A method and a device for providing services for a user are provided. The method includes receiving, by an interrogating call session control function (I-CSCF), a failure response returned by a first serving call session control function (S-CSCF) after the I-CSCF selects the first S-CSCF for the user according to a capability set of an S-CSCF returned by a home subscriber server (HSS) and forwards a service request to the first S-CSCF; obtaining, by the I-CSCF, information of a second S-CSCF, and forwarding the service request from the user to the second S-CSCF. Therefore, when multiple identities of the user simultaneously generate unregistered services, when they generate registration requests at the time of generating unregistered services, or when they simultaneously generate registration requests, the I-CSCF forwards the service request from the user to a corresponding S-CSCF for processing, thus enabling a network to normally provide services for the user.

With the development of technologies in the communication field, Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) will become the fixed and mobile core network of the next generation, and the development tendency and network evolution process of the diversities of access technology and service-providing, bearer by IP, and core network being integrated into IMS will emerge. Users will have better service experiences in the IMS network.
User identities used in a current IMS network mainly include IP multimedia private user identities (IMPIs) and IP multimedia public user identities (IMPUs). These user identities are stored in a home subscriber server (HSS) by subscription. When a user makes relevant service operation, relevant entities in the network, such as an interrogating call session control function (I-CSCF), a serving call session control function (S-CSCF), and an application server (AS), obtain subscription data of the relevant user from HSS via user identity.
The relationships between user identities and between user identity and subscription data in IMS are relatively complicated, in which:
One IMS subscription includes all subscription information that might be delivered via a Cx interface by a subscriber, which may include multiple IMPIs, but one IMPI can only belong to one IMS subscription;
One IMPI may include multiple IMPUs, and one IMPU may be shared by multiple IMPIs;
That is to say, the relationship between the IMS subscription and the IMPI is one-to-many, and the relationship between the IMPI and the IMPU is many-to-many.
In the IMS network, after being registered with the network, user equipment (UE) may use various services offered by the IMS network. Meanwhile, the UE may select to subscribe to unregistered services. When the UE has not registered with the network, the network can still provide the user with unregistered services, such as incoming call forwarding and incoming call record.
The current network has a restriction that all the user identities under one IMS subscription will be provided with services by the same S-CSCF. Accordingly, the following problems will occur under the following situations.
(1) When the user has both an unregistered termination request or an unregistered initiation request initiated by the AS instead of the user and a registration request, the unregistered request services will fail if the I-CSCF successively selects different S-CSCFs for the user to provide services.
(2) When the user has two or more unregistered termination requests or unregistered initiation requests initiated by the AS instead of the user, if the I-CSCF successively selects different S-CSCFs for the user to provide services, the second S-CSCF, after requesting user-unregistered service data, will receive a failure response from the HSS indicating that the user with unregistered services cannot be provided.
(3) When multiple terminals of the user all have registered, if the I-CSCF successively selects different S-CSCFs for the user to provide services, after an S-CSCF1 selected in the registration process of the first terminal sends MAR (multimedia authenticate request) request authentication data to the HSS, the HSS will save the name of the S-CSCF1. Before a second registration message of the first terminal reaches the I-CSCF, if an S-CSCF2 selected in the registration process of a second terminal sends MAR request authentication data to the HSS, and the HSS will save the name of the S-CSCF2 and overwrite the name of the S-CSCF1. The successive registration message of the first terminal will be routed to the S-CSCF2. At this time, the first terminal registration will fail because the S-CSCF2 has no user information.

Method and device for providing services for user


Faraday rotator garnet thick films have improved specific Faraday rotations without requiring a bias magnet. Films of nominal composition BiX(EuZHo1-Z)3-XFe5-YGaYO12 are grown lattice matched to available {Gd2.68Ca0.32}[Ga1.04Mg0.32Zr0.64](Ga3)O12 substrates. The film is prepared with Z xe2x89xa60.45, which allows higher concentrations of Bi to be included in the film than prior compositions. The increased amount of Bi results in a higher specific Faraday rotations for the film. For devices such as non-reciprocal optoelectronic devices that require 45-degree rotators, the increased specific Faraday rotation results in the use of thinner films of reduced path length as well as increased crystal growth yields.

