Embodiments provide a multi-pass kiln with two or more chambers, an entrance and an exit at a proximal end of the kiln, and a reciprocal flow path extending through the kiln from the entrance to the exit. Lumber charges traveling along the reciprocal flow path may travel in a first direction along one side of the heated second chamber before traveling in a substantially opposite second direction along the opposite side of the second chamber. The distal end of the kiln may be substantially sealed, and a pressure differential between the distal end and the proximal end may draw moist heated air from the heated chamber toward the exit and entry to preheat and/or condition lumber charges traveling through the first chamber.

Green lumber is typically stacked, grouped in batches, and dried batch-wise in a kiln. The batches of lumber ("charges") are placed within an insulated chamber in the kiln, the chamber is closed, and conditions within the chamber (e.g., air temperature, air flow direction/speed, and humidity) are maintained according to predetermined parameters based on factors such as lumber type, lumber thickness, and the starting moisture content of the lumber. The insulated chamber must be opened to remove the dried lumber and to insert the next batch of green lumber, requiring a readjustment of the temperature and other conditions within the chamber between successive batches of lumber.
Some mills have begun to use continuous kilns that include a central heating zone with a preheating/cooling zone at each end. The preheating/cooling zones are typically of equal length, and are typically 70 to 100% of the length of the central heating zone. Two parallel paths extend through the three zones. Green lumber traveling toward the drying chamber on one path is preheated by heat from dried lumber exiting the drying chamber along the other path, and by moist heated air from the drying chamber. The dried lumber exiting the heating zone is conditioned by the moisture released by the green lumber and by the moist heated air received from the drying chamber.


A double-cantilever beam crack growth sensor made from welded alloy, e.g., nickel-based alloy, and a method for fabricating such sensors. The method includes the steps of forming a strongback from a block of a first nickel-based alloy; depositing a suitable thickness of nickel-based weld alloy on top of the strongback to form a bi-metallic test block; welding a second block of the first nickel-based alloy on top of the weld alloy; and machining the final three-layer block to form a double-cantilever beam crack growth sensor consisting of cantilever beams made of the first nickel-based alloy, a crack growth section of weld alloy having a microstructure wherein the direction of dendritic growth is parallel to the direction of crack growth and a third section made of the first nickel-based alloy.

When structural materials are exposed to particular aggressive service environments under steady or cyclic stress, the material will be susceptible to damage in the form of cracking. This type of damage is commonly referred to as "stress corrosion cracking" or "corrosion fatigue" (hereinafter "SCC"). It is desirable to monitor and assess the extent of damage to structural components due to SCC, for example, in a nuclear plant which has been operating for a number of years to help predict its lifetime. Methods for directly measuring crack growth in specimens removed from their environment are known. These methods use a variety of monitoring systems including visual and voltage potential drop methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,855 to Coffin et al. discloses a method for accurately assessing crack growth in structural components through voltage potential drop methods by establishing a reasonably accurate relationship between measured voltage and crack size. This patent discloses a sensor for measuring growth of a preformed crack within a solid exposed to an aggressive environment during application of a load. The crack is defined as possessing a mouth and a tip. The "mouth of the crack" is defined as the point or line of action of load application. The "crack tip" is the leading edge of the crack. The "length" of the crack is defined as the distance from the mouth of the crack to the crack tip. The preformed crack within the solid is of a known length. The size and shape of the preformed crack can vary widely; however, the cracks cannot be so large that the sensor will be separated into two sections.
The solid must be electrically conductive, such as carbon or alloy steel, nickel and nickel-based alloys, titanium and its alloys and structural materials such as austenitic stainless steels and the like. A current is passed through the solid to establish a voltage drop across the crack. This voltage is measured by at least two pairs of probes, the probes of each pair being positioned on opposite sides of the crack at equal, known distances from the mouth of the crack.
When a current is caused to flow through the sensor perpendicular to the crack, the potential difference between two points located on opposite sides of the crack will increase as the size of the crack increases. Measurement of the electric potential will provide information as to the instantaneous damage as well as the accumulated damage to the sensor in the form of crack growth. The measured voltage across each probe pair is plotted versus the distance from the crack mouth. A "best fit" curve or straight line of voltage versus the distance of the probe pairs from the crack mouth is drawn through these points and extrapolated to obtain the x-intercept, i.e., when the voltage will be zero. X-intercept values thus obtained are used to calculate the length of a propagating crack.
The sensor provides information which reflects on the condition of a particular structural component of interest. To achieve this purpose, it is preferable to manufacture this sensor from the same material with the same process history as the structural component of interest. When monitoring the damage to a structural component, the sensor is placed within the same environment as the structural component. The sensor then experiences the same changing environmental conditions as these structural components. The sensor is disposed in the aggressive environment, i.e., an environment which attacks the sensor material with sufficient severity to enhance the growth of the preformed crack, and the crack is supplied with a stress intensity at the crack tip which correlates to a stress intensity which the structural component experiences under operating conditions.
Although the sensor size, crack size and crack location can vary widely, the configuration of the sensor preferably permits a load of sufficient magnitude to be applied to the crack to provide a crack tip stress intensity factor that will allow the crack to grow at an appropriate rate. A sensor having a double-cantilever beam ("DCB") geometry permits a load of sufficient magnitude to be conveniently applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a sensor 10 with DCB geometry has two parallel arms (beams) 12 and 14 joined at one end and separated at the other. A slot or deep notch 16 separates the arms, and the base of this notch is referred to as the notch root 18. The preformed crack 20 is preferably positioned at the notch root. This configuration permits a number of measurements to be taken at various positions along the two beams 12, 14 since the effective crack length is extended along these beams. In addition, if the load remains constant, the stress intensity factor at the crack tip increases as the distance between the crack tip and the point of the load increases. Therefore, the long length of the sensor permits the threshold crack tip stress intensity to be obtained at low load levels.
Side grooves 34 placed within the sensor along the plane of the preformed crack determine the plane in which the crack grows. It is important to keep the fracture surfaces of the crack as planar as possible to avoid multiple cracking and bridging of the crack. Bridging can lead to a short circuit in the current flow and cause errors in the electric potential measurements.
For monitoring SCC in aggressive environments, an active load or a fixed displacement must be applied to the sensor. The means for applying a fixed displacement to cause the preformed crack to grow can be wedge 24 forced within the notch to expand the crack or other suitable means such as a clamp or bolt. The means for applying a fixed displacement must be made of electrically non-conductive material.
Crack growth is preferably monitored by measuring a potential or voltage across pairs of probes disposed along beams 12 and 14, and using such measured voltages, as well as the initial parameters, to calculate a crack length. Calculated crack lengths may advantageously be plotted as a function of time in order to assess a rate of crack growth. At least two pairs of probes are used to detect the voltage across the crack. However, at least three pairs of probes 26a/26b, 28a/28b and 30a/30b are preferred for accurate measurement of the crack growth. Each pair of probes is positioned at a different distance from the mouth of the crack, indicated in FIG. 1 as X.sub.1, X.sub.2 and X.sub.3, respectively. The two probes of each pair are positioned on opposite sides of the crack, preferably an equal distance from the plane of the crack. The two probes of each pair are also equidistant from the mouth of the crack, i.e., they are the same distance from the leads 32a and 32b which supply a current to the sensor.
The sensor is supported in the aggressive environment by pressure coupling 36. Channel 38 provides access to channels (or holes) 40, both of which provide pathways for the conductive leads attached to the probe pairs and to conductive leads which preferably supply a d.c. potential to the sensor. The reversing direct current is supplied at points 32a and 32b and the effective initial length of the crack is indicated by dimension a.sub.O.

Welded nickel alloy double-cantilever beam crack growth sensor and method for its fabrication


A method and apparatus for changing the speed of a drill bit down hole in a fluid-actuated motor, including a positive displacement motor and a hydraulic motor, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a bypass valve installed in the motor for controlling flow through and around the power section of the motor. When closed, the bypass valve forces all fluid to flow through the power section of the motor, imparting maximum speed to the drill bit. When opened, a portion of the fluid flow is allowed to flow around the power section of the motor, thereby reducing the speed of the drill bit. The bypass valve may be opened or closed mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or by any other means, including a removable plug.

