Outer loop power control (OLPC) method and apparatus for mobile communications systems which allow rapid adjustment of the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) satisfying a target block error rate (BLERtarget). Specifically, the outer loop power control method proposed herein is termed “Outage-Based OLPC” and establishes that the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) is given as the sum of two components: the first component (SIRoutage-tgt) is calculated by means of a dynamic adjusting function, for example, a neural network which makes a quality criterion based on outage probabilities correspond with one based on the target block error rate (BLERtarget), taking as input the fading margins associated with the different outage probabilities considered; the other component (SIRBLER-tgt) is that which acts to correct the possible deviations in the target block error rate (BLERtarget) due to the non-ideal behavior of the previous component (SIRoutage-tgt).

In January 1998, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) selected the basic technology for the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) (see ETSI, "The ETSI UMTS Land Radio Access (UTRA) ITU-R RTT Candidate Submission", June 1998). The main radio interface proposed was the Wideband Code Multiple Division Access (WCDMA) protocol, the characteristics of which offer the opportunity to fully satisfy the requirements of third generation (3G) mobile telephony. Due to the high data transmission rate and to the increasingly demanding requirements for quality of service (QoS) in 3G, the development is required of new planning strategies. Among them, that which is probably the greatest object of study is the system of power control, in particular that of the procedure employed to implement the outer loop of said system.
The aforementioned system of power control is described below in general terms, because the functionality of the outer loop, for which this invention proposes a method, is a consequence of other components of the system.
The system of power control in WCMDA-based cellular networks, is necessary since it concerns a technology limited by interference, because all the users share the same frequency spectrum and their codes are not totally orthogonal (see Holma & Toskala: "WCDMA for UMTS, Radio Access for Third Generation Mobile Communications", John Wiley & Sons).
The ultimate goal of the power control system in WCDMA is to attain the required quality of service in a particular connection, downlink from the base station to the mobile terminal or terminal unit, or, uplink from the mobile terminal to the base station, with a minimum level of transmitted power (this aspect is precisely that on which the invention is centred).
The main objectives of the system of power control in WCDMA networks are:
                Cancellation of the near-far effect: in the event of all the mobile stations transmitting the same power without taking into account the distance or the fading to the base station, the mobiles nearest the same would signify substantial interference for the most remote terminals.        Protection against deep fading.        Minimization of the interference in the network with the ensuing improvement in capacity.        Enhanced duration of the battery of the mobile stations.
A system of power control for WCMDA is implemented overall by means of three distinct procedures:                By open loop: during the random access process when setting up a connection, the base/mobile station estimates the loss of power in the uplink/downlink connection and in terms thereof adjusts its transmission power.        By closed or inner loop: also termed fast power control (1500 Hz) which consists of the following three steps:            1. The corresponding receiving terminal (the base station or the mobile unit) compares the value of the received desired signal to interference ratio (SIRrec) with the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) which depends on the quality of service required for that specific connection and which is fixed by the outer loop procedure explained below.    2. The same receiving terminal sends power control bits indicating that the transmission power should be increased (if SIRrec<SIRtarget) or decreased (if SIRrec>SIRtarget) in a certain value (usually 1 dB).    3. The transmitting unit (base station or mobile) increases or decreases its power in the previously fixed amount.            By outer loop (OLPC, Outer Loop Power Control): this is much slower than the closed loop (10-100 Hz) and establishes the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) which causes a predetermined quality objective to be maintained. A criterion or a measurement of the quality of a connection is the frame error rate (FER) or equivalently the block error rate (BLER), which is a function of the desired signal to interference ratio (SIRrec). Since the inner loop helps to maintain the desired signal to interference ratio (SIRrec) near the target (SIRtarget), the block error rate (BLER) is, ultimately, determined by this target value. Thus, to attain a quality of service in a determined fading environment, the target (SIRtarget) needs to be adjusted to the value appropriate for that environment.
Unfortunately, a target (SIRtarget) does not exist which can attain the block error rate (BLER) required for all the fading environments in the wireless communication channel. For this reason, the dynamic adjustment of this target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) is today an object of study and mechanisms have been described to adjust said ratio conveniently.
The commonly accepted design for outer loop power control (OLPC) is that based on the target block error rate (BLERtarget) and termed "BLER-Based OLPC", which measures this metric and changes the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) in consequence, depending on whether the target block error rate (BLERtarget) is above or below the desired threshold (see Sampath A, Kumar P S & Holtzman J M (1997), "On setting reverse link target SIR in a CDMA system", Proceedings of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Phoenix, Ariz., pp 929-933.). The drawback is that, bearing in mind that the technique of measuring the block error rate (BLER) is quite slow, especially for high quality services, the features of these systems are greatly impaired in dynamic environments with fading characteristics changing in very short intervals of time (see Holma H., "WCDMA for UMTS", John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2002). The aforementioned slowness for the services that require a low block error rate (BLER) (for example: 0.1%) is due to the "BLER-based OLPC" method being based on counting the errors by means of the Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC), which implies an excessively high number of data blocks to arrive at a precise estimate of the block error rate (BLER).
The most serious problem is that which arises when a favourable change occurs in the propagation conditions in which event the "BLER-based OLPC" method reacts very slowly, causing the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) fixed by said outer loop power control method to be greater than that necessary for a long period of time, with the consequent increase in interference and, therefore, the loss of system capacity.
Much investigation has been applied aimed at resolving the slow convergence of the power control method which, as has been explained, occurs in the "BLER-Based OLPC". One of the options most employed as a possible solution consists in carrying out modifications to the size of the adjusting steps for the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) which is imposed by the cited BLER-based OLPC method (see again Sampath A, Kumar P S & Holtzman J M (1997), "On setting reverse link target SIR in a CDMA system", Proc. IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Phoenix, Ariz., pp 929-933.). However, that option does not overcome the inherent problem with this type of power control method since it also involves a very high number of data blocks for the precise estimation of the block error rate (BLER). Based on this principle of the quality criterion which obeys the target block error rate (BLERtarget), some methods can be cited which have been object of the following patent applications in the United States: US 2004/0137860, US 2004/0157636 and US 2003/0031135.
Another of the most usual alternatives to overcome the problem of the slow convergence of the BLER-Based OLPC method is the consideration of other metrics (the so-called "soft metrics"), among which are: Bit Error Rate (BER), re-encoded Symbol Error Rate (SER), a metric of re-encoded power, number of decoding iterations, modified metric of Yamamoto and the Euclidean Distance (ED) (see Rege Kiran, "On Link Quality Estimation for 3G Wireless Communication Networks", in the Proceedings of the IEEE VTS Fall VTC2000. 52nd Vehicular Technology Conference). These metrics have the advantage over the block error rate (BLER) that they can be estimated with much greater speed.
Since the purpose of the OLPC is that of meeting a target of constant block error rate (BLERtarget) and for a moderate change in the block length due to the propagation conditions of the channel, a practically fixed ratio is established between the block error rate (BLER) and the aforementioned "soft metric" parameters, with which it is possible to find the target block error rate (BLERtarget) based on an estimate of any one of said metrics. By way of example, mention can be made of some designs of methods based on these metrics which have been object of the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,124 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,244.
Nevertheless, the drawback of the outer loop power control based on such metrics arises when a change in the propagation conditions of the channel substantially affects the block length. In this situation, the correlation between the block error rate (BLER) and the metrics considered as "soft metrics" are no longer fixed and therefore a constant block error rate (BLERtarget) is not obtained (see Avidor, Dan, "Estimating the Block Error Rate at the Output of the Frame Selector in the UMTS System", in Proceedings of the Wireless Networks and Emerging Technologies (WNET 2002), Wireless and Optical Communications (WOC 2002), July 2002, Banff, Alberta, Canada.).
On the other hand, Jonas Blom, Fredrik Gunnarson and Fedrik Gustafsson in their patent application U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,462, establish a method to control the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) also based on measuring the block error rate (BLER), but together with the calculation of some determined representative parameters of the different conditions of the radiofrequency channel and of the statistical distribution of the interfering signals. The method is based on the determination of a quality function defined as the errored frame probability conditioned by the aforementioned parameters. Although this strategy implies gains in capacity of the order of 30%, the process for obtaining said quality function imposes a delay which impairs the benefits of this type of model. Separately, in the article by the same authors in which the invention is described in more technical detail: "Estimation and Outer Loop Power Control in Cellular Radio Systems" presented at ACM Wireless Networks, it is stated that the system can be degraded due to fading in the radiofrequency channel.
The applicant of the present patent, Álvaro López Medrano in Spanish patent application ES 200202947 (see also the articles by Álvaro López-Medrano: "Optimal SIR target determination for Outer loop Control in the W-CDMA System", Proceedings of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC) Fall 2003, 6-9 Oct. 2003, Orlando (USA) and "Optimal SIR target determination for Outer loop Control in the W-CDMA System: Inverse SIR Cumulative Distribution Function computation throughout the Newton-Raphson Method", Proceedings of the 12th IST Summit on Mobile and Wireless Communications (Volume II), pp. 732-736, 15-18 Jun., 2003, Aveiro, Portugal) proposes an outer loop of the power control system in 3G systems based on a quality criterion different to that of the target block error rate (BLERtarget). This quality criterion on which the method described in ES 200202947 is based, is the outage probability (Poutage), with which the aforesaid inherent low speed of convergence of the BLER-based OPLC method is avoided.
As is explained in ES 200202947, the outage probability (Poutage) constitutes another habitually applied quality parameter in cellular infrastructures, which is established previously, during the planning phase of the communications network, in terms of the class of service covered by the communication link, the characteristics of the cells and, inside each cell, the characteristics of the service area. Based on this outage probability (Poutage), it is proposed in the aforementioned patent application to determine the fading margin (M(Sii) (dB)) corresponding to the desired signal to interference ratio and, therefore, the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) for a quality of service criterion given by the outage probability (Poutage) and some characteristic statistical moments of the radiofrequency channel under consideration.
The explanation given in the preceding paragraph is expressible as a mathematical problem first proposed by S. Kandukuri and S. Boyd (in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 46-55, January 2002) and known as "Optimal power control in interference-limited fading wireless channels with outage-probability specifications", which was resolved by Álvaro López Medrano in his previously cited patent application, by applying the iterative method of Newton-Raphson (see H. R. Schwarz, J. Waldvogel "Numerical Analysis", John Wiley & Sons) to outer loop power control.
In brief, the outer loop power control method proposed by López Medrano in the previous patent application ES 200202947 is based on the quality criterion of outage probability (Poutage), but a final commitment of an outer loop must be to maintain constant a target block error rate (BLERtarget) which corresponds to a determined service (see the specification documents of the Third Generation Standard 3GPP: TS 25.101, "UE radio transmission and reception (FDD), section 8.8.1" and the TS 25.104, "Base station (BS) radio transmission and reception (FDD), section 8"). Consequently, it is not possible to maintain a constant outage probability (Poutage) for all propagation conditions, as the actual block error rate (BLER) does not remain constant. This is because there is no fixed ratio between the outage probability (Poutage) and the block error rate (BLER), but instead it depends on the propagation conditions in the radio link that are taking place at that moment.
As the fading margin, which is the outcome of the outer loop power control method disclosed in ES 200202947, is a function of such an outage probability (Poutage) among other variables, the dynamic adaptation thereof implies changes in said margin. And in conclusion, the target desired signal to interference ratio (SIRtarget) ought to be adjustable contemplating the changes in the fading margin, to adapt the outer loop power level to whatever propagation conditions, the power to be transmitted being minimum.

