A recording apparatus configured to record on a recording medium by using a recording head, includes a first storage unit that stores input data including a command and a first image data, a reading unit that reads out the command and the first image data stored in the first storage unit by using a first pointer, a generating unit that converts the first image data read out from the first storage unit and generate a second image data, a second storage unit that stores the second image data generated in the generating unit, a determining unit that determines whether an amount of data stored in the first storage unit reaches a predetermined value by using a second pointer, and a recording unit that starts a scan for recording after the determining unit determines that the amount of data stored in the first storage unit reaches the predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus configured to receive data or a command from outside and record the received data or command, and a method of controlling the recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, devices such as printers have decreased in price and increased in performance. To satisfy these requirements, logic circuits such as a CPU or a memory (RAM, ROM, etc) are often integrated in one chip as an integrated circuit (ASIC etc.)
In the integrated circuit, the RAM occupies a relatively large area. Accordingly, in the devices for which the cost reduction is required, it is necessary to reduce capacity of the RAM as much as possible.
To solve the problem, for example, a technique for reducing capacity of a memory (for example, print buffer) for storing recording data as much as possible by receiving only an amount of data necessary for one scan recording from a host device has been discussed.
With reference to FIG. 4, operation of a recording apparatus will be described. FIG. 4 illustrates data in a print buffer 42 and a recording operation of the data on a recording medium 105. At the same time as recording data of five blocks is stored in the print buffer (B1), a record scanning by a recording head 104 is started (A1).
Then, the recording head scans data of 512 dots corresponding to a first block 1 and completes the recording of the data corresponding to the block 1 (A2). Then, in the print buffer 420, in the memory area where the block 1 data was stored, recording data of block 6 is stored (B2).
As shown by the numeral 111, when the recording head scans data of the next 512 dots and the recording of the block 2 data is completed (A3), recording data of a block 7 is stored (B3) in the memory area of the block 2. Consecutively, the recording is performed by reusing the memory area of recorded block. When recording of recording data of the last block 10 is completed, a main scanning by the recording head 104 is completed. Thus, the recording is efficiently performed by using a print buffer having less capacity than the recording data corresponding to the amount of one scanning.
FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an example to save memory capacity of the print buffer. FIG. 6A illustrates a state in which recording data corresponding to each color in a block is stored. In this case, in the order of black (Bk), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), data of the maximum of 128×512 dots can be recorded respectively. The maximum of volume of this block is 128×512×4 dots. FIG. 6B illustrates a case in which recording data for recording dots of magenta does not exist. In this case, recording data of black (Bk), cyan (C), and subsequently, yellow (Y) is recorded, and the memory capacity is reduced to 128×512×3 dots.
In the case of FIG. 6A, block color information which shows whether the recording data exists on each color, is Bk, C, M, Y=(1111) (4 bits) since all color data exist. On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 6B, since the recording data of magenta does not exist, the block color information is Bk, C, M, Y=(1101) (4 bits). Since it is possible to reduce the recording data and store the reduced recording data, the used region in each block in the print buffer can be saved.
FIG. 2 illustrates a state in which data received from the host device is stored in a receive buffer 41. The upper part of FIG. 2 is a head address of the receive buffer. From the head address (address 0), the data is stored in the buffer in sequence. In the receive buffer, as shown in FIG. 2, commands (image data commands) and data (image data) are stored in order of reception. These commands and data are read out in order of reception.
A mode set command indicates information about printing (recording) operation to the recording apparatus (printer). For example, the mode set command includes information about a size of paper, operation mode (for example, image quality priority mode, speed priority mode etc.), type of color (for example, black-and-white mode, color mode, etc), shape of block per one color for print buffer, the number of color, or the like.
The image data commands and image data corresponding to each block are transmitted from a host device. The image data command includes information about the number of data per block, etc. The image data corresponds to print data (recording data) of each block.
FIG. 3 illustrates a process of print data in a conventional printer. A CPU 10 sets a start address and an end address of a receive buffer region to a receive buffer control circuit 7 in advance. In an example of FIG. 2, the start address is "0" and the end address is "1".
The CPU 10 allows an interface control circuit 5 to receive data. The data is sent from a host (host device) 50. The data sent from the host 50 is received in the interface control circuit 5 in an ASIC 20. The interface control circuit 5 sends the data to the receive buffer control circuit 7. The receive buffer control circuit 7 uses a write pointer 101 which is managed by a receive buffer address management circuit 1, through a memory controller 3, and stores the data in the receive buffer 41 which is provided in memory 4. The receive buffer address management circuit 1 updates a value of the write pointer 101 every time the memory controller 3 writes in the memory 4.
After it is confirmed that the data has been stored in the receive buffer 41, the CPU 10 uses a read pointer 102, which is managed by the receive buffer address management circuit 1, and reads out the data from the receive buffer. The receive buffer address management circuit 1 updates the value of the read pointer 102 every time the data is read out from the memory.
When the readout of the receive data is started, firstly, the mode set command is read out. The CPU 10 interprets the readout command and obtains information about a print mode, the number of colors, etc. In accordance with the information, blocks are allocated in a print buffer. For example, the number of blocks or size of the block is set to a print buffer control circuit 8.
Further, the CPU 10, by using the read pointer 102, reads out an image data command 1 stored in the receive buffer 41 and interprets the command. In the image data command 1, the number of data of a subsequently stored image data 1 is written. The CPU interprets the image data command 1 and knows the number of print data in a block to be received.
After the CPU 10 interprets the image data command, configure the setting for an unpack control circuit 6 on basis of the image data command. Then, the unpack control circuit 6 reads out the image data 1 stored in the receive buffer using the read pointer 102. The readout is performed by, for example, a DMA transfer, and the read pointer 102 indicates that addresses of DMA sender proceeds.
Since the image data 1 is packed, an unpack process is performed in the unpack control circuit 6, and the data is transferred to a print buffer control circuit 8. When the DMA transfer of the image data 1 is completed, the unpack control circuit 6 reads out an image command 2 stored in the receive buffer and interprets the readout command using the read pointer 102. Then, an image data 2 is read out. Subsequently, the interpretation of image data commands and readout of image data are performed in order.
The print buffer control circuit 8 controls storage and readout of the unpacked data to and from a print buffer 42. The print buffer control circuit 8 stores the data in the print buffer using a write pointer 201, and reads out the stored data from the print buffer using a read pointer 202.
After the storage in the print buffer 42 is performed and a predetermined amount of image data is stored, the CPU instructs to start an printing operation.
However, the time necessary for the above readout of the image data from the receive buffer takes more time than the time necessary for the storage of the data in the receive buffer. The first reason is that the data to be readout is packed data, and it is necessary to unpack the packed data. The second reason is that the interpretation of commands is performed by the CPU.
Further, in order to confirm that the predetermined number of blocks of data or commands are stored in the receive buffer, it is necessary to read out the commands or data in order of reception.
As shown in FIG. 2, the commands and image data are alternately stored in the receive buffer. Accordingly, it is not possible to read out the next block if the readout of the previously received block is not completed. That is, in order to confirm that a necessary number of blocks has been received, it is necessary to read out the data for all the blocks.
As described above, conventionally, before starting the recording of data corresponding to the amount of one scan by using the recording head, in order to confirm in advance that the recording device has received a predetermined amount of data (for example, data of five blocks), the five blocks of commands and data of the receive buffer 41 are read out. If the five blocks of commands and data of the receive buffer are read out, to prevent the process being wasted, the read out commands and data are stored in the print buffer. Accordingly, a region corresponding to the amount of the five blocks of data, is provided in the print buffer 42.
Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the number of blocks to be stored in the receive buffer 41 and the number of blocks to be stored in the print buffer 42 are equal. In the example of FIG. 7, the number of blocks is five. Further, FIG. 7 illustrates that the capacity corresponding to one block to be stored in the print buffer 42 is larger than that in the receive buffer 41.
In recent years, further reduction in capacity of memory in recording devices has been required. To reduce the memory capacity, for example, reduction in capacity of print buffer or receive buffer can be considered. However, in the above-described structure, it is difficult to reduce the capacity of memory. Further, improvement of throughput of recording is also required to the recording devices.