This invention pertains to articles and systems (collectively xe2x80x9carticlesxe2x80x9d) that comprise a Faraday rotator that does not require a bias magnet.
Faraday rotator materials are a necessary component in non-reciprocal devices such as magnetooptic isolators, circulators and switches. These devices have found extensive application in telecommunications and other fields. The preferred materials for these applications at telecommunications wavelengths are bismuth-doped rare-earth iron gamets. At the principal near infrared telecommunications wavelengths of about 1310 nm and about 1550 nm, these magnetic gamets have a high degree of transparency and reasonably high specific Faraday rotations (Faraday rotation per unit thickness).
Because these bismuth-doped rare-earth iron garnet materials are not congruently melting, nearly uniform crystals can only be grown by flux techniques, typically by liquid phase epitaxy on substrates of non-magnetic garnet. This technology is well reviewed by V. J. Fratello and R. Wolfe (in Magnetic Film Devices, edited by M. H. Francombe and J. D. Adam, Volume 4 of Handbook of Thin Film Devices: Frontiers of Research, Technology and Applications, Academic Press, 2000). As is detailed therein, a close room temperature lattice match of the film to the substrate is required to prevent cracking of the film, the substrate or both. Films are generally grown only on one side of the substrate to allow stress relief by bending. To grow a thick film  greater than 300 xcexcm as is required for telecommunications device applications, the film and substrate lattice parameters should match to within xc2x10.1%xcx9cxc2x10.012 A, preferably within xc2x10.05%xcx9cxc2x10.006 xc3x85. The range of film compositions possible is therefore constrained by the available substrate materials.
Bismuth-doped garnet film compositions have an enhanced Faraday rotation over the pure rare-earth iron garnets. Doping with bismuth strongly effects the electric dipole term in the magnetooptic coefficients through superexchange and spin-orbit interactions (see, for example, P. Hansen and J.-P. Krumme, Thin Solid Films 114, 69 (1984) and H. LeGall, M. Guillot, A. Marchand, Y. Nomi, M. Artinian and J. M. Desvignes, J. Mapn. Soc. Jpn. 11, Supplement S1, 235 (1987)). The total Faraday rotation of the garnet, "THgr"F, may be characterized as the sum of the following:
(1) The iron lattice contribution, which can be determined from the Faraday rotation of yttrium iron garnet (YIG-Y3Fe5O12), "THgr"F(YIG), since yttrium is a non-magnetic ion and does not contribute to the magnetic or magnetooptic properties. This iron lattice contribution is a small positive Faraday rotation.
(2) The rare earth (designated as R) contribution, which can be determined from the difference between the Faraday rotations of YIG and a pure-rare earth iron garnet (RIG-R3Fe5O12), "THgr"F(RIG)-"THgr"F(YIG). Since bismuth substitutes for rare earths in the gamets, this contribution will be diluted by bismuth substitution. (For data on the pure rare-earth iron gamets at telecommunications wavelengths see J. F. Dillon, Jr., S. D. Albiston and V. J. Fratello, J. Magn. Soc. Jpn. 11, Supplement S1, 241 (1987)). These rare earth contributions are typically smaller than the overall iron lattice Faraday rotation and may be positive or negative.
(3) The bismuth contribution, "THgr"F(Bi), which is well characterized by a single line shape (see G. B. Scott and D. E. Lacklison, IEEE Trans. Maqn. 12, 292 (1976)). This contribution is linearly dependent on the bismuth contribution at least up to 2 atoms per formula unit of bismuth (see T. Tamaki, H. Kaneda, T. Watanabe and K. Tsushima, J. Magn. Soc. Jpn. 11, Supplement S1, 391 (1987) and T. Okuda, T. Katayama, K. Satoh, T. Oikawa, H. Yamamoto and N. Koshizuka, Proc. of the Fifth Symposium on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, ed. by H. L. Huang and P. C. Kuo (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989)). This contribution is large and negative.
These contributions yield the approximate formula:
"THgr"F(BiXR3-XFe5O12)=(X/3)xc3x97["THgr"F(Bi)+"THgr"F(YIG)]+[(1-(X/3)]xc3x97F(RIG)
If a partial substitution of gallium, aluminum or any other diamagnetic ion is made for any of the iron in the garnet, e.g. BiXR3-XFe5-YGaYO12, all these Faraday rotations are reduced by dilution, though not necessarily in a linear manner.
As the bismuth doping is increased, its contribution to the Faraday rotation first cancels the small positive contribution of the rare earth iron garnet (for BiXY3-XFe5O12 this occurs at Xxcx9c0.10-0.15 atoms per formula unit at 1310-1550 nm), then the Faraday rotation increases in magnitude in the negative direction. The upper limit of specific Faraday rotation, "THgr"F/t, results from the maximum allowable bismuth doping in the film. This occurs because of the onset of misfit dislocations in the film, which degrade the optical quality unacceptably (see V. J. Fratello, S. J. Licht, C. D. Brandle, H. M. O""Bryan and F. A. Baiocchi, J. Cryst. Growth 142, 93 (1994)). This maximum bismuth concentration is a complex function of growth conditions and gallium or aluminum substitution but is typically in the range 1.2-1.5 atoms per formula unit.
The range of film compositions that can be grown is constrained by the lattice match to available substrates. Because bismuth has a large ionic size, substrates with higher lattice parameters are required.
Most commonly used and commercially available in large diameters is calcium-magnesium-zirconium substituted gadolinium gallium garnet (CMZ:GGG-{Gd2.68Ca0.32}[Ga1.04Mg0.32Zr0.64](Ga3)O122). The literature value of the lattice parameter of this material is 12.498 xc3x85 (D. Mateika, R. Laurien and Ch. Rusche, J. Cryst. Growth 56, 677 (1982)), but slightly lower values are sometimes quoted as well.
Some thick film crystal growth has been performed on neodymium gallium garnet (NdGG-Nd3Ga5O12) substrates of lattice parameter 12.504 xc3x85. However this material has a significantly worse match of coefficient of thermal expansion to the thick film materials than CMZ:GGG or GSGG. Therefore it is more prone to breakage or catastrophic formation of misfit dislocations (V. J. Fratello, S. J. Licht, C. D. Brandle, H. M. O""Bryan and F. A. Baiocchi, J. Cryst. Growth 142, 93 (1994). For these reasons NdGG is not suitable as a substrate for thick film gamets with high bismuth concentrations.
The next higher lattice parameter commercially available material is gadolinium scandium gallium garnet (GSGG-Gd2.957Sc1.905Ga3.138O12 lattice parameter 12.560 xc3x85 (V. J. Fratello, C. D. Brandle and A. J. Valentino, J. Cryst. Growth 80, 26 (1987)).
Since, as is stated above, good thick film growth requires a room temperature lattice match of xc2x10.012 xc3x85, preferably xc2x10.006 xc3x85, this leaves a considerable lattice parameter range not attainable on commercially available substrates.
To operate most non-reciprocal devices, the magnetic garnet must be maintained in a single domain state. Most magnetic gamets spontaneously demagnetize into multiple domains to minimize their free energy. Device designs have traditionally used a bias magnet to maintain the magnetic garnet in the single domain state required for device operation. However Pulliam et al. (J. Appl. Phys. 53, 2754 (1982)) Identified large stable magnetic domains in garnet films and Brandle et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,570 and 5,801,875) identified the necessary magnetic conditions to maintain such domains over the temperature range of device operation. The specific teachings of the Brandle et al. patents are as follows:
(1) To maintain a saturated magnetic state without a bias magnet, a saturation magnetization 4xcfx80Ms less than 100 G must be maintained over the device operating range, e. g. xe2x88x9240xc2x0 to 85xc2x0 C.
(2) To this end, the material composition must avoid or minimize rare earth ions with a large 1/T temperature dependence of their contribution to the saturation magnetization (e.g. gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy)).
(3) Because it uniquely reduces the saturation magnetization of the garnet without creating a compensation point, due to its lack of temperature dependence, the concentration of europium (Eu) should be maximized.
(4) Modest concentrations of other magnetic heavy rare earths (e. g. holmium (Ho) through ytterbium (Yb)) can be used to lower the saturation magnetization. Only holmium is effective in this regard for telecommunications applications because erbium has a high absorption in the telecommunications band and the other heavy rare earths (thulium and ytterbium) do not significantly reduce the saturation magnetization. However, no more than modest amounts of holmium are desired because it has a 1/T temperature dependence.
(5) To further adjust the saturation magnetization to the necessary range, doping with ions that preferentially substitute for iron on the tetrahedral site (e. g. gallium (Ga) and/or aluminum (Al)) is required. Because aluminum has a lower site preference for the tetrahedral site, it is less effective in reducing saturation magnetization and has the added disadvantage of reducing the Curie temperature to the detriment of high temperature assembly, storage and operation conditions. If Al is mixed with Ga as a dopant, it also complicates process control of crystal growth. Because of its nonunity distribution coefficient, there is typically a gradient of Al through the film thickness and consequently a variation of film parameters from ideal. Therefore doping with aluminum is contraindicated for making magnedess Faraday rotator materials.
Brandle et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,570 and 5,801,875) identified three compositions, Bi1Eu1Ho1Fe4Ga1O12, Bi0.75Eu1.5Ho0.75Fe4.1Ga0.9O12 and Bi1Eu2Fe4Ga0.5Al0.5O12, all of which approximately match the lattice parameter of CMZ:GGG. Note that all these compositions have europium concentrations C(Eu) greater than or equal to the holmium concentrations C(Ho). Commercially available samples of the preferred composition from Lucent Technologies and Sumitomo Metal Mining have compositions of approximately BiX(Eu0.5Ho0.5)3-XFe5-YGaYO12 with X approximately in the range 1.1 to 1.2 atoms per formula unit and Y in the range 0.9 to 1.0 atoms per formula unit. Once again, these compositions show the concentration of europium approximately equal to the concentration of holmium. In addition, Brandle et al. teaches that only a modest amount of holmium is acceptable, while the europium concentration should be maximized. This clearly suggests that the concentration of europium should be greater than or equal to the concentration of holmium. In addition, all Faraday rotator products currently on the market have C(Eu)xe2x89xa7C(Ho). Therefore, one of skill in the art would understand that the concentration of europium should be greater than or equal to the concentration of holmium.
In the prior art, the degree of bismuth doping is effectively constrained to be X less than 1.2 atoms per formula unit by the following constraints:
(1) The lattice parameter of the garnet film is constrained to match that of CMZ:GGG, effectively 12.486-12.510 xc3x85, preferably 12.492-12.504 xc3x85. There are no hypothesized effective magnetless compositions that lattice match GSGG (gadolinium scandium gallium garnet), which is the next higher lattice parameter (12.560 xc3x85) substrate.
(2) C(Eu)xe2x89xa7C(Ho) places a lower limit on the host rare-earth iron garnet lattice parameter (prior to doping with bismuth and gallium). The lattice parameter of Eu3Fe5O12 is 12.498(3) xc3x85 and that of Ho3Fe5O12 is 12.375(3) xc3x85 (G. P. Espinosa, J. Chem Phys. 37, 2344 (1962)) where the fourth decimal place (in parentheses) is considered approximate. Using Vegard""s law, the lattice parameter of a 1xe2x80x941 solid solution Eu1.5Ho1.5Fe5O12 is approximately 12.437 xc3x85. Solid solutions with C(Eu)xe2x89xa7C(Ho) will have a lattice parameter xe2x89xa712.437 xc3x85. Substitution with Ga slightly decreases the lattice parameter of the host garnet by xe2x88x920.018 xc3x85/(a/fu) so that the nominal lattice parameter of Eu1.5Ho1.5Fe4.05Ga0.95O12 is 12.420 xc3x85.
(3) Bismuth increases the lattice parameter of the film as it is substituted for the combination of rare earths. The measured lattice parameter of a highly defective Bi3Fe5O12 was 12.623 xc3x85 (T. Okuda, T. Katayama, K. Satoh, T. Oikawa, H. Yamamoto and N. Koshizuka, Proc. of the Fifth Symposium on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, ed. by H. L. Huang and P. C. Kuo (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989)). For the prior art composition BiX(Eu0.5Ho0.5)3-XFe4.95Ga0.95O12 on CMZ:GGG, the range of acceptable lattice matches in constraint 1 has been empirically found to limit X less than 1.2. This can be seen further from the relation                                           C            match                                          (            Bi            )                          =                                  3          xc3x97                                    [                                                LP                                                        (                                          CMZ                      :                      GGG                                        )                                                  -                                  LP                                                        (                                                                  Eu                        1.5                                                                                Ho                        1.5                                                                                Fe                        4.05                                                                                Ga                        0.95                                                                                O                        12                                                              )                                                              ]                        /                                                                            [                                    LP                                            (                                                      Bi                    3                                                                          Fe                    5                                                                          O                    12                                                  )                                      -                          LP                                            (                                                      Eu                    1.5                                                                          Ho                    1.5                                                                          Fe                    4.05                                                                          Ga                    0.95                                                                          O                    12                                                  )                                              ]                                        =                                  3          xc3x97                                    [                              12.498                -                12.420                            ]                        /                          [                              12.623                -                12.420                            ]                                                              =                                  1.15                                xe2x80x83                              atom                                /                              formula                                xe2x80x83                              unit
(4) Aluminum must be avoided for the reasons given above. Replacement of all or some of the gallium in the film with aluminum could otherwise be used to reduce the lattice parameter and allow more bismuth doping within constraints 1 and 2.
The largest magnitude specific Faraday rotations commercially available in magnetless Faraday rotator materials (those which do not require a bias magnet) according to the invention of Brandle et al. (U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,570 and 5,801,875) are approximately xe2x88x920.09 degrees/micron at 1550 nm. This means that a typical 45 degree Faraday rotator as is required for a magnetooptic isolator will have a thickness of approximately 500 microns for this wavelength (Sumitomo Metal Mining Product Brochure, 2002, Lucent Technologies Product Brochure D S FR.5, July 1998). Additionally a magnetless material not according to the invention of Brandle et al. (containing large amounts of Tb) is manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical with a specific Faraday rotation of approximately xe2x88x920.096 degrees/micron and a thickness of 470 microns for a 45 degree Faraday rotator at 1550 nm (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Product Brochure, 2002). However this material has a high saturation magnetization away from room temperature that strongly limits its range of usefulness for magnetless applications.
In contrast, the largest magnitude specific Faraday rotations commercially available in standard Faraday rotator materials (those that require a bias magnet) are xe2x88x920.125 degrees/micron at 1550 nm. This means that a typical 45 degree Faraday rotator as is required for a magnetooptic isolator will have a thickness of 360 microns for this wavelength (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Product Brochure, 2002). This can be accomplished because more variation in the rare earth composition is possible so that lattice matched standard (high magnetization) Faraday rotator films can be grown on CMZ:GGG with 1.2-1.5 atoms per formula unit of bismuth. Consequently, there is still a need for a Faraday rotator that does not require a bias magnet and yet has a larger specific Faraday rotation than the magnetless Faraday rotators currently available.
A Faraday rotator thick film that does not require a bias magnet and has an improved specific Faraday rotation over the prior art films. Films of nominal composition BiX(EuZHo1-Z)3-XFe5-YGaYO12 are lattice matched and grown on available CMZ:GGG substrates. However, the fraction of europium in the rare earths used is kept less than about 0.45. This allows a higher concentration of Bi to be incorporated into the film, while still keeping the film lattice matched and the saturation magnetization low enough for the film to have a single magnetic domain through its operating range. The higher Bi concentrations give the film a higher specific Faraday rotation. As a result, thinner films can be used in devices that require a rotator with a specific degree of rotation. The thinner films have a shorter path length and improved crystal growth yields over the thicker prior art films.

