Author: claimsbot

1. A variable power optical system, comprising:
a first lens group, wherein the first lens group comprises at least a first liquid lens cell;
a second lens group, wherein the second lens group comprises at least a second liquid lens cell; and
a third liquid lens cell configured to control an incident angle of light rays on a sensor,
wherein control of a zoom position is based at least in part on the configuration of the optical power of the first liquid lens cell and the configuration of the optical power of the second liquid lens cell,
wherein a zoom range is greater than about 3\xd7.
2. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein control of the zoom position is based at least in part on the configuration of the optical power of the third liquid lens cell.
3. The variable power optical system of claim 1, further comprising a stop located between the first lens group and the second lens group.
4. The variable power optical system of claim 3, wherein the stop is approximately equidistant between a first surface of the first lens group and a last surface of the second lens group.
5. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first liquid lens cell is about the same as a diameter of the second liquid lens cell.
6. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein a zoom range is greater than about 4\xd7.
7. The variable power optical system of claim 6, wherein a zoom range is greater than about 5\xd7.
8. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein a zoom range is less than or equal to about 5\xd7.
9. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the third liquid lens cell is placed near the sensor and is the last optical component that substantially affects a chief ray angle.
10. The variable power optical system of claim 1 further comprising at least one micro-lens configured to collect and focus light onto a photosensitive area of the sensor.
11. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the third liquid lens cell is configured to control the incident angle of light rays on the sensor to be less than or equal to about 10\xb0 from perpendicular to a surface of the sensor.
12. The variable power optical system of claim 11, wherein the third liquid lens cell is configured to control the incident angle of light rays on the sensor to be less than or equal to about 5\xb0 from perpendicular to the surface of the sensor.

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 constant voltageconstant current (CVCC) control circuit for load regulation for a flyback switch mode power supply (SMPS), the CVCC comprising:
a) a voltage feedback circuit configured to generate an output voltage feedback signal;
b) a current feedback circuit configured to generate an output current feedback signal;
c) a control signal generating circuit configured to receive said output voltage feedback signal and said output current feedback signal, and to generate a CVCC control signal;
d) a first enable signal generating circuit configured to compare a first reference voltage and said CVCC control signal to generate a first enable signal;
e) said control signal generating circuit comprising a current controller configured to calculate a difference between said output current feedback signal and a reference current to generate an error signal, a voltage controller configured to compare said output voltage feedback signal against a second reference voltage to generate a first control signal, and a select controller configured to control whether said flyback SMPS operates in a constant voltage mode or a constant current mode based on said first control signal and said error signal;
f) said select controller comprising an OR-gate configured to receive said first control signal and said first enable signal, a first switch configured to receive said error signal and having a control terminal coupled to said OR-gate, a second switch coupled to said first switch and a discharge circuit and being configured to turn on when said first enable signal and said first control signal are inactive, and a capacitor coupled to ground and a common node of said first and second switches, wherein a voltage across said capacitor is configured as said CVCC control signal; and
g) a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller configured to generate a PWM control signal based on said CVCC control signal to control a main switch of said flyback SMPS, wherein said PWM control signal is configured to turn on said main switch when said first enable signal is inactive, and wherein said main switch remains off when said first enable signal is active.
2. The CVCC control circuit of claim 1, wherein said first enable signal generating circuit comprises a first hysteresis comparator having a non-inverting input terminal configured to receive said first reference voltage, an inverting input terminal configured to receive said CVCC control signal, and an output terminal configured to output said first enable signal.
3. The CVCC control circuit of claim 1, wherein said voltage controller comprises:
a) a first comparator having a non-inverting input terminal configured to receive said second reference voltage, an inverting input terminal configured to receive said output voltage feedback signal, and an output terminal configured to output a middle signal; and
b) a logic controller configured to receive said middle signal, and to generate said first control signal, wherein said PWM control signal is used as a clock signal for said logic controller.
