An apparatus for determining a converted spatial audio signal, the converted spatial audio signal having an omnidirectional audio component and at least one directional audio component, from an input spatial audio signal, the input spatial audio signal having an input audio representation and an input direction of arrival. The apparatus has an estimator for estimating a wave representation having a wave field measure and a wave direction of arrival measure based on the input audio representation and the input direction of arrival. The apparatus further has a processor for processing the wave field measure and the wave direction of arrival measure to obtain the omnidirectional audio component and the at least one directional component.

The present invention is in the field of audio processing, especially spatial audio processing and conversion of different spatial audio formats.
DirAC audio coding (DirAC=Directional Audio Coding) is a method for reproduction and processing of spatial audio. Conventional systems apply DirAC in two dimensional and three dimensional high quality reproduction of recorded sound, teleconferencing applications, directional microphones, and stereo-to-surround upmixing, cf.    V. Pulkki and C. Faller, Directional audio coding: Filterbank and STFT-based design, in 120th AES Convention, May 20-23, 2006, Paris, France May 2006,    V. Pulkki and C. Faller, Directional audio coding in spatial sound reproduction and stereo upmixing, in AES 28th International Conference, Pitea, Sweden, June 2006,    V. Pulkki, Spatial sound reproduction with directional audio coding, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, 55(6):503-516, June 2007,    Jukka Ahonen, V. Pulkki and Tapio Lokki, Teleconference application and B-format microphone array for directional audio coding, in 30th AES International Conference.
Other conventional applications using DirAC are, for example, the universal coding format and noise canceling. In DirAC, some directional properties of sound are analyzed in frequency bands depending on time. The analysis data is transmitted together with audio data and synthesized for different purposes. The analysis is commonly done using B-format signals, although theoretically DirAC is not limited to this format. B-format, cf. Michael Gerzon, Surround sound psychoacoustics, in Wireless World, volume 80, pages 483-486, December 1974, was developed within the work on Ambisonics, a system developed by British researchers in the 70's to bring the surround sound of concert halls into living rooms. B-format consists of four signals, namely w(t),x(t),y(t), and z(t). The first corresponds to the pressure measured by an omnidirectional microphone, whereas the latter three are pressure readings of microphones having figure-of-eight pickup patterns directed towards the three axes of a Cartesian coordinate system. The signals x(t),y(t) and z(t) are proportional to the components of particle velocity vector directed towards x,y and z respectively.
The DirAC stream consists of 1-4 channels of audio with directional metadata. In teleconferencing and in some other cases, the stream consists of only a single audio channel with metadata, called a mono DirAC stream. This is a very compact way of describing spatial audio, as only a single audio channel needs to be transmitted together with side information, which e.g., gives good spatial separation between talkers. However, in such cases some sound types, such as reverberated or ambient sound scenarios may be reproduced with limited quality. To yield better quality in these cases, additional audio channels need to be transmitted.
The conversion from B-format to DirAC is described in V. Pulkki, A method for reproducing natural or modified spatial impression in multichannel listening, Patent WO 2004/077884 A1, September 2004. Directional Audio Coding is an efficient approach to the analysis and reproduction of spatial sound. DirAC uses a parametric representation of sound fields based on the features which are relevant for the perception of spatial sound, namely the DOA (DOA=direction of arrival) and diffuseness of the sound field in frequency subbands. In fact, DirAC assumes that interaural time differences (ITD) and interaural level differences (ILD) are perceived correctly when the DOA of a sound field is correctly reproduced, while interaural coherence (IC) is perceived correctly, if the diffuseness is reproduced accurately. These parameters, namely DOA and diffuseness, represent side information which accompanies a mono signal in what is referred to as mono DirAC stream.
FIG. 7 shows the DirAC encoder, which from proper microphone signals computes a mono audio channel and side information, namely diffuseness Ψ(k,n) and direction of arrival eDOA(k,n). FIG. 7 shows a DirAC encoder 200, which is adapted for computing a mono audio channel and side information from proper microphone signals. In other words, FIG. 7 illustrates a DirAC encoder 200 for determining diffuseness and direction of arrival from proper microphone signals. FIG. 7 shows a DirAC encoder 200 comprising a P/U estimation unit 210, where P(k,n) represents a pressure signal and U(k,n) represents a particle velocity vector. The P/U estimation unit receives the microphone signals as input information, on which the P/U estimation is based. An energetic analysis stage 220 enables estimation of the direction of arrival and the diffuseness parameter of the mono DirAC stream.
The DirAC parameters, as e.g. a mono audio representation W(k,n), a diffuseness parameter Ψ(k,n) and a direction of arrival (DOA) eDOA(k,n), can be obtained from a frequency-time representation of the microphone signals. Therefore, the parameters are dependent on time and on frequency. At the reproduction side, this information allows for an accurate spatial rendering. To recreate the spatial sound at a desired listening position a multi-loudspeaker setup is required. However, its geometry can be arbitrary. In fact, the loudspeakers channels can be determined as a function of the DirAC parameters.
There are substantial differences between DirAC and parametric multichannel audio coding, such as MPEG Surround, cf. Lars Villemocs, Juergen Herre, Jeroen Breebaart, Gerard Hotho, Sascha Disch, Heiko Purnhagen, and Kristofer Kjrling, MPEG surround: The forthcoming ISO standard for spatial audio coding, in AES 28th International Conference, Pitea, Sweden, June 2006, although they share similar processing structures. While MPEG Surround is based an a time/frequency analysis of the different, loudspeaker channels, DirAC takes as input the channels of coincident microphones, which effectively describe the sound field in one point. Thus, DirAC also represents an efficient recording technique for spatial audio.
Another system which deals with spatial audio is SAOC (SAOC=Spatial Audio Object Coding), cf. Jonas Engdegard, Barbara Resch, Cornelia Falch, Oliver Hellmuth, Johannes Hilpert, Andreas Hoelzer, Leonid Terentiev, Jeroen Breebaart, Jeroen Koppens, Erik Schuijers, and Werner Oomen, Spatial audio object (SAOC) the upcoming MPEG standard on parametric object based audio coding, in 12th AES Convention, May 17-20, 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2008, currently under standardization ISO/MPEG. It builds upon the rendering engine of MPEG Surround and treats different sound sources as objects. This audio coding offers very high efficiency in terms of bitrate and gives unprecedented freedom of interaction at the reproduction side. This approach promises new compelling features and functionality in legacy systems, as well as several other novel applications.

Apparatus for determining a converted spatial audio signal

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.


Virtual memory space may be saved in a clone environment by leveraging the similarity of the data signatures in swap files when a chain of virtual machines (VMs) includes clones spawned from a common parent and executing common applications. Deduplication is performed across the chain, rather than merely within each VM. Examples include generating a common deduplication identifier (ID) for the chain; generating a logical addressing table linked to the deduplication ID, for each of the VMs in the chain; and generating a hash table for the chain. Examples further include, based at least on a swap out request, generating a hash value for a block of memory to be written to a storage medium; and based at least on finding the hash value within the hash table, updating the logical addressing table to indicate a location of a prior-existing duplicate of the block on the storage medium.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a form of desktop virtualization in which desktops and applications (apps) located in the cloud (e.g., on a remote node) are available to users to access from anywhere, using any compatible device that is suitably connected to the proper cloud node. Applications run within virtual machines (VMs) or other virtualization structures with results delivered to users over a network. In some environments, a plurality of clone VMs are spawned from a parent VM, all executing a common set of applications such as a structured query language (SQL) server and an email server.
Each VM consumes memory based on its configured size, plus additional overhead memory for virtualization. The configured size includes the amount of memory that is presented to the guest operating system, although it is independent of the amount of actual physical memory that is allocated to the VM. The physical memory allocated to the VM depends on the resource settings (e.g., shares, reservation, limit) and is maintained by a hypervisor. Regardless of the actual physical memory allocation, the guest operating system operates as though it is running on a dedicated machine with the configured amount of memory.
To enable the guest to operate independently of the actual underlying hardware, the host deploys a memory virtualization technique termed 'hypervisor swapping' that leverages a swap file in the VM folder. If necessary, the hypervisor can directly swap out guest physical memory to the swap file, which will free host physical memory that can be used to provide host physical memory to other VMs. Unfortunately, when there is a large number of clone VMs, the amount of storage space required by the swap files may become burdensome.

Saving virtual memory space in a clone environment


Provided is a cordless lamp including a housing, a light-emitting module, a switch, a button assembly, and a power supply. The housing defines a mounting cavity, and a sidewall of the mounting cavity is provided with a fitting hole. The light-emitting module is arranged in the housing and includes a circuit board and a light-emitting element arranged on the circuit board. The switch is arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the circuit board, and is used to control turning on and off of the light-emitting element and provided with a trigger surface. The button assembly includes a button and a protective cover. The button is inserted through the fitting hole, and one end of the button is operative to abut the trigger surface. The protective cover is sleeved on another end of the button, and abuts a sidewall of the housing. The power supply is arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the circuit board.