Outer loop power control method and apparatus for wireless communications systems


There is provided a network device for processing data packets transmitted between nodes of a network, the network device to intercept data packets of a first traffic class transmitted by a first network node and addressed to a second network node, convert the intercepted data packets into data packets of a second traffic class, and transmit the converted data packets to the second network node.

Audio Video Bridging (AVB) is a networking protocol pertaining to streaming audio and/or video data via a network (e.g., an Ethernet network), described in IEEE 802.1 standards. An AVB network may include one or more talkers (e.g., transmitter nodes) and one or more listeners (e.g., receiver nodes) for transmitting and receiving audio/video data according to the Audio/video transport protocol (AVTP), described in the IEEE 1722 standard.
Similarly, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a set of IEEE 802 Ethernet sub-standards. These standards enable deterministic real-time communication over Ethernet. Time-Sensitive Networking ensures a bounded maximum latency for scheduled traffic through switched networks. Possible applications include converged networks with real time Audio/Video Streaming and real-time control streams which are used in automotive or industrial control facilities.
When audio/video data is transmitted from a talker to a listener, the data may pass through hops (e.g., bridges or switches) located in the network. For example, the network may comprise bridges that receive the data, determine a next location (e.g., a next bridge), and send the data to the next location toward the listener. The time the data takes to be transmitted from the talker to the listener, including the time taken for the bridge(s) to perform these actions, constitutes a latency.
One of the features of AVB and TSN networks is the definition of Quality of Service (QoS) requirements and associated traffic or Stream Reservation (SR) classes. Each traffic class defines a maximum latency based on the presence of a maximum number of seven hops between the talker and the listener in the network. The latency includes the accumulated time it takes for the data to transit through the switches (accumulated transit time). The maximum latency may include the accumulated transit time plus a predetermined margin.
For example, AVB traffic class A is the highest class and defines a maximum latency of 2 ms over seven hops. Traffic class A is particularly suited for the transmission of low latency audio data. Traffic class B defines a maximum latency of 50 ms over seven hops and can be used for the transmission of video data. Additional, lower traffic classes include so-called traffic class 64Sample 48 kHz (Class 64×48 k) and traffic class 64Sample 44.1 kHz (Class 64×44.1 k). These classes can define even lower maximum latencies.
Examples of traffic classes in the context of AVB are described in Automotive Ethernet AVB Functional and Interoperability Specification Revision 1.4.
Generally, relative to the other classes, the transmission of data of a higher traffic class (e.g. AVB traffic class A) causes a relatively higher processing (e.g., interrupt) load on the listener node. However, in some networks, not all listener nodes have the performance required to process such high class traffic.
The present invention aims to address this problem.


A shopping system may include a mobile shopping aid sized to support thereon or therewithin one or more items to be purchased. A holder may be connected to the mobile shopping aid to travel therewith. The holder may be sized and shaped to hold a mobile computing device. The holder may have a front aperture enabling an owner of the mobile computing device to view a display screen of the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The holder may also have a back aperture enabling a back-facing camera of the mobile computing device to scan one or more barcodes while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The system may also include an anti-theft program or module programmed to initiate an alarm protocol in the event that the mobile computing device is untimely removed from the holder.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mobile computing devices and more particularly to systems and methods for holding and securing a mobile computing device in a brick-and-mortar shopping environment.
Background of the Invention
As mobile computing devices have matured, their impressive features and capabilities have made them useful in the shopping environment. However, in a shopping environment, a customer may desire to have his or hands free to inspect products, select products, place products into a shopping cart, or the like. As a result, holding a mobile computing device in a hand or repeatedly retrieving a mobile computing device from a pocket or purse may be undesirable. Moreover, leaving a mobile computing device out (e.g., in a shopping cart) may expose the mobile computing device to theft. Accordingly, what is needed is a system supporting easy and secure incorporation of a customer's mobile computing device into a brick-and-mortar shopping environment.

Mobile-computing-device-securement apparatus and method


A guide wire includes a core possessing a distal end part and a proximal end part, a distal covering layer covering the distal end part of the core, and a proximal covering layer covering the proximal end part of the core. The proximal covering layer includes a first layer that covers the surface of the core, and a second layer that partly covers the surface of the first layer. The first layer has a first part which is not covered by the second layer and a second part which is covered by the second layer, and the surface of the second part is tightly surrounded by the proximal end of the distal covering layer.