Recording apparatus and method of controlling the recording apparatus based on image data commands


A hand-guided power reciprocating saw has a machine housing, a saw blade drivable by a motor into a stroke motion, a guide device having two guide elements resting against the saw blade at opposite sides of the saw blade and operative for guiding and supporting the saw blade crosswise to a sawing direction, the guiding device further having a two-armed pivot lever with lever arms on each of which a corresponding one of the guide elements is situated, the guiding device also having an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a transverse spacing between the guide elements, a holder in which the guide device is integrated and which is configured to be mounted in the machine housing and/or to a base plate attached to the machine housing, the pivot lever being pivotally supported on the holder and the adjusting mechanism being accommodated in the holder.

The present invention is based on a hand-guided power reciprocating saw.
A known, hand-guided power reciprocating saw referred to as a compass saw (DE 101 19 561 A1) has an oscillating device with a U-shaped holder attached to the housing of the compass saw and a support roller situated between the holder legs, which supports the spine of the saw blade. The support roller is provided with a V-shaped groove that accommodates the spine of the saw blade. In order to prevent a lateral deflection of the oscillating device crosswise to the sawing direction during sawing, a guide mechanism is provided that is fastened to the housing of the compass saw or to a base plate that serves to support the compass saw on the work piece to be sawed. The guide mechanism is embodied as fork-shaped and at the fork ends, supports guide jaws oriented toward each other, which engage the holder of the oscillating device, in the region of the holder in which the support roller is situated.
A known hand-guided saber saw (WO 02/22297 A1) has a support device with a support roller that supports the saw blade spine of the saw blade in the sawing direction and can be driven to oscillate as needed in the sawing direction. In order to prevent a lateral deflection of the saw blade crosswise to the sawing direction during sawing, the saber saw has a guide device that is for guiding and laterally supporting the saw blade; this guide device has two guide elements resting against opposite sides of the saw blade and has a servomotor embodied in the form of a spring drive that is able to adjust the distance between the guide elements to the thickness of the saw blade. The guide device is integrated into the machine housing and has a pair of tong-like pivot arms that protrude from the machine housing in front of the saw blade in the sawing direction. The guide elements situated at the ends of the tongs grasp the saw blade above the base plate by means of their through opening for the saw blade. A clamping device that holds the saw blade is coupled to the guide device so that the guide elements lift away from the saw blade when the clamping device opens and are placed against the sides of the saw blade when the clamping device closes. The guide elements are embodied in the form of roller bodies or ceramic parts, each of which is situated on the one pivot arm of the two-armed tong pivot arms. The tong pivot arms are connected by means of a joint and, with guide bolts that protrude from their pivot arms at the end oriented away from the guide elements, engage in grooves that are situated in a bearing component and diverge from each other in a slightly oblique fashion at an angle of less than 6°. When the bearing component is slid, the tong pivot arms are pivoted via the guide bolts and the sides of the grooves. Two compression springs engage the bearing component and load the bearing component in the longitudinal direction of the saw blade, transmitting a force to the tong pivot arms via the grooves and guide bolts so that the guide elements on the tong pivot arms rest against the sides of the saw blade with a prestressing spring force.


A transmitter includes: a decoder for transforming an IQ signal into a linear sum of two vectors which have non-negative coefficients, respectively, which form an angle of (π/4), and which are included in eight vectors representing directions indicated by eight angles of (−π/2), 0, (π/2), π, (−3π/4), (−π/4), (π/4), and (3π/4), respectively, and for outputting information upon magnitudes and angles of the two vectors; a phase generator for generating eight phase signals corresponding to phases of (−π/2), 0, (π/2), π, (−3π/4), (−π/4), (π/4), and (3π/4), respectively, and outputting the eight phase signals; and a selector for selecting two phase signals having phases equivalent to angles of the two vectors, from among the eight phase signals, and amplifying the two phase signals having been selected, based on the information upon the magnitudes and the angles, and outputting, as a plurality of amplification signals, the two phase signals having been amplified.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high efficiency transmitters, and more particularly to transmitters that allow improvement of efficiency of power amplifiers (PAs), relaxing of timing requirement, and realization of reduction in size of circuits.
2. Description of Related Art
Demand for high efficiency transmitters is increased so as to enable long time phone call communication or extension of battery duration in wireless communication devices. As high efficiency transmitters, for example, transmitters using polar modulation mode have been known to date. However, in the polar modulation mode, two modulation paths for amplitude modulation and phase modulation are connected to a PA. Therefore, there is a problem that cost is increased for timing synchronization therebetween.


The invention features a method wherein a recognition environment utilizes pseudo-English as a programming language to extract simple and complex objects with image-and/or map-data as inputs. Based on this human/computer interface in which pseudo-English is a programming language, the object-recognition system has three major logic modules: (1) an input data module; (2) an information-processing module, coupled with the above-noted human computer interface (HCI) module; and (3) an output module that has a feedback mechanism back to the main information-processing and the input-data module. A physical phenomenon (i.e., one that is visible, audible, tactile, etc.) is analyzed by the information-processing module to determine whether it is susceptible to description or articulation. If not, the phenomenon is matched or compared, via the output module, to a known articulatable, physical-phenomenon model and recognizable features are extracted.

