Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for regulating data flow to a network comprising:
a mechanical lock assembly that is activated by turning a key; and
an electronic circuit that senses a position of the key in the lock assembly to enable a flow of data information to a target network.
2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the data information is intercepted and decoded by the electronic circuit to identify requests for data available on the network, and the data information including a request for data is transmitted to a target network when the key is in an enabling position of the lock assembly.
3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the data information includes network data packets transmitted to a wide area network from which information is accessed.
4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.
5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit has access to a database of data flow rules for determining which data information is allowed to flow to the network.
6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit decodes the data information to determine a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating a target address on the network from which information is to be accessed, the electronic circuit enabling further transmission of the data information to the target address based on data flow rules and a position of the key in the lock assembly.
7. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit decodes the data information to determine an IP (Internet Protocol) target address indicating to which network address a data packet is directed, the electronic circuit enabling further transmission of the data information to the target address based on data flow rules and a position of the key in the lock assembly.
8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the data information is generated by a user at a computer on a first network and the data information is transmitted to a target address on a second network.
9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the target address on the second network is a server.
10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the data information includes a request for web page information.
11. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit enables a flow of data information to a target network based upon a provided password.
12. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the password is provided by a user attempting to access information from a target address.
13. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the password is provided by a person activating the lock assembly by turning the key.
14. A device for regulating data information transmitted through a communication link, the device comprising:
a sensing unit that detects a position of a switch coupled to a lock assembly, the switch being activated by turning a key to a position in the lock assembly;
a memory device for storing data flow rules of the communication link; and
a communication controller that intercepts the data information transmitted through the communication link and, based on the data flow rules as selected by a position of the switch and a provided password, regulates a further flow of the data information through the communication link.
15. A device as in claim 14, wherein the data information is transmitted through the communication link as data packets and the communication controller regulates a flow of the data packets to target destinations based on a content of the data packets.
16. A device as in claim 14, wherein the data information is decoded to determine whether the corresponding intercepted data information shall be transmitted to a target destination through the communication link.
17. A device as in claim 14, wherein the communication controller regulates a flow of data information based on which of multiple possible sources generates the data information, allowing certain sources to transmit data information to a target address through the communication link.
18. A device as in claim 14, wherein the data flow rules include information indicating circumstances in which intercepted data information shall be blocked from further transmission through the communication link to a target destination.
19. A device as in claim 14, wherein the communication controller decodes the data information to determine a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating a target address from which information is to be accessed, the communication controller enabling further transmission of the data information to the target address based on the data flow rules as selected by a position of the key in the lock assembly and the provided password.
20. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the communication controller decodes the data information to determine an IP (Internet Protocol) destination address indicating to which of multiple possible network addresses the data information is directed, the communication controller enabling further transmission of the data information to the destination address based on the data flow rules as selected by a position of the key in the lock assembly and provided password.
21. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the communication link supports data information flows of multiple session types and the data flow rules indicate which session types shall be supported by the communication link, the communication controller further transmitting intercepted data information associated with allowed session types based on a position of the key in the lock assembly in conjunction with the provided password.
22. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the restriction criteria indicates at what time of day information can be accessed from a target address.
23. A device as in claim 22, wherein the restriction criteria includes information indicating from which addresses intercepted data information shall be blocked from further transmission through the communication link to a target destination.
24. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the data information is generated by a user at a computer on a first network and the data information is transmitted through the communication link to a target address on a second network.
25. An apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the target address on the second network is a server.
26. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the data information includes a request for web page information.
27. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the data information is an e-mail message.
28. An apparatus as in claim 27, wherein the e-mail message is transmitted to a target address depending on the author of the message and to which address the e-mail message is directed.
29. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the password is provided by a user attempting to transmit corresponding data information through the communication link.
30. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the password is provided by a person activating the switch by turning a key in the lock assembly.
31. A method of limiting access to a network, the method comprising:
sensing a position of a switch coupled to a lock assembly activated by turning a key; and
enabling a flow of data information to the network through a communication link based on a position of the switch.
32. A method as in claim 31, wherein the step of enabling a flow of data information includes:
intercepting the data information;
decoding the data information to identify requests for information available on the network; and
based on a position of the switch, transmitting the data information including requests to a corresponding target address or blocking the data information from a target address.
33. A method as in claim 31, wherein the data information includes network data packets transmitted to a wide area network from which information is accessed.