For insertion of a catheter into a biological lumen such as digestive tract and blood vessel, a guide wire is employed to lead the catheter to a desired position in the lumen. When in use, the guide wire is passed through the catheter.
The guide wire is also employed to lead the catheter, which is inserted into an endoscope or its lumen, to a desired position of the biological lumen being observed or treated through the endoscope.
Among guide wires proposed so far is one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,779. The disclosed guide wire includes a core and a coating layer covering the surface thereof, the core having the main body and the distal end part extending from the main body. This guide wire has a heat-shrinkable tube of fluoroplastic resin as its coating layer which reduces frictional resistance and improves slidability, thereby making the guide wire easier to handle.
However, the guide wire mentioned above, which is covered with a heat-shrinkable tube as the coating layer, exhibits poor adhesion between the core and the heat-shrinkable tube. Thus, when the guide wire is turned in the presence of a comparatively large load, only the heat-shrinkable tube turns, and torque is not transmitted to the core. Moreover, the heat-shrinkable tube of fluoroplastic resin is comparatively expensive and is not so low in frictional resistance.
To address this problem, it has been proposed to form the covering layer mentioned above from a fluoroplastic resin. The resulting guide wire includes a core, a distal covering layer which covers the distal end part of the core and is formed from a flexible material, and a main body covering layer which covers the main body of the core and is formed from a fluoroplastic resin. The covering layers are formed such that the rear end of the distal covering layer overlaps the distal end of the main body covering layer, so that the core does not expose itself.
This guide wire construction exhibits poor adhesion between the distal covering layer and the main body covering layer and so the former easily peels off from the latter.


Provided are a graphics processor that performs warping, a rendering system including the graphics process, and a method of operating the graphics processor. The graphics processor may include an internal command generator and a graphics computing device. The internal command generator may be configured to receive timing information and generate, based on the timing information, a warping command for periodically performing warping. The graphic computing device may be configured to, in response to the warping command, periodically perform the warping, without a context switch by a host, by using sensing information provided from an external source and frame data that have already been rendered.

Apparatuses and methods consistent with example embodiments relate to a graphics processor, and more particularly, to a graphics processor that performs warping, a rendering system including the graphics processor, and a method of operating the graphics processor.
Virtual reality (VR) refers to a user-to-device interface that creates a certain environment or situation by using a computer so that a user using the interface feels like they are interacting with a real environment and a real situation. In VR applications, a motion of a user is reflected in the image displayed to the user and thus greatly affects a sense of reality.
To quickly reflect the motion of a user to the image displayed to the user, a warping technique using a result of existing rendering may be applicable. However, a delay time occurring while a context for rendering and a context for warping are being switched therebetween may detract from the sense of reality in VR.

Graphics processor that performs warping, rendering system having the graphics processor, and method of operating the graphics processor


A radiation source with an anode and a cathode to create a discharge in a discharge space between the anode and the cathode is disclosed. A plasma is formed in the radiation source which generates electromagnetic radiation, such as EUV radiation. The radiation source includes a first activation source to direct a first energy pulse onto a first spot in the radiation source near the discharge space to create a main plasma channel which triggers the discharge. The radiation source also has a second activation source to direct a second energy pulse onto a second spot in the radiation source near the discharge space to create an additional plasma channel. By directing the second energy pulse during the same discharge, a shortcutting of the main plasma current is realized which in turn may reduce the amount of fast ions produced.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In order to decrease the critical dimension of devices, a lithographic projection apparatus may be arranged with a radiation source for EUV radiation. The radiation source for EUV radiation may be a discharge plasma radiation source, in which a plasma is generated in a substance (for instance, a gas or vapor) between an anode and a cathode and in which a high temperature discharge plasma may be created by Ohmic heating by a (pulsed) current flowing through the plasma.
Existing discharge based EUV sources for EUV lithography are based on a plasma pinch effect. As an additional product of the plasma pinch, fast ions appear which may sputter optics in the lithography apparatus. The amount and distribution of energy of fast ions in an EUV radiation source depend on the amount of energy in one pulse. The larger the energy of one pulse, the larger the number of fast ions and their mean energy and thus the larger the sputtering rate of the optics.

Reducing fast ions in a plasma radiation source


A method and apparatus of performing cell re-search between heterogeneous networks is provided. A mobile terminal (MT) accesses to a high rate packet data (HRPD) network. The MT receives a first message from the HRPD network. The first message includes neighbor radio access technology (RAT) indicator which indicates whether neighbor RAT information used to perform inter-RAT measurement is transmitted from the HRPD network. The MT receives a second message from the HRPD network if the neighbor RAT indicator indicates the transmission of the neighbor RAT information. The second message includes the neighbor RAT information. The MT performs cell re-search on the basis of the neighbor RAT information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus of performing cell re-search between heterogeneous networks.
2. Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely spread all over the world to provide various types of communication services such as voice or data. In general, the wireless communication system is a multiple access system capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available radio resources. Examples of the multiple access system include a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) system, an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system, a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) system, etc.
CDMA2000 supports a voice service and a data service through a CDMA channel. Standards included in the CDMA2000 are IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-895. EV-DO is a part of the CDMA2000 and is a 3-rd generation CDMA standard. The EV-DO provides a packet data service with a high data rate. The EV-DO originally stands for "EVolution, Data-Only", and is recently also referred to as "EVolution, Data-Optimized". The EV-DO is based on high rate packet data (HRPD) defined by the 3-rd generation partnership project 2 (3GPP2) standardization organization. The HRPD is a high-speed CDMA-based radio data technology developed by Qualcomm Inc.
With the widespread use of wireless communication systems developed into various systems, there are many cases where heterogeneous networks coexist in the same region. The heterogeneous networks are networks that implement different radio access technologies (RATs). For example, a wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) system and an HRPD system may coexist in one region.
A mobile terminal needs to perform a handover between the heterogeneous networks for various reasons such as a required quality of service (QoS), a load of a base station, and so on. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of performing cell re-search to effectively support a handover between heterogeneous networks.

Method and apparatus of performing cell re-search between heterogeneous networks


Robust feedforward active noise cancellation is provided which can overcome or substantially alleviate problems associated with the diverse and dynamic nature of the surrounding acoustic environment. A multi-faceted analysis is performed to determine the direction (or directions) of propagation of noise in the surrounding acoustic environment. The direction of propagation is then utilized to determine direction-dependent characteristics of the acoustic path between a reference position where the noise is captured and a desired position where the noise is to be cancelled. These characteristics are used to form a feedforward signal adapted to cancel the noise at the desired position. By forming the feedforward signal based on direction-dependent characteristics of the acoustic path, the techniques described herein can achieve optimal noise cancellation at the desired location, regardless of the direction of propagation of the noise.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to audio processing, and more particularly to techniques for active noise cancellation.
2. Description of Related Art
An active noise cancellation (ANC) system in an earphone-based audio device can be used to reduce background noise. The ANC system forms a compensation signal adapted to cancel background noise at a listening position at or near an ear of a user. The compensation signal is provided to an acoustic transducer (e.g. a loudspeaker) which generates an "anti-noise" acoustic wave. The anti-noise acoustic wave is intended to attenuate or eliminate the background noise at the listening position via destructive interference. Consequently, the combination of the anti-noise acoustic wave and the background noise at the listening position results in cancellation of both and hence a reduction in noise.
ANC systems may generally be divided into feedforward ANC systems and feedback ANC systems. In a typical feedforward ANC system, a reference microphone provides a reference signal based on the background noise captured at a reference position. The reference signal is then used by the ANC system to predict the background noise at the listening position so that it can be cancelled. Typically, this prediction utilizes a transfer function which models the acoustic path from the reference position to the listening position. Active noise cancellation is then performed to form a compensation signal adapted to cancel the noise, whereby the reference signal is inverted, weighted and delayed or more generally filtered based on the transfer function.
Errors in feedforward active noise cancellation can occur due to the difficulty in forming a transfer function which accurately models the acoustic path from the reference position to the listening position. Specifically, since the surrounding acoustic environment is rarely fixed, the background noise at the listening position is constantly changing. For example, the location and number of noise sources which form the resultant background noise can change over time. These changes affect the acoustic path from the reference position to the listening position. For example, the propagation delay of the background between the reference position and the listening position depends on the direction (or directions) the background noise is coming from. Similarly, the amplitude difference of the noise at the reference position and at the listening position may be direction dependent.
If the transfer function used to model the acoustic path from the reference position to the listening position is even slightly incorrect, residual noise will remain at the listening position. The residual noise can interfere with the listening experience of desired sound, and is annoying. In some instances, errors in the transfer function may result in the generation of an anti-noise acoustic wave that constructively interferes with the background noise at the listening position. In such a case, the combination of the anti-noise acoustic wave and the background noise may result in an increase in the noise at the listening position, rather than a decrease.
It is therefore desirable to provide active noise cancellation techniques which can increase the quality and robustness of active noise cancellation systems in diverse acoustic environments.