Article comprising a faraday rotator that does not require a bias magnet


When the intensity and/or emotion of audience members of a presentation is high or low, the audience members typically use social media to post indications of their excitement or disappointment. However, the raw, natural, emotional energy is dissipated during or shortly after the post without ever being efficiently monetized. This constitutes a lost opportunity for the event and/or venue owner or event presenter. However, components can determine characteristics associated with an audience's interactions during an event. The characteristics can be leveraged to harness the natural emotion and interactivity associated with the audiences for use in engaging the audience in commerce and/or improving the audience's overall experience.

Existing marketing and audience engagement methods have limitations in maximizing audience interactivity. Current technology does not engage existing captive audiences—the people attending or viewing an event. Traditional presentation platforms use static methodologies such as banners, TV, or radio, which have low audience engagement.
Current presentations, such as slide-based presentations, are often poorly suited to quickly adapt and respond to changes in an audience's engagement, attentiveness, focus, and energy level. This can leave the audience distracted, disconnected, or bored with the presenter and/or the presentation. Limited interaction between the presenter and the audience makes it difficult to influence audience behavior and efficiently regulate information to the audience in a manner that enhances information retention and avoids information overload.
Note: the headings provided herein are for convenience and do not necessarily affect the scope or interpretation of the described technology.

Determining audience engagement levels with presentations and providing content based on the engagement levels


Software testing techniques based on image recognition are disclosed. In various embodiments, a programmatically implemented image classifier is trained to recognize a screen shot image as being associated with a transaction end condition of a transaction. A test script configured to initiate an iteration of the transaction is run. A start time of the iteration of the transaction is recorded. Screen shot images are generated during performance of the iteration of the transaction to capture a series of screen shot images of at least a portion of a user interface display associated with the iteration of the transaction. The image classifier is used to find an earliest-captured image that matches the transaction end condition. A time associated with the matched image is used as a transaction end time to compute an end-to-end time to perform the iteration of the transaction.

Performance may be important to consumers in evaluating a modern software product. For example, the end to end time an application takes to perform certain operations and/or tasks, referred to herein as "transactions", may be considered to be an important performance metric. Typically, performance testing may be performed during the product lifecycle of a modern software product, to ensure and demonstrate that the software meets stated performance goals.
Most software uses a user interface to interact with human users, e.g., to receive user input and/or display information. Web-based or other display page-based graphical user interfaces are common. For such software, an end to end transaction may start from an operation initiated through the user interface and end with a change of the user interface, such as to display a result, stop displaying an "operation in progress" animation or other indication, etc. Measuring the response time of end to end transaction manually can be a very time-consuming and monotonous work.

System and method for end to end performance response time measurement based on graphic recognition


Computer-implemented machine learning (ML)-based techniques for detecting payroll fraud are provided. In one set of embodiments, these techniques employ a number of ML algorithms to evaluate different types of fraud-relevant data in different ways, such as outliers in salary increases, payment patterns, and so on. In some cases, the ML algorithms may be chained such that the output of one ML algorithm feeds as input into another. The results of these ML algorithms (or chains of algorithms) are fed into a neural network-based final evaluation engine that outputs an indication of whether a given employee is suspicious and should be audited as a potential payroll fraud case.

Payroll fraud, which is the theft of money from an organization via its payroll system, is a significant problem for organizations worldwide. Globally, a loss of $7.2 billion annually is estimated to be caused by this type of fraud.
Existing computerized audit systems that are designed to detect possible payroll fraud generally operate according to fixed rules such as "flag all employees with a salary increase greater than 10%." However, this approach suffers from a number of limitations. First, it cannot react to changes in the situation or assumptions underlying the rules (e.g., inflation changes that affect the sizes of base salary increases). Second, this approach tends to produce too much data (e.g., too many false positives), which makes it difficult for auditors to sift through the data and find actual fraud cases. Third, this approach cannot identify unexpected patterns in data that may be indicative of fraud. Instead, it is restricted to the exact rules that the system designers have come up with, and thus cannot react to new and imaginative fraud schemes.