In the related art, a tact switch for a cordless lamp is typically connected to an external rubber button. Because the tact switch is relatively sensitive, the cordless lamp may be lit up by gently touching the rubber button. As such, if the rubber button is accidentally touched during the product handling and transportation process, the cordless lamp may remain in the lit-up state the whole time, resulting in loss of the built-in power of the cordless lamp, thus affecting the quality of the product shipped.

Shenzhen Zhongfuneng Electric Equipment Co., Ltd.


The present invention is directed to a method for delivering agents to the central nervous system by way of a tissue innervated by the trigeminal nerve that is outside the nasal cavity. Such a method of delivery can be useful in the treatment of central nervous system and/or brain disorders.

The central nervous system (CNS) includes several tissues and organs, such as the brain, the brain stem, and the spinal cord. Each of these organs and tissues is made up of a variety of different types of cells and subcellular structures, e.g. neurons, glial cells, dendrites, axons, myelin, and various membranes. The CNS is isolated from the external world by several membranes that both cushion and protect these organs, tissues, cells, and structures. For example, the membranes that form the blood-brain barrier protect the brain from certain contents of the blood. The blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier protects other portions of the CNS from many chemicals and microbes.
Access to the CNS for some substances is provided by specialized active transport systems or through passive diffusion through the protective membrane into the CNS. Present methods for delivering desired therapeutic agents to the CNS are typically invasive. For example, a pump implanted in the skull (an intracerebroventricular pump) can effectively deliver a variety of useful compounds to the brain. However, implanting such a pump requires brain surgery, which can entail a variety of serious complications. Certain compounds (e.g. epidural painkillers) can be injected directly through the protective membrane into the CNS. Such injection is, however, impractical for most medications.
Better methods for administering desired agents to the CNS, brain, and/or spinal cord are needed.

Method for administering agents to the central nervous system


A novel pyrrolotriazole derivative is disclosed, represented by any one of formulae (I), (II), (III), (IV), or (V): ##STR1## A heat transfer dye providing material is also disclosed, comprising a support having thereon a dye providing layer containing a heat migrating dye, said dye providing layer containing at least one pyrrolotriazole azomethine dye represented by any one of formulae (I), (II), (III), or (IV).

1H-Pyrrolo-[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole derivatives are useful as synthesis intermediates of physiologically active substances such as pharmaceutical preparations and pesticides. These derivatives are also known as coupler nuclei and dyes which exhibit reduced secondary absorption in the field of photographic chemistry (proceedings of the 60th Annual Conference of The Society of Photographic Science and Technology of Japan). However, 1H-pyrrolo-[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole dyes which have heretofore been known exhibit a maximum absorption wavelength of lower than 560 nm. No 1H-pyrrolo-[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole dyes which exhibit a maximum absorption wavelength of higher than 600 nm have been known.
In recent years, 1H-pyrrolo-[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole dyes which exhibit a maximum absorption wavelength of higher than 560 nm, particularly 600 nm have been desired. In other words, dyes containing a 1H-pyrrolo-[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole nucleus which exhibit reduced secondary absorption and a primary absorption wavelength of higher than 600 nm have been keenly desired.
Furthermore, in recent years, new color image formation methods such as color electrophotography, ink jet printing process and heat-sensitive transfer process have been proposed. On the other hand, with the development of electronic imaging technique, the demand for solid state image pick-up tube and filter for color liquid crystal television set has increased. Thus, azomethine dyes have been applied and reviewed in color photography as well as various systems or merchandise.
As cyan azomethine dyes in these applications there have been known phenol and naphthol azomethine dyes. Furthermore, imidazole azomethine dyes and hydroxypyridine azomethine dyes have been known.
Moreover, pyrazoloazole azomethine dyes, pyrazolopyrimidin-5-one azomethine dyes, pyrazoloquinazolone azomethine dyes, pyrazolotriazine azomethine dyes and cyan azomethine dyes have been known.
However, these known azomethine dyes have various disadvantages. For example, phenol and naphthol azomethine dyes exhibit too broad an absorption to serve as dyes for filter. Further, imidazole azomethine dyes are disadvantageous in that they exhibit a low fastness to light. Moreover, pyrazolopyrimidin-5-one azomethine dyes, pyrazoloquinazolone azomethine dyes and pyrazolotriazine azomethine dyes exhibit too broad an absorption. Further, pyrazolotriazole azomethine dyes exhibit a low fastness to light. Moreover, hydroxypyridine azomethine dyes can hardly be synthesized and exhibit a low fastness to light.
Thus, among known azomethine dyes, there are no dyes which exhibit an absorption waveform suitable for cyan color and a high fastness to light and heat. Therefore, the development of azomethine dyes which exhibit a sharp absorption and a high fastness has been keenly desired.
In order to overcome these difficulties, the inventors made a study on novel azomethine dyes. As a result, it was found that pyrrolotriazole azomethine dyes having a specific structure which has never been known exhibit a sharp absorption and a high fastness to light. Thus, the present invention was worked out.
Pyrrolotriazole couplers are disclosed in JP-A-62-279340 and 62-278552 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
Even if the foregoing techniques are known, the present invention is by no means limited thereby.
The above mentioned known couplers are considered to undergo color development to produce azomethine dyes. According to the above cited references, the color of the dyes thus produced are magenta.
The inventors' study showed that pyrrolotriazole azomethine dyes represented by formulae (I) to (IV) given later exhibit a cyan color when its coupler portion is such that Hammett's substituent constant .sigma..sub.p of R.sup.7 is 0.15 or more and the sum of Hammett's substituent constant .sigma..sub.p of R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 is 0.65 or more.
In the above cited references, there is no reference to couplers which will give an azomethine dye that exhibits a cyan color. There is neither reference that gives an expectation of a specific structure that exhibits a cyan color.
In other words, it was disclosed for the first time by the inventors, who made a study on the relationship between the substituents R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 and the absorption characteristics of dye, that novel pyrrolotriazole azomethine dyes of the present invention exhibit an excellent cyan color. It is extremely difficult to expect this fact from the above cited references.
Moreover, in recent years, with the rapid progress of the communication industry, various data processing systems have been developed, and recording processes and apparatus suitable for these data processing systems have been developed and applied. Among these recording processes, the heat transfer recording process can be operated by means of a light weight and compact apparatus which gives no noise and excellent handleability and maintenance. The heat transfer recording process can also be operated in a color system. Thus, the heat transfer recording process has been widely employed in recent years.
Examples of the heat transfer recording process include a process which comprises heating a heat transfer dye providing material comprising a hot-melt ink layer carried on a support by a thermal head to melt the ink which is then transferred to an image-receiving material (melt transfer process), and a process which comprises heating a heat transfer dye providing material comprising a dye providing layer containing a heat migrating dye and a binder by a heat head to allow the heat migration of the dye alone to an image-receiving layer in an image-receiving material to effect recording (heat migration process, generally referred also to as "sublimation type heat-sensitive transfer process").
The present invention relates to a heat transfer dye providing material for use in the heat migration process. The term "heat migrating dye" as used herein means a dye which can undergo sublimation or diffusion in a medium to effect transfer from a heat transfer dye providing material to a heat transfer image-receiving material.
However, heat migrating dyes for use in this process have heretofore encountered various limitations. There is little heat migrating dye which fully satisfies necessary properties. Examples of such necessary properties include spectral characteristics suitable for color reproduction, ease of heat migration, insusceptibility to discoloration due to heat and light, reduced denaturation by various chemicals, insusceptibility to sharpness drop after image formation, insusceptibility to re-transfer of image, and ease of preparation of heat transfer dye providing material.
Particularly important among these properties is insusceptibility to discoloration due to heat and light. However, heat migrating dyes which have heretofore been used leave much to be desired in this respect and thus can be subject to discoloration in a slight period of time. Therefore, these heat migrating dyes have been improved from the standpoint of image preservability. Further, most of these known dyes exhibit a broad absorption. Thus, the development of dyes which exhibit a sharp absorption has been desired.

Pyrrolotriazole derivative and heat transfer dye providing material containing a pyrrolotriazole azomethine dye


Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for reducing latency in augmented reality displays. A display controller receives, from a GPU, a stream of image pixels of a frame of virtual content to be presented on a display of a display device. The stream of image pixels is received via a high-speed bulk interface that transfers data at least as fast as can be consumed by the display. As the stream of image pixel is received, the display controller converts each respective image pixel from a data format used to transmit the stream of image pixels via the high-speed bulk interface to a data format that is compatible for display by the display. Each converted image pixel is stored in a pixel cell of the display, after which the frame is presented on the display.