The present invention pertains to a method of object recognition and, more particularly, to a method of object recognition that uses a human-like language, based on the vocabularies used in photointerpretation, to write solution algorithms.
In the art of object recognition, one usually extracts an object with image and/or map data by using one of three major methods: (1) a manual method in which an analyst extracts an object by using the human visual system, (2) an automated method in which the analyst relies totally on a machine system to perform the task, and (3) an interactive method in which the analyst determines a final decision, while a machine plays an assistant role.
Using a manual mode, an analyst does not need to employ a computer to do anything except to display an image.
In employing an automated system, once the data is entered into the machine, a machine system extracts the intended object. The analyst is merely a receiver of the data-processing results. In the event that the analyst is dissatisfied with the performance of the machine system, necessary changes can be made to the solution algorithms. In this automated mode, the analyst still has nothing to do with either the machine or the means by which objects are extracted.
In a conventional, interactive mode of information processing, the level of interaction between an analyst and a machine system can vary greatly. The least amount of interaction occurs when a machine system provides a set of solutions to the analyst, and the analyst selects or rejects one or more of the proffered solutions. On the other hand, the analyst can intensively interact with the machine by employing the following: (1) pre-processing image data by using a set of functions provided by the machine systems; (2) analyze the content of the scene by using a set of functions provided by the machine systems; (3) by utilizing the information provided in the aforementioned options, performing a set of object extraction options; and (4) evaluating each result and then selecting or rejecting a result.
In a conventional system utilizing intense interaction, an analyst is still either a mere operator or, at best, an effective, efficient user of the machine system. In other words, under these conditions, no matter how good the analyst is in the extraction or recognition of an object, conceptualized xe2x80x9calgorithmsxe2x80x9d cannot be converted into a computer-workable program.
Conventional feature and object extraction for mapping purposes is based on high resolution panchromatic images supplemented by color imagery. A feature boundary, such as the contact zone between a forested area and a cultivated field, is determined by using standard photo-interpretation principles, such as a Tone principle, a Texture principle, a Size principle, a Shape principle, and so on, based on one single image. The use of multiple images, such as a system with three graytone images representing the near infrared spectrum, the red spectrum, and the green spectrum, in determining an object boundary can be very confusing and time-consuming. Therefore, to be helpful, these multispectral imagery data sets must be converted to a single-band scene serving as a base image map (IM) for manually-based feature extraction.
In the past 30 years or more, image processing and pattern recognition have been centered on extracting objects using simple and complex algorithms within an image of appropriate dimensions, such as 128xc3x97128, 256xc3x97256, 512xc3x97152 and 1024xc3x971024 pixels. It is extremely rare for a complex algorithm to extract an object from a scene larger than 2048xc3x972048 pixels, in view of the fact that historically even a workstation has a limited memory capacity to handle large images.
From the above discussion, it is clear that there exists a gap in the concept of scale in a physical space, and a gap in formation processing between the mapping community and pattern recognition scientists. In essence, cartographers deal with space in degrees of longitude and latitude, whereas image processing scientists think in terms of objects in a scene of 512xc3x97512 pixels. Among other objects of this invention, this conceptual and information processing gap is to be bridged.
The present invention is an innovative object-recognition system that divides objects into two broad categories, viz., wherein an analyst can articulate, after examining the scene content; how he or she would extract an object, and, secondly, wherein an analyst cannot articulate how to discriminate an object against other competing object descriptors, after examining the scene or a set of object descriptors (e.g., a spectral signature or a boundary contour).
In the first case, where an analyst is able to articulate the extraction of the objects, the proposed solution is to employ a pseudo-human language, including, but not limited to, pseudo-English as a programming language. The analyst can communicate with a machine system by using this pseudo-human language, and then inform the machine how he or she would extract a candidate object without having to rely on a xe2x80x9cthird-partyxe2x80x9d programmer.
In the second case, where an analyst is unable to articulate the extraction of an object, the proposed solution is to use an appropriate matcher with a matching library to extract the candidate object, and then pass it over to processors employed in the first-category sphere. Once an extracted object is passed over to the first environment, this object becomes describable by using the proposed pseudo-human language. Thus, it can be combined with other xe2x80x9cexisting objectsxe2x80x9d to extract still further objects. The final result, then, is the extraction of a set of complex objects or compound objects.
In the past 50 years, photointerpreters have been taught to use the principles governing the following aspects in recognizing an object: (1) tone or spectrum principles; (2) texture (spatial variation of tones) (3) size; (4) shape; (5) shadow (detection of vertical objects); (6) pattern (geometry and density) (7) associated features (contextual information); and (8) stereoscopic characteristics (height), if available.
From these principles based on the human visual system, an object can exist in a number of forms, as shown below in Table I.
From Table I data, it can be inferred that a spectral-matching-alone system can extract only one of the seven object types, i.e., (a). A shape-alone system can extract only two of the seven object types, i.e., (b) and (d).
The proposed system of this invention is intended for extracting all seven types of objects by using image and map data, such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and multi-spectral and other types of sensory data, with the assumption that appropriately matching libraries are available. For example, such libraries are readily available: (1) hyperspectral library of various material types; (2) ground vehicle library for FLIR (forward-looking infrared) applications; and (3) ground vehicle library for LADAR (laser radar) applications.
Using these libraries, the method of this invention first extracts single-pixel and single-region-based objects, and then xe2x80x9cgluesxe2x80x9d them together to form multi-object-based object complexes.
Table II below illustrates this two-stage, object-extraction approach.
The uniqueness of this inventive method lies in using a pseudo-human language (such as a pseudo-English-based programming language), compatible with an interpreters"" language, to perform this xe2x80x9cobject-gluingxe2x80x9d process. For example, to extract a complex object having two subparts, such as an engine and a body, the following Table can be utilized.
In line 1 of Equation 1, both Partxe2x80x941 and Partxe2x80x942 are extracted by using a rule-based system in the inventive objective-recognition system. These two objects can also be extracted by using a matching library; in this case, though, Lines 2 and Line 3 in Equation 1 will not be necessary, however they must be extracted before Equation 1 is executed.
Another innovative feature of the system, therefore, is that it allows one to integrate a matcher-based classifier with a rule-based classifier within one image-exploitation environment.
When asked how a conclusion is derived for a given image complex in an area of interest (AOI) that may contain a target (or is, in fact, a target of a certain type), a photointerpreter would most likely give an answer in terms of a combination of these photointerpretation keys listed in the second and third equation, column II Table III below, or as the following:
1. The area is a small regionxe2x80x94a size criterion. 2. The area contains a bright spotxe2x80x94a tone criterion. 3. It is not a vegetated regionxe2x80x94an associated feature principle. 4. It is close to a trail or a roadxe2x80x94an associated feature principle.xe2x80x83xe2x80x83Equation (2)
Equation 2 indicates that the photointerpreter is capable of articulating a target-extraction process in terms of two levels of sophistication: (1) how a target complex is different from its background; and (2) how a given target is different from the other targets.
This group of targets is denotable as xe2x80x9cdescribable or articulatable by using a photointerpreter-based human language.xe2x80x9dxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Equation 3)
In many cases, it is difficult to articulate by using a human language how one spectral curve is different from another, or how to match one observed boundary contour with a set of contours that is stored in a shape library. However, one can obtain a correct match by using a matching algorithm that is executed by a computer.
This group of targets can be denoted as xe2x80x9ccannot be articulated with a human language, but extractable by using a computer-based, matching algorithmxe2x80x9d.xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Equation 4)
In certain cases, a target complex becomes describable via a human language, after a computer-based matcher has identified the internal features (parts) of the target. For example, if a camouflage net comprises three kinds of materials (e.g., green-colored material, tan-colored and yellow-colored), one can identify each pixel by its material type and output the results in terms of a three-color decision map. The target complex thus becomes a describable object, such as:
(1) The area of interest contains three types of material, viz., green-, tan- and yellow-color based; this is a tone principle.
(2) The three colors touch one another; this is an associated-feature principle, as well as a texture principle.
(3) The sum of these pixels is in an interval of 15-to-20 pixels; this is a size principle.
This group of targets can be denoted as xe2x80x9cdescribable or articulatable, after a classification process is completed with a matching libraryxe2x80x9d.xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Equation 5)
To extract objects and features for mapping purposes, it is a common practice by cartographers to use high resolution panchromatic orthophotosxe2x80x94imagery with a constant scale over the entire scenexe2x80x94as the source. These digital orthophotos usually cover a large geographic region that uses 7.5 minutes in longitude and latitude directions as one basic spatial unit. In this spatial framework, it is not uncommon to find an orthophoto that covers a spatial extent of one-half degree in both longitude and latitude directions. How can such a geographic dimension be translated into image sizes?
Consider an approximate length for one degree on the earth coordinate system: 110 kilometers. One half of a degree is approximately 55 km. If a panchromatic image has a linear spatial resolution of 5 meters per pixel, a square region of one half of a degree is equivalent to 11,000xc3x9711,000 pixels. A one-degree region on the earth is covered by a scene of 22,000xc3x9722,000 pixels at the linear resolution of 5 meters per pixel. It is not unusual for a cartographer to extract features from a one-degree scene. In digital image processing, on the other hand, a unit of analysis is usually set at the level of 512 by 512 pixels or 1024 by 1024 pixels. In other words, it is rare that a sophisticated feature extraction algorithm is applied to scene of 2024 by 2024 pixels.
Using the human visual system as means for object extraction, a cartographer can handle a one-degree scene without much difficulty. Since an object like a runway has distinct spatial base and dimension, to extract it from an image, the cartographer must have destroyed a tremendous amount of information, at the same time creating additional information that does not exist in the image. This invention simultaneously creates and destroys information for object extraction in images by using a digital computer, just as a sculptor creates a work of art while simultaneously removing undesired material.
The present invention proposes a communication means between an analyst and a computer, or, a human computer interface, in the form of a pseudo-human-based programming language, with which a photo-interpreter can extract the two types of target complexes.
In addition to serving as an interface module between an analyst and a computer, this language functions in two significant ways: (1) it is a vehicle for one to capture and preserve the knowledge of the human analysts; and (2) it is an environment in which an analyst can organize his or her image-exploitation knowledge into computer-compilable programs, e.g., it is an environment for knowledgeably engineering automatic, object-recognition processes.
Table IV summarizes the above-discussed target extraction process with a pseudo-English language as a programming language.
The inventive system is based upon the model shown in Table IV. The target extraction philosophy of this invention can also be summarized in Table V by using the model of Table IV as its base.
Schutzer (1985) in his article entitled, xe2x80x9cThe Tools and Techniques of Applied Artificial Intelligencexe2x80x9d in Andriole (1985 ed.), listed LISP and PROLOG as applicable, artificial-intelligence (AI) languages. The inventive language differs from these.
First (as noted by Schutzer), LISP as a short form of xe2x80x9cList Processorxe2x80x9d is primarily designed as a xe2x80x9csymbol-manipulation languagexe2x80x9d. While it is a powerful language, it differs significantly from the inventive language form illustrated in Equation 1 in that each system has its own, distinct vocabulary and syntax.
The second major AI language discussed by Schutzer, PROLOG, denotes xe2x80x9cprogramming in logicxe2x80x9d. The most distinct feature of PROLOG is that in solving a program therewith, the user states the problem, but not the procedures by which the problem is to be solved. In the inventive system, the analyst must specify the exact procedures as to how a specific object is to be defined (as illustrated in Equation 1), in which a third object is extracted, because the first object xe2x80x9ctouchesxe2x80x9d the second object.