Machine learning-based techniques for detecting payroll fraud


A stand for retaining a computer chassis includes a base frame for supporting the computer chassis, a pair of clamping arms for sandwiching the computer chassis, a pair of pivoting members, and a pair of connecting members. Each of the pivoting members includes a linking portion connected to the corresponding clamping arm, and a pivoting portion including a number of first engaging teeth. Each of the connecting members includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The first connecting portion is connected to the base frame, and the second connecting portion includes a number of second engaging teeth engaged with the first engaging teeth of the corresponding pivoting member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stand, and particularly to a stand which can freely and stably support computer chassis with different sizes.
2. General Background
Conventional desktop computer enclosures are usually classified as tower computer enclosures and horizontal computer enclosures. Due to a compact size trend of the development of computer enclosures, horizontal computer enclosures are made much thinner than before. To enable a horizontal computer enclosure to stand like a tower computer enclosure, a supporting apparatus, such as a pedestal is needed.
A conventional stand is often secured to a bottom of a computer chassis via a plurality of screws. However, using extra tools to screw or unscrew the screws makes the assembly or disassembly process unduly cumbersome.
Another conventional stand such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,278, includes two coupled supporting members. Each supporting member includes a dovetail shaped protrusion to couple with a recess of the other supporting member. This structure is simple and readily to be assembled. However, a clamping ledge is integrally formed from each supporting member. Therefore, the stand only engages a part of a lower portion of the computer chassis. When the computer chassis has a great height, the stand may not stably support the computer chassis.
What is desired, therefore, is a stand stably and freely supporting computer chassis with different sizes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A media system which includes logic configured to provide a user interface that provides a user with a plurality of media content selections available at various times, and a portable client media drive configured to receive over a secured transmission medium the media content selected by the user.

This invention relates in general to the field of television systems, and more particularly, to the field of interactive television.
With the recent advent of digital transmission technology, subscriber network television systems are now capable of providing many other services in addition to traditional analog broadcast video. For example, two-way and advanced one-way communications between a subscriber and a subscriber network system headend are now possible. The home communication terminal (xe2x80x9cHCTxe2x80x9d), also known as the set-top box, has become an important computing device for accessing video services and navigating a subscriber through a maze of services available. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video and functionality, digital HCTs (or xe2x80x9cDHCTsxe2x80x9d) now also support an increasing number of enhanced video services that are made available through digital transmission technology.
Interactive television is an enhanced video technology enabled by two-way communication between a subscriber and a subscriber network system headend that is made possible by digital transmission technology and consists of such enhanced services as video-on-demand (xe2x80x9cVODxe2x80x9d). In the digital transmission infrastructure that is utilized for interactive television, VOD service requires the exclusive or substantially exclusive use of bandwidth capacity, and thus, a portion of the infrastructure serves as the VOD infrastructure. Multiple System Operators (xe2x80x9cMSOsxe2x80x9d) invests millions of dollars in the construction and maintenance of VOD infrastructures to insure that there is sufficient bandwidth capacity available for VOD service. Thus, there is a need to efficiently utilize the VOD infrastructure to generate revenue.
There are other electronic communications systems that have been used for the sale and delivery of audio, video, and other products that can be transmitted electronically. For example, one may be able to purchase an audio product on the Internet and then download it to a personal computer for future use. The application of electronic communications systems for the sale and delivery of applicable products can offer advantages over more conventional product sales and delivery systems such as phone ordering with parcel delivery. For example, advantages may be offered such as the lower cost of product delivery or the savings of not requiring inventory, floor space, and retail employees. But, the present electronic communications sales and delivery systems are subject to problems with piracy of source content resulting in lost sales and revenues, and are generally incapable of consistent fast delivery. Furthermore, these systems are designed with provisions for delivering media products at master quality. Thus, there is a need for secure and fast sale and delivery of master quality audio, video, software, and other products by way of an electronic communications system.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be viewed, among other things, as a media system which includes logic configured to provide a user interface that provides a user with a plurality of media content selections available at various times, and a portable client media drive configured to receive over a secured transmission medium the media content selected by the user.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for recording media content. This method can be broadly summarized as follows: providing a user interface to select from a plurality of media content selections available at different times; receiving from a remote device the selected media content over a secured transmission medium; and recording the selected media content onto at least one portable medium.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the preferred embodiments of the invention will be or become apparent to one with ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

Method and apparatus for recordable media content distribution


A split ring seal having a structured split formed with first and second overlapping leaves, movable between a compressed state and an expanded state, and having a first bore through the first leaf and a second bore through the second leaf such that, in the compressed state, the first and second bores are mutually aligned. A method of installing one or more packing trays in a process tower comprising providing such a split ring seal carried by one or more packing trays, locking each split ring seal in its compressed state with a pin through the overlapping leaf bores, placing the packing trays in the process tower and removing the pin to allow the split ring seals to expand and seal to the process tower.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to techniques for sealing devices to the interior wall of a surrounding chamber. More particularly, the present invention relates to seals used in conjunction with tray packings in process chambers.
2. Description of Related Art
Many commercial and chemical processes involve mass transfer or heat exchange, and utilize packed columns or chambers to carry out the steps. Such processes can include distillation, absorption and desorption, fractionating, gas cleaning and drying, scrubbing and various biological processes, for example. Two fluids, usually a gas and a liquid, are intermingled within a chamber, typically as countercurrent flow streams wherein the two fluids move generally in opposite senses along the same flow axis.
The mass transfer rates and/or the reaction rates of the processes increase with increasing opportunities for the two fluids to interface with each other. Packing is generally included in exchange process columns to enhance the interaction between two fluids in the column, thereby increasing the efficiency of the process. There are different types of packing systems, depending on the packing elements and their arrangements in the transfer chamber. Structured packing systems generally include extended, structured packing elements that are arranged within the chamber. Random packing systems comprise generally small, individual packing elements that may be dumped into the exchange chamber in a random array. Tray-type systems include multiple packing sections, in which gas and liquid are made to contact, positioned in a vertical array. After interacting with the gas at one such packing section, liquid is passed by a down flow pipe, or downcomer, to a lower section for further contact with the gas, which is passing upwardly in the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,389 is directed to a tray-type system in which a plurality of fluid contact trays are assembled in a unit that is then inserted into a tower. The trays are thus positioned vertically spaced apart and horizontally oriented. Contact trays disclosed include multiple floating valves that allow gas or vapor to pass upwardly through the tray into contact with liquid on the tray. Each such tray carries a seal for engaging the inner surface of the tower to hold the liquid on the tray. A seal 10 of the type used is illustrated in FIG. 1. The ring seal 10 is a flat, resilient split ring metal seal having a gap 10a. As shown in FIG. 2, a tray deck 12 carries the ring seal 10 about the periphery of the tray in an appropriate groove 14 formed between the offset rim 12a of the tray and an underlying attached ring 16. In its relaxed, expanded state, the ring seal 10 has a greater outer diameter than the diameter of the inner surface of the wall of a process tower 18, as indicated in FIG. 2. The ring seal 10 is forced to a contracted state, reducing its diameter so that the seal passes further into the tray groove 14 to allow the tray 12 to be inserted into the tower 18. The ring seal 10 then engages the inner surface of the tower wall 18 to form a seal between the tray deck 12 and the tower wall, as indicated in FIG. 3. Although the gap 10a is lessened when the ring seal 10 is positioned within a tower 18 with a tray 12, the gap nevertheless remains open, preventing a complete seal around the periphery of the tray with the tower wall. Further, as the tray 12 is passed down into a tower 18, a ring seal of the type 10 may be further compressed by projections on the tower wall 18, which may not be necessarily smooth. There is a possibility that a flat metal ring seal of the type 10 may hang up on such a projection, interfering with the insertion of the tray 12 into the tower 18.
Another version of a known ring seal 20 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The resilient ring packing gland 20 is shown residing in a groove 22 of a tray 24 formed by a U-structure 26 about the periphery of the tray. The packing gland 20 is positioned within the groove 22 and the tray inserted within a tower wall 28. The packing gland 20 is a continuous gasket of fiberglass rope that is compressed between the groove 22 and the tower wall 28 to form a seal between the wall and the tray 24. As the tray 24 carrying the gasket 20 is lowered into the tower 28, the gasket is compressed locally by any projections encountered along the inner surface of the tower wall, allowing the gasket to slip be such projections. However, there still exists the possibility that the gasket 20, which has a generally rectangular cross section with a generally flat bottom, may hang up on such projections and even be pulled out of the groove 22 of the tray 24 by such projections.
It is advantageous and desirable to provide a packing tray ring seal that will seal completely around the periphery of the tray with no gaps, and that will pass along the interior surface of the tower wall without hanging up on projections or being dislodged by them. The present invention provides such a seal.