Augmented reality (AR) systems present virtual content to augment a user's real world environment. For example, virtual content overlaid over a physical object can be used to create the illusion that the physical object is moving, animated, etc. An augmented reality device worn by a user continuously updates presentation of the virtual content based on the user's movements to create the illusion that the virtual content is physically present in the user's real world environment. For example, as the user moves their head, the augmented reality device updates presentation of the virtual content to create the illusion that the virtual content remains in the same geographic position within the user's real world environment. Accordingly, a user may move around a virtual object presented by the augmented reality device in the same way the user would a physical object.
One problem with implementing augmented reality is latency associated with presenting virtual content. To convincingly create the illusion that the virtual object is in the user's real world environment, the augmented reality device has to update presentation of the virtual object almost instantaneously. Any perceivable latency in doing so diminishes the user's experience. As the user moves the augmented reality device, the user's view of the real world environment changes instantaneously. The virtual content takes a longer time to change because the augmented reality device has to process the environmental data with the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data, render the virtual content, and project the virtual content in front of the user's field of view. This latency causes the virtual content to appear jittery or lagging, which diminishes the user's augmented reality experience. Accordingly, improvements are needed.

Reducing latency in augmented reality (AR) displays


An negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a nano-composite including a Si phase, a SiO2 phase, and a metal oxide phase of formulation MyO, where M is a metal with an oxidation number x, a free energy of oxygen-bond formation ranging from −900 kJ/mol to −2000 kJ/mol, x, and x·y=2. The negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery according to the present invention can improve initial capacity, initial efficiency, and cycle-life characteristics by suppressing its initial irreversible reaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to negative active materials for rechargeable lithium batteries and methods of preparing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithium rechargeable batteries have recently drawn attention as power sources for small portable electronic devices. These batteries use organic electrolyte solutions and therefore have discharge voltages that are twice as high as conventional battery using alkali aqueous solutions. Accordingly, lithium rechargeable batteries have high energy densities.
Lithium-transition element composite oxides being capable of intercalating lithium such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNiO2, LiNi1-xCoxO2 (0<x<1), LiMnO2, and so on have been researched for use as positive active materials for lithium rechargeable batteries.
Various carbon-based materials, such as artificial graphite, natural graphite, and hard carbon, all of which can intercalate and deintercalate lithium ions, have been used as negative active materials. The use of graphite tends to increase discharge voltages and energy densities, because it has a low discharge potential of −0.2V, compared to lithium. Batteries using graphite as the negative active material have high average discharge potential of 3.6V and energy densities. Furthermore, graphite is the most commonly used of the aforementioned carbon-based materials because graphite imparts better cycle life due to its outstanding reversibility. However, when used as negative active materials, graphite active materials have low densities and consequently low capacity in terms of energy density per unit volume. Further, there are some dangers such of explosion or combustion when a battery is misused, overcharged, or the like, because graphite is likely to react with the organic electrolyte at high discharge voltages.
To address these problems, research on metal oxide negative active material has recently been performed. For example, amorphous tin oxide has high capacity per weight (800 mAh/g). However, amorphous tin oxide has high initial irreversible capacity up to 50%. Furthermore, tin oxide has a tendency to be reduced to tin metal during the charge or discharge reaction, thereby rendering it disadvantageous for use in batteries.
In another oxide negative electrode, LiaMgbVOc (0.05≦a≦3, 0.12≦b≦2, 2≦2c−a−2b≦5) has been used as a negative active material. However, such an oxide negative electrode does not impart sufficient battery performance and therefore further research into oxide negative materials has been conducted.

Negative active material for rechargeable lithium battery, and method of preparing the same

Seoul National University Industry Foundation


A power supply apparatus outputs a developing voltage in which a pulse wave shape at a time of positive amplitude is different from a pulse wave shape at a time of negative amplitude. Voltages are supplied from two switching regulators respectively to a bridge circuit for driving a transformer. Here, an absolute value of a difference between a drive frequency of a first switching regulator and a drive frequency of a second switching regulator is configured to be not less than an invisible frequency at which a banding cannot be recognized by humans.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to voltage generating devices, and particularly relates to voltage generating devices that are used in image forming apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Development devices that develop electrostatic latent images using a two-component developer are present as development devices equipped in electrophotographic system and electrostatic recording system image forming apparatuses. The main components of two-component developer are a nonmagnetic toner and a magnetic carrier. A power supply apparatus enables the toner to more easily develop the latent image by applying a developing voltage, in which a direct current and an alternating current are superimposed, to a development sleeve. However, when a high voltage is applied to the gap (development gap) between the photosensitive member and the development sleeve, a ring shaped or spot shaped pattern (hereinafter referred to as a ring mark) is sometimes produced on the recording paper.
According to US Publication No. 2011/0020028, by configuring a positive amplitude absolute value |Vp+| relatively smaller than a negative amplitude absolute value |Vp−| of a positive amplitude Vp+ and a negative amplitude Vp−, which are the amplitude of the alternating current voltage contained in the developing voltage, ring marks produced in background areas are easily suppressed.
In this regard, the power supply apparatus that generates the developing voltage may be provided with two switching regulators for driving a transformer. The switching element provided in each of the switching regulators executes a switching operation at a predetermined drive frequency. Accordingly, sometimes a periodic ripple that is dependent on this drive frequency is contained in the voltage outputted by each of the switching regulators. By being supplied with voltages from the two switching regulators, the transformer generates the developing voltage. Accordingly, if a ripple is contained in the voltages outputted by the two switching regulators, an influence of the ripple will appear also in the developing voltage. Although the drive frequencies of the two switching regulators are designed to be the same frequency, in reality the two drive frequencies are not identical due to variation in circuit components. When the difference between these two drive frequencies becomes a beat component and appears in the developing voltage, so-called a banding is formed undesirably on the recording paper.

Voltage generating device and image forming apparatus including the same


The present invention describes the use of nanophase materials, chiefly aluminum, in musical instrument construction. Nanophase materials have constituent grains that are substantially smaller than those of conventional materials, imparting greater strength and deformation resistance. Aluminum has excellent acoustical qualities for making musical instruments, but its use was previously limited due to material weakness of pure aluminum and due to unfavorable, metallic sounding acoustics of aluminum alloys.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the use of nanostructured materials and aluminum composite materials in musical instrument construction.
2. Prior Art
This invention relates to the material composition of vibrating components in musical instruments. A class of instruments herein specified, are those whose initial tone is produced by a vibrating string. Sound from this string is amplified by the sympathetic vibration of one or more soundboards. Examples of such instruments include bowed instruments of the violin family, plucked instruments of the guitar family, as well as keyboard instruments such as the piano. It is desirable for soundboards to be made from a material that has lasting strength and durability as well as favorable acoustical properties.
In musical instruments where a soundboard is required, the quality or "color" of ultimate tone produced, as also its relative amplitude, depends to a large measure on the inherent physical properties of the material composing the soundboard(s), apart from mere structure. At present, the dominating practice is to construct such soundboards of wood, the selection of which is comparatively limited, as most woods are unsuited for the purpose. The cost of these instruments is relatively high due to the skilled craftsmanship involved and individual attention needed to produce articles of wood. There are also high materials cost, as the preferred woods, like spruce, maple, and mahogany, besides scarcity, must be carefully cut and patiently dried, often for years, before use. Wood laminate construction is cheaper than solid wood, but is subject to separation of the glued layers. Wood altogether has inherent irregularities that can result in unpredictable, undesirable, and irregular sound qualities of the finished instrument. Instruments made with wooden soundboards can also be damaged by a number of physical elements.
While some instrument soundboards have been made of carbon based composite materials, such instruments commonly have poor acoustics due to an excess of high frequencies produced. This is due to carbon composites' lesser absorption of high frequencies when compared to wood. Also, carbon composites can be brittle.
Previous attempts have been made to construct soundboards of various metals, in order to achieve both durability and cheaper manufacturing costs. However, these efforts have been generally failures, as the vibrations of the metal produced a sharp and disagreeable tone quality commonly known as "metallic". The metallic sound quality is a result of maintenance of comparatively continuous and uniform higher upper partial tones. In most metals, these tones are inharmonic secondary tones that result in a peculiar, poor quality. This poor quality arises from the comparative strength of these upper partials as related to the fundamental induced frequency. The cause of metallic sounding vibrations is described by acknowledged material science as an inherent property of most metals, a notable exception of which is aluminum.
Noticing the unique acoustical properties of aluminum, Alfred Springer obtained U.S. Pat. No. 451,863 issued on May 5, 1891. Springer discusses the use of aluminum and its alloys to manufacture the soundboards of musical instruments. Pure aluminum possesses elasticity capable of sympathetic vibration uniformly through a wide range of tone-pitch, which renders it in this respect superior to wood. Springer had constructed a prototype violin of aluminum, finding its tone to indeed be comparable to or surpassing that of highly valued older instruments. Springer's aluminum instruments also had the advantage of greater carrying power and an absence of certain imperfections in certain portions of the scale known as "wolf tones". While pure aluminum has excellent acoustical qualities, Springer's instruments however have important shortcomings.
While pure aluminum, as conventionally manufactured, has favorable acoustical qualities, it is flimsy, weak, and easily deformed. Analysis of aluminum metal shows that conventional manufacturing techniques result in a metal composed of micron scale grains, of order a millionth of a meter in size. As conventionally manufactured with micron scale grains, pure aluminum is subject to permanent, plastic deformations, such as slippage as well as screw and edge type dislocations unless substantially alloyed. (For a brief explanation of deformations in metal, see Kittel, Charles, Introduction to Solid State Physics, seventh edition pp. 587–603.)
While Springer discusses the use of commercial aluminum alloys to satisfy strength and hardness requirements, the sound quality of the aluminum metal plates in fact becomes increasingly metallic with added alloy content. The problem with soundboards made of conventional aluminum alloys is that basic strength and durability requirements required an alloy content exceeding the amount that results in an unfavorable, metallic sound quality. (Alternatively adding extra structural supports to a soundboard would force additional acoustical nodes, preventing free vibration of the plate.) The present invention is distinguishable in that it uses nanostructured materials, such as substantially finer grained aluminum, (that may be further strengthened with composites) in musical instrument construction. Use of these materials solves materials' deficiencies of the prior art by strengthening aluminum without detriment to its acoustical properties.
Nanostructured (also known as "nanophase" and "nanocrystalline") materials, are a new kind of material with constituent grains (crystals) that are substantially smaller than those of their conventionally manufactured counterparts. These grains are generally less than a micron and can be 1–100 nanometers in size. In nanophase materials, the smaller size constituent crystals or grains impart greater hardness, strength, and deformation resistance. (For a brief general introduction to the subject of nanophase materials, see Siegel, Richard W., Creating Nanophase Materials, Scientific American, December 1996, pp. 74–79.)
While nanophase materials are disclosed in the prior art, the use of nanophase materials for musical instruments is not. The following are relevant prior art that relate to the manufacture of articles from nanophase materials although they do not disclose the application to musical instrument construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,996 issued on Nov. 16, 1999 to Kenneth E. Gonsalves, and Sri Prakash Rangarajan, describes nanostructured metals, metal carbides and metal alloys, including the production of nanophase aluminum powders through chemical reaction and subsequent collection. The present invention is distinguishable, in that it makes use of nanophase materials for musical instruments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,192 B1 issued on Feb. 10, 2004 to Jonathan Phillips, William Perry, and William Kroenke, describes a method for producing metallic nanoparticles by vaporizing an aerosol of metallic microparticles in a non-oxidizing plasma. The vapor is then directed away from the hot plasma to allow metallic nanoparticles to condense. The present invention is distinguishable, in that it makes use of nanophase materials for musical instruments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,740,287 B2 issued on May 25, 2004 to Romain L. Billiet and Hanh T. Nguyen, describes a multi step method for method for making metal articles from nanoparticulate material. The present invention is distinguishable, in that it makes use of nanophase materials for musical instruments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,706,324 B2 issued on Mar. 16, 2004 to Srinivasan Chandrasekar, Walter D. Compton, Thomas N. Farris, and Kevin P. Trumble, describes a procedure for obtaining metals that include nanophase microstructures (grains). The nanocrystalline microstructures are obtained by strain deformation resulting from mechanical machining of metal into small chips, particles, ribbons, or platelets. The resulting chips are then used in forming an article of metal. The present invention is distinguishable, in that it makes use of nanophase materials for musical instruments.

