of drive elements and generate drive signal voltages on the basis of printing data, the liquid ejection head drive device comprising:
a transfer unit that transfers printing data of a predetermined number of units of transfer data and outputs to the plurality of drive signal voltage generating units the printing data corresponding therewith; and
an output unit that acquires printing data from a plurality of predetermined positions that are on a transfer path of the transfer unit and are apart by the predetermined number of units of data and outputs the result of a comparison where the plurality of acquired printing data are compared.
2. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the result of the comparison where the plurality of acquired printing data are compared each time printing data of the predetermined number of units of data being transferred between the predetermined positions are transferred.
3. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of predetermined positions comprise three or more predetermined positions disposed at equidistant intervals on the transfer path, and the output unit outputs the result of the comparison where the acquired plural printing data are compared each time printing data of the predetermined number of data units being transferred between adjacent predetermined positions are transferred.
4. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 1, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of parity data calculation units that calculate parity data of the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions; and
a comparison unit that compares the plurality of parity data calculated by the plurality of calculation units.
5. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 2, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of parity data calculation units that calculate parity data of the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions; and
a comparison unit that compares the plurality of parity data calculated by the plurality of calculation units.
6. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 3, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of parity data calculation units that calculate parity data of the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions; and
a comparison unit that compares the plurality of parity data calculated by the plurality of calculation units.
7. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 1, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of counter units that count the number of bits that are \u201c0\u201d or \u201c1\u201d in the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions; and
a comparison unit that compares a plurality of count values counted by the plurality of counter units.
8. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 2, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of counter units that count the number of bits that are \u201c0\u201d or \u201c1\u201d in the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions; and
a comparison unit that compares a plurality of count values counted by the plurality of counter units.
9. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 3, wherein the output unit comprises:
a plurality of counter units that count the number of bits that are \u201c0\u201d or \u201c1\u201d in the printing data acquired from the plurality of predetermined positions and
a comparison unit that compares a plurality of count values counted by the plurality of counter units.
10. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 1, wherein the transfer unit is configured to transfer the printing data in both directions.
11. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 1, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
12. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 2, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
13. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 3, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
14. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 4, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
15. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 7, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
16. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 10, wherein when the acquired plurality of printing data do not match, the output unit outputs at least one of: a clearing instruction signal, instructing processing that clears all of the printing data in the transfer unit; an error signal, representing the fact that an error has occurred; or a power stop signal, instructing stopping of the supply of power to the drive device.
17. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 11, wherein the output unit outputs the at least one of the signals when the number of instances where the acquired plurality of printing data do not match continues a predetermined number of times.
18. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 11, wherein a plurality of drive units that each include one of the transfer unit and one of the output unit are disposed inside the liquid ejection head, and the liquid ejection head drive device further comprises a signal output unit that calculates and outputs the logical sum of the signals outputted from the plurality of output units.
19. The liquid ejection head drive device of claim 17, wherein a plurality of drive units that each include one of the transfer unit and one of the output unit are disposed inside the liquid ejection head, and the liquid ejection head drive device further comprises a signal output unit that calculates and outputs the logical sum of the signals outputted from the plurality of output units.
20. A liquid ejection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of drive signal voltage generating units that are disposed in correspondence to a plurality of drive elements and generate drive signal voltages on the basis of printing data;
a liquid ejection head that ejects recording liquid droplets from a plurality of nozzles disposed in correspondence to the plurality of drive elements as a result of the drive signal voltages being applied to the plurality of drive elements by the plurality of drive signal voltage generating units; and
a drive device that drives the liquid ejection head, and comprises
a transfer unit that transfers printing data of a predetermined number of units of transfer data and outputs to the plurality of drive signal voltage generating units the printing data corresponding therewith, and
an output unit that acquires printing data from a plurality of predetermined positions that are on a transfer path of the transfer unit and are apart by the predetermined number of units of data and outputs the result of a comparison where the plurality of acquired printing data are compared.

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. One or more computer readable media storing a software framework for an extensible software debugging application, said framework comprising:
a plurality of field objects, each field object representing an instance of a data type usable with a target software; and
at least one transport object providing a type of communication channel for communicating a value of one or more of the plurality of field objects with the target software.
2. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein a first field object of the plurality of field objects is usable for providing input to the target software, and a second field object of the plurality of field objects is usable for receiving output from the target software.
3. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein a first field object comprises a test data value store for storing values to use during testing of the target software, a formatter for formatting each test data value as expected by the target software, and a field value storing a formatted current test data value.
4. The computer readable media of claim 1, said framework further comprising a configuration file defining the at least one transport object and the plurality of field objects, and further defining test values for each field object, and further defining at least one test to perform against the target software, wherein the test comprises a sequence of events, wherein each event sends or receives a field object over a transport object.
5. The computer readable media of claim 4, wherein the configuration file defines one or more libraries in which the plurality of field objects and the at least one transport object are stored.
6. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein a first field object exposes at least one application programming interface (API) to allow a user to define one or more test data values of the data type corresponding to the first field object.
7. The computer readable media of claim 6, wherein the first field object comprises a randomizer object to create semi-random test values of the data type corresponding to the first field object, said semi-random test values based on one or more user-specified criteria via one or more APIs.
8. The computer readable media of claim 7, wherein the first field object exposes a first API to allow a user to add to a test value store of the first field object a specific test data value of the data type corresponding to the first field object, resulting in the specific test data value as well as at least one random test data value based on the specific test data value being added to the test value store.
9. The computer readable media of claim 7, wherein the first field object exposes a first API to allow a user to add to a test value store of the first field object a range of test data values of the data type corresponding to the first field object, resulting in at least boundary values at an upper end of the range, boundary values at a lower end of the range, a random value inside the range, a random value above the range, and a random value below the range being added to the test value store.
10. The computer readable media of claim 6, wherein the first field object exposes a first API to allow a user to add to a test value store of the first field object a specific test data value defined by a mathematical expression based on at least one other field object.
11. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the mathematical expression is based on a current value of the at least one other field object.
12. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the mathematical expression is based on a property value of the at least one other field object.
13. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein said framework comprises a TCP client transport object, a TCP server transport object, and a named pipe client transport object.
14. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein said framework comprises a signed integer field object, an unsigned integer field object, and a string field object.
15. The computer readable media of claim 1, wherein said framework comprises a sequence field object (SFO), said SFO representing a sequence of data fields.
16. A method for testing user input and output of a target software program, said method comprising steps of:
(a) defining two field object classes, each field object representing a data type usable with a target software; and
(b) defining a transport object providing a type of communication channel for communicating a value of one or more of the plurality of field objects with the target software.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
(c) creating a first instance based on one of the two field object classes;
(d) creating a second instance based on one of the two field object classes;
(e) populating a field value in the first instance;
(f) performing a test on the target software using the first and second instances.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (f) comprises:
(i) communicating to the target software via the transport object the field value of the first instance;
(ii) storing an output value, received from the target software over the transport object, as a field value of the second instance.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
(g) creating a third instance based on one of the two field object classes,
wherein step (f) further comprises (iii) calculating a field value of the third instance based on the second instance.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first field object class comprises a sequence field object, and wherein step (e) comprises populating a plurality of field values in the first instance.

1. A sensor device comprising:
a substrate;
a flexure member, wherein a first end of the flexure member is attached to the substrate, and wherein a second end of the flexure member includes an edge surface;
a counter surface formed on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface is configured to remain substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member;
a potential source configured to apply an electrical potential difference between the edge surface and the counter surface; and
a signal processing device configured to detect a quantum tunnelling current between the edge surface and the counter surface.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein a flexure direction of the flexure member is substantially perpendicular to the substrate.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein a flexure direction of the flexure member is substantially parallel to the substrate.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member is formed across a recess formed in the substrate, and wherein the counter surface is formed as part of a wall structure of the recess.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the recess comprises an exposed longitudinal edge along at least one side of the substrate.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein one side of the flexure member is aligned with the exposed longitudinal edge of the recess.
7. The device of claim 4, wherein the recess is laterally enclosed along all sides of the recess.
8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tip formed on a surface of the flexure member.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member and the counter surface are built up on a surface of the substrate, and wherein a frame portion of the substrate extends around at least one longitudinal side of the flexure member.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the counter surface extends below, above, or both below and above a quiescent level of the flexure member along a flexure direction of the flexure member.
11. A method comprising:
applying an electrical potential difference to a sensor device, wherein the sensor device includes a flexure member, wherein a first end of the flexure member is attached to a substrate and a second end of the flexure member comprises an edge surface, wherein the sensor device further includes a counter surface formed on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein each of the edge surface and the counter surface comprise one or more conductor layers, and wherein the electrical potential difference is applied between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface;
flexing the flexure member such that a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface remains substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member; and
detecting a tunnelling current for sensing a physical quantity, wherein movement of the flexure member or vibratory properties of the flexure member are coupled to the physical quantity.
12. A method comprising:
forming a flexure member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to a substrate and the second end includes an edge surface;
forming a counter surface on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein each of the edge surface and the counter surface include one or more conductor layers, and wherein a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface is configured to remain substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member; and
forming a potential source that is configured to apply an electrical potential difference between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductors of the counter surface for detecting a quantum tunnelling current between the edge surface and the counter surface.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein the edge surface comprises one or more conductor layers disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface extend through to respective edge portions of the substrate.
15. The device of claim 13, further comprising one or more insulating layers between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the counter surface comprises one or more conductor layers disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface extend through to respective edge portions of the substrate.
18. The device of claim 16, further comprising one or more insulating layers between the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface.
19. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a cantilever in an atomic force microscope.
20. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises an acceleration sensor or a high frequency vibration sensor.
21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a bimetallic strip formed on the flexure member.
22. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member is reactive to or absorbent of a molecular species such that a mass of the flexure member changes in the presence of the molecular species.
23. The device of claim 22, wherein the change in the mass of the flexure member results in a variation of a position of the edge surface or in vibratory properties of the flexure member.
24. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductors of the counter surface are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
25. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.

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. An ion implanter comprising:
an ion source configured to provide an ion beam;
a terminal structure defining a cavity, said ion source at least partially disposed within said cavity; and
an insulated conductor disposed proximate an exterior portion of said terminal structure to modify an electric field about said terminal structure, said insulated conductor having an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kilovolts (kV)inch disposed about a conductor.
2. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said conductor is configured to be energized to a first voltage and said terminal structure is configured to be energized to said first voltage.
3. The ion implanter of claim 2, wherein said first voltage is at least 400 kV.
4. The ion implanter of claim 1, further comprising a bracket coupled to said terminal structure and said insulated conductor, said bracket configured to support said insulated conductor proximate said exterior portion.
5. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket has a length to enable said insulated conductor to be positioned a distance from said exterior portion.
6. The ion implanter of claim 5, wherein said distance is at least 1.5 inches.
7. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket comprises a conductive material, and said bracket is coupled to said conductor of said insulated conductor.
8. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket comprises a nonconductive material.
9. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said exterior portion of said terminal structure comprises a periphery of a top edge of said terminal structure and a periphery of a bottom edge of said terminal structure, and wherein said insulated conductor comprises a top insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said top edge and a bottom insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said bottom edge.
10. The ion implanter of claim 9, wherein said exterior portion further comprises a periphery of said terminal structure between said top edge and said bottom edge, and wherein said insulated conductor further comprises an intermediate insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said terminal structure between said top edge and said bottom edge.
11. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said insulator comprises a solid insulator.
12. The ion implanter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of grading conductors disposed within said insulator, each of said plurality of grading conductors radially disposed a different distance from said conductor away from said exterior portion of said terminal structure, each of said plurality of grading conductors having an arcuate shape.
13. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has a differing arcuate length.
14. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has a same arcuate length.
15. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has an arcuate length, and wherein radial lines from said conductor to a center of said arcuate length of each of said grading conductors are at different angles from each other.
16. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors are electrically floating.
17. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein said plurality of grading conductors comprises a first grading conductor radially disposed a first distance from said conductor, a second grading conductor radially disposed a second distance from said conductor, and a third grading conductor radially disposed a third distance from said conductor, wherein said first distance is less than said second distance, and said second distance is less than said third distance, wherein said first grading conductor is configured to receive a first grading voltage, said second grading conductor is configured to receive a second grading voltage, and said third grading conductor configured to receive a third grading voltage, wherein said first grading voltage is greater than said second grading voltage, and said second grading voltage is greater than said third grading voltage.
18. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said exterior portion comprises an edge of said terminal structure, and wherein said insulated conductor comprises at least a first, a second, and a third insulated conductor disposed about said edge.
19. The ion implanter of claim 18, wherein said first, second, and third insulated conductors are positioned in linear array extending outward from said edge of said terminal structure.
20. The ion implanter of claim 18, wherein said edge has an arcuate shape and said first, second, and third insulated conductors are positioned in an arc consistent with said arcuate shape of said edge.
21. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said insulator comprises a first tubular member defining an interior portion, said conductor disposed within said interior portion.
22. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said first tubular member comprises chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a polyimide.
23. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said insulator further comprises a filler insulator disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member.
24. The ion implanter of claim 23, wherein said filler insulator comprises pressurized air.
25. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said insulator further comprises a second tubular member, wherein said second tubular member is disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member.
26. The ion implanter of claim 25, wherein said insulator further comprises a third tubular member, wherein said third tubular member is disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member, and said second tubular member is further disposed within an interior portion defined by said third tubular member.
27. An apparatus comprising:
a conductive structure; and
an insulated conductor disposed proximate an exterior portion of said conductive structure to modify an electric field about said conductive structure, said insulated conductor having an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kilovolts (kV)inch disposed about a conductor.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a bracket coupled to said conductive structure and said insulated conductor, said bracket configured to support said insulated conductor proximate said exterior portion.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said bracket has a length to enable said insulated conductor to be disposed a distance from said exterior portion, said distance being at least 1.5 inches.
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said bracket comprises a conductive material, and said bracket is coupled to said conductor of said insulated conductor, wherein said conductor and said terminal structure are configured to be energized to a first voltage, said first voltage being at least 400 kV.
31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said insulator comprised a solid tubular member defining an interior portion, said conductor disposed within said interior portion, and said insulator further comprises a filler insulator disposed within said interior portion about said conductor.
32. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of grading conductors disposed within said insulator, each of said plurality of grading conductors radially disposed a different distance from said conductor away from said exterior portion of said conductive structure, each of said plurality of grading conductors having an arcuate shape.