A service gateway (42) includes one or more network adapters (62), configured to capture signaling messages in respective communication networks (28, 50, 56) and to process the signaling messages to generate network signaling primitives indicative of network events in a network-independent format. A call processor (60) is coupled to receive and process the signaling primitives from the network adapters so as to generate service requests for processing by one or more application servers (44, 48, 58), and to receive and process service instructions from the application servers in response to the service requests so as to generate network instruction primitives to the one or more network adapters, causing the network adapters to convey signaling instructions to the respective networks.

The Intelligent Network (IN) is an architectural concept that enables real-time execution of network services and customer applications in a distributed environment of interconnected computers and switching systems, such as wireline and wireless telephone networks. IN standards have been promulgated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T) and by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). A useful summary of IN concepts and standards is provided by Faynberg et al., in "The Development of the Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) and Its Relation to the International Intelligent Network Standards", Bell Labs Technical Journal (Summer, 1997), pp. 57-80, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a cellular telephone network 20 that is configured for provision of IN services, as is known in the art. A cellular telephone 22 communicates with the network via a base station controller (BSC) 24, which is coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC) 26. Although for the sake of simplicity, only a single BSC and MSC are shown in the figure, typical cellular networks comprise multiple BSCs, MSCs and other elements. MSC 26 serves as a switch, receiving signaling and voice communications from telephone 22 via BSC 24, and transferring the communications to other network elements in order to complete and carry out calls made by or to telephone 22. The BSC, MSC and other elements of the cellular network are connected by a public land mobile network (PLMN) 28, which typically operates in accordance with the well-known Signaling System 7 (SS-7) protocol.
In order to provide IN services, MSC 26 is programmed with a call control function (CCF) 30 and a service switching function (SSF) 32, as dictated by IN standards. The CCF provides basic switching capabilities, including the means to establish, manipulate and release calls and connections. When the CCF detects signaling passing through the MSC that is related to an IN service, it suspends the call temporarily and passes a trigger to the SSF. Based on the trigger, SSF 32 passes control of the call to a service control point (SCP) 34. While CCF 30 and SSF 32 are implemented in the network switches themselves, SCP 34 is typically a separate element, which communicates with the network switches over the SS7 network. Communications between SSF 32 and SCP 34 are based on a standard IN Application Protocol (INAP). The SCP processes the call, and then sends instructions back via INAP to SSF 32 as to how the call should be handled by CCF 30.
As will be appreciated from FIG. 1, the basic idea of IN is to move intelligent services out of the network switches to separate service points, such as SCP 34. Multiple SCPs may communicate with a given switch. SSF 32 of the switch is programmed to choose the SCP for each call depending on the trigger parameters. By the same token, a single SCP can communicate with and service multiple switches (although not all the switches in a network are necessarily IN-enabled). The unified IN architecture allows different service providers to create SCPs that implement their own particular services, independent of the underlying network technology.
For example, assuming SCP 34 is responsible for provision of an 800-number service, the CCF/SSF will suspend and refer 800-number calls to the SCP, which analyzes the calls using its own service logic and then returns instructions to the SSF. These instructions would typically cause MSC 26 to reroute the call to an ordinary subscriber number of the call recipient, while charging the recipient for the call if appropriate. On the other hand, the SCP might instruct the SSF/CCF to transfer the call to an intelligent peripheral (IP) 36. Typical IP functions include playing prerecorded or synthesized voice responses, or capturing Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) input from the keypad of telephone 22. These IP functions are usually controlled by commands from the SCP, which then instructs the SSF/CCF as to how the call should proceed. Although the example shown in FIG. 1 relates to wireless network 20, the principles embodied in this example relate to wireline networks, as well.
Introducing IN services in a non-IN-enabled network requires local exchange switches to be replaced or at least reprogrammed to provide the necessary CCF/SSF functionality, as well as to upgrade this functionality in response to changes in the IN standard and required capabilities. (For example, the original IN standard capability set, CS-1, was supplemented in 1997 to define a much richer and broader set. CS-2, and further changes of this sort can be expected in the future.) In cellular networks, where a given subscriber can be expected to connect from any point to any point in the network, any upgrade must be implemented on all of the switches in the network, at very substantial cost. This cost is a serious hindrance to the introduction of new and enhanced IN functionalities.

Interface for intelligent network services


A control method for an air conditioner comprising a compressor and an outdoor unit, wherein the control method includes: obtaining a suction temperature of the outdoor unit; and selectively adjusting the frequency of the compressor according to the suction temperature of the outdoor unit.

During the cooling operation of the air conditioner, due to various reasons such as low indoor and outdoor ambient temperatures, long piping connection, failure of a detection device of indoor unit coil temperature and lack of freon, the indoor unit, unit connection pipe and outdoor unit may freeze, which in turn causes undesired phenomena such as poor cooling effect, water leakage, and pipe cracks, thus seriously affecting the user experience.
In the related art, an indoor unit coil temperature sensor or a pressure switch are typically used for anti-freezing control. This control scheme has the following disadvantages: firstly, the indoor unit coil temperature sensor is prone to failure (such as damage or incorrect plug-in connection), thus making it impossible to accurately detect the temperature and resulting in the failure of anti-freezing protection and freezing of the indoor unit; secondly, in the case of long piping, pressure loss is likely to occur, resulting in the pressure on the low-pressure side being lower than the normal range, which further causes freezing of the suction pipe and the outdoor unit; thirdly, when the air conditioning system lacks freon, temperature detection by the indoor unit coil temperature sensor may also be inaccurate, resulting in the failure of anti-freezing protection and freezing of the indoor unit; moreover, the pressure switch is also prone to failure, which will cause the failure of anti-freezing protection and freezing of the indoor unit.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new control method for an air conditioner to solve the above problems.

Method for controlling freezing of indoor unit, outdoor unit and/or unit connection pipe of air conditioner

Qingdao Haier Air-conditioning Electronic Co., Ltd


A developing cartridge includes a frame, a developer carrying member, a developer supplying member, and an electrode member. The developer carrying member has a first rotational axis defining an axial direction. The developer supplying member has a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis. Both of the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis lie in a first plane. The electrode member is provided on the frame, and configured to receive an electrical power from an external power supplying member. The electrode member has a contact portion that is configured to contact with the external power supplying member. The contact portion has a linear shape and lies in an imaginary plane that extends parallel to the first rotational axis. The first plane intersects with the imaginary plane at an angle between 45 degrees and 90 degrees.