4. The CVCC control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second enable signal generating circuit having:
a) a second comparator configured to receive said output voltage feedback signal and a third reference voltage;
b) a first AND-gate coupled to receive an output of said second comparator and an inverted version of said PWM control signal; and
c) an RS flip-flop, wherein a reset terminal of said RS flip-flop is coupled to an output of said first AND-gate, a set terminal of said RS flip-flop is coupled to said first enable signal, and an output terminal of said RS flip-flop is configured to output a second enable signal,
d) wherein said PWM control signal is configured to turn on said main switch when said second enable signal is active and said first enable signal is inactive, and
e) wherein said main switch remains off when said second enable signal is inactive or said first enable signal is active.
5. The CVCC control circuit of claim 4, further comprising:
a) a second AND-gate configured to receive said first control signal and said second enable signal, and having an output coupled to said control signal generating module; and
b) a recovery circuit configured to pull down said output voltage feedback signal to fast recover an output of said second comparator to a low level when said output of said second comparator is active.
6. A constant voltageconstant current (CVCC) control method for load regulation for a flyback switch mode power supply (SMPS), the method comprising:
a) obtaining an output current feedback signal and an output voltage feedback signal;
b) generating a CVCC control signal based on said output current feedback signal and said output voltage feedback signal;
c) generating a first enable signal based on said CVCC control signal and a first reference voltage;
d) controlling a main switch of said flyback SMPS based on said first enable signal, wherein said main switch is turned off by said first enable signal when said first enable signal is active;
e) generating, in a first operation mode, a pulse-width modulation (PWM) control signal based on said constant current control signal to control said main switch to maintain substantially constant output current;
f) generating, in a second operation mode, said PWM control signal based on said CVCC control signal, wherein said PWM control signal is used to control said main switch when said first enable signal is inactive;
g) generating an error signal by calculating a difference between said output current feedback signal and a reference current;
h) comparing said output voltage feedback signal against a second reference voltage to generate a first control signal; and
i) selecting, by a select controller, one of said first and second operation modes based on said error signal and said first control signal, wherein said select controller comprises an OR-gate configured to receive said first control signal and said first enable signal, a first switch configured to receive said error signal and having a control terminal coupled to said OR-gate, a second switch coupled to said first switch and a discharge circuit and being configured to turn on when said first enable signal and said first control signal are inactive, and a capacitor coupled to ground and a common node of said first and second switches, wherein a voltage across said capacitor is configured as said CVCC control signal.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:
a) obtaining a second enable signal based on said output voltage feedback signal, a third reference voltage, said PWM control signal, and said first enable signal;
b) controlling said main switch based on said PWM control signal when said second enable signal is active and said first enable signal is inactive; and
c) turning off said main switch when said second enable signal is inactive or said first enable signal is active.

1. A composition comprising:
(a) from about 40 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent of at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon; and
(b) from about 0.1 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of CF3I;
(c) from about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 72 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 8 weight percent.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 72 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent; the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent; and the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 8 weight percent.
6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 85 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent.
7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent.
9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 85 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent; the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent; and the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent.
10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises difluoromethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; 1,1,1-trifluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, or combinations thereof.
11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises a blend of 1,1-difluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1-trifluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of difluoromethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane and difluoromethane; a blend of difluoromethane, pentafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; or combinations thereof.
12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is a combination of 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; 1,1,1-trifluoroethane; and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.
13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is a combination of difluoromethane; 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.
14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises methane, ethane, propane, propene, propyne, cyclopropane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, butane, isobutane, 2-methylbutane, pentane, isopentane, 3-methylpentane, hexane, cyclohexane, isohexane, or combinations thereof.
15. The composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises isobutane.
16. The composition of claim 12 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises isobutane.
17. The composition of claim 13 wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises isobutene.
18. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a lubricant.
19. The composition of claim 18 wherein said lubricant comprises a mineral oil, hydrocarbon oil, alkyl oil, alkyl benzene oil, paraffinic oil, or combinations thereof.