In the oil drilling industry, there are two traditional methods of drilling an oil well. One is to attach a drill bit at the end of a drill string, apply downward pressure, and rotate the drill string from the surface so that the drill bit cuts into a formation. The problem with this method is that as the hole becomes deeper and the drill string becomes longer, the frictional forces due to the rotation of the drill string down hole increase, especially in deviated and horizontal wells.
The second method is to place a motor down hole near the drill bit. This method requires a special type of motor (or pump) called a positive displacement motor, or PDM. The PDM is also referred to in the oil drilling industry as a Moineau pump or mud motor. It has a long spiral rod inside of it, called a rotor, which spins inside of a stator as fluid is continually pumped down the drill string through the motor. The speed at which a mud motor rotates depends upon the internal geometry of the motor, the flow rate of the fluid that is pumped down the drill string to turn the motor, and the resistance of the formation against the drill bit. Although the pumping of the fluid down the drill string is one factor that determines the speed at which the drill bit rotates, the circulation of the drilling fluid serves other purposes as well. For example, it circulates the cuttings out of the hole and cools the drill bit as it cuts into harder formations.
When drilling a hole, an operator frequently encounters the need to change the rotational speed of the drill bit. When drilling through harder, more difficult formations, slower bit speeds are required. When encountering softer formations, an operator may select a faster drill speed to drill quickly through the formation. If an operator cannot change the flow rate of the fluid pumped down the drill string because, for example, the operator needs to maintain some minimum flow rate to circulate the cuttings out of the hole, then the only other option to change drill speeds is to change the internal geometry of the motor.
Prior art motors do not have the ability to change their internal geometries down hole without bypassing a portion of the fluid flow outside the drill string. This has at least two deleterious effects. First, not all of the fluid pumped down a drill string will pass through the drill bit to cool it, and, second, not all of the fluid flow pumped down the drill string will be used to circulate the cuttings out of the hole.
One way to overcome these problems is to remove the drill string from the hole and replace the motor with one having a different internal geometry or to modify the internal geometry of the motor used. The removal of the drill string to replace a motor is time consuming and expensive. Consequently, there is a need in the art for a method and/or apparatus that allows an operator to change the internal geometry of mud motors down hole without passing a portion of the fluid flow outside the drill string.

Method and apparatus for shifting speeds in a fluid-actuated motor


A method of battery state monitoring includes: (1) providing a battery cell and at least one ultrasonic actuator and at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted to the battery cell; (2) using the ultrasonic actuator, generating a guided wave that propagates in-plane of the battery cell; (3) using the ultrasonic sensor, receiving an arriving wave corresponding to the guided wave; and (4) determining a state of the battery cell based on the arriving wave.

Extensive research effort in energy storage, particularly in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, has been ongoing in response to the ever-growing demand for high-energy light-weight energy solutions for portable devices, and in electric systems and transportation. Yet, their broader practical adoption has been hindered by the system's reliability, lifetime, safety, and cost. In view of the complexity of Li-ion batteries and their constrained operational envelope, accurate real-time state monitoring is desired for effective control and management.
On-board battery management systems (BMS) typically involve the monitoring of extrinsic parameters including voltage, current, and temperature. From these parameters, a battery's state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH) are approximated using state-estimation software. However, these techniques fail to account that a Li-ion battery is a composite material system that undergoes mechanical and chemical evolution as it cycles and ages.
In a laboratory, in-situ techniques, for instance X-ray diffraction and neutron imaging, can be used to effectively probe these physical changes. However, such techniques cannot be practically implemented, and in most cases are constrained for small-scale non-standard cells. The benefits of having elaborate electrochemical tools, for instance electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), on-board in an electric vehicle typically do not justify the significant additional cost and complexity.
It is against this background that a need arose to develop embodiments of this disclosure.

Battery state monitoring using ultrasonic guided waves

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Standford Junior Universitv


An improved wig stand made of a compressible, open cell foam formed to resemble the shape of the human head and having a substantially flat base and a plurality of channels sufficient to ventilate the area under a wig resting on the wig stand.

Wig stands for both men's and women's wigs have been in use for a very long time and serve numerous purposes. A wig or hairpiece is normally placed on a wig stand overnight to help maintain the shape of the wig and to air out. Airing out is important, because the wig frequently will become odoriferous during use and it is desirable that such odors be removed from the wig. A wig stand is also used to groom the wig and it is affixed to the wig stand with pins in order to keep it in place as it is being combed and brushed.
In recent years, wig stands have been made of rigid expanded polystyrene (commonly called styrofoam) shaped as a head. Such wig stands, however, have numerous disadvantages. For example, a polystyrene wig stand does not dissipate the odors developed during a day's use of the wig. In addition, the double-backed adhesive tape used in a man's wig to hold the wig in place during use can develop a fairly strong bond with the polystyrene wig stand when the wig is place on it and this makes it necessary to frequently retape the inside of the wig. Still another disadvantage of the polystyrene wig stand is that, because of its rather large size, it is difficult to transport during trips that the wig wearer may take, since it will not readily fit into a conventional suitcase.
The improved wig stand of this invention overcomes these disadvantages and also provides additional benefits for a wig wearer.


An electronic apparatus includes an input interface, a controller and a processor. The input interface includes a central touch sensing region and a peripheral touch sensing region. The central touch sensing region has a central touch pad disposed therein, and the peripheral sensing region surrounds the central touch sensing region and includes a plurality of peripheral touch pads disposed therein. The controller is configured for detecting a touch on the central touch pad and at least one of the peripheral touch pads and generating a central detecting signal and at least one peripheral detecting signal. The processor is electrically coupled to the controller. When receiving the central detecting signal and the at least one peripheral detecting signal, the processor performs a corresponding function according to the variation of signal strengths of the central detecting signal and the peripheral detecting signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic apparatus having a central touch sensing region and a peripheral touch sensing region.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, most mobile phones utilize direction keys of a navigator key to operate a mobile phone, e.g. entering a menu or move the pointer on the screen. The direction keys of the navigator key in a certain mode (usually a standby mode) also serve as function keys. For example, the phone book stored in the mobile phone is directly shown on the screen when one of the direction keys is pressed, and the calendar stored in the mobile phone is directly shown on the screen when another direction key is pressed. In fact, the function that each of the direction keys corresponds to can be set by the user or the manufacturer of the mobile phone.

Electronic apparatus and input interface thereof


The invention concerns a method of three-dimensional image reconstruction from a set of acquired two-dimensional images. A subsampling is taken of the set of acquired two-dimensional images so as to reduce their resolution. A first analytical algorithm of three-dimensional image reconstruction from low-resolution (LR) acquired two-dimensional images is applied in order to obtain a low-resolution three-dimensional image. A reconstruction support is determined by selecting in the low-resolution three-dimensional image a set of particular voxels. One then applies a second analytical algorithm of three-dimensional image reconstruction from acquired two-dimensional images and considering only the voxels of the reconstruction support in order to obtain the high-resolution (HR) three-dimensional image.