One electrophotographic color printer well known in the art is a tandem type color laser printer equipped with four photosensitive drums and four developing cartridges. The photosensitive drums are juxtaposed corresponding to each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Each of the developing cartridges supplies toner to the corresponding photosensitive drum.
As a developing cartridge provided in such a tandem type color laser printer, there has been proposed a developing cartridge including a developing roller and a supply roller that is in contact with the developing roller. When the developing cartridge is mounted in a drum cartridge in which the photosensitive drum is rotatably supported, the developing cartridge is pressed against a photosensitive drum so that the developing roller is in pressure contact with the photosensitive drum.
Such a conventional developing cartridge includes a bias electrode that is brought into contact with a relay electrode provided at the drum cartridge when the developing cartridge is mounted in the drum cartridge. Bias voltage applied by a high-voltage power supply provided at a main casing of the printer is applied to the bias electrode of the developing cartridge via the relay electrode of the drum cartridge.

Developing cartridge, process unit, and image forming apparatus


An ampoule is designed for inclusion within a multi-zone furnace which forms particularly well in space. The ampoule includes an outer quartz wall which has outward projections supported by complementary members of a space furnace and minimizes the transferral of vibrational forces through the ampoule. An inner quartz containment member includes a hollow projection for holding a semiconductor seed, the containment member extending toward a charge containment section. A tube is positioned between an outward end of the charge and the interior wall of the ampoule for maintaining the charge in place during space travel. Further, the tube serves as a vapor chamber for accommodating overpressurization of a vapor component such as arsenide, in the case a gallium arsenide crystal is being grown. The ability to accommodate overpressurization of the vapor allows a uniform and homogeneous single crystal to be grown.

A gradient-type furnace for growing semiconductor crystals is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,424 which issued Apr. 25, 1978. In this patented furnace a temperature profile having 21 zones is achieved by sequentially powering the heating elements in each zone. An improved furnace is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 132,224, filed Dec. 14, 1987, and assigned to the present assigned. Other gradient-type furnaces of the type employed with the present invention are disclosed in U.S. patent applications No. 264,341, filed Oct. 31, 1988; and No. 264,378, filed Oct. 31, 1988.
The process for fabricating a semiconductor crystal, such as gallium arsenide, starts with an ampoule which contains a raw gallium arsenide charge which is not of single crystal composition. A seed of single crystalline structure is positioned within the ampoule and adjacent the ingot. The ampoule containing the charge is then subjected to a sequence of carefully controlled temperature changes which result in the melting and solidification of the charge. The presence of the seed adjacent the charge causes the solidification of the charge as a single crystal structure.
In order to achieve high uniformity and homogeneity of the grown crystal, it is desirable to have the crystal grown in space where it is not subjected to normal gravitational forces. However, due to the excessive vibration during lift-off and re-entry, the seed and charge are often disturbed upon lift-off so that crystal growth is not possible in space or the grown crystal is damaged when encountering vibrational and impact forces upon re-entry and landing.


A method for checking the plausibility of a lateral acceleration and further input variables of a transmission shifting program includes measuring, over a defined route section, a lateral acceleration signal, calculating a mean value of the measured lateral acceleration signal, and calculating, based on the further input variables, a plurality of n≥2 different lateral acceleration sensor reference variables. The different lateral acceleration sensor reference variables are calculated by a lateral acceleration reference model for the defined route section. The method further includes determining, for each respective lateral acceleration sensor reference variable, a respective mean value of a calculated lateral acceleration, determining deviations of the mean value of the measured lateral acceleration and the mean values of the calculated lateral accelerations, and evaluating, based on a magnitude of the deviations, whether or not the measured lateral acceleration and the further input variables are plausible.

An automated transmission of a motor vehicle, which can in particular be a double-clutch transmission or a torque-converter transmission, has a transmission shifting program by means of which the shifting procedures can be controlled in an automated manner. To this end, the transmission shifting program is fed different kinematic input variables which represent in particular a current driving state of the motor vehicle and are processed by the transmission shifting program. One of said kinematic input variables is, for example, a lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle which can be measured by means of a corresponding lateral acceleration sensor.
In the prior art, the lateral accelerations of a non-rail-bound, dual-track vehicle which are with the aid of the lateral acceleration sensor detected by way of measuring technology are often checked in terms of plausibility with the aid of so-called single-track models, for example. The validity of single-track models of this type herein applies only in a linear range but no longer in a range in which the tires and the ride dynamics are at their limits. The consequence thereof is that valid model variables for being able to check the plausibility of the lateral accelerations detected by way of measuring technology cannot be available in numerous driving situations, in particular at a limit range while the motor vehicle is oversteering or understeering.
The signal of the lateral acceleration sensor has a significant influence on the transmission shifting program of the automated transmission and, depending on the application, has the potential for influencing operating points of an internal combustion engine and thus the exhaust emissions behavior of the motor vehicle. On-board diagnostics are thus required.
DE 199 58 492 A1 describes a method for determining an unstable driving state of a motor vehicle. DE 199 39 872 B4 discloses a method for monitoring by sensor in particular for an ESP system of a motor vehicle.
A method for checking the plausibility of a lateral acceleration of a non-rail-bound dual-track motor vehicle is known from DE 10 2018 125 892.5, not previously published, in which method a lateral acceleration signal of a lateral acceleration sensor is measured over at least one defined route section on which the motor vehicle is moving, and a plurality of lateral acceleration reference variables are calculated for said route section by means of a lateral acceleration reference model, wherein furthermore a mean value of the measured lateral acceleration is determined from the lateral acceleration signal of the lateral acceleration sensor, an a mean value of the calculated lateral acceleration is determined from one of the lateral acceleration reference variables, and the deviation of the two mean values over the at least one defined route section is determined, and it is evaluated by means of the size of the deviation whether or not the lateral acceleration is plausible. In this method, a comparison between the mean value of the lateral acceleration detected by way of measuring technology by means of the lateral acceleration sensor and the mean value of a single lateral acceleration reference variable obtained by calculation thus takes place, wherein the deviation of said two mean values is used for an evaluation as to whether or not the measured lateral acceleration is plausible. This method and the refinements disclosed in DE 10 2018 125 892.5 enable the plausibility of the lateral accelerations measured by means of the lateral acceleration sensor to be checked even in such driving situations, in particular in situations in a range at the limit, in which no checking of the plausibility is possible with the aid of single-track methods.
The mean value of the calculated lateral accelerations can in particular be calculated from the individual road wheel speeds (road wheel rotating speeds), wherein the detection of the individual road wheel speeds takes place in particular in a ride dynamics control installation of the motor vehicle. However, it has been demonstrated that said detection of the individual road wheel speeds in the ride dynamics control installation is not verified to a sufficiently accurate extent. In the case of an error, a potential error message in a corresponding error memory could be, for example: "The calculated mean value of the lateral acceleration and the measured mean value of the lateral acceleration do not match". However, it would have to be investigated by way of a diagnostic process in a workshop which of said two mean values is erroneous in this instance.

Method for checking the plausibility of a lateral acceleration and a number of further input variables of a transmission shifting program of an automated transmission of a motor vehicle

DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT


Provided is a system and method for controlling overload in a telecommunications network. The network carries a traffic load that may include traffic of multiple classes and mixed types. The method determines whether the traffic load has exceeded one or more overload thresholds. Each threshold is associated with a class or type of traffic. If one or more of the thresholds have been exceeded, the method sets a timer associated with the exceeded threshold. Each timer has a state (e.g., expired or not expired) and the states of the timers are used to look up a function for controlling the overload. The function is used to alter the traffic flow of one or more of the traffic classes.