Conventional computing languages also include assembler, FORTRAN, PASCAL, C, C++, etc. All of these languages are machine-oriented, rather than human oriented. Thus, these languages are rarely used for man-machine interface purposes. In contrast, as discussed earlier, the inventive language is a bona fide man-machine interface module.
The conventional, man-machine interface means is based on a so-called graphic user interface (GUI). A GUI is generally characterized by a process with which one xe2x80x9cpoints and clicksxe2x80x9d a graphic iron to initiate a specific data-processing task. A simple GUI allows one to execute a program by xe2x80x9cpointing and clickingxe2x80x9d one item at a time. A sophisticated GUI allows one to build a system of processing modules, using a graphic representation, by connecting multiple sub-modules. This process is similar to using C-Shell to link a set of processors.
The inventive human computer interface differs from a conventional GUI in three significant ways:
(1) No matter how sophisticated a conventional GUI is, it does not create additional information; in contrast, the inventive system creates information by integrating multiple sets of input sources.
(2) In the inventive programming-language system, an analyst creates a solution algorithm at the micro level, in addition to the system level; in contrast, with a conventional GUI, the analyst can manipulate only at the module level.
(3) Lastly, a conventional GUI is not designed for knowledge engineering; in contrast, the inventive system is designed primarily for knowledge engineering and knowledge capture.
The advantages of one solution system over another depend largely on the degree of difficulty of a problem. For example, if the task is simple enough, any solution algorithm can solve the problem. In this situation, one cannot detect the advantage of one system over the other. However, if a problem is extremely complex, the advantage of a solution system, if any, over its competitor will loom large. Since object extraction with image- and/or map-data is extremely complex, the advantages of the inventive system over the other systems are significant.
Using a linguistic approach to solve a spatial-analysis problem is not new. For example, Andriole (1985) showed how researchers have used natural language for applications in artificial intelligence. Additional, expert, systems-based examples can be obtained from Hayes-Roth, Waterman and Lynat (1983).
Indeed, xe2x80x9cthe conceptualization of space and its reflection in languagexe2x80x9d is a critical research agenda item for NCGIA (National Center for Geographic Information Analysis), particularly with respect to Initiative 2 (Mark et. al., 1989; Mark, 1992; Egenhofer and Frank, 1990; Egenhofer, 1994).
The papers by NCGIA-associated researchers show that a large number of spatial-analysis problems can definitely be articulated by using certain English words that establish spatial relationships among objects. For example, Egenhofer (1994) has developed mathematical rules for establishing nine spatial relationships between two spatially-contiguous objects; these relationships have their counterparts in English, such as xe2x80x9cmeetxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cinsidexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccoversxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccovered byxe2x80x9d. To articulate a spatial-analysis problem by employing these spatial-relationship terms, an example follows.
One of the famous objects in the Washington, D.C., region is the Pentagon. A goal is to extract this object, using LANDSAT(trademark) data. It is well-known that the Pentagon has a grassy region at the center of the building, called xe2x80x9cGround Zeroxe2x80x9d. Suppose that this grass-based region is extracted by using a greenness, transformed band, derived from the TM data. Denote this object as xe2x80x9cCourtyardxe2x80x9d. Secondly, using TM""s thermal band (#6) data, one can extract Pentagon in terms of a xe2x80x9chot buildingxe2x80x9d. Therefore, one can define the Pentagon in terms of a unique, spatial relationship between the xe2x80x9cCourtyardxe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9chot buildingxe2x80x9d as follows:
Equation 7 introduces three key words and/or phrases: xe2x80x9cisxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9coutsidexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwithin 15xe2x80x9d. Using these three key words and/or phrases, one can articulate that, in order to extract xe2x80x9cPentagonxe2x80x9d, one needs to associate a hot building with a grassy courtyard, one object is inside or outside of the other, etc.
In a problem-solving setting, one usually writes a solution algorithm in pseudo-code first, and then has a programmer convert the pseudo-code into a compilable program that is written in a standard computer-language, such as C or C++. The pseudo code comprises a set of English words or phrases that specify the process by which a particular problem is to be solved. The solution algorithm is generally referred to as a rule set. For the inventive system to work, the vocabularies in the rule set must be xe2x80x9ccallablexe2x80x9d functions. Using Equation 7 as an example, xe2x80x9cisxe2x80x9d xe2x80x9coutsidexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwithin xc3x97xe2x80x9d are callable functions.
In many spatial-analysis scenarios (such as locating a facility that meets certain spatial constraints), one can easily write a conceptual algorithm or rule set for it. However, executing this rule set by using a computer can be either impossible or could take a lot of man-hours to code by using a standard computer-language. Therefore, for the inventive system to be workable, the rule set one composes must follow a certain xe2x80x9clegalxe2x80x9d format so that it is compilable. For example, Equation 7 above is legal in terms of the syntax and key words; however, it is not compilable.
Table VI (Equation 8) is a compilable program, because it meets all of the requirements therefor. Line 7 of Equation 8 is exactly Equation 7. Therefore, Equation 7 is equivalent to a subroutine in Equation 8.
The last requirement of the inventive approach is that a software environment that is capable of accepting Equation 8 as a computer program must exist. Otherwise, Equation 8 is merely a conceptual algorithm, instead of a researchers to think integration among GIS, remote sensing and geography in two levels: 1xe2x80x94technological integration; and 2xe2x80x94conceptual integration. Dobson suggested that conceptual integration is much more difficult than technical integration.
While Dobson (1993, p. 1495) predicted that xe2x80x9ctechnical integration will remain an illusive target not likely to be achieved for decades, xe2x80x9d the present invention proposes that, by using pseudo-English as a programming language, one can shorten this predicted timetable from decades to years, and make xe2x80x9ctechnological integrationxe2x80x9d an integral part of xe2x80x9cconceptual integrationxe2x80x9d.
International Publication No. WO 93/22762, by William Gibbens REDMANN et al., discloses a system for tracking movement within a field of view, so that a layman can conduct the performance of a prerecorded music score by means of image processing. By analyzing change in centers of movement between the pixels of the current image and those of previous images, tempo and volume are derived.
The REDMANN reference is concerned only with pixels. The change of pixels denote movement, and therefore are dispositive of the orchestration or baton response. REDMANN does not seek to recognize one or more objects within an image. Moreover, REDMANN requires movement of features in an image in order to perform its function. Pixels are compared with one another to discover movement of a baton. However, this simple change in pixel orientation, denoting movement of the baton, is not a sophisticated analysis of an image for purposes of image recognition.
In fact, the invention can be presented with, and can analyze, an image having no movement whatsoever: a stationary orchestral leader or a battlefield terrain, for example. In such a case, the REDMANN system would not provide any information about the image whatsoever. The inventive method, in contrast, moves across boundaries, in that images can be analyzed for stationary objects, areas (especially large regions), portions, color, texture, background, infra-red analysis, and movement. By contrast, the REDMANN system can consider only movement of pixels.
The inventive method takes diverse bits of information such as pixel information and xe2x80x9cgluesxe2x80x9d that information onto totally alien information, such as infra-red analysis. In other words, objects such as the turret, gun barrel, or engine of a tank are determined through infra-red analysis, color, texture, pixels, shape, location within the object, etc. This is in contrast to the REDMANN system, which simply sums the coordinates of vertical and horizontal pixel movements, by analyzing vectors. In short, xe2x80x9csummingxe2x80x9d is not xe2x80x9cgluing.xe2x80x9d
Moreover, the inventive process extracts both simple and complex objects, using a rule-based approach, with image- and/or map-data as inputs, as opposed to REDMANN, which does not use map-data and does not extract simple and complex objects.
In short, this invention yields a much simpler, more effective and direct human-machine-interface-based, object-recognition environment, one in which the programming language is a human-like language. In addition, the invention achieves integration between a rule-based recognition and a match-filter based recognition system, despite the fact that, until now, these methods have been treated as mutually exclusive processes. The methodology of the invention seeks to define imagery with a highly complex, high-level, three-tiered analysis, which analysis provides data that is described in simple human-type language.
In accordance with the present invention, the fundamental concept of object recognition is to employ a human-like language that is based on the vocabularies used by photointerpreters in order to write solution algorithms. The present invention is an environment that allows these pseudo-English-based programs to be compiled, after which simple, as well as complex, objects can be extracted. Image- and/or map- data is used as inputs. A grayscale image primitive base map is created, that can be directly converted to regions of pixels in a raw scene of a large area. The process for creating such a primitive base map is by applying a data analysis method, such as simple thresholding (based on size, shape, texture, tone, shadow, or associated features), stable structure segmentation, transforms or hyperspectral analysis.
Based on this human-computer interface, in which pseudo-English is a programming language, the object-recognition system comprises of three major logic modules: (1) the input-data module; (2) the information-processing module, coupled with the above-noted human-computer interface (HCI) module; and (3) the output module, that has a feedback mechanism back to the main information-processing and the input-data module. Using this invented system, one uses three strategies to extract an object: (1) if one can articulate how the object can be used by using the human visual system, one uses a rule-based approach to extract the object; (2) if one cannot articulate as to how an object can be discerned against others, one uses a match-filter approach to recognize the object; and (3) after all the objects are extracted with the first-tier processors, one uses the inventive, human-language-based, programming language of this invention, in order to create compound objects by xe2x80x9cgluingxe2x80x9d together the already-extracted objects.
The invention provides a mechanism for generating feature primitives from various imagery types for object extraction generalizable to a climatic zone instead of a small image frame such as 512xc3x97512 or 1024xc3x971024 pixels. The mechanism simultaneously destroys and creates information to generate a single band image containing spatial feature primitives for object recognition from single band, multispectral and multi-sensor imagery. Cartographers and image analysts are thus provided with a single-band imagery for extracting objects and features manually and/or automatically by using expert rule sets.
It would be advantageous to provide a means (a base map) by which terrain features and objects are readily extractable without making object extraction decisions at a pixel analysis level, a tedious, costly and error prone process.
It would be further advantageous to provide a means for extracting features and objects that is generalizable to large geographic regions covering several degrees of the surface of the earth.
It would also be advantageous to provide a one-band scene from a multi-band source, such as a three-band near infrared (NIR) data set, to allow cartographers and/or an automated system to perform feature extraction.
It would further be advantageous to divide feature and object extraction in two stages, Stage 1 being the preparation of a common image map that is generalizable to a large geographic region by using a totally automated, parallel, distributed data processing mode, Stage 2 being the actual process of feature extraction to be performed by a cartographer and/or a machine system using expert knowledge and rule sets.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of organizing the world of objects in terms of only two categories: those an analyst can articulate with his or her vocabularies as to how to extract it, and the other for which an analyst is better off using a matcher to perform the object-recognition task.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of xe2x80x9cgluingxe2x80x9d together already-extracted objects to form new objects by using an abstract, three-dimensional, space-based, spatial-analysis system in which one can develop a solution algorithm with human-like vocabularies, such as xe2x80x9ctouchesxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9csurroundedxe2x80x9d, etc.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of achieving an object-recognition task without requiring tedious, error-prone, difficult-to-understand formal-programming- and operating-system protocol.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of extracting additional information when complex objects are extracted, based on already-extracted, single-rule-based objects.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a method of preserving the knowledge of xe2x80x9cexpertsxe2x80x9d.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method of utilizing an environment in which an analyst""s knowledge and object-extraction concepts can be engineered into a machine-compilable program.