20. The composition of claim 18 wherein said lubricant is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 weight percent based on the weight of the composition.
21. The composition of claim 19 wherein said lubricant comprises a mineral oil or alkyl benzene oil.
22. The composition of claim 20 wherein said lubricant comprises a mineral oil or alkyl benzene oil.
23. A method of recharging a refrigeration system comprising the steps of:
providing a refrigeration system from which a chlorine-containing refrigerant has been substantially removed; and introducing the composition of claim 1 into said refrigeration system.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein in the composition, the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 85 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent; the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent; and the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises difluoromethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; 1,1,1-trifluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, or combinations thereof.
26. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises a blend of 1,1-difluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1-trifluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of difluoromethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane and difluoromethane; a blend of difluoromethane, pentafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; or combinations thereof.
27. The method of claim 23 wherein in the composition, the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises methane, ethane, propane, propene, propyne, cyclopropane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, butane, isobutane, 2-methylbutane, pentane, isopentane, 3-methylpentane, hexane, cyclohexane, isohexane, or combinations thereof.
28. A method of recharging a refrigeration system comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a refrigeration system having at least one chlorine-containing refrigerant and at least one lubricant;
(b) substantially removing said chlorine-containing refrigerants while substantially retaining said lubricant; and
(c) introducing the composition of claim 1 into said refrigeration system.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein in the composition, the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon is present in an amount of from about 85 weight percent to about 99.8 weight percent; the CF3I is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent; and the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon is present in an amount of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent.
30. The method of claim 28 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises difluoromethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; 1,1,1-trifluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, or combinations thereof.
31. The method of claim 28 wherein the at least one C1-C5 hydrofluorocarbon comprises a blend of 1,1-difluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1-trifluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of difluoromethane and 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane; a blend of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane and difluoromethane; a blend of difluoromethane, pentafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; or combinations thereof.
32. The method of claim 28 wherein in the composition, the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises wherein the at least one C1-C6 hydrocarbon comprises methane, ethane, propane, propene, propyne, cyclopropane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, butane, isobutane, 2-methylbutane, pentane, isopentane, 3-methylpentane, hexane, cyclohexane, isohexane, or combinations thereof.

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 method for synchronizing control efforts of a plurality of controllers associated with a process, the method comprising:
receiving updated process information regarding the process in association with a time stamp indicating when the updated process information was collected;
determining a maximum delay associated with distributing the updated process information to at least one of the plurality of controllers;
determining, based on the determined maximum delay, an apply time at which the plurality of controllers are to react to the updated process information, and
updating, at each controller of the plurality of controllers, a process model based on the updated process information and the determined apply time.
2. The method of claim I further comprising:
producing a control signal, at each controller of the plurality of controllers, based on the updated process model, beginning after the determined apply time.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving updated process information comprises:
receiving feedback information from a first controller of the plurality.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving updated process information comprises:
receiving feedback information from a sensor that is operative to sense and report information regarding an aspect of the system.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving updated process information comprises:
receiving feedback information from a sensor that is operative to sense at least one of sheet position, sheet speed and sheet trajectory information regarding a sheet being processed by the system.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
transmitting the updated process information and at least one of the determined apply time and the time stamp to the plurality of controllers.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
receiving the updated process information and the determined apply time; and
updating the process model based on the received updated process information and the determined apply time.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining an appropriate apply time comprises:
receiving the updated process information and the time stamp; and
determining the appropriate apply time based on the received time stamp and the determined maximum delay.