The following disclosure relates generally to communications systems and, more particularly, to controlling overload in a telecommunications system.
Telecommunications systems are generally designed to operate at or below a certain traffic capacity. This means that they can successfully service traffic up to that capacity, but the service starts to deteriorate when the capacity is exceeded. When this occurs, the system goes into "overload" and, in some situations, may fail entirely.
One or more overload control measures may be implemented in such telecommunication systems in an attempt to regulate or at least minimize the impact of traffic overload. These control measures generally operate by "throttling" the traffic (e.g., permitting only a portion of the traffic to pass through the system). For example, a percent blocking throttle approach blocks and rejects arriving traffic with a given probability. A call gapping throttle rejects traffic for a certain predefined period of time and then accepts traffic for another predefined period of time (e.g., traffic is allowed through the "gap" that exists when the throttle is open). A token bank throttle uses "tokens" to regulate the traffic by allowing only the traffic with a token to pass through the throttle.
However, none of these control measures adequately address the complexities presented by traffic patterns in telecommunications systems. For example, none of the above control measures is suitable for handling "mixed" traffic that includes multiple types of messages. Likewise, none of the above control measures is suitable for differentiating between classes of service. Traffic is rejected regardless of its class. Furthermore, some of the measures fail because they are unable to compensate for varying overload onset rates. For example, if an overload occurs more rapidly than the control system was designed to handle, the system may fail to control the overload. A further problem is that the previously described control measures are generally designed for a specific overload condition having specific traffic parameters and so are unable to react appropriately when an overload occurs that does not fit within the system's parameters.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for controlling overload that is capable of handling a variety of message types, message classes, and overload onset rates while also being adaptable to handle non-specified overload events.

Overload control system and method for a telecommunications system


A communication system comprising: input buffers adapted for buffering incoming data streams of samples from one or more channels; a receiver adapted for sequentially processing data from the input buffers; a processing rate of the receiver is higher than or equal to an incoming data rate of the incoming data; context memory adapted for saving an internal status of the receiver after processing the data corresponding with an input buffer before switching to a next input buffer and for restoring the internal status, wherein the receiver is adapted for processing the incoming data in a frame detection phase, and in a frame demodulation phase in which frames and/or subframes are demodulated into bits and wherein the internal status of the receiver related to an input buffer is only saved and restored in the frame detection phase or before and after demodulating subframes.

In prior art systems multiple virtual parallel receivers may be built on top of an existing Wi-Fi MAC layer, wherein multiple virtualized access points have to transmit and receive signals on the same Wi-Fi channel. That means multiple virtualized access points share the physical AP's native data rate.
Other prior art solutions (e.g. US20160192381, US20050020299) disclose band-interleaving or TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) to support multiple channels via the same hardware. In these band-interleaving/TDM schemes, at the same moment there is only one active band/channel.
An easy and direct solution of concurrent multi-bands or multi-channels is using multiple chips (i.e. a chip set for each band/channel). This side by side approach, however, results in a bill of material which is almost the sum of the bill of materials of the separate bands/channels.
In case of multiple channel use cases, e.g. a Wi-Fi router in which it is possible to select the channel it will work in, once a channel is selected the router will only work in the selected channel. Such a prior art router will not receive multiple channels concurrently. Prior art solutions wherein concurrent processing of a plurality of channels is supported are comprising multiple chips wherein each chip corresponds with a different channel.
Nowadays concurrent processing of different telecommunication standards is achieved by different processing units. Typically also chips work only for a single channel at one moment but can't demodulate multiple channels' data simultaneously.
US2007/067610 A1 is in the domain of fiber communication. It focuses on how to process an incoming bitstream in which a plurality of channels is multiplexed. In US2007/067610 A1 a channel refers to a logical channel in an incoming bitstream of data. The logical channels are multiplexed in a single bitstream and need to be extracted therefrom.
US2011/117871 A1 relates to a technique for processing radio packages. The processing of the radio packages is divided into subtasks and results of the radio package processing are stored on a pre-subtask basis. By context switching at the subtask level instead of at the task level the processing of the radio packages can be scheduled in a more efficient manner and context switches can be scheduled in a more efficient manner without losing processing results that have already being generated. In US2011/117871 A1 the scheduler is triggered randomly by interrupts. Storing and resuming therefore needs to be done for each sub-task as it is not known when the interrupt will come.
There is therefore a need for communication systems wherein the same hardware is shared for receiving data from a plurality of channels and/or from a plurality of standards.


A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a heat-resistant layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode of this secondary battery contains a positive electrode active substance having a hollow structure, which has a shell portion and a hollow portion formed inside the shell portion. In addition, the heat-resistant layer contains plate-shaped inorganic filler particles as the main component.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. More specifically, this invention relates to a lithium secondary battery or other type of non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery able to be used in a power source to be mounted in a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as lithium secondary batteries can be advantageously used as so-called portable power sources for personal computers, hand-held devices and the like or as power sources for vehicle propulsion. In particular, lithium ion secondary batteries able to achieve high energy density and low weight are becoming increasingly important as high output power sources for propelling vehicles such as electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid vehicles (HV). Among such non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, those types of battery that use positive electrode active substances having a prescribed hollow structure can achieve high output with low state of charge (SOC), and are therefore preferred in applications where output at low SOC is required (for example, as power sources for vehicles such as HVs, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) and EVs).
Here, in the above-mentioned non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, a heat-resistant layer containing an inorganic filler such as alumina is provided between positive and negative electrodes in order to improve heat resistance. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-18588 (JP 2011-18588 A) can be given as an example of this type of related art.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery


A RAM-based FIFO which provides self-timing of the data outputs in read mode. When the data output is not valid, the data output drivers are in a high-impedance condition. Therefore, FIFOs using this RAM-based architecture can readily be combined to provide a wider or deeper FIFO, without introducing any additional delay whatsoever. Small differential delays are preferably introduced in the activation of the output buffers, to avoid noise on power supply lines.

