Author: claimsbot

1. A method of controlling a stepping motor comprising the step of:
magnetising at least one of a number of teeth within the stepping motor to move a rotor of the stepping motor into a position such that it contacts or maintains contact with a mechanical stop, wherein a first tooth is generally aligned with the mechanical stop and at least one of the teeth is magnetised such that a rotational force acts to urge the rotor in only a direction towards the mechanical stop, thereby resetting the position of the rotor; and
providing n teeth in the stepping motor, wherein n is an even number and the n teeth are arranged in two sets such that a first tooth of a first set is offset by an angle from a first tooth of a second set.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical stop is at a known position.
3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a start-up step in which a number of the teeth are magnetised to provide the rotor of the motor with momentum.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein when magnetised teeth of the first set have alternating polarities, and teeth of the second set have alternating polarities.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the stepping motor is controlled in half-step mode and the method further comprises a start-up step in which a number of the windings are excited to provide the rotor of the motor with momentum.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the start-up step comprises the following steps carried out in sequential order:
magnetising the first tooth of the first set of teeth, the first tooth being generally aligned with the mechanical stop, to form the first pole and magnetising a second tooth of the first set of teeth to form the second pole;
magnetising a first tooth of the second set of teeth, positioned to one side of the first tooth of the first set of teeth, to form a third pole of the same polarity of as the first pole and magnetising a second tooth of the second set of teeth, positioned between the first and second teeth of the first set of teeth and on the opposing side of the first tooth of the first set of teeth to that of the first tooth of the second set of teeth, to form the fourth pole;
ceasing to magnetise the first and second teeth of the first set of teeth;
magnetising the first tooth of the first set of teeth to form the first pole with a polarity opposite to that of the third pole and magnetising the second tooth of the first set of teeth to form the second pole;
ceasing to magnetise the first and second teeth of the second set of teeth; and
magnetising the first tooth of the second set to form the third pole with polarity opposite to that of the second pole and magnetising the second tooth of the second set to form the fourth pole.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the start-up step further comprises the following sequential steps:
ceasing to magnetise the first and second teeth of the first set of teeth; and
magnetising the first tooth of the first set of teeth to form the first pole with polarity opposite to that of the third pole and magnetising the second tooth of the first set of teeth to form the second pole.
8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the resetting step comprises the following sequential steps:
magnetising the first tooth of the first set of teeth to form the first pole and magnetising a second tooth of the first set of teeth to form a second pole;
magnetising the first tooth of the second set of teeth, positioned to one side of the first tooth of the first set of teeth, to form the third pole with a polarity opposite to that of the second pole and magnetising a second tooth of the second set of teeth, positioned between the first and second teeth of the first set of teeth and on the opposing side of the first tooth of the first set of teeth to that of the first tooth of the second set of teeth, to form the fourth pole; and
ceasing to magnetise the first and second teeth of the first set of teeth.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the first sequential step is repeated a number of times.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the first sequential step is repeated twice.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the stepping motor is controlled in full step mode.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the stepping motor is controlled in micro-step mode.
13. A method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the motor is controlled in half step mode.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein there are two or more poles on a rotor of the stepping motor.
15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the stator are magnetised by using current carrying coils or windings in the motor.
16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the stepping motor is attached to one or more gears.
17. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a first tooth of a first set of teeth is magnetised all of a first sub-set of the first set of teeth are magnetized in a corresponding manner to the first tooth of the first set of teeth, if a second tooth of a first set of teeth is magnetised all of a second sub-set of the first set of teeth are magnetised in a corresponding manner to the second tooth of the first set of teeth, if a first tooth of a second set of teeth is magnetised all of a first sub-set of the second set of teeth are magnetised in a corresponding manner to the first tooth of the second set of teeth, and if a second tooth of a second set of teeth is magnetised all of a second sub-set of the second set of teeth are magnetised in a corresponding manner to the second tooth of the second set of teeth.

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 device at a cleat for a sailing boat for detachably locking a line of a sail or a rigging, where the line runs over a sheave on an elevated level and the cleat for locking the line is situated at a distance from a deck of the boat, comprising the sheave having a ratchet back stop on the external sheave surface and a movably actuatable mechanism external to the sheave that includes at least one pivotably mounted main arm and that is arranged to activate the ratchet back stop when the line run over the sheave is under fixed load, the line directly engages the movably actuatable mechanism and thereby the movably actuatable mechanism contacts the ratchet back stop and prevents the sheave from rotating backward toward the sail or the rigging.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the main arm is divided and formed of two arm parts that co-operate with each other.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein an outer spring force-actuated arm part is turnably mounted with an inward turned end portion around a shaft around which an inner arm part is turnably mounted, the outer arm part being arranged to enable, upon overcoming a force of the spring, the inner arm part to form ratchet back stop with the inward turned end portion thereof.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the main arm is spring force-actuated in a downward hoisting direction of the line.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the main arm is divided and formed of two arm parts that co-operate with each other.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein an outer spring force-actuated arm part is turnably mounted with an inward turned end portion around a shaft around which an inner arm pant is turnably mounted, the outer arm part being arranged to enable, upon overcoming a force of the spring, the inner arm part to form ratchet back stop with the inward turned end portion thereof.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein an outer end of the main arm has an abutment part that has a form of a concave plate or reel.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sheave has a number of cogs, recesses, or radially projecting portions distributed along the circumference of the sheave, and the main arm has a ratchet back stop part in a form configured to cooperate with the cogs, recesses, or radially projecting portions.