Direction-aware active noise cancellation system


An ammunition feed chute has a plurality of feed chute links releasably connected together. The feed chute links have interior surfaces that define a guide path for belted ammunition. Each of the feed chute links has a transitional surface attached to one of the feed chute link's interior surfaces, the transitional surfaces each extending from the interior surface to which it is attached to a location where it overlaps the adjacent feed chute link's transitional surface. A tongue extending from one of the feed chute links may be received by a slot in an adjacent feed chute link to releasably connect the feed chute links together. The ligaments may each receive the top insert and the rivet of one of the feed chute links within their closed slots and removably receive the top insert, AN washer, and rivet of an adjacent feed chute link within their open slots to releasably connect the feed chute links together.

Feed chutes are chutes or passages through which ammunition is guided into the breech mechanism of a machine gun or mini gun (which is a Gatling type gun having an unusually high rate of fire of 3000-6000 rounds per minute). It is often desirable to supply belted ammunition to machine guns via a feed chute in order to avoid jamming problems at the gun feeder mechanism that could potentially be caused by routing the ammunition belt through one or more sharp turns. An ammunition belt is a device used to retain and feed cartridges into a firearm, typically a machine gun or other automatic weapon. Belt-fed systems minimize the proportional weight of the ammunition to the feeding device along with allowing high rates of continuous fire from the machine gun for extended periods without reloading.
Belts were originally composed of canvas or cloth with pockets spaced evenly to allow the belt to be mechanically fed into the gun. These designs were prone to malfunctions due to the effects of oil and other contaminants altering the belt. Later belt designs used permanently connected metal links to retain the cartridges during feeding. These belts were more tolerant to exposure to solvents and oil but retained the limitation of being a fixed length or capacity. Many weapons designed to use non-disintegrating or canvas belts are provided with machines to automatically reload these belts with loose rounds or rounds held in stripper clips. In use during World War I, reloaders allowed ammunition belts to be recycled quickly to allow practically continuous fire.
Most modern ammunition belts use disintegrating links. Disintegrating links retain a single round and are articulated and connected with the round ahead of it in the belt. When the round ahead is stripped from the belt and fed into the feed system or chamber, the link holding it is ejected, and the link holding the following round is disarticulated. An advantage of this design is the ability to create belts of any length. Some weapons, such as the M134 mini gun and related designs, use a hybrid mechanism to strip rounds from disintegrating belts into a linkless feed system or a specialized delinker to allow for more reliable feeding at extreme rates of fire.
Conventional versions of feed chutes are made entirely from metal. They cannot be easily taken apart without tools in the event a component fails or an ammunition jam occurs. Because they are entirely composed of metal, they are vulnerable to crushing, which then prevents ammunition from flowing freely through the chute. They also have gaps between segments, resulting in small gaps between sheet-metal portions that enable ammunition to jam at those locations. Improperly linked ammunition can also cause jams if the round repositioner has not corrected alignment issues between the cartridge cases and links. This can occur when the link and cartridge have been mislinked with either the link tab positioned below the rim of the cartridge or on the side of the cartridge, thus causing a change in the alignment from the correct position with the link tab in the extractor groove of the case. An example of a known flexible feed chute is U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,264 to Pearson.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a flexible and durable ammunition feed chute that operates reliably and which can be taken apart and serviced without tools.


Systems and methods for backing up and restoring serverless applications are provided. A serverless application is queried to identify the functions and services used. These functions and services are transformed into a manifest or graph that allows the relationships of the serverless application to be identified in an automated manner. The serverless application can be backed up and/or restored using the manifest.

Serverless applications or serverless architecture are terms that often refer to applications that are packaged as stateless containers. These containers typically response to external events and interact with backend services. The terms do not mean that no servers are involved in the operation of a serverless application.
Serverless infrastructures that enable serverless applications, such as Amazon's AWS Lambda, allow an entity or user to execute code or software without provisioning or managing servers. A customer is typically required to pay only for compute time. A customer is not charged when their code is not executing. This advantageously allows an entity or user to reduce operational costs and simplifies scaling.
Because serverless applications are an emerging technology, concerns such as security or data protection may not be fully taken into consideration. This can create gaps and vulnerabilities for entities or users that adopt this technology.
For example, the ability to backup a serverless application and/or restore a serverless application is complicated because the relationships between the various components of the serverless application are complex. In order to successfully backup/restore a serverless application, it is necessary to have an understanding of the relationships that exist between the components. Because serverless applications are often packaged as or include stateless containers, it is difficult to understand all of the conditions and relationships that may exist in a serverless application. In addition, tracking changes such as function upgrades, service additions/removals can become tedious.
In serverless platforms, much of the orchestration capabilities are delegated to third party vendors (e.g. AWS Lambda). Consequently, there is no guarantee that the application as a whole will have consistent backups. In fact, customers are usually concerned with the backing up the backend service. Unfortunately, this will not be sufficient when the conditions of the application have changed or a newer version of application function images have been uploaded.
Today, a customer can backup a serverless application by backing up all the services that the application uses. This is performed manually and is tedious and error prone manual work. In fact, this process conventionally requires multiple backup application components to be created and requires that the operation of these components be coordinated.
Even though many backend services have backup abilities, the challenge in the context of serverless applications is coordinating the backup of the backend services with other components of a serverless application. Serverless applications are dynamic in nature: services change and applications or containers are upgraded. These changes make coordinating the backup/restore difficult. This process is further complicated when attempting to restore to an older point in time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Serverless application operational recovery and manifest creation


An extension ruler intended for symmetry measurements of vehicles, having a built in measuring device for the extension of the ruler and transfer of data or figures to a display. The measuring device includes a tape extending from one end of the ruler to the other end where the tape is wound on a drum spring biased in the winding direction, which drum is provided with teeth and that the passage of these is detected and counted by a light source and a photo diode and that the drum rotation detected in this way is used to provide a measure of the extending of the ruler.

In order to check and measure the damage to crashed cars before, during and after repair, telescopically extendable measuring devices or rulers provided with perpendicularly upwards extending mandrels in both ends are used. A ruler that is provided with a magnetic fastening bracket in one end (SE 9704438-2) is also used in this type of application. These devices are simple, easy to handle and result in surprisingly highly precise work. In reality, however, these devices require writing down or remembering measurements between device measures. Furthermore, the precision of these devices is dependent on the skill or measuring technique of the device operator, since inclining the ruler may change the result. Likewise, operator skill and environmental conditions when reading scales are of essential influence.
An additional error source in prior art measuring rulers is that the magnet fastener, which allows fast and simple handling of the device by one person even for long measurements, is prone to mounting that introduces a slight error. Mounting the prior art device in different ways on the left and right side can give different measures even if the measure should be the same. In addition, a little dirt under the magnet gives an inclination the fastener that may cause the device to mis-measure.
Thus, the object of this invention is to create a measuring device that overcomes the above problems with the prior art devices without impairing the simplicity and ease of use of the device.
In accordance with the invention, a telescopically extendable ruler is provided with measurement mandrels or suitable measurement bodies in the ends, the ruler being provided with a digital measuring means. The previous scale is thus replaced with an electronic measuring apparatus and indication of the measure. In this way, it is no longer necessary that the user is in the precisely correct place on the side of the measuring device in order to see the scale. Further, the risk that a user might shadow the scale thereby being unable to read the device is also reduced and, since the device stores measured values, values are ready for comparison, even if several minutes lapse between measurements. If so desired, one can measure absolute values or measure differences between measures taken on an undamaged area of the car, and a measure taken on a damaged area. The later type of technique facilitates, in particular, measurements taken during straightening operations. It is also easier to remember small figures than larger ones.
The present invention also joins the ruler to a centering mandrel or cone, while a magnet placed over the cone is moveable. By additionally making the ruler moveable about a universal joint, the ruler can be centered within a hole, from where measurements are to be taken. Thus, the measurements of the current device will not be influenced by the inclination of the magnet, caused by a locally dented surrounding, dirt, underbody coating, etc.
Since the force that the centering mandrel or cone is subjected to is exclusively directed towards, a vehicle, the centering tip or cone, which is journaled on a ball, can be provided with some type of snap lock so than one simply snaps the conical tip on the universal joint. In this way one can use different cones of varying length depending on the size of the hole. Thus, it is actually possible to place the universal joint precisely in the center of the hole. One can also contemplate the use of other types of points or tips.
In order further to simplify the current device, the device is provided with an adjustable spirit level on the side or on top of the ruler, extending along the length of the ruler. In this way it becomes possible to take a measurement between two known and undamaged points in the longitudinal direction of the car. The measuring mandrel located at the outer end of the ruler is adjusted to the height required to give an orientation to the ruler parallel to the datum plane of the car. The spirit level is now adjusted to an entirely level position. The spirit level together with its fastening bracket is then turned 180xc2x0 and then the entire ruler is turned or moved so that its ends change position in relation to the vehicle that is to be measured. The spirit level will now, with the ruler placed lengthwise along the car, represent a definition of the datum plane of the vehicle, allowing quick and normalized measuring. A supposition for this is that the vehicle stands comparatively even laterally, but since this normally is the case, it is not a problem. However, it is more common that the vehicle is inclined in its length direction.
The electronic digital measuring of the extension of the ruler is preferably done by means of a device located in one of the telescoping tubes. The device comprises a thin metal tape that is fastened in the other end of the ruler. The tape runs over a rotatable drum. A spring device is arranged to pretension the drum so that the tape always is kept stretched. The extended length is then detected by the drum or roller for the tape having a toothed or screen pattern provided wheel that passes between a light source and a photo detector generating pulses as the drum or wheel rotates and the pulses can then simply be counted and transformed to measures shown on a display in the end of the ruler, either in millimeters or in inches.