34. A method as in claim 31, wherein the network is the Internet.
35. A method as in claim 31 further comprising the step of:
accessing a database of data flow rules for determining which data information is allowed to flow to the network.
36. A method as in claim 35 further comprising the steps of:
decoding the data information to determine a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating a target address on the network from which information is to be accessed; and
enabling further transmission of the data information to the target address based on data flow rules and a position of the key in the lock assembly.
37. A method as in claim 35 further comprising the steps of:
decoding the data information to determine an IP (Internet Protocol) target address indicating to which network address a data packet is directed; and
enabling further transmission of the data information to the target address based on data flow rules as selected by a position of the key in the lock assembly.
38. A method as in claim 31, wherein the data information is generated by a user at a computer on a first network and the data information is transmitted to a target address on a second network.
39. A method as in claim 38, wherein the target address on the second network is a server.
40. A method as in claim 31, wherein the data information includes a request for web page information.
41. A method as in claim 31, further comprising the step of:
enabling a flow of data information to a target network based upon a provided password.
42. A method as in claim 41, wherein the password is provided by a user attempting to transmit corresponding data information.
43. A method as in claim 41, wherein the password is provided by a person activating the lock assembly by turning the key.
44. A method for regulating data information transmitted through a communication link, the method comprising:
intercepting data transmitted through the communication link;
determining a position of a key in a lock assembly;
accessing data flow rules stored in a memory device; and
transmitting the intercepted data information to a target address based on data flow rules in the memory device as selected by a position of the key in the lock assembly and a provided password.
45. A method as in claim 44, wherein the data information includes network data packets transmitted to a wide area network from which information is accessed.
46. A method as in claim 44, wherein the network is the Internet.
47. A method as in claim 44 further comprising the steps of:
decoding the data information to determine a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating a target address on the network from which information is to be accessed.
48. A method as in claim 44 further comprising the steps of:
decoding the data information to determine an IP (Internet Protocol) target address indicating to which network address a data packet is directed.
49. A method as in claim 44, wherein the data information is generated by a user at a computer on a first network and the data information is transmitted to a target address on a second network.
50. A method as in claim 49, wherein the target address on the second network is a server.
51. A method as in claim 44, wherein the data information includes a request for web page information.
52. A method as in claim 44 further comprising the step of:
enabling a flow of data information to a target network based upon a provided password.
53. A method as in claim 52, wherein the password is provided by a user attempting to transmit corresponding data information.
54. A method as in claim 52, wherein the password is provided by a person activating the lock assembly by turning the key.
55. A method of limiting access to a network, the method comprising:
means for sensing a position of a switch coupled to a lock assembly activated by turning a key; and
means for enabling a flow of data information to the network through a communication link based on a position of the switch.

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 of constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of an object, wherein said object comprises a first object attached to a second object, comprising the steps of:
scanning said object;
creating a scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object from a point cloud obtained from said scanning step with the aid of a computer, said scanned virtual three-dimensional model having a first portion thereof corresponding to scanning of said first object, wherein said first object is of a known structure, said known structure of predetermined three-dimensional configuration, wherein said first portion is a less than an ideal three-dimensional representation of said known structure;
retrieving a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model from a memory, said three-dimensional digital model corresponding to said known structure;
registering said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to a portion of said point cloud corresponding to said first portion to form a three-dimensional surface;

wherein said registering step comprises calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said portion of said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model and excluding those points from said three dimensional surface whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value; and
forming said virtual three-dimensional model of said object from said scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object, said virtual three-dimensional model including said three-dimensional surface.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model comprises a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model of an orthodontic appliance.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of storing a library of pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances and selecting one of said pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances for said step of registration.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of scanning is performed with a hand-held scanner using a projection pattern and an image pick-up to acquire three-dimensional information as to said object.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second object comprises an anatomical structure.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said anatomical structure comprises teeth and wherein said known structure comprises an orthodontic appliance.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said orthodontic appliance comprises an orthodontic bracket.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of deleting said first portion and replacing said first portion with said three-dimensional surface resulting from said registration step.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of deleting said first portion and forming a second virtual three-dimensional model of said object by replacing said first portion with a second three-dimensional surface representing said object without said known structure.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said object comprises at least one tooth and a bracket, and wherein said known structure comprises said bracket.