Compiliable language for extracting objects from an image using a primitive image map


A superior, industrially scalable one-pot ethylene glycol-based wet chemistry method to prepare platinum-adlayered ruthenium nanoparticles has been developed that offers an exquisite control of the platinum packing density of the adlayers and effectively prevents sintering of the nanoparticles during the deposition process. The wet chemistry based method for the controlled deposition of submonolayer platinum is advantageous in terms of processing and maximizing the use of platinum and can, in principle, be scaled up straightforwardly to an industrial level. The reactivity of the Pt(31)-Ru sample was about 150% higher than that of the industrial benchmark PtRu (1:1) alloy sample but with 3.5 times less platinum loading. Using the Pt(31)-Ru nanoparticles would lower the electrode material cost compared to using the industrial benchmark alloy nanoparticles for direct methanol fuel cell applications.

The ongoing need for more efficient power sources has generated strong interest in fuel cell research. As opposed to batteries, fuel cells are energy conversion devices in which electrodes are supplied with a continuous feed supply of both fuel and oxidant, resulting in the conversion into electrochemical energy. Fuel cells are efficient and have little to no emissions.
Hydrogen gas has been studied as the fuel supply for fuel cells; however the inherent safety, handling and storage problems associated therewith present significant drawbacks. As a result, alternative fuel sources such as alcohols and formic acid are being explored. The alcohol is fed directly into the cell and undergoes oxidation at the anode while oxygen is reduced at the cathode.
Among these, methanol (MeOH) has been studied in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), which are useful for many portable power applications and micro power applications such as, laptop computers, cell phones, etc. As a result, DMFCs have been an area of intense research directed toward alternative sources of energy.
As a liquid, methanol can integrate effectively with many applications of DMFCs, including transmissions and distribution systems that currently exist. As a fuel, methanol is advantageous in terms of also being readily available from renewable sources from biomass such as wood. Thus, the incorporation of DMFCs as alternative energy sources in many systems would reduce reliance on more commonly used energy sources such as oil and natural gas, rendering DMFCs of considerable interest from the perspective of green technology pursuits. Methanol, while having advantageous handling and storage properties along with high energy density, presents significant challenges in application to catalytic reactions necessary for use in DMFCs. Specifically, many catalysts have insufficient activity to completely oxidize MeOH, resulting in by-products of intermediate oxidation such as aldehydes and acids.
Platinum (Pt) has long been used as the major component of anode electrocatalysts for electro-oxidation (EO) of methanol in direct MeOH fuel cells (DMFCs) (J. Appl. Electrochem., 1992, 22, 1-7). However, two major, long standing obstacles still exist that prevent large scale practical applications of the DMFC. One is the carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning during the EO of MeOH, which quickly lowers the catalytic activity of Pt. The other is the high loading of Pt needed in the anode to sustain the performance, which noticeably increases the cost of the whole fuel cell system.
Numerous efforts have been made both to improve the CO tolerance and to reduce Pt loading (Langmuir, 2003, 19, 6759-6769; Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2007, 9, 5476). For both purposes, binary or ternary Pt-based metallic/metal oxide catalysts, such as PtRu (J. Phys. Chem. B, 2002, 106, 9581-9589), PtNi (J. Phys. Chem. B, 2002, 106, 1869-1877), PtSn (J. Power Sources, 2007, 166, 87-91), and PtRuTiO2 (Electrochem. Commun., 2007, 9, 563-568) have been studied, among which, the PtRu alloy has been shown to have improved practical performance (Platinum Met. Rev., 1996, 40, 150; Catal. Today, 1997, 38, 445-457).
Consequently, most of the recent research in this field has focused on manipulating PtRu from different perspectives, such as varying the molar ratio between Pt and Ru (J. Phys. Chem., 1993, 97, 12020-12029), improving synthetic methods (Appl. Catal., A, 2005, 285, 24; J. Phys. Chem. C, 2008, 112, 1479), and adopting different carbon supporting materials (Chem. Commun., 2004, 2766-2767; Electrochim. Acta, 2006, 52, 1697-1702; Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2008, 33, 427-433).
Recently, Brankovic et al. adopted a spontaneous deposition method (that was first used in reverse; depositing Ru on single crystal Pt surfaces, see Langmuir, 1997, 13, 5974-5978) to decorate the surface of carbon-supported RuNPs with Pt (Electrochem. Solid-State Lett., 2001, 4, A217). The method involved a necessary step of reducing RuNPs with hydrogen gas at relatively high temperature (300° C.). The resulting NPs, according to that work, offered the advantage of maintaining the activity towards CO tolerance with a much reduced Pt loading of ˜10 wt % compared to commercially available E-TEK PtRu (1:1) which has a Pt loading of ˜66 wt %. More recently, Kuk and Wieckowski also applied a similar method to cover Ru and carbon-supported RuNPs with different Pt loading using repetitive hydrogen reduction and spontaneous depositions (J. Power Sources, 2005, 141, 1-7). While the Pt packing densities (PDs) were determined using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), the analysis of the true surface coverage and the associated activity was complicated by the possibility of Pt penetrating into RuNPs and the observed sintering effect due to high temperature reduction.
Although this spontaneous deposition method opens up a promising way of fabricating anode materials of low Pt loading, handling high temperature hydrogen reduction is technically less appealing, and repetitive hydrogen reduction and spontaneous depositions are often tedious and struggle to achieve quantitative control of the Pt coverage. Furthermore, the procedure would be difficult to implement on a large industrial scale.
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.