9. The device of claim 8, wherein the ratchet back stop is arranged to cooperate with the sheave substantially tangentially in relation to a hoisting direction of the sheave.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sheave has a wedge-shaped inner line receipt part, and is arranged to be able, in an unactuated state, to rotate freely in two directions, and to be prevented, upon actuation by the ratchet back stop, from rotating in a back direction, thereby acting as a ratchet sheave.

1. A synchronous operating system for a plurality of DC-AC converters, oscillator capacitors of the plurality of DC-AC converters being commonly connected, AC power from the plurality of DC-AC converters being supplied to a plurality of loads, each of the plurality of DC-AC converters comprising:
a resonant circuit including a capacitor connected to at least one of primary and secondary windings of a transformer, an output thereof being connected to the load;
a plurality of switching elements of network configuration to supply AC power to the load through the resonant circuit;
a first oscillator configured to generate a first triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging the oscillator capacitor and inclination for discharging the oscillator capacitor are the same;
a second oscillator configured to generate a second triangular wave signal that is an inverted signal of the first triangular wave signal;
an error amplifier configured to amplify a voltage related to a current passing through the load with respect to a reference voltage;
a signal generator of an initialize signal configured to alternately allow a first drive signal and a second drive signal during every half period of the first triangular wave signal, wherein the first drive signal is generated for driving at least one of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load, and
the second drive signal is generated for driving at least one of the rest of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load in an opposite manner to that of the first drive signal; and wherein:
in a period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate, the first triangular wave signal and an output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the first drive signal with a pulse width related to the current of the load; and
in a period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate, the second triangular wave signal and the output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and an opposite phase with respect to the first drive signal.
2. A DC-AC converter comprising:
a resonant circuit including a capacitor connected to at least one of primary and secondary windings of a transformer, an output thereof being connected to a load;
a plurality of switching elements of network configuration to supply AC power to the load through the resonant circuit;
an first oscillator configured to generate a first triangular wave signal whose inclinations for charging and that for discharging are the same;
a second oscillator generating a second triangular wave signal that is an inverted signal of the first triangular wave signal;
an error amplifier configured to amplify a voltage related to a current passing through the load with respect to a reference voltage;
a signal generator of an initialize signal configured to alternately allow a first drive signal and a second drive signal during every half period of the first triangular wave signal, wherein the first drive signal is generated for driving at least one of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load, and the second drive signal is generated for driving at least one of the rest of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load in an opposite manner to that of the first drive signal, and wherein in a period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate, the first triangular wave signal and an output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the first drive signal with a pulse width related to the current of the load; and
in a period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate, the second triangular wave signal and the output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and an opposite phase with respect to the first drive signal.
3. A DC-AC converter according to claim 2, wherein the period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate is one of a rise inclination period and a fall inclination period of the first triangular wave signal and the period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate is another of the rise inclination period and the fall inclination period of the first triangular wave signal.
4. A DC-AC converter according to claim 2, wherein the period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate is one of that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or above a midpoint potential between upper and lower limit thereof and that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or below the midpoint potential and the period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate is another of that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or above the midpoint potential between upper and lower limit thereof and that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or below the midpoint potential.
5. An integration circuit for controlling a plurality of switching elements of network configuration to supply power to a load, comprising:
a first oscillator configured to generate a first triangular wave signal whose inclinations for charging and that for discharging are the same;
a second oscillator configured to generate a second triangular wave signal that is an inverted signal of the first triangular wave signal;
an error amplifier configured to amplify a voltage related to a current passing through the load with respect to a reference voltage;
a signal generator of an initialize signal configured to alternately allow a first drive signal and a second drive signal during every half period of the first triangular wave signal, the first drive signal being generated for driving at least one of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load, and the second drive signal being generated for driving the rest of the plurality of the switching elements to supply current to the load in an inverted manner, wherein
in a period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate, the first triangular wave signal and an output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the first drive signal having a pulse width related with the current of the load; and
in a period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate, the second triangular wave signal and the output of the error amplifier are compared to generate the second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and an opposite phase with respect to the first drive signal.
6. An integration circuit according to claim 5, wherein the period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate is one of a rise inclination period and a fall inclination period of the first triangular wave signal and the period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate is another of the rise inclination period and the fall inclination period of the first triangular wave signal.