A method and an apparatus for extrapolating diagnostic data relating to one pupil diameter to another pupil diameter. Embodiments according to the invention are more particularly directed to extrapolating wavefront aberration data, for example, in the form of Zernike polynomial data, obtained from a smaller pupil diameter, d1, to a larger pupil diameter, d2. Data relating to the first pupil diameter d1 may be obtained in a diagnostic procedure. In the extrapolation, a conversion matrix M is utilized. The conversion matrix M can be generated from a static matrix and a dynamic matrix, the latter taking the pupil diameter d1 into consideration. Data relating the first pupil diameter d1 and wavefront aberration data can be ordered via a permutation matrix P. If necessary, Extrapolated data can be re-ordered via a transposed permutation matrix PT. The extrapolated data relating to the pupil diameter d2 can be processed to obtain an ablation profile, a shot file, or other data for a refractive vision correction treatment.

In the past various improvements have been made in the field of refractive vision correction treatments. In many cases these treatments rely upon data obtained in a diagnostic procedure wherein the wavefront aberration and/or topographic data, for example, of the eye are determined.
During the diagnostic examination of an eye, it is desirable for the eye to have a large pupil diameter. Therefore, it is common to use pharmacological pupil dilation to dilate the pupil. However, pharmacological pupil dilation has disadvantages.
Charles E. Campbell describes in the publication "Matrix method to find a new set of Zernike coefficients from an original set when the aperture radius is changed" (J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, February 2003, Vol. 20, No. 2, pages 209 to 217) to form a new set of Zernike coefficients arranged as elements of a vector by multiplying the original set of coefficients, also arranged as elements of a vector, by a conversion matrix formed from powers of the ratio of the new aperture to the original aperture and elements of a matrix that forms the weighting coefficients of the radial Zernike polynomial functions. The conversion matrix according to Campbell is determined corresponding to the extrapolation ratio. As disclosed therein, if the new aperture radius is larger than the original, then the portion of the new surface that lies within the original aperture boundary identically matches the original surface. However, for areas of the new aperture that lie outside the old aperture, the reference states that it is best to normalize by reducing the aperture size of the larger to that of the smaller aperture before making comparisons. Thus there is no disclosure teaching an applicable extrapolation for vision correction treatments.

Method and apparatus for extrapolating diagnostic data


A gate valve includes a gate cavity (18), a flowbore (14, 16) communicating with the gate cavity and a gate (20) for opening and closing flow through the flowbore. A valve seat (42) is provided on each side of the gate. Each valve seat (42) has inner and outer C-ring seals (52, 54) on its end surface for sealing against a body sealing surface (46). The seals are energized by an assembly which includes a disc spring (62) disposed around the valve seat (42).

This invention relates to gate valves. Gate valves generally comprise a body furnished with an internal gate cavity positioned generally perpendicular to a flow bore which extends through the body communicating the cavity to the inlet and outlet bores. A gate is positioned in this cavity, the gate being movable by external means. With the gate in its closed position flow between the inlet and outlet bores is sealed and with the gate in its open position full bore flow is allowed.
Gate valves are known which have seat mechanisms either side of the gate which engage the body surfaces surrounding the inlet and outlet flow bores through the body together with gate sealing faces. Such seats are generally disposed in annular recesses known as seat pockets provided in the body around the inlet and outlet bores at positions where they communicate with the gate cavity.
Many arrangements are known for such seat structures. A problem with such structures is to provide an effective full metal seal between the seat and the body which not only gives a consistent seal but also protects the critical sealing surfaces from well bore particulate contamination. Arrangements are known for example where non-metallic seals have been provided either on the end face of the seat where it abuts the body or on the seats outside diameter.
Another arrangement uses inner and outer metallic sealing rings, such as metal C-ring seals, located in inner and outer grooves on an end face of the seat and the seat is locked in position in its recess by means of a locking ring which engages an outer circumferential surface of the seat, the locking ring itself being held in position by a retainer wire. The locking ring is used to load the seat against the body energising the C-ring seals, effecting a seat/body seal. Known problems exist with this particular design, mainly due to the uneven loading of the seat mechanism after installation leading to reduced sealing capabilities.
The A. U. Bryant U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,664 discloses various shapes of metal-to-metal seals for use with gate and ball valves. Those structures suitable for use with a gate valve require a welding of the seal body to the valve body.
The E. E. Hulsey U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,177 shows a seal assembly for a gate valve whereby a Belleville spring is used to maintain an elastomer seal in face-to-face contact with the gate. No provision for metal-to-metal sealing is made.
The Allen U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,545 discloses a Bellville spring used in a ball valve to maintain an elastomer seal ring in sealing engagement with the spherical closure member.
The Kindersley U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,923 shows a spring metallic cylindrical bellows with convolutions in combination with a C shaped metal seal on a valve seat used in a ball valve.


Provided is a method for charging a secondary battery configured to both suppress battery short circuits and to reduce battery charging time. The charging method is a multistep secondary battery charging method comprising first charging in which a secondary battery is charged at a first current density I1, and second charging in which the secondary battery is charged at a second current density I2 which is larger than the first current density I1, wherein, when a roughness height of an anode current collecting foil-side surface of a solid electrolyte layer is determined as Y (μm) and a thickness of a roughness coating layer is determined as X (μm), in the first charging, the secondary battery is charged at the first current density I1 until X/Y reaches 0.5 or more.

In recent years, with the rapid spread of IT and communication devices such as personal computers, camcorders and cellular phones, great importance has been attached to the development of batteries that can be used as the power source of such devices. In the automobile industry, etc., high-power and high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are under development.
Of various types of batteries, a lithium secondary battery has attracted attention because, due to the use of lithium as the anode of the battery, which is a metal having the highest ionization tendency among metals, a large potential difference between the anode and the cathode and high output voltage are obtained.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a lithium ion secondary battery in which overcharging and the like can be suppressed and the battery charging time can be reduced by decreasing charging current supplied from a battery charger and by charging the battery.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which overcharging and the like can be suppressed and the battery charging time can be reduced by quick charging at a high current value and then charging at a low current value.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique to stabilize the anode surface of a lithium secondary battery and suppress the growth of lithium dendrite by disposing a lithium ion supporting layer at an interface between the lithium metal anode and electrolyte of the lithium secondary battery.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2005-185060
Patent Literature 2: JP-A No. 2002-246070
Patent Literature 3: JP-A No. 2002-373707
In batteries such as a lithium secondary battery, a short circuit is likely to occur when a current value supplied from a battery charger during battery charging, is large. On the other hand, when the current value supplied from the battery charger is small, the battery charging time is increased.
Accordingly, there is a demand for both suppression of battery short circuits, and a reduction in battery charging time.