11. A workstation adapted to form a virtual three-dimensional model of an object, wherein said object comprises a first object attached to a second object, comprising:
a central processing unit;
a memory storing a scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object in the form of a point cloud obtained from scanning said object, said scanned virtual three-dimensional model having a first portion thereof corresponding to scanning of said first object, wherein said first object is of a known structure; said known structure of predetermined three-dimensional configuration, wherein said first portion is a less than an ideal three-dimensional representation of said known structure;
said memory further storing a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model corresponding to said known structure; and
software executable by said central processing unit for registering said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to a portion of said point cloud corresponding to said first portion to form a three-dimensional surface; wherein said software for registering comprises software for calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said portion of said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model and excluding those points from said three dimensional surface whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value; and for forming the virtual three-dimensional model of said object from said scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object, said virtual three-dimensional model of said object including said three-dimensional surface.
12. The workstation of claim 11, wherein said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model comprises a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model of an orthodontic appliance.
13. The workstation of claim 12 wherein said memory further comprises a library of pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances and selecting one of said pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances for registering said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to said first portion.
14. The workstation of claim 11, further comprising a hand-held scanner using a projection pattern and an image pick-up to acquire three-dimensional information as to said object.
15. The workstation of claim 11, wherein said second object comprises an anatomical structure.
16. The workstation of claim 15, wherein said anatomical structure comprises teeth and wherein said known structure comprises an orthodontic appliance.
17. The workstation of claim 16 wherein said orthodontic appliance comprises a tooth bracket.
18. The workstation of claim 11, wherein said software executable by said central processing unit includes instructions for deleting said first portion and and instructions for replacing said first portion with said three-dimensional surface resulting from said registration step.
19. The workstation of claim 11, wherein said software executable by said central processing unit includes instructions for deleting said first portion, and instructions for replacing said first portion with a second three-dimensional surface representing said object without said known structure, thereby forming a second three-dimensional virtual model of said object.
20. The workstation of claim 11, wherein said object comprises at least one tooth and a bracket, and wherein said known structure comprises said bracket.
21. An apparatus for constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of an object, wherein said object comprises a first object attached to a second object, comprising:
means for scanning said object;
means for creating a scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object in the form of a point cloud from said scanning step with the aid of a computer, said scanned virtual three-dimensional model having a first portion thereof corresponding to scanning of said first object, wherein said first object is of a known structure, said known structure of predetermined three-dimensional configuration, wherein said first portion is a less than an ideal three-dimensional representation of said known structure;
means for retrieving a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model from a memory, said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model corresponding to said known structure;
means for registering said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to a portion of said point cloud corresponding to said first portion to form a three-dimensional surface; wherein said means for registering comprise means for calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said portion of said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model and excluding those points from said three dimensional surface whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value; and
means for forming said virtual three-dimensional model of said object from said scanned virtual three-dimensional model of said object, said virtual three-dimensional model including said three-dimensional surface.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model comprises a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model of an orthodontic appliance.
23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a library of stored pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances, wherein one of said pre-existing three-dimensional digital models of orthodontic appliances is selected for registering said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to said first portion to form a three-dimensional surface.
24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a hand-held scanner using a projection pattern and an image pick-up to acquire three-dimensional information as to said object.
25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second object comprises an anatomical structure.
26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said anatomical structure comprises teeth and wherein said known structure comprises an orthodontic appliance.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said orthodontic appliance comprises an orthodontic bracket.
28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for deleting said first portion and means for replacing said first portion with said three-dimensional surface resulting from said registration step.
29. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for deleting said first portion, means for replacing said first portion with a second three-dimensional surface representing said object without said known structure, thereby forming a second three-dimensional virtual model of said object.
30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said object comprises at least one tooth and a bracket, and wherein said known structure comprises said bracket.
31. A method of constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of an object having a predefined geometry from a scanner, a data processing system, and at least one machine-readable memory accessible to the data processing system, comprising the steps of:
(a) scanning the object with the scanner and responsively obtaining a three-dimensional surface of said object in the from a point cloud; wherein said three-dimensional surface of said object is a less than an ideal three-dimensional representation of said object;
(b) obtaining a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model of said object from said memory; and
(c) registering said three-dimensional surface in the from said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to thereby produce the virtual three-dimensional model of said object; wherein said registering step comprises calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model and excluding those points from said three dimensional surface whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value.