The invention concerns the multiresolution reconstruction of a three-dimensional image of an object particularly from a set of two-dimensional projected images of the object obtained for different positions of a camera around the object.
It has a particularly important application in the medical field, in which reconstruction of the internal structures of the patient under examination is undertaken, particularly the reconstruction of angiography images, that is, obtaining images of vasculature opacified by injection of a contrast medium.
The invention can, nevertheless, have applications in other fields, notably, in nondestructive industrial control, in which examinations of the same type as medical examinations are performed.
In the medical field the two-dimensional projected images of the object, a patient""s head, for example, are generally obtained by rotation of an X-ray camera turning around the object.
There are essentially two types of reconstruction algorithms in X-ray imaging.
A first type concerns the so-called algebraic iterative methods of reconstruction.
A second type, with which the invention is concerned, provides for a calculation of filtering and back projection called analytical method. The analytical method uses a mathematical model of the system of acquisition of acquired two-dimensional images. Each pixel of an acquired two-dimensional image contains a gray level which represents the resultant of the intensity of an X-ray having crossed a group of tissues. That statement is then expressed in the form of an analytical equation from which an inverse equation is determined, making it possible to determine a volume representation from gray levels of pixels of two-dimensional images.
The analytical reconstruction of a three-dimensional image essentially uses two stages, a first filtering stage and a second back projection stage. Both stages result from the inverse equation. From a virtual volume, a cube, for example, divided into elementary volume elements called voxels, back projection makes it possible to take each voxel, project the voxel on the acquired two-dimensional images and find the sum of the gray levels of the pixels obtained by projection. The gray level assigned to the voxel is the sum of the gray levels of the pixels obtained by projection.
In general, the methods of reconstruction of analytical type employ an analytical algorithm that is directly applied on the acquired two-dimensional images.
The acquired two-dimensional images generally have a resolution equal to 512, that is, they contain 512 lines and 512 columns of pixels. To take best advantage of the total images acquired in 512 resolution, the image reconstruction algorithm can be applied with a resolution of 512, a treatment would thus be obtained on approximately 134 million (5123) voxels, which is much too great a number, necessitating a long calculation time and, in any case, not very useful, for the vascular structures that it is generally desired to visualize typically occupy approximately 2% to 5% of the virtual volume.
Methods of reconstruction of algebraic type are known, notably, that described in French patent No. 89 16906, which propose applying an iterative algorithm not directly on the acquired two-dimensional images, but on those images after modification. Modification consists of taking an average on each acquired two-dimensional image endowed with a given resolution, called high resolution (HR), so as to obtain an acquired two-dimensional image of lesser resolution called low resolution (LR). The algebraic algorithm is applied on that low-resolution two-dimensional image to form a low-resolution three-dimensional image with a very short calculation time. Then the low-resolution image is transformed into a high-resolution three-dimensional image (identical to the resolution of the initial acquired two-dimensional images) by using complex methods of trilinear interpolation. The algebraic algorithm is then applied by using the three-dimensional image of greater resolution and the initial acquired two-dimensional images (unmodified). That method of reconstruction applies only to algebraic algorithms.
The present invention is to apply the multiresolution technique to analytical type algorithms.
The invention is also intended to reduce the time of calculation of three-dimensional image reconstruction by using an analytical type algorithm.
The invention therefore proposes a method of three-dimensional image reconstruction from a set of two-dimensional images acquired by means of a camera. In order to do so, a subsampling is taken of the set of acquired two-dimensional images so as to reduce the resolution of the acquired two-dimensional images. That stage can be matched to a smoothing stage for which the final image obtained contains a number of pixels less than the initial acquired two-dimensional image.
A first analytical algorithm of three-dimensional image reconstruction from low-resolution (LR) acquired two-dimensional images is then applied in order to obtain a low-resolution three-dimensional image.
A reconstruction support is determined by selecting in the low-resolution three-dimensional image a set of particular voxels.
One then applies a second analytical algorithm of three-dimensional image reconstruction from acquired two-dimensional images and considering only the voxels of the reconstruction support. The first and second analytical algorithms can be identical or different. Preferably, the main characteristic of the first algorithm is speed, the quality of the image obtained being less important.
That method has the advantage of applying an analytical algorithm twice with a calculation time for each application in the order of eight times less than the standard application of an analytical algorithm directly on a high-resolution (HR) acquired two-dimensional image. The first application of the analytical algorithm is faster than a standard application, for the two-dimensional image from which the algorithm is made possesses a reduced resolution. The second application of the analytical algorithm is more rapid than a standard application, for the number of voxels used to reconstruct the high-resolution three-dimensional image is considerably limited.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the subsampling of an acquired two-dimensional image includes obtaining a low-resolution acquired two-dimensional image in which each pixel is composed of several pixels of the initial acquired two-dimensional image with the average gray level of the initial pixels as gray level.
According to one advantageous characteristic of the invention, the first and second analytical algorithms are so-called Feldkamp algorithms. That type of algorithm, well known to the expert, is described in the article xe2x80x9cPractical cone-beam algorithm,xe2x80x9d L. A. FELDKAMP, L. C. DAVIS and J. W. KRESS, Journal Optical Society of America, A/Vol. 1, No. 6, June 1984. In general, Feldkamp""s analytical algorithm mainly comprises a filtering stage and a back projection stage.
The reconstruction support is advantageously determined by applying a threshold on the low-resolution three-dimensional image, so as to maintain a percentage of voxels having the greatest gray levels.
The invention also proposes a method of three-dimensional image reconstruction from a set of acquired two-dimensional images in which:
filtering of the set of acquired two-dimensional images is carried out so as to obtain filtered two-dimensional images,
subsampling of the set of filtered two-dimensional images is carried out so as to reduce the resolution of the filtered two-dimensional images,
a back projection of the subsampled two-dimensional images of low resolution, therefore, is carried out in order to obtain a low-resolution three-dimensional image,
a reconstruction support is determined by selecting in the low-resolution three-dimensional image a set of particular voxels, and
a back projection of the filtered two-dimensional images is carried out by considering only the voxels of the reconstruction support.
The filtering and back project ion stages are preferably carried out by applying Feldkamp""s algorithm. In other words, Feldkamp""s algorithm is applied the first time by inserting a subsampling stage between filtering and back projection. Then Feldkamp""s algorithm is applied a second time by carrying out only the back projection stage. The filtering stage is carried out only in the second application of Feldkamp""s algorithm, for the latter is applied on already filtered images. A time saving is thus obtained by economizing on a filtering stage.

Method of multiresolution reconstruction of a three-dimensional image of an object


A system and method are described herein for acquiring and maintaining, in a centralized repository, driver and vehicle information for the purpose of rendering a rating for individual drivers and vehicles in accordance with established criteria and standards. A driver rating indicates the relative desirability of the particular driver given the expected wear and tear upon a vehicle arising from driver's use of the vehicle. A vehicle rating indicates the relative desirability of the particular vehicle given the use and maintenance history. Additional information is also maintained in the centralized repository that could be used to indicate an event for which a surcharge or discount is applicable. Thereafter, specified filtering criteria are applied bi-laterally to determine a set of rated vehicles that can be used by a particular rated driver.

Telematics units within mobile vehicles provide subscribers with connectivity to a telematics service provider (TSP). The TSP provides subscribers with an array of services ranging from emergency call handling and stolen vehicle recovery to vehicle system status and diagnostics monitoring, global navigation system aided position identification, map services, and turn-by-turn navigation assistance. Telematics units are often provisioned and activated at a point of sale when a subscriber purchases a telematics-equipped vehicle. Upon activation, the telematics unit can be utilized to provide subscribers/users with a variety of telematics-facilitated services such as those described herein.
Novel methods of vehicle time sharing have developed in recent years in response to increased opportunities for monetizing the idle capacity of unused vehicles. Automobile rental services have become increasingly popular in locations where the costs of owning and storing a vehicle are high relative to potential owners' available cash flows and where potential owners are likely to use vehicles for only a small percentage of the total available time. Vehicle time sharing business models have become particularly successful in urban areas and nearby large universities. Meanwhile, more traditional automobile rental business models, such as those that maintain large vehicle fleets in the vicinity of airports to cater to business travelers and vacationers, have remained successful.
Automobile rental services and other automobile owners who intend to rent, loan or share their automobiles with other drivers may maintain accounts linking the telematics units with TSPs to preserve the functionality of telematics units for their customers and/or share groups. In the context of automobile rentals and rideshare groups, an element of mutual trust/confidence is needed with regard to both owners and drivers. From an automobile owner perspective, there is a desire to ensure that renters and/or rideshare users do not abuse, misuse or otherwise subject a vehicle to harmful uses and/or actual damage. If a particular user has driving style that is more likely to lead to vehicle damage or unusual wear/tear—even if considered safe, it is in the vehicle owner/shareholder's best interest to deny such user access to the vehicle or at least require use at a higher cost. From a user perspective, there is a desire to ensure that the vehicle that they use has been properly used/maintained and is in good working order. A perspective user could decline rental or partial ownership/liability for a poorly maintained or damaged rental/shared vehicle. Furthermore, users could benefit from receiving objective feedback regarding their driving habits measured against standards established from observing the driving behavior of thousands of other drivers. The same can be said for vehicle owners with regard to the quality of maintenance and proper use of particular vehicles.
Known systems acquire and process a variety of vehicle sensor and GPS information to render secondary information. However, such systems, including for example the one described in McMillan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,970, focus upon identifying/analyzing/characterizing driver behavior for the purpose of providing a driver/vehicle safety analysis and rating—and ultimately provide an insurance discount and/or surcharge in view of observed actions during a prior billing period. In other words, the driver's actions are monitored during an insurance billing period. The actions are analyzed to render a penalty/reward at the end of the insurance billing period. Such characteristics include how, when, where a user operates a vehicle. The resulting processing of such information establishes a driver rating based upon the likelihood that the driver will be involved in an incident for which an insurance claim will arise.
The above body of information is provided for the convenience of the reader. The foregoing describes a suitable environment for which the described system and method are provided, and is not an attempt to review or catalog the prior art.

Centrally managed driver and vehicle ratings system updated via over-the-air communications with telematics units


Shock waves produced during electro-hydraulic drilling can be reflected into a rock body where the reflected shock waves are converted from compression waves to tension waves, which are more efficient at breaking down the rock body. A system configured for electro-hydraulic drilling where shock waves produced during drilling are reflected into the rock body includes two electrodes and a shock wave reflector disposed at an electro-hydraulic drill head. The two electrodes are configured to (1) facilitate formation of a spark along a spark path spanning the two electrodes and (2) facilitate a pulse of electricity being passed through the spark to form a primary shock wave emanating from the spark path. The shock wave reflector is configured to reflect a portion of the primary shock wave such that the reflected shock wave is concentrated to a focal region within the rock body.