Platinum adlayered ruthenium nanoparticles, method for preparing, and uses thereof


A transport apparatus that supports and moves a substrate by using a robot hand between a plurality of chambers includes a first detection unit that detects the substrate, in a first stop position of the robot hand, using a first detection position set on one surface of the substrate supported by the robot hand, and a second detection unit that detects the substrate, in a second stop position of the robot hand, using a second detection position set on the one surface of the substrate supported by the robot hand.

As a multi chamber-type vacuum system, for example, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus with chambers such as a loading and unloading chamber and a processing chamber that surround a transport apparatus which is arranged in the center thereof is known. The transport apparatus constituting such a CVD apparatus includes a stretchable robot arm, which has a robot hand at one end thereof to support a substrate (a transportation target).
Allowing the robot arm to be rotatable, makes it possible to transport the substrate between a plurality of such chambers, for example, by rotating the robot arm to guide the substrate from one to another of the chambers after extending the robot arm in the chamber to accept the substrate with the robot hand or withdrawing the robot arm to take out the substrate from the chamber.
In the related art, a configuration is known in which the presence of the substrate is detected using a light emitting and receiving element in such a transport apparatus to determine whether the substrate is mounted on the robot hand or not, the middle (center) of the substrate, for example, serving as a detection position (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
However, in a configuration in which only one point (for example, the center) of the substrate serves as the detection position to detect the presence of the substrate, it is possible to detect the presence of the substrate on the robot hand but it is impossible to detect a more accurate state of the substrate, such as whether the substrate is supported at a predetermined position of the robot hand or not (position shift detection) and whether the substrate supported by the robot hand is damaged or not (damage detection).
Accordingly, a transport apparatus is known in which, for example, a plurality of detection positions are set on the substrate, and a plurality of detection units, such as the light emitting and receiving element, are provided toward the plurality of detection positions (for example, refer to Patent Document 2). In the transport apparatus, the robot hand has respective detection units for respective stop positions that face the respective chambers, the number of the detection units being equal to the number of the detection positions that are set. By setting the plurality of detection positions with respect to one substrate, it is possible to detect a shift in the position where the substrate is supported on the robot hand and to detect a defect in the substrate.
Specifically, for example, the detection positions are set as three points on a concentric circle of the substrate which are shifted by 120° each, and light (detection light) is applied toward the three-point detection positions at each of the stop positions that face the respective chambers, or a sensor is provided to receive the light. Therefore, for example, in a vacuum system including six chambers around the transport apparatus, three sensors are provided at each of six stop positions, and 18 sensors are provided in total.


A hearing aid used for a low tone frequency band, a hearing aid used for a high tone frequency band, and a controller that compares sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band with sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band. If the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band is higher by at least a specific amount than the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band, the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band is raised.

Hearing aid devices developed for patients with hearing impairment use a gain controller to amplify the sound collected by a microphone, and output a loud sound from a speaker, which greatly improves the patient's sound recognition.
However, in processing that merely amplifies the sound collected by a microphone with a gain controller and outputs a loud sound from a speaker, the patient's hearing may still not be sufficiently improved, particularly when it comes to understanding conversation.
One reason for this is that speech is made up of vowels (low tones) and consonants (high tones). Specifically, most patients find it particularly hard to hear sounds in the high tone frequency band, that is, consonants, and this inability to hear consonants properly is believed to hinder a proper understanding of conversation.
One possible way to deal with this problem is to raise the amplification of the gain controller. However, when the amplification is raised, the sound pressure (the volume, or sound level) of vowels also increases, resulting in a state in which consonants end up being buried in these vowels (a masking state). As a result, there is the risk that the patient's hearing will not be sufficiently improved in terms of understanding conversation, as mentioned above.
In view of this, the following Non-Patent Literature 1 proposes that a first hearing aid worn on one ear function for low tone use, and that a second hearing aid worn on the other ear function for high tone use. That is, vowels in conversation are low tones and are therefore picked up by the first hearing aid, while consonants in conversation are high tones and are therefore picked up by the second hearing aid, and processing by the brain forms these into a single sound. Consequently, the user can hear conversation more easily.


A zoom lens comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having positive refractive power; a second lens group (G2) having negative refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having positive refractive power; a fourth lens group (G4) having negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group (G5) having positive refractive power, in which the first to the fifth lens groups (G1 to G5) each move in an optical axis direction upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, at least a part of the fourth lens group (G4) is configured to serve as a focusing lens group to move in the optical axis direction upon focusing, the first lens group (G1) consists of two lenses, and the following conditional expression is satisfied.0.30<GD3/ft<0.8                where,        GD3 denotes a thickness of the third lens group (G3) on the optical axis, and        ft denotes a focal length of the zoom lens in the telephoto end state.

Recently, zoom lenses designed to have larger diameters have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of such a zoom lens. Now, zoom lenses are required to have a smaller size and higher performance rather than simply having a larger diameter. In view of this, zoom lenses having a small size and excellent optical performance while having a large diameter have been demanded.

Zoom lens, optical apparatus and method for manufacturing the zoom lens


An upmixer for upmixing a downmix audio signal into an upmixed audio signal describing one or more upmixed audio channels includes a parameter applier configured to apply upmixing parameters to upmix the downmix audio signal in order to obtain the upmixed audio signal. The parameter applier is configured to apply a phase shift to the downmix audio signal to obtain a phase-shifted version of the downmix audio signal, while leaving a decorrelated signal unmodified by the phase shift. The parameter applier is further configured to combine the phase-shifted version of the downmix audio signal with the decorrelated signal to obtain the upmixed audio signal.

Embodiments according to the invention are related to an upmixer for upmixing a downmix audio signal into an upmixed audio signal describing one or more upmixed audio channels. Some embodiments according to the invention are related to a method and to a computer program for upmixing a downmix audio signal.
Some embodiments according to the invention are related to an improved phase processing for parametric multi-channel audio coding.
In the following, a short overview will be given and the context of the invention will be described. Recent developments in the area of parametric audio coding delivers techniques for jointly coding a multi-channel audio (e.g. 5.1) signal into one (or more) downmix channels plus a side information stream. These techniques are, for example, known as Binaural Cue Coding, Parametric Stereo, MPEG Surround, etc.
A number of publications describe the so-called "Binaural Cue Coding" parametric multi-channel coding approach, for example references [1], [2], [3], [4] and [5].
"Parametric Stereo" is a related technique for the parametric coding of a two-channel stereo signal based on a transmitted mono signal plus parameter side information. For details, reference is made to references [6] and [7].
"MPEG Surround" is an ISO (International Standardization Organization) standard for parametric multi-channel coding. For details, reference is made to reference [8].
These techniques are based on transmitting the relevant perceptual cues for human's spatial hearing in a compact form to the receiver together with the associated mono or stereo downmix-signal. Typical cues can be inter-channel level differences (ILD), inter-channel correlation or coherence (ICC) as well as inter-channel time differences (ITD) and inter-channel phase differences (IPD).
These parameters are transmitted in a frequency and time resolution adapted to the human's auditory resolution.
To recreate the properties of the original signal, the decoder may produce one or more decorrelated versions of the transmitted downmix signal. Additionally, a phase rotation of the output signals may be performed in the decoder to restore the original inter-channel phase relation.
Example Binaural Cue Coding System of FIG. 4
In the following, a generic binaural cue coding scheme will be described taking reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a block schematic diagram of a binaural cue coding transmission system 400, which comprises a binaural cue coding encoder 410 and a binaural cue coding decoder 420. The binaural cue coding encoder 410 may for example receive a plurality of audio signals 412a, 412b, and 412c. Further, the binaural cue coding encoder 410 is configured to downmix the audio input signals 412a-412c using a downmixer 414 to obtain a downmix signal 416, which may for example be a sum signal. Further, the binaural cue coding encoder 410 may be configured to analyze the audio input signals 412a-412c using an analyzer 418 to obtain the side information signal 419. The sum signal 416 and the side information signal 419 are transmitted from the binaural cue coding encoder 410 to the binaural cue coding decoder 420. The binaural cue coding decoder 420 may be configured to synthesize a multi-channel audio output signal comprising, for example, audio channels y1, y2, . . . , yN on the basis of the sum signal 416 and inter-channel cues 424. For this purpose, the binaural cue coding decoder 420 may comprise binaural cue coding synthesizer 422 which receives the sum signal 416 and the inter-channel cues 424, and provides the audio signals y1, y2, . . . , yN. The binaural cue coding decoder 420 further comprises a side information processor 426 which is configured to receive the side information 419 and, optionally, a user input 427. The side information processor 426 is configured to provide the inter-channel cues 424 on the basis of the side information 419 and the optional user input 427.
To summarize, the audio input signals are analyzed and downmixed in the BCC encoder 410. The sum signal plus the side information is transmitted to the BCC decoder 420. The inter-channel cues are generated from the side information and local user input. The binaural cue coding synthesis generates the multi-channel audio output signal.
For details, reference is made to the articles "Binaural Cue Coding Part II: Schemes and applications," by C. Faller and F. Baumgarte (published in: IEEE Transactions on Speech and Audio Processing, vol. 11, no. 6, November 2003).
Discussion of the Conventional Approaches
In the above-described approaches, it is difficult to appropriately control the inter-channel relation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to create a concept for upmixing a downmix signal, which provides a good accuracy with respect to an inter-channel correlation.