Soundboard for a musical instrument comprising nanostructured aluminum materials and aluminum materials with nanostructured composites

Abstract: The present invention also describes the use of aluminum composites in musical instrument construction to further strengthen the material composition used. The use of nanostructured materials in musical instrument construction, e.g. to make soundboards, provides exceptional, premier acoustical qualities as well as great strength and durability.


A system and method for routing in a high-radix network. A packet is received and examined to determine if the packet can be routed adaptively. If the packet can be routed adaptively, the packet is routed adaptively, wherein routing adaptively includes selecting a column, computing a column mask, routing the packet to the column; and selecting an output port as a function of the column mask. If the packet can be routed deterministically, routing deterministically, wherein routing deterministically includes accessing a routing table to obtain an output port and routing the packet to the output port from the routing table.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to multiprocessor computer systems, and more particularly to routing control in packet traffic within a multiprocessor computer system.
2. Background Information
In multiprocessor computer systems, there are often multiple paths for the transfer of data between compute nodes. Messages to be sent from one node to another node within the system must, oftentimes, be told the particular path to traverse. The primary mechanisms for providing routing information are source routing, distributed table-driven routing and algorithmic routing.
Source routing is used in the Sandia ASCI Red system. In source routing, a lookup table at the source node provides routing information for the entire path of a packet through the network to its destination. The routing information is carried along with the packet and used to select router output ports at each hop. Source routing provides flexibility in selecting the route, but is less able to handle problems that may come up as the packet traverses the network.
Distributed table-driven routing is used in the Cray T3E, the Cray X1, the Cray XT3, the Mellanox IB routers and the SGI Altix. In distributed table-driven routing, a lookup table is used at each hop along the path (generally indexed by the destination node number) to determine the output port of the current router.
Distributed table-driven routing can require large routing tables, especially as the number of nodes in the system increase.
In one variation of distributed table-driven routing, the routing table specifies the output port of the next router, in a pipelined fashion. By carrying information for the selected egress port of the next router, the packet can arbitrate for the selected egress port at the time it enters a router, rather than waiting to select the egress port and then arbitrate for it. Such an approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,819, issued Feb. 24, 1998 to Galles et al.
Galles' approach limits the number of table entries by splitting the routing table into a local routing table and a remote routing table. The local routing table is used when the packet approaches its destination to route the packet to its destination node. The remote routing table is used to push the packet in the general direction of where it is going. This approach reduces the number of entries needed in the overall routing table, but at the cost of some flexibility.
Algorithmic routing is used in the Cray T3D. In algorithmic routing, the routing logic is designed for a specific network topology, and calculates the output port based on the current location and destination node number. This approach does not need a routing table but, again, it is limited in flexibility.
What is needed is a more flexible way of using routing tables to route packets across a network.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Flexible routing tables for a high-radix router