32. A method of constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of an object having a predefined geometry from a scanner, a data processing system, and at least one machine-readable memory accessible to the data processing system, comprising the steps of:
(a) scanning the object with the scanner and thereby obtaining a first and a second two-dimensional images of the object, wherein during scanning the scanner and object are moved relative to each other;
(b) processing the first and second images with the data processing system so as to convert the two-dimensional images into a data set representing a point cloud comprising individual points, each point comprising a location in a three-dimensional coordinate system;
(c) obtaining a pre-existing three-dimensional digital model of the object; and
(d) further processing the data set representing the point cloud with the data processing system so as to register the point cloud relative to the pre-existing three-dimensional digital model to thereby produce the virtual three-dimensional model of the object; wherein said registering step comprises calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said point cloud to said pre-existing three-dimensional digital model and excluding those points from said virtual three-dimensional model of the object whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein a spatial transformation relationship is derived for the point cloud and stored in the memory, the spatial transformation relationship indicating how the points in the point cloud should be translated and rotated in a three-dimensional coordinate system to register the point cloud relative to the pre-existing three-dimensional digital model.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein in step (d) an operator manipulates the virtual three-dimensional model of said object.
35. The method of claim 32, wherein step (d) is initiated by placing a virtual marker on a representation of the object.
36. The method of claim 32 wherein said object comprises an orthodontic appliance, and wherein said two-dimensional images of said object are obtained during a monitoring scan initiated after the orthodontic treatment using the orthodontic appliance has commenced.
37. The method of claim 32 wherein the pre-existing three-dimensional digital model is retrieved from a digital library comprising a plurality of pre-existing three-dimensional digital models.
38. The method of claim 32, wherein the scanner comprises a hand-held scanning device and the object is scanned by moving said hand-held scanning device over said object.
39. The method of claim 32, wherein the object comprises a dental appliance.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the dental appliance comprises a bracket.
41. The method of claim 32, wherein the data processing system is incorporated into a workstation for said scanner.
42. A method of determining a location of a virtual three-dimensional model of an object of known geometry, comprising the steps of:
a) scanning said known object and generating a set of images;
b) converting said set of images into a point cloud;
c) retrieving said virtual three-dimensional model of said object from memory; and
d) registering said point cloud to said virtual three-dimensional model of said object to thereby verify in three-dimensional space the position of said virtual three-dimensional model of said object; wherein said registering step comprises calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said point cloud to said virtual three-dimensional model of said object and excluding those points from said virtual three-dimensional model of said object whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value.
43. A method of registering a first digital model of a dental appliance to a three-dimensional representation of said dental appliance as a result of scanning, comprising the steps of: p1 a) scanning said dental appliance and generating a first set of images;
b) converting said first set of images into a three-dimensional representation of said dental appliance in the form of a point cloud;
c) retrieving said first digital model of said dental appliance from a digital library;
d) fitting said three-dimensional representation in the form of said point cloud to said first digital model to thereby register said first digital model to said three-dimensional representation and generate a revised three dimensional representation of the dental appliance; wherein said registering step comprises calculating minimum distance vectors from every point in said point cloud to said first digital model of said object and excluding those points from said three-dimensional representation whose minimum distance vectors exceed a predefined value.
44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the steps of
scanning a second known object and generating a second set of images;
converting said second set of images into a second point cloud;
deleting said registered first digital model from said revised three dimensional representation;
retrieving a second digital model of said second known object from a digital library;
performing a best fit analysis of said second point cloud to said second digital model to thereby register said second digital model to said second point cloud and generate a second revised three dimensional representation.
45. The method of claim 44 wherein said second digital model is a virtual digital tooth model.

1. A phase control circuit, comprising:
an examination unit to compare levels of a sine wave that has a predetermined first period and a switching signal that increases and decreases repeatedly according to a predetermined second period; and
a phase control signal generation unit to generate a phase control signal that has a non-zero value in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and also including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero.