Upmixer, method and computer program for upmixing a downmix audio signal

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


A tri-level inverter power module has an architecture employing a high degree of modularity that allows a base power module to be quickly, easily, and cost effectively configured to address a large variety of applications.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure is generally related to electrical power systems, and more particularly to power module architectures suitable for inverting, rectifying and converting of electrical power between power sources and loads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power modules are typically self-contained units that transform and/or condition power from one or more power sources for supplying power to one or more loads. Power modules commonly referred to as inverters transform direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), for use in supplying power to an AC load, for example, a three-phase electric motor.
There are a large variety of applications requiring transformation of a DC source into power for an AC load. For example, a DC power source such as a fuel cell system, battery and/or ultracapacitor may produce DC power, which must be inverted to supply power to an AC load such as a three-phase AC motor in an electric or hybrid vehicle. A photo-voltaic array may produce DC power which must be inverted to supply or export AC power to a power grid of a utility. Applications may also require transformation of a DC source into power for multiple AC loads at various voltage levels. Other types of power modules also are commonly used, such as a rectifier to transform AC to DC and a DC/DC converter to step up or step down a DC voltage.
Addressing these various applications sometimes requires the custom design of a suitable power module. Custom designing of power modules results in costs related to the design process, as well as duplicative costs related to the creation of custom tooling, the manufacture of custom parts, and maintenance of separate inventories. Custom designing also increases time to market. It would be desirable to have a power module that allows the investment in design, tooling, manufacturing and inventorying to be shared across many application specific products, which, among other things, may shorten the time needed to bring products to the market.


Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, including all stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof,

The control of plant diseases caused by fungal plant pathogens is extremely important in achieving high crop efficiency. Plant disease damage to ornamental, vegetable, field, cereal, and fruit crops can cause significant reduction in productivity and thereby result in increased costs to the consumer. Many products are commercially available for these purposes, but the need continues for new compounds that are more effective, less costly, less toxic, environmentally safer or have different sites of action.
PCT Patent Publication WO2008/124092 discloses fungicidal compounds of Formula i
wherein Y is, inter alia, selected from twenty-four 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic rings optionally substituted with a phenyl ring or a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring. The heterobicycle-substituted azolyl benzene compounds of the present invention are not disclosed in this publication.

Heterobicycle-substituted azolyl benzene fungicides

Abstract: wherein                Y is a 5-membered, fully or partially unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing 2-4 carbon atoms and 2-3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, the ring substituted with Z on a ring member atom connected through an adjacent single ring member atom to the ring member atom attaching the heterocyclic ring to the phenyl ring of Formula 1, and optionally further substituted with up to 2 substituents independently selected from R5 on carbon atom ring members and from R6 on nitrogen atom ring members;        Z is an 8-, 9-, 10- or 11-membered fused heterobicyclic ring system containing ring members selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from up to 2 O, up to 2 S and up to 4 N atoms, wherein up to 3 carbon atom ring members are independently selected from C(═O) and C(═S), and the sulfur atom ring members are independently selected from S(═O)u(═NR7)z, the ring system optionally substituted with substituents independently selected from R8 on carbon atom ring members and from R9 on nitrogen atom ring members;        and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, u and z are as defined in the disclosure.

Abstract: Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen comprising applying an effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.


A teleconferencing video system uses two cameras at each station symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the optical axis between the speaker and the monitor used to produce an image of the listener. The two cameras are used to provide from the two images observed by the cameras a virtual image corresponding to the image that would be viewed by a camera located on the first-mentioned optical axis. This system permits eye contact to be maintained between a speaker and a listener at different stations whereby the feeling of intimacy is enhanced.

There are numerous instances where there is desired a view of a scene that corresponds to a view which is difficult or impossible to achieve directly. One important instance of this is in video conferencing.
In video conferencing, it is advantageous for creating a feeling of intimacy between participants at different stations for them to establish and maintain eye contact with one another during a conversation.
In practice, this is difficult. Generally, to preserve eye contact between two participants in a teleconference both the camera recording the speaker and the local monitor reproducing for viewing an image of the remote listener need to be positioned on the same optical axis, so as to have the speaker look simultaneously into the camera and at the listener in the monitor. However, the camera and the monitor cannot both physically be on a common straight optical axis without one blocking the other.
In the past, expedients such as the use of a half-mirror oriented at 45 degrees in the gaze direction and the positioning of the camera and the mirror orthogonally with respect to the mirror have been used to achieve this end. However, this expedient is awkward and sacrifices both light from the monitor and light to the camera.
The invention aims at a different solution.

Videoconference system using a virtual camera image


A bendable display method and device are provided. The bendable display device includes a display unit including a display screen, a sensing unit that senses a user manipulation, and a control unit that modifies a display of the display screen according to the user manipulation sensed by the sensing unit. The display device is bendable under external pressure into a rolled state in which the display screen of the display unit forms an outer wall, and the display unit displays the display on the display screen in the rolled state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a display device and method, and more particularly, to a bendable display device including a display unit that is flexible by an external pressure and a display method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, flexible display devices are being developed. Unlike a conventional rigid display device, which maintains a planar state, a flexible display may be folded or rolled up.
Conventionally, the rolling of the flexible display has developed mainly for a rollable wide screen device, which provides increased portability. However, utilizing the display in rolled state is seldom considered. Further, because the big screen has to be unrolled to be used, usability is deteriorated, e.g., when a user simply wants to get a call or check messages.
Further, although there have been some applications of a flexible display on a wearable device, such as on a wrist, except for the rollability, the wrist-wearable flexible display provides no difference from a conventional rigid flat screen. For example, when using a touch screen display, the wrist-wearable, flexible, touch screen display adopts the same touch input as used in the conventional rigid touch screen, providing no distinctive operations or display characteristics for a display in a rolled configuration.

Bendable display device and displaying method thereof


An apparatus for manufacturing a hermetically coated optical fiber having a single reaction chamber into which a fare fiber and raw gas are to be introduced for applying a hermetic coating to the bare fiber while the bare fiber passes through the reaction chamber is characterized by that the reaction chamber has a plurality of inlet tubes to introduce the raw gas, and the plurality of inlet tubes open to the reaction chamber at different positions from each other in a direction of movement of the bare fiber passing through said reaction chamber.