A recording medium includes a substrate, a recording layer provided with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for recording of information, a foundation layer disposed between the substrate and the recording layer, an initial layer which is greater in surface tension than the foundation layer and held in contact with a recoding-layer-side surface of the foundation layer, and a functional layer held in contact with a recoding-layer-side surface of the initial layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium including a recording layer provided with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The invention also relates to a method of making such a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Magneto-optical recording medium and a perpendicular magnetic recording medium include a recording layer provided with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. To serve as a rewritable storage, the magneto-optical recording medium utilizes various magnetic properties of the material so that it has a thermomagnetic recording function and a magneto-optical reproducing function. For data recording, the magneto-optical recording medium includes a perpendicular magnetic layer made of an amorphous alloy of a rare earth element and a transition metal. This layer has an easy magnetization axis extending perpendicularly to the surface of the layer. In such an arrangement, signals are recorded in the recording layer as the variation of the magnetic directions. The recording of data is performed by the combination of laser beam application to the recording layer (for causing temperature increase at the irradiated portion) and a magnetic field application to that portion. After signals are recorded, they can be read by a reading optical system based on the variation of the magnetic directions.
In the technical field of the magneto-optical recording medium, various reproducing techniques have been developed for reproducing signals recorded at a high density exceeding the limit on the resolution of a reading optical system. Examples of such reproducing techniques are MSR (magnetically induced super resolution), MAMMOS (magnetic amplifying magneto-optical system) and DWDD (domain wall displacement detection). A magneto-optical disk to be read by such a reproducing system includes a magnetic recording portion having a laminated structure comprising a recording layer and other magnetic layers. Examples of such a magneto-optical disk are disclosed in JP-A-2002-315287, JP-A-2002-3524.85 and JP-A-2003-187506.
To realize high recording density of a recording medium, enhancement of the reading resolution of the reading optical system is also effective in addition to the above-mentioned development of a new reproducing technique, which is based on the structure of the magnetic recording portion. The resolution of a reading optical system can be increased by shortening the wavelength of the laser beam for reproduction or by increasing the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens (lens facing the recording medium). In this connection, a blue laser (having a wavelength of 405 nm, which is shorter than the conventionally-used wavelength of 660 nm) has been put into practical use. As for the numerical aperture (NA), a lens having a numerical aperture of 0.85, which is larger than the conventionally-used numerical aperture of 0.55, is available.
However, since a lens having a larger numerical aperture has a shorter focal distance, it is difficult to use a lens having a large numerical aperture for a conventional optical system of a back illumination type. Specifically, a lens having a relatively long focal distance need be used for the optical system of a back illumination type, because laser beams are applied to a recording layer or a magnetic recording portion through a transparent substrate which is made relatively thick for ensuring mechanical strength.
Therefore, as an alternative of such an optical system of the back illumination type, there is an increasing demand for the practical use of an optical system of a front illumination type which can use a lens having a large numerical aperture. In the optical system of the front illumination type, laser beams are applied to the recording layer or the magnetic recording layer from the side opposite from the substrate, so that such a long focal distance as is necessary in the back illumination type is not required. The use of an optical system of the front illumination type is demanded also for the purpose of realizing a high recording density of a magneto-optical recording medium for the above-described MSR, MAMMOS and DWDD.
In the magneto-optical recording medium, the shorter the length of stable recording marks (magnetic domains) on the recording layer is, the higher the recording resolution is and hence the higher the recording density becomes. As to a magneto-optical recording medium for the MSR, MAMMOS and DWDD in particular, a recording layer having a high recording density is demanded for fully utilizing the high reproducing resolution.
In the technical field of the magnetic material, it is known that the size and stability of magnetic domains to be formed on the perpendicular magnetic film of an amorphous alloy of a rare earth element and a transition metal are influenced by protrusions and valleys formed on the underlying surface on which the magnetic film is laminated. Specifically, small and stable magnetic domains can be formed on an underlying surface in which protrusions and valleys provide an appropriate roughness and are arranged at a small pitch.
The domain walls in the magnetic structure of the amorphous perpendicular recording film are fixed (pinning) due to the protrusions and valleys on the surface for laminating the magnetic film. The smaller the protrusion/valley pitch is, the smaller the pinning unit (magnetic cluster) is. Further, the pinning force acting on the domain walls increases as the surface roughness becomes large. When the pinning unit is small and the pinning force is large, small recording marks (magnetic domains) can be stably formed on the recording layer, which leads to enhancement of the recording resolution and reduction of recording noise (medium noise). Therefore, for providing a minute magnetic structure in the recording layer of an amorphous perpendicular magnetic film, the recording layer is of ten laminated on a foundation layer having an obverse surface formed with minute protrusions and valleys.
A perpendicular magnetic recording medium is a magnetic recording medium having a recording layer made of a perpendicular magnetic film. The recording layer may often be made of an amorphous alloy of a rare earth element and a transition metal. Signals are recorded in the recording layer as variation of the magnetic direction. The recording in the magnetic recording medium is performed by the application of a magnetic field by a recording head (electromagnetic coil). The recorded signals are read by a predetermined reading head as variation of the magnetic direction. Such a magnetic recording medium is disclosed in JP-A-2003-223713, for example.
In the perpendicular magnetic recording medium again, the recording layer is often laminated on a foundation layer having an obverse surface formed with minute protrusions and valleys for providing a minute magnetic structure in the recording layer.
A relatively thick layer having a required function is often provided between the substrate and the recording layer of a front illumination type magneto-optical recording medium or of a magnetic recording medium. For instance, in the magneto-optical recording medium, a heat sink layer, a non-magnetic layer or a recording magnetic field reducing layer may be provided between the substrate and the recording layer. In the magnetic recording medium, on the other hand, a soft magnetic layer or anon-magnetic layer may be provided.
However, these functional layers have a thickness of several ten or hundred nanometers for performing their required function. Due to this thickness, the material-growing-side surface of the functional layer, i.e. the surface on the recording layer side can be irregular, i.e., formed with protrusions and hollows which are haphazardly located. Therefore, when the foundation layer (upon which the recording layer is formed) is laminated on the functional layer, the surface of the foundation layer, on the recording layer side, is also formed with nonuniform protrusions and valleys. Such nonuniformity on the foundation layer causes nonuniformity in the pinning force and pinning units of the domain walls in the recording layer, which makes the magnetic structure of the recording layer significantly disorganized.
In the prior art structure, as described above, a uniform and minutely-pitched magnetic structure cannot be provided in the recording layer of a magneto-optical recording medium of a front illumination type nor a perpendicular magnetic recording medium. Thus, the enhancement of recording resolution and the reduction of recording noise cannot be sufficiently performed by the prior art structure, so that a high recording density cannot be achieved.

Recording medium and method of making the same


A turbine component comprises a substrate; and a crystalline coating disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating. A method of making a turbine component comprises disposing a coating composition on a substrate, wherein the coating composition comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.1 atomic percent based upon the total coating composition. A crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating.

This disclosure generally relates to turbine systems, and more particularly to environmentally resistant coatings for the various components employed in such turbine systems.
Turbines are devices that generate rotary mechanical power from the energy in a stream of moving-fluid, and may be used in aircraft, watercraft (both marine and fresh water), various types of landcraft, and the like. Materials from which turbine components may be fabricated typically include those from a class of materials known as superalloys, particularly superalloys in which the base constituent is an alloy of nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), or cobalt (Co). Despite their generally superior chemical and physical properties, temperature constraints, particularly for single-crystal nickel-based superalloys, can limit the use of such superalloys in turbine engines in which extreme temperature conditions may be experienced.
In order to overcome some of the temperature limitations of these superalloys, newer materials based on niobium (Nb) and molybdenum have been developed. The niobium based materials used in turbine applications are termed niobium based refractory metallic-intermetallic composites (hereinafter Nb based RMICs), while those based on molybdenum are termed molybdenum-silicide based composites. Both Nb based RMICs and molybdenum-silicide based composites have melting temperatures greater than 1700xc2x0 C., which exceeds the current temperature service limit of nickel based superalloys.
Although the Nb based RMICs and molybdenum-silicide based composites display high melting temperatures, they can undergo rapid oxidation at temperatures of about 1090xc2x0 C. to about 1370xc2x0 C. In addition, another type of oxidation, generally termed as xe2x80x98pestingxe2x80x99, occurs at intermediate temperatures of about 760xc2x0 C. to about 990xc2x0 C. Pesting is a phenomenon that is characterized by the disintegration of a material into pieces or powders after exposure to air at intermediate temperatures. Refractory metals, particularly molybdenum, exhibit poor resistance to pesting oxidation. It is therefore desirable to be able to manufacture turbine components that are capable of withstanding service temperatures of greater than or equal to about 1000xc2x0 C., that have an increased resistance to oxidation at temperatures of about 1090xc2x0 C. to about 1370xc2x0 C., and that have an increased resistance to pesting at temperatures of about 760xc2x0 C. to about 980xc2x0 C.
A turbine component comprises a substrate; and a crystalline coating disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating.
In one embodiment, a method of making a turbine component comprises disposing a coating composition on a substrate, wherein the coating composition comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.1 atomic percent based upon the total coating composition.
In another embodiment, a crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and the detailed description.

Coatings, method of manufacture, and the articles derived therefrom


The apparatus for sensing plural gases is substantially a gas sensor adopting planar lightwave circuit for constructing reference optical path and sensing optical path, which is a flat structure with abilities of high accuracy, long-term stability, and short response time. The gas sensor can be widely applied for monitoring the safety of a working environment, securing the safety of workers, alerting potential hazard in a factory, inspecting harmful materials in a specific area, testing leakage of a pipeline, inspecting waste gas exhausted from automobile/motorcycle, and monitoring the living quality of household environment.