An optical switch includes at least one optical fiber exit terminal disposed in a plane, at least first and second optical fiber entrance terminals disposed in the plane, and a movable reflector disposed in the plane and angularly movable about a point in the plane for reflecting and/or refracting a light ray from the optical fiber exit terminal selectively into one of the first and second optical fiber entrance terminals for thereby optically coupling the optical fiber exit terminal and said one optical fiber entrance terminal. When the optical fiber exit terminal and the optical fiber entrance terminal are optically coupled to each other, the movable reflector is held against a stopper while it is being subjected to a certain torque, so that the movable reflector is stably stopped.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an optical switch for selecting alternate light paths between or optically coupling and decoupling optical fibers for use in optical fiber communications.
2. Description of the Relevant Art:
One conventional optical switch, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 56(1981)-107201, for example, comprises a rectangular prism positioned at the entrance/exit ends of three optical fibers arranged side by side in one plane. The rectangular prism is reciprocally movable in that plane in linear directions normal to the optical axes of the optical fibers, so that the optical fibers can be optically coupled and decoupled.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 55(1980)-142304 discloses, as shown in FIG. 21 of the accompanying drawings, three juxtaposed optical fibers 101, 102, 103 and a rectangular prism 104 coupled to a rotatable shaft 110 coaxial with the central optical fiber 101. The central optical fiber 101 can be optically coupled to either the optical fiber 102 or the optical fiber 103 by turning the rectangular prism 104 through 180.degree. on and about the shaft 110 in a plane normal to the plane in which the optical fibers 101, 102, 103 lie.
With the former optical switch, since the rectangular prism is linearly reciprocally moved perpendicularly to the optical fibers for light path coupling and decoupling, the inertial force which is applied to the rectangular prism when it is stopped is oriented in the same direction as the direction in which the rectangular prism is adjusted with respect to the optical axes of the optical fibers. Therefore, the adjusted position of the rectangular prism may be subjected to an error depending on the way in which the optical switch is used. For example, if the prism is displaced .DELTA.d from its adjusted position, then the distance between the axis of a light ray incident upon the prism and the axis of a light ray reflected from the prism will vary by .DELTA.d.times.2. Depending on how the prism is mounted, the prism is affected by gravity, and it takes different times to switch from one light path to the other and to switch from the other light path back to the one light path.
The latter optical switch takes a relatively long switching time and hence has a low switching speed since the prism 104 is required to turn 180.degree. for light path coupling and decoupling.
In each of the above conventional mechanical optical switches, because the entrance/exit end surfaces of the optical fibers are disposed parallel to the entrance/exit end surface of the prism, the exit end surfaces of the optical fibers and the prism tend to be affected by reflected light rays.
FIGS. 22(a) and 22(b) of the accompanying drawings show an optical switch disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62(1987)-56490. The disclosed optical switch includes four juxtaposed optical fibers 201, 202, 203, 204 lying in one plane, the fibers being disposed in coaxial confronting relation in two pairs. A polygonal prism is positioned so as to face the entrance/exit ends, i.e., input/output terminals, of these optical fibers. By turning the polygonal prism from the position of FIG. 22(a) to the position of FIG. 22(b), the optical fibers 201, 204 are optically decoupled and the optical fibers 201, 202 are optically coupled, and at the same time, the optical fibers 203, 202 are optically decoupled and the optical fibers 203, 204 are optically coupled. The polygonal prism has however its own disadvantages. For example, it causes a loss of light energy due to interfacial reflections. The polygonal prism is heavy and hence poor in its response to switching commands on account of large inertia thereof. As a result, the switching speed of the optical switch is low.


To provide a vehicle resin part and a vehicle resin part manufacturing method with which raised portions can be formed using slanted slide molds even on opposing molded portions that have a narrow distance between them. In a rail cover, shelf-shaped portions that can be molded using a cavity and a core are formed on opposing side wall portions, and claw portions that can be molded using slanted slide molds are formed projecting from the shelf-shaped portions in the directions of the opposing side wall portions. Additionally, the claw portions are molded by moving, during demolding, the pair of slanted slide molds in the directions of the opposing side wall portions from a molding position and thereafter removing the pair of slanted slide molds in a forward direction.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle resin part applied to a vehicle such as an automobile and a vehicle resin part manufacturing method.
Related Art
Conventionally, as an example of a vehicle resin part applied to a vehicle such as an automobile, there has been the vehicle seat leg cover disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 2013-203217. The leg cover is equipped with: a rear end engagement piece; a pair of right and left opposing engagement pieces that have a notch interposed between them and are formed in positions sufficiently away from, on the front side of, the rear end engagement piece; and a pair of right and left opposing engagement pieces that are formed in positions adjacent to, and on the front side of, the rear end engagement piece. Furthermore, the opposing engagement pieces are each molded in the shape of a cantilever beam that hangs down from a ceiling portion of the leg cover and has a hook (claw) on its distal end. Additionally, the hooks of the opposing engagement pieces project in directions toward one another, and the hooks engage with engagement holes formed in corresponding positions in a leg bracket.
However, in a case where this kind of vehicle resin part is molded using a forming mold, slanted slide molds become necessary in order to mold the hooks (raised portions) on the opposing engagement pieces (molded portions). For this reason, in addition to the undercut amounts (raised amounts) of the raised portions, it is necessary to ensure space for moving the slanted slide molds in the undercut direction to remove the slanted slide molds from between the opposing molded portions. As a result, in a case where the distance between the opposing molded portions forming the raised portions is narrow, it becomes difficult to form the raised portions on the opposing molded portions using the slanted slide molds.

Vehicle resin part and vehicle resin part manufacturing method


Compositions and methods are provided for facilitating the enrichment of single-stranded DNA containing methylated CpG in a mixture containing methylated and unmethylated DNA. The compositions relate to methylation-binding protein domains that selectively bind to methylated single strand DNA. In embodiments of the invention, the methylated DNA is eluted in 0.4M-0.6M NaCl while the unmethylated single strand DNA is eluted in less than 0.4M salt. The ability to readily enrich for methylated DNA permits high throughput sequencing of the methylated DNA and identification of abnormal methylation patterns associated with disease.

The task of epigenomic mapping is inherently more complex than genome sequencing since the epigenome is much more variable than the genome. While an individual only has one genome, one's epigenome varies in time and space with age, tissue type, exposure to environmental factors, and shows aberrations in diseases especially in cancer. With methylated CpG's only accounting for ˜2-6% of the genome (18), large scale shotgun sequencing efforts will require some form of purification of short CpG methylated sequences. Many current enrichment technologies fall short of the dynamic range necessary to capture minute changes in CpG methylation that can have large repercussions in gene expression.
In the mammalian genome, 60-80% of relatively infrequent (1 per 100 bp on average) CpG dinucleotides are methylated at the carbon 5 position (1). In contrast, dense clusters of unmethylated CpG sequences (˜1 per 10 bp) are found at the transcription start sites of genes (2). In certain circumstances, these CpG islands are heavily methylated with the concomitant silencing of the promoter and the silencing of gene activity (3). These modifications are considered to be important for development (4), genomic imprinting (5), and X chromosome inactivation through gene silencing (6, 7). Aberrant DNA methylation of CpG islands has been frequently observed in cancer cells (8).
Many techniques exist for the enrichment of heavily methylated CpG islands from genomic DNA. One protocol relies on methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases such as HpaII (CCGG) and HhaI (GCGC) followed by PCR identification, Southern Blot analysis or microarray profiling (9). Another approach utilizes the ability of an immobilized methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) of the MeCP2 protein to selectively bind to methylated double-stranded DNA sequences. Restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA is loaded onto the affinity column and methylated-CpG island-enriched fractions are eluted by a linear gradient of sodium chloride. PCR, microarray, DNA sequencing and Southern hybridization techniques are used to detect specific sequences in these fractions (10). These techniques are limited due to the specific cleavage moiety of the restriction enzyme and therefore will not completely reflect all combinations of bases flanking the methylated CpG dinucleotide.
There are several additional methods for analysis of methylation patterns. In the bisulfite method, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is exposed to a deamination reagent (bisulfite) that converts unmethylated cytosines to uracils while methylated cytosines remain relatively intact (11). After cleanup, the resultant treated DNA of interest must be PCR amplified (converting the uracils to thymines) and analyzed by a myriad of techniques that can distinguish between methylated and unmethylated DNA. If the PCR products are cloned and sequenced, alignment analysis of the untreated and treated nucleotide sequences can reveal the in vivo methylation status of the amplified region. The PCR products can also be analyzed by combined bisulfite-restriction analysis (COBRA assay) and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) (12, 13).
Recently, direct shotgun ultra-high-throughput sequencing of bisulfite-converted DNA using the Illumina 1G Genome Analyzer and Solexa sequencing technology have yielded insights of the methylation state of the small (˜120 Mbp) genome of the mustard plant Arabidopsis (14). This new technology allowed the exact identification and quantification of 5-methylcytosines at the single-nucleotide level in genes. Although highly specific and reasonably sensitive, it required at least 20-fold coverage to theoretically cover all potential methylated cytosines. Currently, no method exists to enrich bisulfite-converted CpG methylated DNA, which by the nature of the deamination reaction, is single-stranded, from total genomic DNA.