1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for manufacturing a hermetically coated optical fiber by coating a thin film of carbon or the like on an optical fiber spun from an optical fiber preform.
2. Related Background Art
As a technique to hermetically coat carbon to a spun bare fiber, a method for coating a carbon thin film on a surface of a bare fiber by exposing the optical fiber to a high temperature carbon gas atmosphere in a process of thinning the optical fiber has been known. (For example, see JP-B-38-10363)
Ep 0.308.143 (published on Mar. 22, 1989) discloses a method for manufacturing a hermetically coated optical fiber by guiding a thinned high temperature bare fiber into a carbon gas atmosphere in a process of spinning the optical fiber from an optical fiber preform to coat a carbon thin film on a surface of the bare fiber. In one embodiment of the disclosed method, a reaction tube having two reaction chambers is used, raw gas is separately introduced into each of the reaction chambers and the carbon thin films are coated in two steps in the respective reaction chambers.
In the past, when a hermetic coating is applied by carbon on the surface of the optical fiber, a residual stress appears in an interface of the carbon film and the optical fiber or a tensile strength of the fiber is reduced by the unevenness created on the surface of the carbon film.
In the related art, since a reaction condition such as concentration and composition of raw gas in one reaction chamber is kept constant the carbon film formed on the bare fiber has a uniform property.
Where two or more reaction chambers are provided and carbon is coated with different gas atmospheres for the respective reaction chambers as proposed by the related art, heterogeneous films with interfaces are formed because the fiber temperature varies from chamber to chamber. As a result, a distortion due to a residual stress is created at a heterogeneous phase interface and the improvement of strength is not attained.

Method for manufacturing a hermetically coated optical fiber

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Data processing techniques are provided to increase a computational speed of iterative computations that are performed over a domain of data points, such as stencil computations. For example, a method includes loading a set of domain data points into a cache memory; obtaining an iteration count T, and a base stencil operator having a first set of coefficients; generating a convolved stencil operator having a second set of coefficients, wherein the convolved stencil operator is generated by convolving the base stencil operator with itself at least one time; and iteratively processing the set of domain data points in the cache memory using the convolved stencil operator no more than T/2 iterations to obtain final processing results. The final processing results are similar to processing results that would be obtained by iteratively processing the set of domain data points using the base stencil operator for the iteration count T.

Stencil computation techniques are implemented in various scientific applications, ranging from image processing and geometric modeling to solving partial differential equations through finite-difference methods, and in seismic modeling which is common in oil-industry practices. Stencil computations are also utilized in the game-of-life and in the pricing of American put stock options. In a stencil computation, the values of a set of domain points are iteratively updated with a function of recent values of neighboring points. An outermost loop in a stencil kernel is always an iteration through the time domain, sometimes for tens of thousands of time steps, wherein the values of the last iteration are the desired results of the stencil computation. Most often, the domain is represented by a rectilinear grid or an equivalent Cartesian description. It can be regarded as a matrix multiplication, updating the value of an element usually with a sum of products or with a sum of products of sums, if the symmetry allows. Another property of stencil operators, commonly found in the literature and in practice, is that the stencil operator, comprised by the structure of the neighborhood and coefficients applied to each neighbor, is the same for all domain points. In this regard, stencil computations diverge from, for example, multi-grid methods.
The importance and ubiquity of stencil computations has resulted in the development of special-purpose compilers, a trend that has its counterpart in current efforts to develop auto-tuners and compilers. It is known that stencil-codes usually perform poorly, relative to peak floating-point performance. Stencils must be handled efficiently to extract high performance from distributed machines. All of these activities confirm the need for stencil computation optimization. Conventional techniques for optimizing stencil computations have focused on applying new technologies (such as SIMD (single instruction multiple data) and cache-bypass), improving data alignment in memory, improving task division in and among processor cores, and using time-skewing and cache-oblivious algorithms.

Kernel convolution for stencil computation optimization

International Business Machines Corporation


The cooling system (100, 300, 400, 500, 700, 750) includes an applicator (101, 501, 701) configured to hold a predetermined amount of solid coolant and fluid coolant (117) to cool a targeted area of the body (162, 570) to crystalize the lipid-rich cells underneath the targeted area to reduce the fat cells. The applicator may include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC, 136, 704, 706) where the hot side is cooled by coolant held within the applicator. The cold side of the TEC may be thermally coupled to a cooling plate (138, 560) configured to cool a targeted area of the skin at a predetermined temperature range for a predetermined period of time. The cooling system may also be used to relieve localized pain at certain area of the body and/or utilized for cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy is a local or general use of low temperatures, generally exposing the body to subzero (0° C.) temperatures, for health benefits. Cryotherapy has been used to decrease inflammation, increase cellular survival, decrease pain and spasms, and promote overall health. It is not generally considered as a medical procedure, but a non-invasive option for people seeking relief from pain and faster recovery from injuries. The application of extreme cold temperature has also been used to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue. Cryotherapy has also been used to treat a number of diseases and disorders, such as warts, moles, skin tags, solar keratosis, and to treat inflammation due to gout.
Cryotherapy has also been used to cool targeted lipid-rich cells, such as excess body fat, to crystallize the lipid-rich cells to reduce the fat cells. Once the targeted fat cells are crystallized, the crystallized fat cells may die and the immune system of the body naturally eliminates the crystallized fat cells from the body. This results in a localized reduction of fat in the treated area part of the body such that the user can target the area where he or she wants to reduce the fat cell and look better. One of the advantages of the cooling method for removing fatty tissue is that it does not require surgery or significant recovery time. However, cooling methods such as the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,341, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and other cryotherapies require complicated machinery, such as a pump to circulate coolant fluid to the cooling applicator to maintain the cooling temperature at a desired level. Having complicated machinery such as a pump and an electronic cooling control system can add costs and complexity to the applicator such that many potential users may not be able to afford the cooling procedure and/or cryotherapy. As such, there is a need for a cooling system that can lower the temperature, such as below subzero (0° C.) temperatures, around a targeted area of the body for health benefits such as crystallizing the targeted fat cells to reduce the fat cells in the targeted area of body/skin, without the complicated pump to make the cooling control system simple to use and more affordable.

Cooling system for localized and non-invasive cooling treatment


A method for determining the remaining time a fluid in a container can be used. The method includes: determining the amount of fluid in the container; and determining the remaining time based on the amount of fluid in the container. Preferably, the step of determining the remaining time is calculated by using the determined amount of fluid and a predetermined first correlation of remaining time vs. amount of fluid in the container. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid is a reagent in a reagent pack used in a diagnostic analyzer. A method for measuring the presence or concentration of an analyte in a sample on an automated diagnostic analyzer includes: providing a reagent storage container on the analyzer; providing a measurement station for taking a measurement of the sample; determining the amount of reagent remaining in a reagent storage container; calculating the remaining time of the reagent by using the determined amount of reagent and a predetermined first correlation of remaining time vs. amount of fluid in the container; if the time the reagent has been in the reagent container is greater than the remaining time, then discarding the reagent, otherwise adding reagent to the sample; and taking a measurement of the sample to determine the presence or concentration of the analyte.

The present invention relates to determining the remaining time a fluid in a container can be used. In particular, the present invention relates determining the remaining time a reagent in a reagent container on an automated diagnostic analyzer can be used.
Known diagnostic analyzers include immunodiagnostic analyzers such as the Vitros® ECi immunodiagnostic analyzer, or clinical chemistry analyzers such as the Vitros® 5,1 FS, both sold by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. All such analyzers are collectively called diagnostic analyzers.
Such analyzers typically use a source of reagent to react with a sample being analyzed to produce a measurable signal that can be determined through conventional means, such as light spectrophotometry, potentiometric or chemiluminescence analysis to name a few. Reagent containers (alternatively called reagent packs) are loaded and stored on the analyzer and are used as needed. The storage of the containers is generally under refrigerated conditions. The amount of reagent is usually based on the number of tests or analysis to be performed. For example, a reagent container may be filled with enough reagent to perform fifty or one hundred tests.
As reagent is used the remaining reagent in the reagent container decreases. As the amount of reagent decreases, the present inventor has found that the stability of the reagent decreases with the corresponding decrease in the amount of reagent. This is believed to be due to several causes such as instability that can result from the fact that lower remaining volume will evaporate more quickly resulting in a faster rate of reagent degradation.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method of determining the remaining time a fluid can be used in a process, particularly an analytical analysis.

Determining useful life of a fluid using inventory information