2. A power control apparatus to control roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit and the heating roller to fix a toner image, the apparatus comprising:
a power supply unit to output source power input from an external source to the heating resistor as the roller power while gradually increasing a maximum level of the source power in response to a first or second warm-up indication signal and the phase control signal and to output the source power having a predetermined maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power in response to a third warm-up indication signal;
a temperature measuring unit to measure a surface temperature of the heating roller in response to the third warm-up indication signal and to output the measured surface temperature;
a toner fixing unit to fix a toner image of provided print data onto a print medium using the heating roller in response to a fixing indication signal;
a first examination unit to compare the increased maximum level input from the power supply unit to the maximum supply level and to generate the second or third warm-up indication signal based on a result of the comparison performed by the first examination unit; and
a second examination unit to compare the measured surface temperature to a predetermined fixing target temperature and to generate the third warm-up indication signal or the fixing indication signal based on a result of the comparison performed by the first examination unit,
wherein the first warm-up indication signal is generated immediately after the printing apparatus turns on, or immediately after the printing apparatus is switched into a print mode from a stand-by mode; and
wherein at least one of the examination unit and the phase control signal generation unit is operated in response to the first or second warm-up indication signal.
3. The power control apparatus of claim 2, wherein a unit to instruct heating related operations including operations of the power supply unit and a unit to instruct non-heating related operations including operations of the toner fixing unit are separately arranged in the printing apparatus.
4. The power control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the maximum supply level is a largest maximum level of the roller power that can be supplied to the heating resistor.
5. The power control apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the power supply unit outputs the source power that has a temperature maintaining level less than the maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power in response to the fixing indication signal: and
the surface temperature of the heating roller supplied with the roller power having the temperature maintaining level as a maximum level has a similarity equal to or higher than a predetermined similarity to the fixing target temperature.
6. The power control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the fixing indication signal is generated based on a result of the comparison of the second examination unit or while the toner fixing unit is operated.
7. The power control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heating resistor has a characteristic whereby resistance of the heating resistor is in proportion to a temperature of the heating resistor while the temperature of the heating resistor is equal to or below a critical temperature.
8. A method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit and the heating roller to fix a toner image, the method comprising:
supplying source power supplied from an external source to the heating resistor as the roller power while gradually increasing a maximum level of the source power up to a predetermined maximum supply level;
measuring a surface temperature of the heating roller and supplying the source power having the maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor until the measured surface temperature reaches a predetermined fixing target temperature; and
fixing a toner image of provided print data onto a print medium using the heating roller, wherein the supplying of the source power begins immediately after the printing apparatus turns on, or immediately after the printing apparatus is switched to a print mode from a stand-by mode.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein a unit to instruct heating related operations including the supplying of the source power and the measuring of the surface temperature, and a unit to instruct non-heating related operations including the fixing of the toner image are separately provided in the printing apparatus.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fixing of the toner image comprises:
supplying the source power having a temperature maintaining level less than the maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power; and
fixing the toner image of the print data onto the print medium using the heating roller supplied with the roller power having the temperature maintaining level as a maximal level, wherein the surface temperature of the heating roller supplied with the roller power having the temperature maintaining level as a maximal level has a similarity equal to or higher than a predetermined similarity to the fixing target temperature.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fixing of the toner image comprises:
selecting one or more heating resistors from among a plurality of heating resistors;
supplying the source power having the temperature maintaining level as a maximum level to each of the selected heating resistors as the roller power; and
fixing the toner image onto the print medium, and wherein no roller power is supplied to heating resistors which are not selected in.
12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
determining whether print data is provided while a predetermined stand-by mode determination time elapses after the fixing of the toner image is performed, and if it is determined that no print data is provided while the predetermined stand-by mode determination time elapses after the fixing of the toner image is performed, switching the printing apparatus to the stand-by mode; and
(determining whether the print data is provided after the printing apparatus is switched to the stand-by mode in the determination of whether the print data is provided, and switching the printing apparatus to the print mode and proceeding to the supplying of the source power, if the print data is determined to be provided after the printing apparatus is switched to the stand-by mode in the determination of whether the print data is provided.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the maximum supply level is the largest maximum level of the roller power that can be supplied to heating resistor.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the heating resistor has a characteristic whereby resistance of the heating resistor is in proportion to a temperature of the heating resistor while the temperature of the heating resister is equal to or below a critical temperature.
15. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program to perform a method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit and the heating roller for fixing a toner image, the method comprising:
supplying source power supplied from an external source to the heating resistor as the roller power while gradually increasing a maximum level of source power up to a predetermined maximum supply level;
measuring a surface temperature of the heating roller and supplying the source power having the maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power until the measured surface temperature reaches a predetermined fixing target temperature; and
fixing a toner image of provided print data onto a print medium using the heating roller, wherein the supplying of source power begins to perform immediately after the printing apparatus turns on, or immediately after the printing apparatus is switched to a printing mode from a stand-by mode.