7. An integration circuit according to claim 5, wherein the period while the first drive signal is allowed to generate is one of that where potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or above a midpoint potential between upper and lower limit thereof and that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or below the midpoint potential and the period while the second drive signal is allowed to generate is another of that where potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or above the midpoint potential between upper and lower limit thereof and that while potential of the first triangular wave signal is at or below the midpoint potential.
8. An integration circuit according to claim 5, wherein
the first and second drive signals each has a predetermined maximum ON duty being smaller than a duty of 50%.
9. An integration circuit according to claim 5, wherein
an operation of stopping each switching element starts when an ON duty of the first and second drive signals reaches a predetermined maximum ON duty being smaller than a duty of 50%.

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. Apparatus for applying anti-copy-protection to a raster-scanned video signal to produce a modified video signal, the apparatus comprising:
an input for receiving a video signal, the video signal having a vertical synchronisation pulse defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal;
circuitry configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the video signal received by the input to produce a modified video signal, the modified signal being viewable on a display device at or near to the quality intended by the originator of the video signal but such that after recording by a recording device, the recorded signal exhibits a reduction in vertical stability when played back and viewed on the display device, wherein the circuitry is further configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse such that after recording by the recording device, the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards a blanking level in comparison to the average level before recording; and
an output configured to output the modified video signal.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse such that a time duration of the vertical synchronisation pulse remains substantially unaltered.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises a waveform generator for adding a waveform to the vertical synchronisation pulse in the video signal received by the input such.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the wave form generator is operable to add to the vertical synchronisation pulse a waveform that has a peak level above a blanking level of the video signal.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the waveform generator is operable to add a square wave to the vertical synchronisation pulse.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to add a front porch to the video signal adjacent to the synchronisation pulse.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the front porch has a voltage level substantially equal to that of the vertical synchronisation pulse.
8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the circuitry is configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse of the video signal such that after recording by a recording device that amplifies and clamps the video signal, the recorded signal exhibits a reduction in vertical stability when played back and viewed on the display device.
9. Apparatus for applying anti-copy-protection to a raster-scanned video signal to produce a modified video signal, the apparatus comprising:
an input for receiving a video signal which is to be modified, the video signal having a vertical synchronisation pulse defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal;
circuitry configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the video signal received by the input to produce a modified video signal, the circuitry adding a waveform to the vertical synchronisation pulse with an amplitude at least equal to that of the vertical synchronisation pulse, wherein the circuitry is further configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse such that after recording by a recording device, the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards a blanking level in comparison to the average level before recording, and
an output configured to output the modified video signal.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the waveform has a frequency of at least 5000 KHz.
11. A method for adding anti-copy-protection to a raster-scanned video signal to produce a modified signal, comprising:
receiving a video signal which is to be modified, the video signal having a vertical synchronisation pulse defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal;
modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse of the video signal such that the modified video signal is viewable on a display device at or near to the quality intended by the originator of the video signal, but such that after recording by a recording device, the recorded signal exhibits a reduction in vertical stability when played back and viewed on the display device, wherein modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse further includes modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse such that the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards the blanking level in a comparison to the average level before recording; and
outputting the modified signal.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse further includes modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse such that a time duration of the vertical synchronisation pulse remains substantially unaltered.
13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising adding a front porch to the video signal adjacent to the synchronisation pulse.
14. A method for applying anti-copy-protection to a raster-scanned video signal to produce a modified video signal, the method comprising:
receiving a video signal which is to be modified, the video signal having a vertical synchronisation pulse defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal;
modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse of the video signal received by the input to produce a modified video signal, the modifying means adding a waveform to the vertical synchronisation pulse with a frequency of at least 500 KHz and with an amplitude at least equal to that of the vertical synchronisation pulse, wherein modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse further includes modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse such that the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards the blanking level in a comparison to the average level before recording, and
outputting the modified video signal.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse of the video signal includes modifying the vertical synchronisation pulse such that a time duration of the vertical synchronisation pulse remains substantially unaltered.
16. A method comprising: outputting from an electronic device a raster-scanned video signal having a modified vertical synchronisation pulse defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the video signal such that the video signal can be viewed on a display device at or near the quality intended by the originator of the video signal, but such that after recording by a recording device, the recorded signal exhibits a reduction in vertical stability when played back and viewed on the display device, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal prior to recording, and wherein the modified vertical synchronisation pulse is such that, after recording by the recording device, the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards the blanking level in comparison to the average level before recording.
17. An apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to output a raster scanned video signal having a vertical synchronisation pulse modified to include a waveform with an amplitude at least equal to that of the vertical synchronisation pulse such that a time duration of the modified vertical synchronisation pulse is substantially the same as a time duration of the vertical synchronisation pulse before modification, wherein the vertical synchronization pulse is defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge in the video signal, and wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are consecutive edges in the video signal before modification, wherein the circuitry is further configured to modify the vertical synchronisation pulse such that after recording by a recording device, the average voltage level of a modified vertical synchronisation pulse is shifted towards a blanking level in comparison to the average level before recording.