Electro-hydraulic drilling is known. By way of non-limiting example, electro-hydraulic drilling may be implemented while drilling productions wells used to extract gas, oil, water, and/or other materials from the Earth. In existing approaches, an electrical spark is typically created between electrodes at a drill head. A pulse of electricity at high peak power is then passed through the spark. This forms a rapidly expanding plasma that creates a shock wave. These shock waves can be so powerful they can crush rock. Such a shock wave can be controlled to crush the rock within a rock body just ahead of the drill head to less than one millimeter in size. Typically, shock waves are repeated ten to fifty times per second to drill into the rock body.
A fluid (e.g., water, mud, and/or other fluid) is often used to remove rock debris above the rock body. The fluid surrounds the drill head and flushes out rock particles. In existing approaches to electro-hydraulic drilling, a significant number of electrical sparks form only or primarily in the fluid, rather than extending into the rock body. Shock waves that emanate from electrical sparks within the rock body are tension waves. When the electrical spark forms only within the fluid, resulting shock waves are compression waves. Tension waves are more efficient at breaking up the rock body, relative to compression waves.

Electro-hydraulic drilling with shock wave reflection


A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one embodiment the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body of which is integrated a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature prevailing in the semiconductor body. The temperature sensor has a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor. The MOS transistor is integrated into the semiconductor body nd configured such that the substhreshold current intensity of the MOS transistor is proportional to the temperature to be measured. The subthreshold current of the MOS transistor is amplified by the bipolar transistor.

If semiconductor devices have to process high currents or voltages, high temperatures may occur in the semiconductor body of the semiconductor device and, in the worst case, lead to the destruction of the semiconductor device. In order to prevent overheating of the semiconductor devices, it is known to integrate into the semiconductor body of the semiconductor device a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature prevailing in the semiconductor body. By evaluating a temperature signal supplied by the temperature sensor, it is possible to monitor the temperature within the semiconductor body. If the temperature exceeds a specific threshold value, suitable measures can then be taken for preventing destruction of the semiconductor device. By way of example, it is possible to switch off the semiconductor device when the temperature threshold value is exceeded, cf. e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,892 B1.
In the case of semiconductor devices with a temperature sensor, the temperature signal evaluation unit is usually integrated into the semiconductor device. In this case the temperature signal evaluation unit can be integrated directly together with the "rest" of the semiconductor device into a common substrate. However, this entails an increased lateral space requirement of the semiconductor device. As an alternative to this, it is possible to integrate the temperature signal evaluation unit into a separate chip, for example the driving chip of the semiconductor device, the separate chip being packed onto the semiconductor device ("chip-on-chip arrangement"), but this requires an increased outlay in the production process, cf. e.g. DE 197 28 281 C1. In both cases it is necessary to reckon with the semiconductor device being made considerably more expensive.
In order to avoid this disadvantage, it is known for the evaluation unit not to be integrated into/onto the semiconductor device, but rather into an external chip situated "outside" the semiconductor device (for example alongside the semiconductor device on a common circuit board), cf. e.g. DE 100 24 516 A1. For this purpose, two electrical connections are usually led out from the semiconductor device and connected to the external control chip. The electrical connections are usually connected to conductor tracks of a circuit board which are in turn connected to the external control chip. In the conductor tracks of the circuit board, however, the temperature signal can easily have interference pulses of other electronic devices superposed on it, which entails a corruption of the temperature signal or makes it completely impossible to measure the temperature. This problem can be combated by choosing the strength of the temperature signal to be sufficiently high.
However, previous temperature sensors only supply temperature signals whose signal strengths are relatively weak. The reason for this is that known temperature sensors measure the leakage current of a pn junction, the current intensity of which is only very small.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.

Semiconductor device with temperature sensor


In a carrier signal modulating device a carrier signal is modulated by using a square phase sequence as a PN code.

Heretofore various sorts of communication systems have been investigated and developed. Among them the spread spectrum communication (hereinbelow abbreviated to SSC) system is well known.
By this SSC system, on the transmitter side, a signal such as data, sound, etc. having a wide band to be transmitted by using a pseudo-noise code (PN code) and, on the receiver side, this wide band signal is spread inversely into the original narrow band by means of a correlator to reproduce the signal. Recently attention is paid to this communication system, because it has always a very high reliability from the point of view that it is strong against external interference and noise, that it has a high secrecy, etc.
At present, for the wireless SSC, a correlator, which is thought to be the most simple and convenient and to have a high reliability, is a device using surface acoustic wave (hereinbelow abbreviated to SAW).
In the SAW correlator there are, in general, those of correlator type (tapped delay line type) and those of convolver type. Here, although those of correlator type have a simple construction and generally a high efficiency, the temperature coefficient of the substrate has remarkable influences thereon. On the other hand, although those of convolver type are hardly influenced by variations in the temperature, they have, in general, a low efficiency. In addition, concerning the PN code described above, the code is fixed for those of correlator type, while it can be freely changed for those of convolver type.
Consequently correlators of convolver type are more easily used, provided that the efficiency is at a practically usable level.
On the other hand, as the PN code used in the SSC system, heretofore binary sequences such as an M sequence, a GOLD sequence, etc. have been principally used owing to the simplicity of the code generation. However, since the cross-correlation value of these binary sequences is not always small, in the spread spectrum multiple access (hereinbelow abbreviated to SSMA) communication they cause often cross-talk. As a PN code for the purpose of solving such a problem, recently a square phase sequence (minimum cross-correlation multiple phase orthogonal sequence) as described in JP-A-63-73730 has been proposed.
The square phase sequence is a complex number sequence having a period N (N being a code length), by which the self correlation function is zero except for the shifts, which are integer times as long as the code length N and further the absolute value of cross-correlation functions between different sequences having a same code length is 1/.sqroot.N, when it is nomalized, taking the 0-shift component of the self correlation function as 1. That is, it realizes the mathematical lower limit of the peak value of the absolute value of the cross-correlation function between orthogonal sequences.
Although the square phase sequence is a PN code suitable for the SSMA communication, heretofore no spread spectrum modulating device using the square phase sequence is known.
Further, as a correlator for the square phase sequence, that described similarly in JP-A-63-73730 is known. However no case where an SAW convolver is used as a correlator is studied.

Carrier modulating device for a spread spectrum communication device


A system architecture based on optical heterodyne transmission of signals from input (12) to antenna array (26), and vice versa, is provided. The system is based on conventional concepts of coherent, multichannel switching systems. The coherent optically controlled phased array antenna system of the invention comprises a transmitter system (10) and a receiver system (46). Due to their similar device requirements, it is possible that the same system can be switched from transmit to receive without introducing undo complexity into the architecture.

The realization of practical, optically controlled phased antenna arrays, which have received intensive interest due to their applications to microwave communication and radar systems, is currently hampered by the extreme complexity required in efficiently transmitting several hundred signals (or microwave delays) from the input (control) to the antenna array of the system. These difficulties are compounded by the demands of modern phased array systems including extremely high bandwidth broadcast frequencies (ranging from 20 to 60 GHz at up to 5 GHz bandwidth per channel), severe requirements on signal-to-noise and dynamic range, clutter cancellation, and the myriad requirements for beam forming including null steering, and generating multiple, squint-free beams at different frequencies. In addition, while problems regarding the transmission of the radar beam are relatively straightforward in their solution, there is still considerable controversy on the best means for receiving the return beam.
To date, several approaches have been suggested for solving optically controlled phased array antenna problems, although there have been only one or two practical demonstrations. Most architectures employ space division multiplexing to distribute a series of time or, less conveniently, phase delays to the antenna network; see, e.g., W. Ng et al, "The First Demonstration of an Optically Steered Microwave Phased Array Antenna Using True-Time-Delay", IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 9, pp. 1124-1131 (1991) and C. Hemmi et al, "Optically Controlled Phased Array Beamforming Using Time Delay", Proceedings of DoD Fiber Optics Conference 1992, pp. 60-63, McLean, Va. (1992).
In these systems, the microwave delays are impressed on the optical carrier by using fibers or waveguide delay lines. This "true time delay" architecture then distributes the various delays to an antenna array via an optical switching matrix, such as a large integrated optic crossbar consisting of LiNbO.sub.3 switches or laser or detector arrays, or alternatively, liquid crystal spatial light modulator "stacks", followed by electronic amplifiers needed to compensate for the insertion losses (sometimes approaching 100 dB in large scale implementations) of the switch.
One additional difficulty with this space division multiplexing architecture is that all fibers which transport the microwave/optical signals from the input to antenna terminals must be of the same length so as not to introduce extraneous phase shifts, time delays, or noise into the signals. Hence, these architectures have been proven to be limited by losses, they are difficult to implement, they are bulky, and are extremely costly.
An alternative approach is based on wavelength division multiplexing; see, for example, H. Haus, "Proposed Scheme for Optically Controlled Phased Array Radar", 3rd Annual DARPA Symposium on Photonics Systems for Antenna Applications, Monterey, Calif., Jan. 20, 1993. This system employs pulses from a chirped, mode-locked laser. The beat frequency of two adjacent Fourier frequency components from the laser (e.g., the nth and (n+1)th components), is upshifted in phase by an amount .PHI..apprxeq.2n+1 from the beat frequency of the next two higher Fourier components. Thus, provided that one could fabricate tunable filters of sufficiently narrow spectral bandwidth to select a given Fourier component of the pulse spectrum, one could then extract all the phases at various antenna sites using pairs of tunable filters. These filters have been termed "channel dropping filters" (CDFs), and it was proposed by Haus, supra, that they be fabricated using semiconductor grating structures similar to those used in .lambda./4-shifted distributed feedback (DFB) lasers.
The difficulty with this approach is that it relies on very narrow bandwidth, tunable CDFs, which have yet to be demonstrated. One further problem is that this is a phase-delay architecture. True time delay is implementable, but only in a "coarse", wavelength multiplexed manner. These difficulties are counterbalanced, however, by the fact that all phase delays can be transmitted from input to antenna along a single fiber, and it is simple to utilize this concept in both transmit and receive modes.
Nevertheless, there remains a need for a phased array radar architecture which can accommodate hundreds of channels in a single fiber and process these hundreds of channels, which can substantially use existing components, and which can be configured in both a transmit and receive mode.