16. A control unit to control operations of a printing apparatus, the control unit comprising:
a heating control unit that is configured to control a heating operation of a heating roller of the printing apparatus;
a non-heating control unit that is configured to control operations of a printing apparatus that are not related to heating of the heating roller; and
wherein the heating of the heating roller starts before an initialization process of the non- heating control unit has been completed.
17. An image forming device, comprising:
a phase control circuit to compare levels of a sine wave that has a predetermined first period and a switching signal that increases and decreases repeatedly according to a predetermined second period, and to generate a phase control signal that has a non-zero value in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and also including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero.
18. An image forming device, comprising:
a power control apparatus to output source power input from an external source to a heating resistor as roller power while gradually increasing a maximum level of the source power in response to a first or second warm-up indication signal and the phase control signal and to output the source power having a predetermined maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power in response to a third warm-up indication signal, to measure a surface temperature of a heating roller in response to the third warm-up indication signal and to output the measured surface temperature, to fix a toner image of provided print data onto a print medium using the heating roller in response to a fixing indication signal, to compare the increased maximum level input from the power supply unit to the maximum supply level and to generate the second or third warm-up indication signal based on a result of the performed comparison, and compare the measured surface temperature to a predetermined fixing target temperature and to generate the third warm-up indication signal or the fixing indication signal based on a result of the performed comparison, wherein the first warm-up indication signal is generated immediately after the printing apparatus turns on, or immediately after the printing apparatus is switched into a print mode from a stand-by mode.
19. An image forming device, comprising:
a phase control circuit to compare levels of a sine wave that has a predetermined first period and a switching signal that increases and decreases repeatedly according to a predetermined second period, and to generate a phase control signal that has a non-zero value in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and also including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero; and
a power control apparatus to output source power input from an external source to a heating resistor as roller power while gradually increasing a maximum level of the source power in response to a first or second warm-up indication signal and the phase control signal and to output the source power having a predetermined maximum supply level as a maximum level to the heating resistor as the roller power in response to a third warm-up indication signal, to measure a surface temperature of a heating roller in response to the third warm-up indication signal and to output the measured surface temperature, to fix a toner image of provided print data onto a print medium using the heating roller in response to a fixing indication signal, to compare the increased maximum level input from the power supply unit to the maximum supply level and to generate the second or third warm-up indication signal based on a result of the performed comparison, and compare the measured surface temperature to a predetermined fixing target temperature and to generate the third warm-up indication signal or the fixing indication signal based on a result of the performed comparison, wherein the first warm-up indication signal is generated immediately after the printing apparatus turns on, or immediately after the printing apparatus is switched into a print mode from a stand-by mode.
20. A method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit, the method comprising:
comparing levels of a sine wave that has a predetermined first period and a switching signal that increases and decreases repeatedly according to a predetermined second period; and
generating a phase control signal that has a non-zero value in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and also including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero.
21. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program to perform a method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit, the method comprising:
comparing levels of a sine wave that has a predetermined first period and a switching signal that increases and decreases repeatedly according to a predetermined second period; and
generating a phase control signal that has a non-zero value in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and also including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero.
22. A phase control circuit, comprising:
a switching signal generation unit to synchronize a switching signal with a sine wave;
an examination unit to compare levels of the switching signal and the sine wave, and to produce a comparison signal corresponding to the compared levels;
a pulse signal generation unit to output a pulse signal when the comparison signal enters into a non-signal interval from a signal interval; and
a phase control generation unit to generate a phase control signal which has a signal in an interval from a point of time when the level of the switching signal matches the level of the sine wave.
23. The phase control circuit of claim 22, wherein the switching signal generation unit synchronizes the switching signal and the sine wave by opening or closing a switch when a level of the sine wave is zero.
24. The phase control circuit of claim 23, wherein the examination unit further detects an interval during which the level of the sine wave is higher than the level of the switching signal, and outputs the comparison signal which has a signal interval the same as the detected interval.
25. The phase control circuit of claim 24, wherein the pulse signal generation unit outputs a pulse signal when the comparison signal enters into the signal interval from the non-signal interval.
26. The phase control circuit of claim 25, wherein the phase control generation unit further generates the phase control signal based on a result of the comparison of a point of time when the level of the sine wave is zero and an interval from a point of time when the level of the switching signal matches the level of the sine wave, and outputs the generated phase control signal.