Method for enriching methylated CpG sequences


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, device and system for restoring a motion-blurred image. The method comprises determining parameters for a one-dimensional Optical Transfer Function (OTF) for the motion-blurred image in Fourier space; determining a signal-to-noise ratio for the motion-blurred image in the Fourier space; and correcting for motion blur based on the parameters of the OTF. Determining the parameters comprises calculating a function Φ(p,q) which is based on the square of the modulus of the Fourier transform |G(p,q)|2 of the motion-blurred image. The parameters include the absolute value of the one-dimensional OTF, and the phase and sign of the OTF.

Photographic (or other optically captured images) images may be blurred by relative motion between an imaging system or camera and an object of interest. An example of a motion-blurred image is illustrated in FIG. 1. Motion-blurred images commonly occur when the imaging system is in moving vehicles or held by a human hand. OCR of blurred text of blurred text may be inaccurate or in some cases may be impossible.
The methods used to restore such images typically involve convolving the real image with a point spread function (PSF):
                                          g                                      (                              x                ,                y                            )                                =                                                    ∑                                  k                  =                  1                                K                                                                            ∑                                      m                    =                    1                                    M                                                                                f                                                              (                                              k                        ,                        m                                            )                                                                                h                                                              (                                                                        x                          -                          k                                                ,                                                  y                          -                          m                                                                    )                                                                                +                          n                                            (                                  x                  ,                  y                                )                                                    ,                            (        1        )
where
f(x,y) is the non-blurred image;
g(x,y) is the image obtained from the camera;
h(x,y) is the PSF;
n(x,y) is the noise; and
K and M is the size of the image in pixels.
In the case of a blurred image, the PSF is a function of one argument, i.e. h(x,y)=h1D(x sin(α)+y cos(α)), where α is the angle of the blur.
In the Fourier space, the equation (1) becomes:
                                                        G                                            (                                  p                  ,                  q                                )                                      =                                                            F                                                        (                                          p                      ,                      q                                        )                                                                                H                                                        (                                          p                      ,                      q                                        )                                                              +                              N                                                  (                                      p                    ,                    q                                    )                                                              ,                                                    where          ,                      for                                                                          example                    ,                                                                              G                                            (                                  p                  ,                  q                                )                                      =                                          ∑                                  x                  =                  1                                K                                                                            ∑                                      y                    =                    1                                    M                                                                                ⅇ                                                                                2                                                        π                                                    K                                                                        ⅈ                                                                                px                                            +                                                                                2                                                        π                                                    M                                                                        ⅈ                                                                                qy                                                                                g                                                              (                                              x                        ,                        y                                            )                                                                                and                                                                        g                                      (                              x                ,                y                            )                                =                                    1                              K                ·                M                                                                                ∑                                  p                  =                  1                                K                                                                            ∑                                      q                    =                    1                                    M                                                                                ⅇ                                          -                                              (                                                                                2                                                                π                                                            K                                                                                ⅈ                                                                                px                                                    +                                                                                2                                                                π                                                            M                                                                                ⅈ                                                                                qy                                                                          )                                                                                G                                                                    (                                                  p                          ,                          q                                                )                                                              .                                                                                (        2        )
Since the function G(p,q) and the others are periodical G(p,q)=G(p−K, q)=G(p,q−M), it is assumed everywhere below that the p and q variables may have either positive or negative values.
H(p,q) is the Fourier transform of the PSF, often called optical transfer function (OTF). In the case of a blurred image, the OTF is a complex function of one argument H(p,q)=H1D(p·sin(α+π/2)+q·cos(α+π/2)).
Also, the Wiener filter may be used to restore images:
                                                        F              ^                                                  (                              p                ,                q                            )                                =                                                                      H                  *                                                                  (                                      p                    ,                    q                                    )                                                                                                                          H                                                                    (                                                  p                          ,                          q                                                )                                                                                                  2                                +                                                                                                                          N                                                                          (                                                      p                            ,                            q                                                    )                                                                                                            2                                                                                                                            F                                                                          (                                                      p                            ,                            q                                                    )                                                                                                            2                                                                                G                                            (                                  p                  ,                  q                                )                                                    ,                            (        3        )
where
{circumflex over (F)}(p,q) is the estimated function (which hopefully is close to F(p,q)) and
H(p,q) is the complex conjugate of H(p,q).
This filter minimizes the root mean square deviation of the restored image from the real image
            ∑              x        ,        y                                (                                            f              ^                                                  (                              x                ,                y                            )                                -                      f                                      (                              x                ,                y                            )                                      )            2        ,provided that the average noise value is 0.
Therefore, in order to restore a blurred image, one needs to know:                1. the OTF H(p,q), and        2. the signal-to-noise ratio in the impulse space
                                      N                                (                          p              ,              q                        )                                      2                                        F                                (                          p              ,              q                        )                                      2        .
U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,097 Oct. 22, 2002 describes an iteration method for finding a non-blurred image. At each step of this method, total variation regularization is performed to minimize the energy function with the image blur. The type of distortion is set as a parameter and is predefined. The length of the blur and its direction are also predefined. Additionally, the image is restored from a sequence of images rather than from one blurred image.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,564 Feb. 22, 2005 describes a method where the OTF is determined from the scaled αth power of the smoothed magnitude of the blurred image and noise.
Other methods for restoring blurred images are described, for example, in the review by D. Kundur and D. Hatzinakos, "Blind Image Deconvolution Revisited," IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 61-63, November 1996, and in other sources.

Device and system for restoring a motion-blurred image


Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a bird bath. In one configuration, a frame as a plurality lighting elements therein. A stand is provided for supporting the frame. The bath may include a control component for controlling the lighting elements and a photovoltaic cell for providing power to the lighting elements. In another aspect, the frame may include a plurality of spiral frame members. In yet another aspect, the spiral members have a channel pathway and the lighting elements are disposed in the channel pathway. In yet another aspect, the frame may includes a plurality of radial members. In yet another aspect, the radial members have a channel pathway and the lighting elements are disposed in the channel pathway.

Bird baths, backyard ponds, and pools, are highly-valued features of residential yards and gardens. As the pace of life continues to quicken, features such as these that draw one's attention to aesthetic pleasures and to nature become increasingly important to a person's well-being. A fountain placed in a bird bath, pond, or pool, may help to draw one's attention to that feature in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
A water fountain that is powered by an external electricity source, for example, requires wire installation that could involve burying wires in a lawn. Installation could also involve making water tight electrical seals and connections within the fountain. This creates the hazard of electrocution. A fountain powered by an external water source is connected to a garden hose, if not to hard line plumbing, which takes effort and know-how to install. And a fountain powered by batteries would need frequent battery replacement.
Many challenges exist for a solar-powered water fountain, to successfully apply the disparate arts of solar electricity and apparatuses useful as bird bath fountains. For example, a solar-powered electric motor would have to operate in a wet environment, which is well-known in the art to be detrimental to the life of the motor. Another problem is that solar cells are inherently unsightly. Another problem is that it is difficult for an electric motor to start-up under low voltage conditions, such as those conditions found in low sunlight. Further, solar cells can be expensive components, and the cost of the apparatus can be almost directly proportional to the cost of the solar cells.