Coherent optically controlled phased array antenna system


One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for synchronizing playback of digital content on two or more different content players. Each content player synchronizes a local time signal to a time reference signal maintained by a time server. Actions related to content playback are synchronized with respect to each local time signal for a given content player, which thereby synchronizes playback for a group of associated content players. Each content player may be advantageously configured with different playback options, allowing each user to have a better shared viewing experience than possible with prior art solutions that provide only one set of playback options.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to digital media and, more specifically, to a system and method for synchronized playback of streaming digital content.
Description of the Related Art
One popular model for consumer content delivery involves transmitting digital content files from a content server directly to a content player via a communications network. The content server is typically a computer system in a secure machine room configured to store digital content files that can be downloaded to the content player via the communications network. Each digital content file is associated with a specific identifying title, such as "Gone with the wind," which is likely to be familiar to a user. A given digital content file may be selected by the user and downloaded from the content server to the content player prior to or during playback.
The content player may be implemented as a computer application on a general-purpose platform or as a dedicated device configured to play digital content files. The digital content files may comprise digitally encoded songs and sound tracks, movies, television programs, and so forth. The content player typically downloads and stores at least a portion of the digital content file to facilitate uninterrupted playback of the title. For a given title, the user is typically given a choice of playback options. For example, the user may choose to watch a given title in a particular language, or with subtitles in a specified language.
Oftentimes, the title is played in a setting with two or users viewing the title simultaneously. For example, multiple users may want to watch a movie or television program together in a living room on a large-screen television. In many common scenarios, two of the users may wish to select conflicting viewing options. For example, one user may wish to watch a particular movie with subtitles turned on, while another user may not want their viewing experience cluttered with subtitles. As another example, one user may wish to watch a movie with a soundtrack that includes a director's commentary, while another user only wants to hear the normal sound track for the movie. In each case, at least one user has to sacrifice their viewing enjoyment for the benefit of another user because the users have conflicting viewing preferences.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is technique for enabling two or more users to share a viewing experience while still honoring the viewing preferences each of the users.

System and method for synchronized playback of streaming digital content


An accessory rack includes a pair of support arms. Each support arm includes a rail that is configured to slidably receive and retain a retention feature formed on an accessory item. Each rail is spaced apart based on a predetermined width that corresponds to the distance between retention features disposed on the sides of one or more, interchangeable accessory items. The accessory rack may be slidably coupled to an existing refrigerator shelf assembly. A refrigerator shelf assembly may include an integrated accessory rack.

Conventional refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored and the freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerators are provided with a refrigeration system that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above 0° C., such as between 0.25° C. and 4.5° C. and the freezer compartments at temperatures below 0° C., such as between 0° C. and −20° C.
The arrangements of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another in such refrigerators vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment. Additionally, many modern refrigerators have their freezer compartments and fresh food compartments arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Whatever arrangement of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment is employed, typically, separate access doors are provided for the compartments so that either compartment may be accessed without exposing the other compartment to the ambient air.
Conventional refrigerator appliances typically include at least one or more shelves that are vertically spaced and configured to store various food items thereon. In such appliances, an idle space or volume typically exists between the food items stored on a shelf and an adjacent shelf located above the food items, thereby compromising the space utilization of the appliance.


Systems and methods related to the user interface of docking portable electronic devices. A master device may be docked with a slave device to control operation of the slave device. The master device may be operable to display a user interface. The user interface of the master device may be adapted to be used with the slave device that may include different display and/or input devices than that of the master device. In one embodiment, the master device may be a handheld device such as a smart phone and the slave device may be a tablet device.

The prevalence of portable electronic devices has increased in recent years. Also, the performance capabilities of portable electronic devices have increased in recent years. For example, more powerful processors, improved wireless radios, increased memory capacities, and other increases in performance have been realized in portable electronic devices. Accordingly, the number and variety of tasks that can be performed with portable electronic devices has also increased.
Additionally, portable electronic devices having different form factors have been proposed. For example, a number of tablet devices have been proposed that may present advantages over smaller handheld electronic devices (such as smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc.). For instance, tablets often make use of larger displays than handheld electronic devices. In this regard, tablets may present a larger display area that may facilitate added features (e.g., more robust graphical user interfaces may be developed for use with tablet devices). Additionally, because the overall size of tablet devices is often larger than handheld electronic devices, larger, more powerful batteries may be provided that have longer battery life than batteries of handheld electronic devices. As such, tablet devices may be able to operate for longer durations than handheld electronic devices.
However, tablets may also suffer from a number of drawbacks when compared to handheld electronic devices. For example, tablets, while potentially more convenient than many laptop or desktop computers, may not demonstrate the same convenience of handheld electronic devices. Additionally, in many cases, handheld electronic devices may be used as telephones or include wireless radios that enable communication with a cellular network (e.g., including both voice and data network capabilities). While some tablets include some form of wireless radio (e.g., 802.11, Bluetooth, etc.), many do not include wireless radios for communication with a cellular network. Those tablets that do include cellular radios often require an additional arrangement (e.g., an additional contract or a unique SIM card) with a service provider in order to utilize the cellular network with the tablet device and often can only use of the data capabilities of the cellular network.
Users often employ both tablet and handheld devices. For example, which device a user employs may depend upon the specific context of use. In this regard, a user may desire continuity of data across the devices employed. However, the ability to provide continuity of data across the multiple devices may be burdensome. For example, an individual may begin a task utilizing a handheld electronic device and wish to continue the task utilizing another device (e.g., a tablet device). However, the ability to transition performance of the task from the handheld electronic device to the tablet device may prove difficult. Some proposed solutions include, for example, cloud computing, server-based solutions, and other means of synching data across multiple devices. However, these proposed solutions often require costly subscriptions or complicated hardware setups to accomplish such services. Furthermore, the continuity of the task being performed may be interrupted (e.g., requiring the progress of the task to be saved and reopened on the other device) as opposed to "on the fly" changes of devices. As such, these solutions often present a large cost burden, may introduce security concerns regarding sensitive data, and may interrupt the continuity of tasks performed using the devices.
Additionally, as the computing and communication functions of handheld computing devices become more powerful, the user interface and display elements of such devices have evolved by attempting to adapt user interface regimes developed for personal computers for use with handheld computing devices. However, this attempt to adapt prior user interface regimes has been met with various hurdles.
A substantial number of handheld computing devices make use of a small touch screen display to deliver display information to the user and to receive inputs from the user. In this case, while the configurability of the device may be greatly increased and a wide variety of user interface options may be available to the user, this flexibility comes at a price. Namely, such arrangements require shared screen space between the display and the user interface. While this issue is shared with other types of touch screen display/user interface technology, the small form factor of handheld computing devices results in a tension between the displayed graphics and area provided for receiving inputs. For instance, the small display further constrains the display space, which may increase the difficulty of interpreting actions or results while a keypad or other user interface scheme is laid overtop or to the side of the applications in use such that the application is squeezed into an even smaller portion of the display. Thus a single display touch screen solution, which solves the problem of flexibility of the user interface may create an even more substantial set of problems of obfuscation of the display, visual clutter, and an overall conflict of action and attention between the user interface and the display.
In this regard, the popularity of tablets has continued to grow because tablets may offer solutions to the issue of limited screen space addressed above. However, the issues regarding the ability to synch data across devices remains a concern. One solution that has been proposed includes the docking of a master handheld device with a slave tablet device. Such an approach is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/251,768 filed Oct. 3, 2011 entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DOCKING PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES", the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Systems and methods relating to user interfaces for docking portable electronic