9. The method of claim I wherein determining a maximum delay associated with distributing the updated process information comprises:
determining a maximum number of state periods associated with transmitting the updated process information to the plurality of controllers.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the apply time based on the determined maximum delay comprises:
adding the determined maximum delay to a maximum preparation period for the plurality of controllers to prepare to use the updated process information.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the apply time based on the determined maximum delay comprises:
adding the determined maximum delay to a maximum preparation period for the plurality of controllers to prepare to update the process models maintained by each of the controllers of the plurality.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting the plurality of controllers from a superset of controllers based on at least one of the received updated process information, output of the process model and output of a second process model.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
updating a vocess model at a supervisory element.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the process model based on the updated process information and the determined apply time comprises:
using forward propagation to simulate the process forward from the time indicated by the time stamp to the apply time.
15. A system comprising:
a plurality of controllers, each controller of the plurality being operative to control a portion of a task associated with a process;
a distributing element that is operative to receive updated process information regarding the process, select controllers of the plurality to receive the updated process information, distribute the updated process information to the selected controllers in conjunction with at least one of a time stamp indicating when the undated process information was collected and an apply time indicating when the information is to be used.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the distributing element comprises:
a coordinator that is operative to receive the updated process information from at least one of a controller and a sensor, transform the updated process information to a form useful to each of the selected controllers, if necessary, and transmit the updated process information or the transformed information and the at least one of the time stamp and the apply time to the selected controllers.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the distributing element comprises:
a first controller that is operative to receive the updated process information from at least one of an estimator within the first controller and a sensor, transform the information to a form useful to each of the selected controllers, if necessary, and transmit the updated process information or the transformed information and the at least one of the time stamp and the apply time to the selected controllers.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein each of the selected controllers are operative to produce a control signal based on the updated process information beginning after the apply time.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the distributing element is operative to receive updated process information regarding at least one of a sheet position, sheet speed and sheet trajectory information related to a sheet being processed by the system.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein the distributing element is operative to distribute the process information by transmitting the updated process information, or a transformed version thereof, and the at least one of the apply time and the time stamp to the plurality of selected controllers over a system network.
21. The system of claim 15 wherein the selected controllers are operative to receive the updated process information, or a transformed version thereof, and the apply time and update a process model based on the received updated process information and the apply time.
22. The system of claim 15 wherein the selected controllers are operative to receive the updated process information, or transformed version thereof, and the time stamp, determine a maximum delay associated with the distribution of the updated process information or transformed version, determine an appropriate apply time based on the maximum delay and update a process model based on the received updated process information and the determined appropriate apply time.
23. The system of claim 15 wherein the distributing element is operative to select the controllers from the plurality of controllers based on at least one of the received updated process information and output of a process model.
24. The system of claim 15 wherein the selected controllers are operative to update a process model using forward propagation to simulate the process from the time indicated by the time stamp forward to an apply time, based on the updated process information or a transformed version thereof, the time stamp and one of the distributed apply time or an apply time determined individually by each of the selected controllers.
25. A method for synchronizing control efforts of a plurality of module controllers in a document processing system, the method comprising:
receiving updated sheet processing information in association with a time stamp indicating when the updated sheet processing information was collected;
determining a maximum delay associated with distributing the updated sheet processing information to at least one of the plurality of module controllers;
determining, based on the determined maximum delay, an apply time at which the plurality of module controllers are to react to the updated sheet processing information, and
updating, at each controller of the plurality of module controllers, a sheet process model based on the updated sheet processing information and the determined apply time.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein receiving updated sheet processing information comprises:
receiving at least one of sheet position, sheet velocity and sheet trajectory information from at least one of a first controller of the plurality and a sensor.
27. A document processing system comprising:
a first xerographic marking engine;
a plurality of transport module controllers, each transport module controller of the plurality being operative to control a portion of a sheet transportation task related to transporting a sheet to or from the first xerographic marking engine;
a distributing element that is operative to receive updated process information, select transport module controllers of the plurality to receive the updated process information based on the received updated process information, and distribute the updated process information to the selected transport module controllers in conjunction with at least one of a time stamp indicating when the information was collected and an apply time indicating when the information is to be used.
28. The system of claim 27 further comprising:
at least a second marking engine, wherein the sheet transportation task is further related to transporting the sheet to or from the at least a second marking engine.