Map data includes, for each of multiple links used for representing a road in a map, a link record and a speed limit record for a certain link. The link records and the speed limit records of the multiple links for representing a road are collected to form separate data lists of respective attribute types, that is, a link record data list and a speed limit record data list, instead of collecting records by a unit of each link. The map data structured as separate attribute data lists of respective attribute data types for links in the map data, for example, establishes inter-attribute data association between different attribute data types for the certain link based on the arrangement orders of the respective attribute data types in the data list indicative of the same arrangement order of the multiple links.

Conventionally, map data formatted for use in a vehicular apparatus is known. Further, map data having a KIWI format is also well-known (Refer to non-patent documents 1 to 3.). The map data format uses links and nodes for representing roads, and attributes (i.e., features) for each of the links, such as link shapes, street addresses and the like, are stored in the map data as attribute data. In the following, a group of attribute data corresponding to one of those links are denoted as a link data. Conventionally, data regarding the links has been stored in the map data.
In addition, in the conventional map data, a unique link ID is assigned to each of those links. The link ID is used for association of link data corresponding to the unique link ID with other data. For example, the link ID is used to represent the connection relationships between two or more links. In the conventional map data, a plural number of link data are combined to form link series data, which includes node data regarding a node that connects two or more links by using link IDs, for ultimately representing connection relationships between two or more links.
Non-patent document 1: "Car navigation system—Public data structure KIWI and its use" by Shigeru Kakumoto, Kyoritsu publishing, February 2003
Non-patent document 2: "Road vehicles—Map data physical storage format for car navigation systems (JIS D 810:2004)" by Japanese Industrial Standard, March 2004
Non-patent document 3: "Car navigation map data format KIWI" by Hidetoshi Fujimoto, DENSO Technical Review 2001 Vol. 6, No. 1, pp 29-34
In the conventional map data structure, for each of the links, in order to hold the above-described link data that is made by grouping plural kinds of attribute data, a problem of heavy processing and editing load for editing the map data and for editing a map data retrieval program has been caused, when the attribute data of unnecessary kind is deleted from the link data, or when the attribute data of new kind is added to the link data, for the purpose of changing the contents of the map data.
For example, when new data (e.g., attribute data of new kind) is added link data to expand the link data in the conventional map data format, the new data is added to multiple places in the map data in a scattered manner, thereby drastically changing the structure of the map data as a whole. Therefore, in the conventional data format, load for changing the contents of the map data was heavy. If, on the other hand, a redundant map data area is prepared in the map data as a work-around of the above situation, the size of the map data has become unnecessarily large

Method for creating map data and map data utilization apparatus


An interface module for interfacing an external device with a host computer is physically and electrically connected to the host computer. The module monitors its own power consumption and reports its power consumption to the host computer. This information can be used to determine the total power consumed by multiple modules, to indicate a problem with the interface module, or to detect a leakage current associated with the external device when main power is off.

The present invention relates to computers and, more particularly, to interface modules for computers. In this specification, related art labeled "prior art" is admitted prior art; related art not labeled "prior art" is not admitted prior art.
Computers are often built using interface modules, such as external disk interfaces that are inserted into peripheral connect interface (PCI) slots and PCI express slots. The modular nature makes it easy to repair and upgrade systems by swapping interface modules.

Interface module with on-board power-consumption monitoring

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A control apparatus for an automobile air-conditioner includes a cooled air bypass passage provided independently of a main airflow passage for bypassing cooled air from an evaporator directly to a vent outlet; an opening calculation unit for calculating an opening of a cooled air bypass door based on a detected temperature and a desired temperature in the vicinity of the driver's head, and a drive unit for actuating the cooled air bypass door based on an opening calculated by the opening calculation unit. With this construction, the control apparatus is capable of controlling the temperature in the vicinity of the driver's head independently of a temperature control achieved by the main airflow passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for an automobile air-conditioner having a cooled air bypass passage for supplying cooled air to a vent outlet independently of a main airflow passage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A cooled air bypass passage for supplying cooled air to a vent outlet is provided for controlling the temperature of air in the vicinity of the driver's head without exerting any influence upon the temperature control in the vicinity of the driver's feet, thereby providing a comfortable air-conditioning in which the head is kept cool while the feet are kept warm. According to a conventional control of the bypass passage, such as that shown in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 57-7714, for example, the bypass passage is shifted from the fully closed state to the full open state when the temperature of the upper part of a vehicle compartment exceeds the temperature of the lower part by a predetermined value, or when the radiant heat of the sun exceeds a predetermined value.
As described above, in the conventional control system, the supply of cooled air through the bypass passage is controlled based on the temperature difference between the upper and lower portions of the vehicle compartment or the radiant heat of the sun. This means that the full opening of the bypass passage for supplying cooled air is achieved based upon such a prediction that an increase of each control factor beyond the respective predetermined value necessarily causes a temperature rise in the upper part of the vehicle compartment. Such a conventional control based on the prediction does not guarantee a comfortable air conditioning effect in the vicinity of the driver's head.

Control apparatus for automobile air-conditioners


A method and system for detecting and removing a hidden pestware file is described. One illustrative embodiment detects, using direct drive access, a file on a computer storage device; determines whether the file is also detectable by the operating system by attempting to access the file using a standard file Application-Program-Interface (API) function call of the operating system; identifies the file as a potential hidden pestware file, when the file is undetectable by the operating system; confirms through an automated pestware-signature scan of the potential hidden pestware file that the potential hidden pestware file is a hidden pestware file; and removes automatically, using direct drive access, the hidden pestware file from the storage device.

Protecting personal computers against a never-ending onslaught of "pestware" such as viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, adware, and downloaders on personal computers has become vitally important to computer users. Some pestware is merely annoying to the user or degrades system performance. Other pestware is highly malicious.
Many computer users depend on anti-pestware software that attempts to detect and remove pestware automatically. Anti-pestware software typically scans running processes in memory and files contained on storage devices such as disk drives, comparing them, at expected locations, against a set of "signatures" that identify specific, known types of pestware. Difficulties arise, however, when pestware hides itself from the operating system of the computer. One way in which pestware hides itself is by hooking one or more Application-Program-Interface (API) functions of the operating system, changing the way they operate in a manner that renders the pestware undetectable by the operating system. The resulting hidden pestware file is sometimes referred to as a "rootkit-masked file." Conventional anti-pestware software does not always detect such hidden pestware files.
It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved method and system for detecting and removing hidden pestware files.

Method and system for detecting and removing hidden pestware files


A belt-type continuously variable transmission is provided. The belt-type continuously variable transmission includes a drive pulley assembly; a driven pulley assembly, a belt wrapped around these pulley assemblies, and a case assembly accommodating them. The case assembly includes a case body joined to a housing of a drive device such as an engine and a cover joined to the case body. Since an air-intake duct and an air discharge duct are attached to the case body, the cover can be configured to be thin, and thus the cover can be detached without providing a wide space in front of the cover in the direction in which the cover is detached. With this construction, the cover can be detached without detaching the air-intake duct and the air discharge duct, and thus maintenance can be performed easily.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt-type continuously variable transmission incorporated into a vehicle. Particularly, the present invention relates to a structure of a case of the belt-type continuously variable transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0167853 discloses a conventional V-belt-type continuously variable transmission (CVT) built into a utility vehicle. In the continuously variable transmission disclosed in this literature, a fixed sheave of a drive pulley or a fixed sheave of a driven pulley is provided with fins which function as a centrifugal fan, and air introduced from outside into a case is caused to flow through the drive pulley and then the driven pulley, thereby cooling these pulleys and a V-belt.
The case of the continuously variable transmission includes a case body fastened to a crankcase of an engine and a cover joined to the case body. An air-intake duct is mounted to a peripheral wall of the case body in the vicinity of the drive pulley, while an air discharge duct is mounted to the cover of the transmission case in a vicinity of the driven pulley.
Since the air discharge duct is mounted to the cover of the transmission case in the conventional CVT as described above, the air discharge duct must first be detached and then the cover must be detached, when the case is opened for the purpose of maintenance. This is messy work. In addition, since the cover tends to have a substantial thickness, a relatively wide space is needed in front of the cover in a direction in which the cover is detached, when the cover is detached. This increases wasted space in the vehicle.

Belt type continuously variable transmission