According to an aspect, a device includes a touch screen display and a controller. The touch screen display displays a home screen where an icon is arranged. When hen a first gesture is performed on a partial area of the home screen displayed on the touch screen display, the controller enlarges or reduces the area of the home screen to be displayed on the touch screen display.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a device, a method, and a storage medium storing therein a program. More particularly, the present application relates to a device including a touch screen, a method of controlling the device, and a storage medium storing therein a program for controlling the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch screen device having a touch screen has been known. Examples of the touch screen devices include, but are not limited to, a smartphone and a tablet. The touch screen device detects a gesture of a finger, a pen, or a stylus pen through the touch screen. Then, the touch screen device operates according to the detected gesture. An example of the operation according to the detected gesture is described in, for example, International Publication Pamphlet No. 2008/086302.
The basic operation of the touch screen device is implemented by an operating system (OS) built into the device. Examples of the OS built into the touch screen device include, but are not limited to, Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Symbian OS, and Windows Phone.
Many of the touch screen devices display a screen called "home screen" on a display. Objects called "icons" are arranged on the home screen. When detecting a gesture performed on an icon, the touch screen device executes an application corresponding to the icon on which the gesture is performed.
The more the number of applications installed into the touch screen device increases, the more the number of icons arranged on the home screen increases. An increase in icons makes it difficult for users to find a desired icon.
For these reasons, there is a need for a device, a method, and a program with which the user can easily find a desired one from icons arranged on the home screen.

Device, method, and storage medium storing program


Apparatus, and a related method, for eliminating the effect of speckle images caused by surface imperfections in a primary mirror of a stellar coronagraph. Depending on their size, mirror imperfections can result in speckles in a field of view that also includes an image of a distant target planet. By generating a traveling surface wave in the mirror surface, and then tuning the spatial wavelength of the surface wave to approximately match that of a surface imperfection, the speckle image corresponding to that surface imperfection is made to twinkle in irradiance. Tuning the traveling surface wave though a wide range of spatial wavelengths causes each speckle image in turn to be identified by twinkling, while the target planetary image remains unvarying. Accordingly, multiple speckles corresponding to different mirror imperfections may be conveniently eliminated by image processing.

This invention relates generally to optical image processing and, more particularly, to techniques for distinguishing images of distant stellar or planetary bodies from false images caused by speckles in optical imaging components, such as telescope mirrors. There is an ongoing interest in developing a reliable technique for locating Earth-like planets orbiting distant star systems. Planets have been detected largely as a result of observing perturbations in regular motions of stars, from which the presence of planets or companion stars may be inferred.
Direct terrestrial observation of planets in distant star systems is hindered by atmospheric distortion of light received in a ground-based telescope. Although use of a space-based telescope overcomes this drawback, another difficulty of direct observation of such a distant planet, even from space, is its relative proximity to the star system, in which it is located. Bright stellar radiation can saturate photodetectors associated with the telescope and make it very difficult to detect reflected light from a planet in the same field of view. One known solution to this difficulty is to employ a stellar coronagraph to occlude the stellar radiation. The solar coronagraph was invented for the purpose of observing corona activity near the sun and observing motions of planets in the solar system while masking out the sun's radiation. The same principle can be employed in a stellar coronagraph, which is designed to occlude direct radiation from a star, while imaging a surrounding field of view in which one or more planets may be directly observed.
Imaging a field of view around a target star and occluding direct radiation from the star should, in theory, produce an imaged spot wherever a planet is located in the field of view, especially if a large space-based reflecting telescope is employed. Unfortunately, however, this technique is reliably accurate only if a near perfect telescope mirror is used. Any permanent or temporary imperfection or disturbance in the mirror surface can result in the formation of a speckle in image. The speckle size will be roughly proportional to the star diameter, and the speckle magnitude (i.e., brightness) will be proportional to the magnitude of the blocked stellar radiation. The speckle location in the field of view is dependent on the size of the disturbance in the mirror surface. The relevant measure in this regard is the spatial wavelength of the disturbance. If the spatial wavelength of the disturbance is comparable to the mirror diameter, the speckle falls within the occluded stellar spot, so is not visible in the field of view. If, on the other hand, the spatial wavelength of the disturbance is, for example, one-third to one-tenth of the mirror diameter, then the speckle appears near the stellar occlusion region, where it is difficult to distinguish from a similarly sized spot due to light reflected from a planet.
One possible theoretical solution to the problem presented by mirror disturbance speckles is to build a mirror with no such disturbances. As a practical matter, this solution is virtually impossible to implement because it would require a mirror built to extremely fine dimensional tolerances. Even if the cost of such a mirror could be justified, the structure would still be subject to environmental changes, such as large extremes of temperature, that would distort the mirror surface in space. Another possible solution is to rotate the mirror about its optical axis while viewing the imaged target area. Speckles derived from mirror imperfections would rotate in the imaged field of view, but any spot derived from reflected planetary radiation would be unaffected by the rotation. Unfortunately, rotation of the mirror while maintaining accuracy in all other respects, such as pointing angle, presents significant engineering concerns, which inevitably would require equipment of additional complexity and cost.
Accordingly, there is still a significant need for a technique for imaging distant planets and, in particular, for distinguishing planetary images from speckles caused by imperfections in optical components of the telescope. The present invention satisfies this need.

Distinguishing mirror speckle from target images in weak signal applications


The present invention provides a method for controlling transmission of a signal between a transmitter and a receiver during a phase of change of a signal data rate. The method comprises, when the change is requested, informing the transmitter and receiver of a start of a transition phase. The transmitter retransmits the signal N times, with N≥1, in identical signal parts having a chosen length. The receiver stores the N retransmitted identical signal parts successively received to combine them together to produce a combined signal part, and to temporarily output these combined signal parts with an auxiliary data rate depending on N and on this signal part length. The transmitter and the receiver are informed of the end of the transition phase when the signal data rate change is finished.

The last generation of transceivers (i.e. communication equipments comprising a transmitter and a receiver) is capable of supporting multiple data rates either by changing the modulation format, or the coding rate or else the symbol rate of signals. This allows the transceiver to switch from one data rate to another one, not only between two signal transmissions or receptions but also during a signal transmission or reception.
As known by those skilled in the art, this last case requires the transceiver to adapt itself on the fly without losing any signal data, which means that the BER (Bit Error Rate) must be maintained below a given threshold. Such an adaptation requires an update of some of the digital signal processing (or DSP) software blocks into the receiver, which takes a transition time to reach a good convergence with a stable BER performance.
For instance, the change of symbol rate requires the update of DSP blocks such as the polarization demultiplexing and equalization (for instance employing the MMA (Multi-Modulus Algorithm)), the frame alignment and phase synchronization, and such a move takes a relatively long convergence time. MMA algorithms for instance implement stochastic gradient methods.
So, during a transition phase, i.e. before reaching convergence, the BER performance can be degraded and can fluctuate, but there is no known solution for overcoming these drawbacks.

Method and devices for controlling signal transmission during a change of data rate


A system and method for processing test measurements collected from an internal combustion engine that is cold-tested for diagnostic purposes. Test measurements are collected from an engine. The test measurements are "pre-processed" by filtering and subsampling techniques so that Principle Component Analysis can be applied to condense the quantity of test measurements while still retaining a statistically accurate indication of a majority of the original measurements. The pre-processed test measurements are then passed through one or more classifiers including: a Neural Network classifier, a Fuzzy Logic classifier, a cluster-based classifier (or "Spherical" classifier) and a Genetic Program classifier. Results from these classifiers can be used to obtain a verdict about an engine (i.e., whether the engine is "normal" or "faulty").