The quantitative and qualitative analysis of gases and their mixtures has been found to be vastly applied in the fields of global environment monitoring, household safety inspecting, greenhouse environmental control, chemical concentration control, and certain applications relating to aerospace industry, etc. Nowadays, it is common to use gas sensors for performing the quantitative and qualitative analysis of gases and their mixtures, since not only the cost of monitoring the gases and their mixtures and the testing cycles required to be performed in the monitoring can be reduced, but also a real-time monitoring of the gases and their mixtures can be achieved thereby. However, cross sensitivity problem is common to those currently available gas sensors, such as semiconductor oxide gas sensors, metal oxide gas sensors, electrochemical gas sensors and solid electrolyte gas sensors, which can cause the reliability and repeatability of a monitoring result performed by such gas sensor to be adversely affected, i.e. the aforesaid gas sensors will fail to measure the individual concentration of each target gases of the monitoring accurately. Although, a gas sensor consists of an array of sensors sensitive to different gases can be used for detecting and measuring a plurality of gases, the cross sensitivity problem still can not be eliminated. For solving the foregoing cross sensitivity problem, the ability of certain gases to absorb infrared radiation has been successfully utilized in developing optical instruments for gas sensing, that is, gases can be selectively detected by the utilization of an infrared sensor via their specific absorption in the infrared spectral range. Despite their functional superiority, the optical gas sensors were not initially popular due to their structural complexity and high manufacturing cost, especially as the size of the optical gas sensor is increasing with the increasing of the amount of optical parts and relating elements of the optical gas sensor needed for detecting and measuring a plurality of gases. Therefore, the optical gas sensor currently available can only be used to detect and measure a gas of the specific infrared spectral range of the gas sensor, that the optical gas sensor can not be adaptively controlled for detecting and measuring various harmful gases coexisted in a same environment.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic illustration of a conventional optical gas sensor used for detecting a specific gas. The optical gas sensor 1 of FIG. 1 is comprised of an infrared radiation source 10, a reference light source 11, a chamber 12, a narrow-band optical filter 13 and a photodiode 14, wherein the reference light source 11 is disposed in the chamber 12 intermediate to the first and second ends of the chamber 12, that is, at a distance from the photodiode 14 less than the distance between infrared radiation source 10 and photodiode 14, and the narrow band optical filter 13 selected for a specific wavelength with respect to a gas to be sensed is mounted between the reference light source 11 and the photodiode 14. As the infrared radiation source 10 is emitting light of a defined wavelength range to be transmitted and reflected in the chamber 12, the gas to be sensed in the chamber 12 will absorb the emitted light while enabling the absorbed light of the specific wavelength to pass through the narrow band optical filter 13 to be received by the photodiode 14. Since the light of the specific wavelength emitted by the reference light source 11 is received by the photodiode 14 without having to travel across the chamber 12 filled of gas to be sensed and thus it is not subject to the absorption of the gas to be sensed, the gas to be sensed can be detected and the concentration of the same can be measured by comparing of the intensity of the light emitted form the reference light source 11, which is used as a reference value or initial value, with that of the light emitted from the infrared radiation source 10 after passing through the chamber 12. However, the use of the reference light source in this basic optical gas sensor configuration is to compensate for changes and deterioration of optical components with time and temperature. In practice, the reference light source is added to the sensor to correct for these potential problems.
There are many optical gas sensors currently available, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,840, U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,303, U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,234, U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,400, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,375. It is noted that those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,840, U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,303, U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,234, U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,400, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,375 are only suitable for detecting a specific gas while the reference light source for emitting reference light and the infrared radiation source for emitting testing light used in the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,840 are two different light sources.
From the above description, there are four major shortcomings can be summed up as following:                (1) By having reference light and testing light to be emitted from two different light sources as those used in prior-art sensors, it is possible that one might not be able to distinct the initial value, being obtained from the reference light representing no target gas sensed, from a response value, being obtained from the testing light representing the existence of the target gas, since the two light sources might begin to deteriorate at different times. Therefore, it is preferred to have the reference light and the testing light to be emitted from a same light source so that the time of deterioration of the two is identical and thus the distinction between the initial value and the response value is ease to identify.        (2) It is known that the reflection index of a material/atmosphere is varying along the change of ambient temperature, pressure or the properties of the material, and the change of reflection index will consequently cause the corresponding optical path to change. Hence, since the length of the optical path of the reference light is different from that of the testing light as those used in prior-art sensors while the initial value is subject to the influence of ambient temperature, pressure and the properties of the material, the accuracy and long-term stability of the gas sensor are reduced.        (3) The prior-art gas sensors can not be adapted for multi-gas testing.        (4) The structure of the prior-art gas sensor can not be flattened.
Therefore, it is in great need to have an apparatus for sensing plural gases that is capable of overcoming the foregoing problems.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A computerized system and method for generating CMS-compliant health services delivery (HSD) tables. A database stores health care service provider data. A remote computer user interacts with a server that provides access to the health care service provider data. A user can view health care service provider data that meets selected search parameters. The data is displayed in an interactive worksheet. The user may further cause amendments to be made to the data stored in the database. The user may issue a request to generate an HSD table in “final file format” which conforms to CMS requirements. The server checks for errors in the file and notifies the user of errors that are identified. The server optionally checks for adequacy of the network associated with a plurality of health care service providers. The user may approve the final files for filing with CMS.

Medicare is a social insurance program financed by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people aged 65 and over. Currently, there are three separate Medicare coverage options which are referred to as Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Supplement plans. Although similar in name, these three coverage options work differently to meet the health care needs of plan participants.
Original Medicare is a fee-for-service plan. In most cases, original Medicare is available to those 65 years of age or older, those with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease. The service is divided into categories: Medicare Part A; and Medicare Part B. Medicare Part A covers inpatient care in hospitals including critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long term care). It also helps cover hospice care and some home health care. Certain conditions must be met to obtain these benefits. Medicare Part B covers doctors' services and outpatient care as well as some other medical services that Part A does not cover such as the services of some physical and occupational therapists and some home health care.
Original Medicare provides very basic coverage for medical expenses, so members are still responsible for costs such as deductibles and coinsurance. Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans provide additional coverage for medical care. These plans give Medicare beneficiaries the option of receiving their Medicare benefits through private health insurance plans instead of through the original Medicare plan. For people that choose to enroll in a Medicare private health plan, Medicare pays the private health plan a specified amount every month for each member. Private plans are required to offer a benefit package comparable to Medicare's and to cover everything Medicare covers, but they do not have to cover every benefit in the same way. Medicare Supplement Plans are standardized with ten levels of coverage from which to choose. These plans are often referred to as "MediGap Insurance." In contrast, Medicare Advantage plans offer more coverage options as they are not standardized and vary greatly from plan to plan.
Medicare Advantage plans are often times referred to as "Part C" plans. A private company wishing to offer a Medicare Advantage plan in a given county must create and submit a filing package for submission to CMS for approval. There are annual deadlines for the submission of these filing packages, also referred to as Part C applications. Critical in the Part C applications are data compilations known as Health Service Delivery ("HSD") Tables. HSD tables contain information representing provider network adequacy on a county level. All provider data supplied on HSD tables is carefully reviewed by CMS and is a key factor in the acceptance or rejection of Part C applications. HSD tables permit CMS to determine whether a proposed Medicare Advantage plan meets the Medicare requirements mandated by the federal government.
Historically, the compilation of HSD tables has been a painstaking process. Because of the deadlines set on the filing of Part C applications, completing the detailed HSD tables on time for incorporation into the applications has been an extremely hectic task. There is a need in the art for a computerized system for the accumulation, alteration, and review of HSD table data.
One exemplary embodiment comprises a computerized system comprising at least one database storing health care service provider data and one or more servers where the one or more servers are adapted to receive health care service provider data from a remote computer, send the health care service provider data to the database from storage, receive a request from a remote computer to view health care service provider data that meets selected search parameters, retrieve health care provider data from the one or more databases in accordance with the selected search parameters, and transmit the health care service provider data to the remote computer for viewing. In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more servers sends the health care service provider data to the remote computer where it is populated into a worksheet displayed by the remote computer. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, once the health care service provider data is displayed by the remote computer, a system user may review the data and cause amendments to be made to the data stored in the database. In one example, a system user causes changes to be made to data stored in the database by completing an amendment request form that is generated by the system, saving the amendment request form, and then emailing the amendment request form to a reviewing body that sends the amended data to the database.
In some exemplary embodiments, one or more servers of the system runs a set of integrated tools that permit system users to view health care facility and health care practitioner data on a remote computer, cause amendments to be made to the data stored in the database, add health care facility and practitioner data to the database, review health care provider data that has been stored in the database in the format in which it will be filed with CMS (a "final file format"), approve displayed final files for filing, and analyze the health care provider data within final files to determine whether it satisfies CMS requirements.

Health service delivery tables system and method


A device for sampling chemical compounds from fixed surfaces and related methods are disclosed. The device may include a vacuum source, a chamber and a sorbent material. The device may utilize vacuum extraction to volatilize the chemical compounds from the fixed surfaces so that they may be sorbed by the sorbent material. The sorbent material may then be analyzed using conventional thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) instrumentation to determine presence of the chemical compounds. The methods may include detecting release and presence of one or more chemical compounds and determining the efficacy of decontamination. The device may be useful in collection and analysis of a variety of chemical compounds, such as residual chemical warfare agents, chemical attribution signatures and toxic industrial chemicals.