The present invention relates to first-in-first-out memories (FIFOs), and to analogous types of "smart" memory.
A first-in-first-out memory (FIFO) is a memory which (when the memory is being read) will output data in the same order as the data was originally written in. This functionality is very convenient for many applications, but is not always easy to implement. Some memory devices, such as charge-coupled devices or shift registers, provide an inherently serial hardware structure which can be used to provide FIFO functionality, but even these devices require some sophisticated control logic. Thus, large FIFOs are normally built using a random-access memory architecture, together with "smart" peripheral circuits which control the memory read and write operations to provide the desired functionality. In such an implementation, for example, the control logic can increment a write-address pointer each time a data packet is written, and increment a read-address pointer each time a data packet is read.
Another type of "smart" memory is LIFO memory (also referred to as "stack" memory), where the data is always read out in the opposite order to the order of writing. This architecture too is normally implemented using a random-access memory, with appropriate logic used to increment a write-address pointer each time a data packet is written, and to decrement a read-address pointer each time a data packet is read.
In the presently preferred embodiment, the FIFO architecture is RAM-based. That is, internally, this FIFO architecture uses arrays of memory cells, rather than chip registers or other technology which would require a ripple-through transfer of data from one physical location to another location. However, there are many difficulties in implementing a high-speed FIFO using a RAM-based architecture. The present invention provides a significant improvement in features of such architectures, and therefore makes it easier to configure FIFOs (or other smart memories) using a RAM-based architecture.
The present invention provides a smart memory, in which self-timing controls the timing of the data output drivers, by using dummy row elements to provide the self-timing signals to control the timing in the critical data path.
The "smart" memory architecture of such a FIFO (or other RAM-based sequentialaccess memory) is quite different from conventional architectures for mass-market semiconductor memories, such as SRAMS or DRAMS. More common memory chips will typically have address inputs, and will also have additional control signals. A typical memory chip architecture will have chip enable (CE*) and write enable (WE*) control inputs, and might also have an output enable (OE*) control input. In addition, of course, DRAMS will also have row-address-strobe and column-address-strobe (RAS* and CAS*) inputs. By contrast, this FIFO architecture has far fewer control inputs. Only two control inputs are used during normal operation, namely a W* write control input and and R* read control input.
It is believed that some large FIFOs have used an array of DRAM memory cells, without refresh circuits. Such FIFOs are inherently best suited for video buffers, since their volatility means that data residence time must be stringently limited.
It should also be noted that RAM-based FIFO architectures are significantly different from the architectures of conventional video DRAMs. From a system point of view, the primary function of video RAMs is to provide a random-access memory whose contents can be read out in blocks at very high speed. Thus, the serial access is normally read-only. Thus, this architecture is quite different from that of a FIFO or LIFO, where two address pointers are maintained, one for read access operations and one for write access operations. Moreover, although video RAMs are normally dual-ported externally, they are normally not dual-ported at the cell level: each cell will normally be accessible by only one word line.
Note that Schuster et al., "A 20-nsec 64K (4K.times.16) NMOS RAM," 19 Journal of Solid-State Circuits 564 (1984), describes a memory which includes a dummy row used to define timing relations.
The preferred architecture of the smart memory of the presently preferred embodiment uses a dual-ported array of memory cells, where each cell is connected, through two pass transistor pairs, to two bitline pairs. One of the bitline pairs from each cell is connected to the column logic controlled by the write-access control logic, and the other bitline pair from each cell is connected to the column logic controlled by the read-access control logic. Thus, read-access and write-access are fully independent and asynchronous. The FIFO memory, in the presently preferred embodiment, also provides full, empty, and half-full flags, and unlimited expansion capability in both width and depth. This architecture is generally described in the DS2010 and DS2001 preliminary data sheet, in the 1987 Product Data Book of Dallas Semiconductor Corporation. However, it should be appreciated that the innovative concepts disclosed herein could also be applied to other system contexts, and particularly to other kinds of smart memories. In particular, these innovations may also advantageously be applied to LIFO memories. The disclosed innovative concepts may also, less preferably, be applied to a variety of asynchronous state machines. Less preferably, these concepts can also be applied to other multiport memories generally, to provide asynchronous control of data valid flags.
The present invention provides a RAM-based sequential-access multiport memory, where dummy elements are used to provide a self-timed output. The outputs are not driven active until a time indicated by an internal delay timer. The internal delay timer includes a dummy row line, so that the time constant of the delay line tracks the time constants of the actual integrated circuit elements which provide the memory array.
This has the advantage of providing a time delay, from the time that the read control signal R* goes active (by showing a falling edge), which is minimal for each particular memory chip. That is, as is well known in the art of integrated circuit manufacturing, the normal variation in device parameters during manufacture of integrated circuits will cause some variation in device characteristics. For example, the thickness of polysilicon or metal thin film lines may vary slightly, due to changes in the deposition conditions. The thickness and surface-state charge (Q.sub.SS) of gate oxides or oxynitrides may also vary significantly. A particularly important source of variation is normal linewidth variation during lithography. That is, for a given drawn pattern and target linewidth dimension, the line-to-space ratio of the resulting pattern can easily vary by plus or minus twenty percent or more, depending on the normal variations in the photo resist exposure and development process. These considerations imply that the sheet resistance of thin film conductors may vary, the capacitance of capacitors (such as MOS gates) may vary, and also that the transconductance of MOS transistors may vary. All of these electrical parameter variations (which result from device parameter variations) can lead to a net change in the time constants of various circuits, and therefore to some net change in the delay of the circuit.
By providing an adaptive delay element, the delay until valid data is driven out on the data out lines Q.sub.0 through Q.sub.8 is kept at the minimum level, for each particular integrated circuit, which is consistent with the desired degree of reliability. This has the advantage that the need for external control logic is minimized. This has the further advantage that the effective net speed of every such smart memory chip will be exactly as fast as is possible for that particular chip. Thus, devices can simply be sorted according to their access time. Moreover, this self-timing capability means that the design of systems to interface with such memory chips is made simpler. The system using such a chip does not need to "know" what the access time of the chips being used is. If faster chips are inserted into such a system in place of slower chips, the system will simply run faster (if the system is able to make use of the extra speed).
In the preferred memory architecture, the outputs of the FIFO memory are tristated after every read access. That is, when the R* line is brought low, the output drivers at pins Q.sub.0 through Q.sub.8 are normally kept in a tristated (high-impedance) condition, except when they are carrying valid data. Note that the tristate output capability, in the presently preferred embodiment, contributes directly to the very simple depth expansion capability of FIFOs according to the present invention.
A further innovative feature relates to the way in which successive bytes are mapped into the memory array. The memory array, in the presently preferred embodiment, includes left and right half-arrays. Each of the half-arrays includes nine groups of columns, with each group of columns used to store the data for one bit-position of a byte. Thus, in the presently preferred embodiment, each byte is contained entirely within one of the two half-arrays. (In the presently preferred embodiment, each group of columns (for one bit-position) on each side of the array includes 8 columns, but of course this can be varied in accordance with the size of the memory.) The three least significant bits of the address are used to select one of these eight columns, and the next most significant bit is used to select the left or right half-array. This means that successive read operations (or successive write operations) will "ping-pong" between the two sides of the array: after a write operation has occurred in a row within one half-array, no further write operation will normally occur in any other row of that half-array until a write operation has also occurred within the corresponding row of the other half-array. Note that this relation could also be achieved with a different organization of the address bits: another way to state this relation is that the address bit which determines left/right selection is less significant than any of the bits which define row selection (within a given subarray). Thus, this advantageous relation could also be achieved if the column-select bits were not entirely confined to the least significant address bits, and/or if subarray-select bits were also used (in an embodiment which included multiple subarrays). (Since the read and write operations are independent, the read and write operations are independently ping-ponged in this fashion.)
The "ping-ponging" relation is advantageous, because it lowers the current requirements of the memory array's operations. The various peripheral circuits which are required for the memory hardware (such as precharge operations on the read side, or data set-up on the write side) are replicated for the two half-arrays. This means that these circuits can take advantage of the guaranteed 50% idle time which the serial access to the FIFO's array provides. This is also advantageous, because it allows the address pointer to be updated for the half-array, to save access time. (In the presently preferred embodiment, this is performed on the write side but not on the read side.)
In the presently preferred embodiment, the output pins do not all receive data simultaneously. Instead, data is driven onto three pins, and then onto three more pins (while the first three pins continue to be driven with valid data), and then onto the last three pins. Thus, three stages of edges occur before all nine pins have valid data. This separation of the transition times helps to minimize the electrical noise on the power supply lines. Thus, this separation of the transition times simplifies the output buffer design, since the output buffer is not required to include "despike" circuitry.
In the presently preferred embodiment, this separation of transition times is achieved by the use of multiple tap positions on the dummy row line which provides self-timing for the output data. (The sequence of the transitions is actually dependent on the physical position of the columns of the memory array, so that the sequence will actually be different during accesses to the left and right half-arrays.) Only a small separation in time is needed to provide the desired reduction in electrical characteristics, and this timing arrangement permits the improved electrical characteristics to be achieved without significant degradation in access time: the net access time for the full byte of data will always be determined by the slowest bit. Thus, by the use of this optional innovative feature, the self-timing arrangement provided by the present invention has the further advantage that split timing signals are provided to minimize electrical noise effects of the output buffers, without any significant loss of access speed.
In the art of static random access memories (SRAMs), some architectures use delay elements connected so that the different portions of the memory peripherals are activated only at times when they are needed. For example, in a sample SRAM architecture, a transition detector will detect any change in the input address, and will bring up the word line drivers in time for the word line corresponding to the selected row to be driven high as rapidly as possible. At the same time, or shortly thereafter, the precharge circuitry will be activated, to precharge the bit line pairs of each column of cells to equal potentials. Thus, when the selected word line is driven high to open the pass transistors of the selected cells, each selected cell can begin to develop a signal on its bit line pair as rapidly as possible. With a further delay imposed, the sense amplifiers may be driven active, so that the sense amplifiers will rapidly amplify the signal developed on the bit line pair as soon as that signal begins to be developed. That is, where a dynamic sense amplifier is used, it will typically be brought up to its metastable (and amplifying) state as soon as it can reliably be expected that data will be present on the bit lines. If the sense amplifier becomes active later, the access time of the memory chip is thereby degraded. If the sense amplifier becomes active earlier, there is some risk that the sense amplifier may be triggered by electrical noise on the bit line pair, to produce an incorrect data output. Dummy rows and dummy columns have been used to produce appropriate delays for such self-timed SRAM architectures.

Self-timed sequential access multiport memory