27. A method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit, the method comprising:
synchronizing a switching signal with a sine wave;
comparing levels of the switching signal and the sine wave, and producing a comparison signal corresponding to the compared levels;
outputting a pulse signal when the comparison signal enters into a non-signal interval from a signal interval; and
generating a phase control signal which has a signal in an interval from a point of time when the level of the switching signal matches the level of the sine wave.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the switching signal with the sine wave are synchronized by opening or closing a switch when a level of the sine wave is zero.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the comparing of the levels of the switching signal and the sine wave further comprises:
detecting an interval during which the level of the sine wave is higher than the level of the switching signal; and
outputting a comparison signal which has a signal interval the same as the detected interval.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the outputting of the pulse signal further comprises:
outputting a pulse signal when the comparison signal enters into the signal interval from the non-signal interval.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the generation of the phase control signal is based on a result of the comparison of a point of time when the level of the sine wave is zero and an interval from a point of time when the level of the switching signal matches the level of the sine wave.
32. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program to perform a method of controlling roller power being supplied to a heating resistor included in a heating roller in a printing apparatus to employ a phase control circuit, the method comprising:
synchronizing a switching signal with a sine wave;
comparing levels of the switching signal and the sine wave, and producing a comparison signal corresponding to the compared levels;
outputting a pulse signal when the comparison signal enters into a non-signal interval from a signal interval; and
generating a phase control signal which has a signal in an interval from a point of time when the level of the switching signal matches the level of the sine wave.

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 golf ball having a center, wherein the center is formed from a polymer composition comprising:
at least 25 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of an acid polymer having acid groups, wherein at least 90% of the acid groups are neutralized; and
at least 10 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of a non-fatty acid melt flow modifier selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyethers, thermoplastic polyureas, and combinations thereof;
wherein the polymer composition is substantially free of fatty acids and their salts and has a melt flow index of from 0.5 g10 min to 10.0 g10 min.
2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier has a melt flow index of from 10 g10 min to 1,000 g10 min and a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 100,000.
3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein 100% of the acid groups of the acid polymer are neutralized.
4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a diameter of from 0.50 in to 1.63 in.
5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has an Atti compression of from 40 to 160.
6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition consists essentially of:
from 25 wt % to 90 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the acid polymer;
from 10 wt % to 75 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier; and
from 0 wt % to 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, of an inorganic additive.
7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition has a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to 125,000 psi.
8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition has a notched izod impact strength of at least 2 ft.lbin.
9. A golf ball having a cover layer, wherein the cover layer is formed from a polymer composition comprising:
at least 25 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of an acid polymer having acid groups, wherein 100% of the acid groups are neutralized; and
at least 10 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of a non-fatty acid melt flow modifier selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyethers, thermoplastic polyureas, and combinations thereof;
wherein the polymer composition is substantially free of fatty acids and their salts and has a melt flow index of from 0.5 g10 min to 10.0 g10 min.
10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier has a melt flow index of from 10 g10 min to 1,000 g10 min and a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 100,000.
11. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the cover layer is an inner cover layer having a thickness of from 0.010 in to 0.060 in.
12. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the cover layer has a material hardness of from 30 Shore D to 80 Shore D.
13. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the polymer composition consists essentially of:
from 25 wt % to 90 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the acid polymer;
from 10 wt % to 75 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier; and
from 0 wt % to 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, of an inorganic additive.
14. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the polymer composition has a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to 125,000 psi.
15. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the polymer composition has a notched izod impact strength of at least 2 ft.lbin.
16. A golf ball having at least one layer formed from a polymer composition consisting essentially of:
from 25 wt % to 90 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of an acid polymer having acid groups, wherein 100% of the acid groups are neutralized;
from 10 wt % to 75 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of a non-fatty acid melt flow modifier selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyethers, thermoplastic polyureas, and combinations thereof, the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier having a melt flow index of from 10 g10 min to 1,000 g10 min and a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 100,000; and
from 0 wt % to 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, of an inorganic additive;
wherein the polymer composition is has a melt flow index of from 1.0 gl 0 min to 5.0 g10 min.
17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the polymer composition is present in an intermediate layer.
18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the intermediate layer is foamed.
19. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the intermediate layer is an inner cover layer having a thickness of from 0.010 in to 0.060 in and a material hardness of from 30 Shore D to 80 Shore D.
20. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the polymer composition has a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to 125,000 psi and a notched izod impact strength of at least 2 ft.lbin.