In a release of toxic chemicals into an urban or indoor environment, a wide range of compounds will be dispersed in addition to the principal toxin. These compounds, often referred to as "chemical attribution signature" (CAS) compounds, are derived from the synthesis and degradation of the toxin mixture, thus, they are highly indicative of the synthetic route, stabilization, storage, and methods of release. CAS compounds may have significant forensic value, provided they may be effectively collected at the event site.
For example, during the release of a chemical warfare agent (CWA) as an act of terrorism, there is a potential for a significant number of casualties from exposure to one or more toxins in the CWA. Such casualties may occur by inhalation or by dermal contact with aerosols or contaminated surfaces. In the aftermath of a CWA release, treatment of the victims, and decontamination and re-entry of the affected area will be high recovery priorities. Another activity of high priority will be fast and accurate identification of the perpetrators.
The identification of the CWA is the first and most important objective, since this dictates treatment of the victims and provides guidance for the amount of time an affected area will remain toxic due to residual agent. CWA identification is expected to be straightforward because analytical approaches are well developed. However, identification of the agent alone is not likely to provide substantial forensic information. A more detailed analysis having greater forensic value may be gained by identifying synthetic byproduct compounds that may be present in the agent. Synthetic byproduct compounds are indicative of a synthetic route that was used to synthesize the CWA, and may also contain information on how the agent was stored, stabilized, and released. Because the synthetic byproducts present in the CWAs are unique to synthetic routes used in their formation, these compounds may be used as CAS compounds.
The characterization of CAS compounds on fixed surfaces may be analytically challenging for several reasons. The chemical background in an anthropogenic environment includes a large number of compounds that may be present in high concentrations. For example, virtually any polymeric material will contain a large quantity of plasticizers and solvents, which will produce analytical responses that may be distinguished from those of the CAS compounds. The CAS compounds that are of highest value for identifying synthetic approaches will frequently be present at trace concentrations. These compounds are not formed intentionally, and their concentrations may have been reduced by purification steps used in synthesis. The concentrations of some of the toxins and the CAS compounds may decrease quickly after release, on account of volatilization and loss to the atmosphere, diffusion into a bulk solid, and/or degradation reactions. The CAS compounds may undergo degradation by hydrolysis, photolysis, oxidation, or condensation with other compounds in the chemical environment. Hydrolysis and oxidation reactions may be enhanced by treatment with decontamination solutions during recovery efforts. These degradation reactions may result in changes to the chemical nature of the CAS compounds that drives the need for effective sampling of exposed surfaces.
A method of analyzing organic compounds, such as phosphoryl compounds, sulfide compounds, and amine compounds, may be performed without sample preparation by bombarding surfaces with energetic molecules. More specifically, surface-adsorbed compounds are sputtered into the gas phase where they may be detected using mass spectrometry (MS). The drawback to this method is that it requires acquisition of a sample of the solid surface.
More recently, new approaches have emerged that enable direct interrogation of surfaces using a mass spectrometer. One such approach is desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry, which utilizes energetic droplets to impact contaminated surfaces. The droplets pick up surface contaminants that are then analyzed, and the technique has recently been demonstrated for analysis of chemical warfare agents. Another approach, referred to as "direct analysis in real time" (DART), utilizes an energetic noble gas plasma to remove surface contaminants that are then analyzed using mass spectrometry. Although these techniques enable on-site analysis, they are expensive, difficult to transport, and hence are not viable options for most law enforcement organizations.
CWA and associated CAS compounds may contact multiple fixed surfaces, and cannot be readily sampled using conventional approaches involving removal and transport to a forensic laboratory for analysis. There is a need for facile, rapid collection of samples containing chemical warfare agent (CWA) attribution signatures after a CWA release.

Device for collecting chemical compounds and related methods


A system and methods that account for vehicle human occupancy in parking management systems. Human throughput to an event is optimized by utilizing a smart parking guidance system based on the human occupancy of the vehicles to be parked.

Reducing time wasted when traveling to a destination is one of the main goals of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Many studies have been performed that attempt to quantify time wasted in traffic congestion. These studies show that the time wasted and the equivalent lost productivity, lost business, and lost tax revenue is significant. Further, traffic congestion leads to wasted fuel and increased emission of greenhouse gases. Traffic planners and transportation agencies seek methods that reduce traffic congestion. One concept that is used in highway traffic management is to incent people to "car pool", or "ride share" so that the number of people per vehicle on average is increased. Thus, this enables increased human throughput through the highway system, while maintaining the same vehicle throughput through the system and the same vehicle capacity of the roadway system. Human throughput is increased without building out new roadway capacity. The incentive can be in the form of a special travel lane that only multi-occupant vehicles can use—this is often in the form of a special limited access "express lane" where, because only certain vehicles can use it, it tends to have much better traffic flow. Other incentives are monetary in the form of a reduced tolling fee for multi-occupant vehicles.

Parking guidance system and method based on vehicle human occupancy


An image forming apparatus comprises: an image forming unit configured to form an image quality adjustment pattern image on an image carrier to be driven at a predetermined speed; a detector configured to detect the image quality adjustment pattern image; an image quality adjustment controller configured to control image quality adjustment processing in accordance with a detection result by the detector; a speed change unit configured to change an image formation speed indicating a speed at which an image is formed, and an interval change unit configured to change an interval at which the detector acquires a detection result in accordance with a change amount between the image formation speed before changed by the speed change unit and the image formation speed after changed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotography image forming apparatus, the following method has been known as a method of correcting transfer positional deviations (hereinafter, referred to as "positional deviation" or "color deviation" in some cases) for respective colors, for example. That is, known has been a method of forming a positional deviation correction pattern on an image carrier such as a carriage belt and an intermediate transfer member for conveying a recording medium such as a sheet and detecting positional information of the positional deviation correction pattern formed on the image carrier with a sensor so as to correct the positional deviations based on the detected positional information.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-031263 discloses the following technique in order to correct a positional deviation normally. That is, disclosed is a technique of using a mode A and a mode B as the situation demands. In the mode A, the positional deviation is corrected by using a positional deviation correction pattern having a normal size. In the mode B, the positional deviation is corrected by using a positional deviation correction pattern having a size and an interval that are larger than those in the mode A such that a sensor detects the positional deviation correction pattern even if the positional deviation is large.
Furthermore, the following method has been already known in order to detect a plurality of positional deviation correction patterns at high speed and with high accuracy. That is, known has been a method of generating interrupt on a central processing unit (CPU) so as to store a detection result (acquire a detection result) in a memory if the predetermined number of positional deviation correction patterns are detected by a sensor.
In the conventional positional deviation correction method using the interrupt on the CPU, an interrupt interval (interval at which the sensor acquires a detection result) until subsequent interrupt is generated from generation of one interrupt depends on a cycle (sampling cycle) in which the predetermined number of pieces of data (A/D-converted data) obtained by converting an analog signal output from the sensor to a digital signal are sampled. Because the sampling cycle relates to various functions such as resolution based on a filter characteristic and a clock, the sampling cycle cannot be changed easily. If an image formation speed is changed in a state where the sampling cycle is constant, the following problem arises in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-031263. That is, there arises the problem that the positional deviation correction pattern is not within an expected interrupt interval and cannot be detected normally. In addition, the same problem also arises in a method of correcting densities of respective colors by using a density deviation correction pattern.
There is need to provide an image forming apparatus that can detect an image quality adjustment pattern image normally even if an image formation speed is changed.


The object of the present invention is to provide a polyimide film, a flexible printed wiring board consisting thereof, and a polyimide molding, wherein various metal compounds are added to improve their properties and to provide them with noble properties.