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processing test measurements collected from a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine to yield diagnostic results, and more specifically to a system for processing cold-test data collected from an internal combustion engine for optimum determination of engine condition.
2. Related Art
Testing newly manufactured internal combustion engines is often performed by "cold test" (i.e., cranking the engine at a prescribed speed via an external motor, without spark or fuel). Measurements (such as electrical signals of an engine parameter, e.g., oil pressure, intake exhaust pressure, crankshaft torque, etc. ) are then taken from the engine and compared to a set of known rules (e.g., waveforms) that have been established to represent a properly running engine.
When a particular engine part is faulty, it will typically produce a symptom that does not match the rule, thereby signifying it is not functioning properly. For example, the torque waveform (analog representation) of an engine being monitored typically produces a signature that corresponds to compression in a particular cylinder. If that signature does not exist, it suggests that something is malfunctioning (e.g., a spark plug is missing or piston ring is missing, etc.).
The problem associated with performing analysis by viewing waveforms is that rules must be established that indicate what is a malfunctioning condition. There may be several rules needed to identify a single problem and then several more rules developed to diagnose the problem. Additionally, the waveform from one problem (e.g., missing piston ring) might look exactly the same as a distinct problem (e.g., missing spark plug), making it very difficult to distinguish two different problems that have like symptoms. As a result it is necessary to perform further time consuming and intricate tests to isolate and identify the underlying fault. Therefore, there is a need to precisely distinguish faults that display very similar symptoms without performing additional time consuming tests.
Additionally, if a new fault arises that was not considered, a rule may not exist to identify this "fault" as a true problem. As a result defects in engines will be missed and as a consequence can create significant post manufacturing costs. Thus, there is a need to be able to detect faults that deviate from any observed and known rule.
Furthermore, it is time consuming to develop a conventional system for testing an engine and performing diagnostics. For instance, it typically takes several months to develop a conventional engine analysis system. The mason is that a significant number of "rules" must be generated to match a specific engine design. Additionally, if the engine is altered or redesigned slightly and a data base is already established, it may take several weeks to modify the data base. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the time it takes to develop an engine analysis system for diagnostic purposes.

System and method for processing test measurements collected from an internal combustion engine for diagnostic purposes


A solar device for being configured on a platform is provided. The solar device includes a solar module, a splicing member, and a bracket. The solar module has a first connection hole. The splicing member has a body, a first latching pin, and a second latching pin. The first and second latching pins extend from the body and face against each other. The bracket is fixed to the platform and has a second connection hole. The first latching pin passes through and is locked to the first connection hole correspondingly, and the second latching pin passes through and is locked to the second connection hole correspondingly, such that the splicing member is connected between the solar module and the bracket.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mountable structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a mountable solar device.
2. Description of Related Art
In consideration of energy shortage and environmental pollution in recent years, renewable energy which is more friendly to environment and theoretically inexhaustible has become a focus of energy development. The renewable energy includes solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, biomass energy, and so forth. In the solar device, for instance, a photovoltaic (PV) cell capable of directly converting solar energy into electric energy has attracted the attention of researchers of energy development.
Nonetheless, the complicated solar device to be configured on a platform requires a number of components, and thus the costs on the components and labor for configuring the solar device cannot be effectively lowered down. Accordingly, how to simplify the structure and reduce the set-up time of the solar device deserves further research.


A child carrier having a waist belt attached to a bottom support of the child carrier, where the waist belt is adjustable from a first position along the bottom support to a second position along the bottom support, thereby to change the size of the seat formed in the child carrier, and to facilitate carrying of different sizes of children in an ergonomically safe way. The child carrier may also be used in an ergonomically safe way, for children of specific sizes, when the waits belt is fully detached from the bottom support.

The present invention relates to a baby and toddler carrier, and in particular to baby and toddler carrier having a detachable waist belt which is adjustable to different child sizes, where adjustment of the waist belt adjusts the size of a seat portion of the carrier, thus ensuring proper placement of the legs of the child being carried, and adapting to the child's development.
The use of baby carriers has recently been increasing, both in the average number of hours per day a baby is in a carrier, and in the range of ages of carried babies. As such, most of the baby carriers on the market include a waits belt intended to improve the weight distribution of the baby's weight, and to ease the load on the shoulders of the adult carrying the baby. The waist belt is similar to waist belts common in backpacks for hikers who carry heavy loads for a long time, and can be adjusted to the circumference of the waist of the person carrying the load.
Additionally, there has been much discussion regarding the positioning of the baby's legs while in the carrier, which affects the development of the baby's pelvis. Research has shown that use of baby carriers in which the baby's legs hang downward, similarly to how they would hang from a parachute harness, may increase the risk of hip dysplasia, particularly during the first few months in which the hip joint is developing. As such, it is important that the baby carrier have ergonomic support for the baby's thighs, which will ensure the recommended leg position at the hip joint which allows for good development of that joint, and does not damage it. Immediately after birth, it is important to start carrying the baby when his legs are folded like frog legs, while at a later stage one can move to support at a wide spread of the legs which correctly positions the top of the baby's hip bone in the hip joint.
Some existing baby carriers provide various solutions for adjusting the carrier to the position of the baby's legs at different stages of development. However, there is still a need in the art for a child carrier which is suitable for carrying new-born babies, larger babies, and toddlers, while being adjustable so as to keep the legs of the child in an ergonomically recommended position, similar to that of the letter 'M', and at the same time distributing the weight of the growing baby between the parent's shoulders and waist.
Moreover, with newborn babies which are very light, there is a need in the art for a carrier which enables the recommended positioning of their thighs, while there is not necessarily a need for a waist belt to distribute their weight on the adult body. For a mother that gave birth by a C-section, the waist belt might even cause discomfort.

Baby and toddler carrier with detachable and adjustable waist belt


The present invention relates to a method for optical recording in which information is recorded on an optical recording media utilizing holography and to a method for optical reproducing in which information recorded on an optical recording media utilizing holography is reconstructed. The methods includes preparing an optical recording media having wavelength reference marks with a periodic structure which are associated with a recording base wavelength, irradiating the wavelength reference marks with a beam from a light source on recording information or on reproducing information to detect a wavelength shift of the light source with respect to the base wavelength based on a diffraction beam from the wavelength reference marks, and performing recording or reproducing while controlling the wavelength of the light source so as to reduce the wavelength shift.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for optical recording, a method for optical reproducing, an optical recording media, and an optical recording and reproducing apparatus which utilize holography, particularly digital volume holography.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical recording media have been developed as data storage media that can record data such as high-density images with a large volume. The following optical recording media have hitherto been put to practical use: magneto-optic recording media, phase-change optical recording media, and CD-R. However, there is a growing demand for the increased volume of optical recording media. Hologram type optical recording media has been proposed which uses holography, particularly digital volume holography in order to realize large-capacity optical recording.
A method for optical recording and reproducing using holography is generally performed as described below. For recording, an information beam to which information is imparted in the form of a two-dimensional pattern is interfered with a reference beam inside an optical recording media. Information is thus recorded as interference patterns. For reproducing, recorded interference patterns are irradiated only with the reference beam. Recorded information is thus read out in the form of a two-dimensional pattern as a diffraction image from the interference patterns. Thus, this system has an advantage of making it possible to input and output information at high speed. In particular, the method for optical recording and reproducing using digital volume holography has an advantage of improving diffraction efficiency by utilizing the thickness direction of the optical recording media to three-dimensionally record the interference patterns, making it possible to record information in a specific region in the optical recording media in a multiplexed manner, and thus increasing storage capacity.
If placement (for example, the angle or position of irradiation) of the reference beam applied to the interference patterns already recorded on the optical recording media as described above is slightly shifted from its original placement for recording, the phases of the reference beam and interference patterns cannot be matched even though the recorded interference patterns are irradiated with the reference beam, thus precluding a diffraction image from being obtained. By recording interference patterns with the reference beam having the placement with which the diffraction image cannot be obtained and another information beam, it is possible to record plural pages of two-dimensional information in the same region inside the optical recording media in a multiplexed manner according to the placement of the reference beam. In this manner, the optical recording and reproducing using holography utilizes the matching between the interference patterns and the phase of light to enable multiplex recording of information. However, this implies that a diffraction beam is not obtained even if the wavelength for recording differs from that for reproducing, in other words, this method is not resistant to a wavelength variation between a recording beam and reproducing beam.
As well known, when a hologram is recorded, the use of a spatially modulated reference beam complicates recorded interference patterns, thus requiring strict phase matching conditions for the reference beam and interference patterns. Thus, the degree of recording multiplexing can be increased. For example, an optical recording and reproducing apparatus is presented which employs holography using a reference beam for recording the phase of which is spatially modulated (see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-123949). A method has recently been disclosed which uses one spatial light modulator to generate an information beam and a modulated reference beam to record a hologram (see Hideyuki Hiromi and Kun Li, "A novel Collinear optical Setup for Holographic data Storage System", Technical Digest of Optical Data Storage Topical Meeting 2004, pp 258-260, (2004)). However, this method requires more precise phase matching conditions for the reference beam and interference patterns. Consequently, a wavelength variation between the recording beam and reproducing beam more greatly affects recording and reproducing performance. Disadvantageously, this poses significant problems of portability of the optical recording media and compatibility between apparatuses.
A laser is commonly used to record and reconstruct a hologram. As the laser, a gas laser such as an argon laser or a helium neon laser or a solid-state laser such as a YAG laser has often been used in view of monochromaticity and coherence. However, it is preferable to use a semiconductor laser in order to provide a small-sized optical recording and reproducing apparatus with low power consumption. The semiconductor laser has already been incorporated into an optical recording and reproducing apparatus for optical recording media such as CD and DVD. The semiconductor laser enables emission of a laser beam with a sufficiently high luminance in a practical sense. However, a small variation in the composition of a material or the size or structure of elements causes problems that the semiconductor laser may oscillate at a plurality of wavelengths ant that an oscillation wavelength may vary with semiconductor lasers by several nm to about 10 nm. It is also known that the oscillation wavelength of one semiconductor laser may vary depending on temperature or the value of injection current. Therefore, it is inappropriate to use a semiconductor laser to record and reconstruct a hologram that is not resistant to the wavelength vibration. Further, to allow the same laser wavelength to be used for both recording and reproducing regardless of different environments or apparatuses, it is conceivable to incorporate a wavelength selecting structure called a DFB (Distributed FeedBack) or DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector) into a semiconductor laser element itself and to precisely control laser manufacturing conditions so as to provide uniform characteristics. However, this method results in a low yield and high manufacturing costs. Therefore, this method is not practical.

Method for optical recording, method for optical reproducing, optical recording medium, and optical recording and reproducing apparatus utilizing holography


An indexed drug delivery device (70) comprising a valve assembly (13) comprising a housing (26) and a valve, the valve disposed within the housing, one or more keys (34,38) integral to the housing, the keys complementary to corresponding openings on a collar (12), a pressurized canister (28) in fluid communication with the valve assembly, the canister containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient and an inactive carrier gas, a receiving assembly comprising a receptacle adapted to engage at least a portion of the housing, a seat adapted to engage the valve, and, a plunger assembly adapted to linearly actuate the valve assembly and canister along an axis and to engage the valve and seat, the plunger assembly comprising a carriage fixed to the collar, and, a lever having a cam adapted to engage a spring, the spring adapted to linearly actuate the carriage, valve assembly, canister and collar along the axis.

Various keying and canister or cylinder actuation devices are known. In the technology concerning the inhalation of drugs from pressurized cylinders, the cylinders have been large and not easily portable. The cylinders are also unprotected to the surrounding hospital environment, which can be physically rigorous. The connection between the cylinder and the regulation device can be cumbersome.
Perhaps the most significant drawback, however, is the risk of connecting a cylinder containing an inappropriate, wrong or otherwise unsuitable drug and/or dosing concentration to the regulation device.
Hence, devices that provide improved connection of the cylinder to the regulation device, improved protection of the cylinder, enhanced portability of the cylinder, and, means for ensuring that a cylinder containing the correct drug and dosing concentration is connected to the drug delivery and regulation device would be advantageous.

Devices and methods for engaging indexed valve and pressurized canister assembly with collar and for linear actuation by plunger assembly into fluid communication with device for regulating drug delivery


An electrical wiring channel is installed beneath a wallboard, and includes a wiring channel member, a wiring faceplate, and a baseboard. The electrical wiring channel can be retrofit into existing buildings, by removing existing molding, and removing a portion of the wallboard below level of the molding to leave a gap or recess within which the wiring channel member can be inserted. The wiring channel member is C-shaped and has a female fastener member with a bore therein for receiving a male fastener member of the wiring faceplate. A new baseboard can be adhered to the wiring faceplate. Additional variations can include a right-angled channel portion for use with interior wall corners, exterior wall corners, or with door frames.

The present invention relates to an electrical wiring channel which can be installed in existing buildings.
At the pace of technological change, today""s existing buildings cannot always keep up. When a new technology emerges that requires a new type of wiring, it poses significant challenges to residences and businesses.
New office buildings are better designed to accommodate wiring changes. They have hollow ceilings, cubicles with built-in wiring channels, specialized racks within wiring closets, and so on.
Residences and businesses that are in older buildings have many more challenges. When a building is first built, much of the wiring for the technologies of the day is run through the walls. Over time, technology changes and much of the wiring becomes obsolete.
There are many solutions that attempt to address this issue, but most of them do not work very well. Some of these are discussed below.
Surface mount wiring channels are known, and are typically metal or plastic channels which are mounted to a wall. Generally, these are very noticeable and unattractive.
Additionally, surface mount wiring is known. Such wiring is in the form of flattened wires that can be stapled or adhered to a wall. These are, for example, sometimes used for speaker wires. These are moderately noticeable, and can be relatively expensive.
Wireless technologies are known, which dispense with wires altogether. Some of these work well in an existing building, while others may not. Expense is also a factor, as these applications can require newer technologies that are more expensive than conventional wiring. Further, it can be difficult to find a location for a wireless access point.
It is, however, a problem in the art to provide an electrical wiring system which can be installed in existing buildings, which is relatively inexpensive and attractive.
From the foregoing, it is seen that it is a problem in the art to provide a device meeting the above requirements. According to the present invention, a device and process are provided which meets the aforementioned requirements and needs in the prior art. Specifically, the device according to the present invention provides an electrical wiring channel which can be installed easily in existing buildings.
More particularly, the invention relates to an electrical wiring channel having a C-shaped portion which can be installed at the level of a baseboard molding, and a faceplate carrying a baseboard molding. The invention can include specially-shaped wiring channel portions shaped for corners, so as to go around the periphery of door frames and around corners of walls.
The wiring channel portions have female fastener members. The faceplate members have male fastener members which can engage with the female fastener members to retain the faceplates in position. The baseboard can be fastened in any known manner to the faceplates.
The wiring channel with removable faceplate runs parallel to and in plane with the wallboard. When the baseboard molding is attached to the removable faceplate, they become an integrated unit that is attractive and hides the wiring from view.
While the present invention is intended for installation in existing buildings, it is contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention to install it in new buildings.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


Embodiments relate to preparation of expandable particulates and their use in fracturing operations. An embodiment provides a method for treating a subterranean formation comprising: introducing a treatment fluid comprising expandable particulates into the subterranean formation, wherein the expandable particulates each comprise a particulate substrate, a swellable material coating the particulate substrate, and an exterior coating comprising a resin; and depositing at least a portion of the expandable particulates in the subterranean formation.

Embodiments relate to expandable particulates for use in subterranean applications and, in certain embodiments, to preparation of expandable particulates and their use in fracturing operations.
After a well bore is drilled, it may be necessary to fracture the subterranean formation to enhance hydrocarbon production. This may be particularly important in shale formations that typically have high-closure stresses. Access to the subterranean formation, in some instances, can be achieved by first creating an access conduit (e.g., perforation) from the well bore to the subterranean formation. Then, a fracturing fluid, called a pad, may be introduced at pressures exceeding those required to maintain matrix flow in the formation permeability to create or enhance at least one fracture that propagates from the well bore. The pad fluid may be followed by a fluid comprising a proppant in the form of a solid particulate to prop the fracture or fractures open after the pressure is reduced. In some formations (e.g., shale formations), the primary fracture can further branch into other fractures, smaller fractures, and microfractures; all extending through either a direct branch or indirect branch from the primary fracture and creating a complex fracture network. As used herein, a "complex fracture network" refers to a field or network of interconnecting fractures, which may include a primary fracture, secondary branch fractures, tertiary branch fractures, quaternary branch fractures, and the like. The complex fracture network encompasses the primary fracture and any and all branching fractures, regardless of size, man-made or otherwise, within a subterranean formation, that are in fluid communication with the access conduit and/or well bore. The proppant should hold the complex fracture network open, thereby allowing gas to flow through the complex fracture network to ultimately be produced at the surface.
The proppant may be selected based on its ability to maintain the fractures in a propped condition. This proppant characteristic may be based on the proppant size and crush strength, for example. The proppant may typically be an appropriate size to prop open the fractures while also allowing fluid to flow in between and around the proppant in the fractures. A variety of different materials have been used as proppant including silica (e.g., sand), walnut shells, sintered bauxite, glass, plastics, and ceramic materials, among others. While these materials have been used in fracturing operations, drawbacks have been encountered, especially in unconventional formations such as shale formations, where very small proppant has been used. For example, the very small proppant may have a tendency to settle to the bottom of the fracture and thus limit the size of the fracture after the pressure is reduced. Additionally, the smaller proppant may not have adequate strength to resist deformation/crushing upon application of the closure stress when the pressure is reduced.
In addition to proppant, swellable materials have also been deposited into one or more fractures as part of a fracturing treatment. Swellable materials may typically be capable of swelling upon contact with a swell-activating agent, such as water or a hydrocarbon fluid. While swellable materials have been included in fracturing treatments, because most materials that swell are typically soft, they may compress and expand outwardly into the fracture face upon release of pressure and effectively block/fill pore spaces. This may cause an undesired decrease in formation permeability. Thus, successful incorporation of swellable materials into fracturing treatments has been challenging.

Expandable particulates and methods of use and preparation