As is commonly known, a polyimide film has various excellent properties such as heat-resistance, cold resistance, chemical-resistance, insulation and mechanical strength. Therefore, a polyimide film is widely used as electronic materials such as an electric insulating film, a flexible printed wiring board and the like.
To produce an electric insulating film and a flexible printed wiring board, a polyimide film can be bonded to a copper foil by using acrylic or epoxy-base flexible adhesive agent, or it can be bonded directly to a metal layer without using any adhesive agents by vacuum evaporation or spatter evaporation. In any cases to produce a flexible printed wiring board or the like, it is inevitable that a polyimide film be bonded well together to an adhesive layer and/or a metal layer.
As a flexible printed wiring board produced by using a polyimide film is often exposed to an atmosphere of high temperature and high humidity, there has been a strong demand for a flexible printed wiring board having a strong adhesive property, which is not spoiled even under high temperature and high humidity.
Various attempts to improve an adhesive strength between a polyimide film and an adhesive agent or a metal layer has been made. One of the attempts is that the surface of a polyimide film is roughened and another attempt is that reactive functional group is introduced to the surface of a polyimide film by applying such techniques as corona discharge treatment, plasma treatment, or chemical surface treatment. However, in any attempts, it is difficult to keep an adhesive strength from deteriorating under an atmosphere of high temperature and high humidity.
In order to prevent an adhesive property from deteriorating under high temperature and high humidity, various inorganic or organic metallic compounds have been added to a polyimide film to control a higher-order structure of polyimide.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,099 discloses a polyimide film containing titanic organo-compound to improve an adhesive strength of a polyinide film.
JP Pat. No. 7-299883 discloses a polyimide film produced by adding a organic tin compound to a polyamide acid solution or a polyamide acid polymer not to spoil a high bonding strength and a high adhesive strength of a polyimide film after aging under an atmosphere of high temperature and high humidity.
JP Pat. No. 7-503984 also discloses a polyimide film produced by adding an organometallic compound such as tin compound and the like with polyamide acid polymer before a casting step, to improve an adhesive strength of a polyimide film after aging under an atmosphere of high temperature and high humidity.
Furthermore, in order to provide a polyimide film with other properties than an adhesive property, various metallic compounds are often added.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,784 to A. L. Endrey et. al discloses that a polyimide film with an improved electric conductivity, which is produced by adding silver salt to an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid, curing the obtained solution and simultaneously reducing the size of a metallic particle to 0.8 .mu.m to keep a polyimide film transparent.
Macromolecules, 17, pp. 1627-1632(1984) discloses a polyimide film containing stannic chloride or dibutyltin chloride to decrease an electric resistance of the film.
Larry T. Taylor et. al (K. L. Mittal POLYIMIDES Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications) report that a rise of Tg and the improvement of mechanical strength under a high temperature can be seen by adding Al(acac).sub.3, AgNO.sub.3, Li.sub.2 PdCl.sub.4 and AuI.sub.3 to polyimide.
Robin E. Southward et. al report that adding fusible lanthanoid (III) acetate trihydrate to a polyimide film makes the coefficient of linear expansion of a polyimide film small.
Furthermore, polyimide molding has also various properties such as abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, radioactive resistance in addition to excellent heat resistance. Therefore, it is widely used as mechanism elements such as slide members, or automobile parts, office appliance, electrical and electric equipment, apparatus of aerospace sector and atomic sector, and general industrial machinery. However, to further use a polyimide molding as an alternate material of metal, precision mechanism element and the like, it is inevitable to improve mechanical properties of a polyimide molding such as mechanical strength and toughness and it is important to add or improve these properties by adding various metallic compounds.
As described above, some attempts to add various metallic compound have been made to improve properties of a polyimide film and a polyimide molding and to provide them with a novel property.
Generally, polyimide is prepared from polyimide acid, a precursor of polyimide, by dehydration. A polyimide film is obtained through the following steps:
mixing an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid with a dehydrating and cyclizing agent and casting a mixture to form a film; and heating a film-shape mixture at a high temperature after drying it. There are 4 types of methods to add various inorganic or organic metallic compounds in these steps as follows. PA1 R.sub.11 : --H or C.sub.3.about.8 hydrocarbon residue PA1 R.sub.12, R.sub.13 : C.sub.3.about.18 hydrocarbon residue PA1 R.sub.14 : C.sub.3.about.18 hydrocarbon residue, ##STR6## PA1 R.sub.15, R.sub.16 : C.sub.3.about.18 hydrocarbon residue PA1 R.sub.17 : C.sub.2.about.18 hydrocarbon residue PA1 1. Inhibitor for gelation is added and blended in the course of synthesizing polyamide acid, and inorganic or organic metallic compounds are added after polyamide acid is completely synthesized. PA1 2. Inhibitors for gelation are added and blended after polyamide acid is completely synthesized, and inorganic or organic metallic compounds are blended with the inhibitors for gelation or added and blended after adding the inhibitors for gelation. PA1 1. Inhibitors for gelation are added and blended in the course of synthesizing polyamide acid, and inorganic or organic metallic compounds are added to an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid alone or blended with curing agents. PA1 2. Inhibitors for gelation are added to and blended in the solution in which polyamide acid is completely synthesized, and inorganic or organic metallic compounds are added to said solution alone or they are added to the solution after being mixed in curing agents(dehydrating and cyclizing agents and catalysts). PA1 3. After polyamide acid is synthesized, inhibitors for gelation are added to and blended in curing agents (dehydrating and cyclizing agents and catalysts), and then the blend is added to an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid, and inorganic or organic metallic compounds are added to the solution alone or blended in the curing agents.
One of the methods is to add various inorganic and organic metallic compounds to an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid, a precursor of polyimide.
Another method is to add various inorganic and organic metallic compounds at the early stage of synthesizing polyamide acid, a precursor of polyimide.
Another method is to add various inorganic and organic metallic compounds to a dehydrating and cyclizing agent and catalyst.
The other method is to coat a partially-cast or partially-dried base film of polyamide acid with an organic solvent solution of metal salt, and then to heat and dry the coated base film while completely conversing said polyamide acid into polyimide.
However, in any above methods except the last one, when inorganic or organic metallic compounds are added to an organic solvent solution of polyimide acid, cross-link between metallic atom and functional group of polyamide acid is formed. As the cross-link is formed between macro-moleculars, the gelation of organic solvent solution of polyamide acid takes place, which makes it difficult to cast the organic solvent solution of polyamide acid to form a film.
The organic solvent solution of polyamide acid may possibly be cast, however, a gelling part of organic solvent solution of polyamide acid leads to problems in appearance (e.g. a black spot and uneven thickness, etc.) in the process of heating the film.
In addition to the problems in appearance, such properties as electric insulation, chemical-resistance, mechanical strength and the like degrade considerably.
In the case of the last method, there is no problems to cast an organic solvent solution of polyamide acid to form a film. However, when a partially-cast or partially-dried base film of polyamide acid is coated with an organic solvent solution of metal salt, partial gelation takes place on the surface layer of the film. A gelling part leads to problems in appearance and furthermore such properties as electric insulation, chemical-resistance, mechanical strength and the like degrade considerably.

Polyamide acid composition containing metal, polyimide film, flexible printed wiring board and method for producing them


A method in an electronic device provides a mechanism for maintaining application mobility in a communication network, such as a content distribution network. In one exemplary embodiment, a user device transitions from a source content server in a first access network of the communication network to a destination content server in a second access network of the communication network. The source content server hands off responsibility for serving the content to the destination content server. In some embodiments, a tunnel is created between the source content server and the destination content server.

A communication network typically includes a core network and at least one access network. The core network is the central part of the communication network and serves as the backbone of the communication network. The core network typically includes high capacity switches and transmission equipment. Each access network serves as a point of contact with the communication network for users. Access networks connect subscribers with their service providers. An access network serves as a point of contact with the communication network for users. A communication network may have multiple access networks, serving different sets of users, in communication with a single core network.
A communication network may deliver content to a user. Typically, a user device in an access network will create a request for a certain piece of content, and forward that request through the access network to the core network. A core services platform may be located within the core network. The core services platform is a device that performs a variety of services. For example, the core services platform may identify a location where the requested content is stored. Typically, this location is a content storage repository. The content storage repository may be located in the same access network as the user, in a different access network, or in the core network. The core services platform then may coordinate the retrieval of the requested content from the content storage repository, and may coordinate the delivery of the requested content back to the user device.
In a mobile communication network, end-users may be capable of moving to different access networks. Examples of mobile communication networks include, but are not limited to, cell phone networks, WiFi networks, WiMax networks, and mobile broadband networks. Content may be sourced by the core network, which may coordinate the delivery of content or store the content, or both. The content may be provided to a user device in the mobile communication network, and it may not be necessary for some of the applications and devices supporting the delivered content to be aware of the mobility of the user.
For example, a video may be stored on a file server in a core network and streamed to a user via an application server in the core network. The user, initially in a first access network, communicates with network devices in the first access network. The network devices in the first access network request the video from the core network. The core network and devices in the first access network may establish a series of protocols that allow the video to be streamed to the user via the application server in the core network. If the user moves to a second access network, the user communicates with different devices in the second access network. These devices may similarly request the video from the core network. Because the core network is involved in coordinating the serving of the video to the user, it may be possible for the core network to continue streaming the video to the user in the second access network without significant degradation in the quality of the video caused by the user changing access networks. Further, the core network may not need to identify when the user moves to a new access network, because the devices in the new access network will request the video from the core network.
However, the operator of a mobile network may desire to move certain content to a local content server in an access network, or move content delivery coordination into an access network. By moving content and coordination out of the core network, core network resources may be freed for other purposes, improving overall bandwidth, access, and reliability in the communication network. However, when content or services are moved out of the core network and into the access network, it may be useful for devices in the network to be made aware of the mobility of the user so that the devices can coordinate the provision of content and services.

Mechanism for application mobility in a cell site-based content distribution network


A sensor system includes a sensor element and a body. A number of electrical contact points with which contact may be created via electrical contact elements are provided on one side of the sensor element. Electrically conductive insertion parts are introduced into the body made of a non-conductive material and create a contact with the electrical contact points of the sensor element when the sensor element and the body are mechanically joined together.

Sensor elements are used to measure pressure and temperature. In internal combustion engines, for example, pressure is measured in annular spaces using high pressure sensors which are electrically connected to a central engine control unit. Nowadays, the electrical connections are designed as wire bonds which create the connection to an electronic analyzer, e.g., in the central engine control unit. Due to the further miniaturization of the sensor elements used, e.g., high pressure sensors, space inside the sensor housing is subject to significant constraints, to ensure that the bond wires can be applied.
Various assembly and connection methods are used in the assembly of high pressure sensors. After a sensor element has been mounted on a threaded connection piece in a permanently locked manner, the sensor element's electrical connections to the electronic analyzer are created via wire bonds. Herein, the bond surfaces via which the wire bonds contact the sensor element must have the same orientation as the wire bonds and must be very close to one another. In particular, the orientation of the bond surfaces presents a problem if space inside the sensor housing of the sensor element is subject to significant constraints.
In assembly and connection methods used heretofore, e.g., for creating electrical contacts for high pressure sensor elements, a welded connection only is implemented on the underside of the sensor element, so as to create a mechanical connection to the sensor as a whole, i.e., the sensor element's housing. As a general rule, the sensor element's electrical contact is created on the front side, using bond wires. This known assembly method has among other things the disadvantage that when the bond connection is created it has to be possible to access the contact surfaces, namely the contact pads, from the outside, and the sensor housing is not mountable until the bond connection has been created. Furthermore, it is not possible to simultaneously create an electrical connection via wire bonds as well as a mechanical connection between the sensor element and its surrounding sensor housing; instead, a series of assembly steps are required.