Data cells of plural classes are transferred from input ports to output ports through a switch by storing the cells at each input port in class-specific virtual output queues (VOQ) within sets of VOQs associated with output ports, and providing credits to VOQs according to class-associated guaranteed bandwidths. When a cell is received at a VOQ having credits, a high-priority request for transfer is generated. If a cell is received at a VOQ that does not have any available credits, a low-priority request for transfer is generated. In response to requests, grants are issued to VOQ sets without regard to class, high-priority requests being favored over low-priority requests. When a grant is received for a particular VOQ set, an arbitrator selects a VOQ from the set, giving priority to VOQs having credits over VOQs without credits, and a cell from the selected VOQ is transferred. Requests generated from all input ports are forwarded to a central scheduler associated with a switch fabric slice, the central scheduler issuing the grants. The switch fabric may comprise multiple slices and a central scheduler, across which requests may be distributed in parallel, for example, the switch fabric slices being selected in a fixed order. While all high-priority requests are granted, low priority requests may be granted by the central scheduler according to a weighted fair share policy.

Large capacity packet switches and routers are generally of the input output buffered type, where input and output port modules are interconnected via a large switch fabric. To scale the switch fabric to large number of ports (greater than 100), with each port operating at speeds of several Giga bits/sec each, the most scalable switch fabric is a cross bar switch fabric. The input and output port modules are themselves large shared memory switches. The cross bar switch fabric has N input and N output ports. Each input port is attached to an input port module that buffers traffic in large shared memory buffers. Similarly each output port is attached to an output port module that buffers traffic. The input and output port modules may have a single high speed port or multiple lower speed subports.
To achieve high efficiency and support QoS, variable length packets are segmented into fixed length packets or cells in the input port modules, and are switched to the output port modules via the cross bar switch. At the output port module, the cells are reassembled into their respective packets.
To increase the switching capacity, multiple cross bar switches (or switch slices) may be connected in parallel. In this case, the cells from the input module are distributed across the multiple switch fabric slices in a load-sharing manner. Associated with each switch fabric slice is a central cross bar scheduler. In the case of multiple parallel switch fabric slices, all the cross bar schedulers work independently.
In general, in a large switching complex, quality of service (QoS) management is typically the responsibility of the traffic managers and/or network processors, and it is sufficient if the switch fabric resolves contention based on static priorities. This is indeed true if there are no bottlenecks in the switch, or the probability of contention is very small.
However, in a large switch, with asymmetric or hotspot loading, and many input ports/streams contending for the same resources, there can be multiple bottlenecks. Simple mechanisms such as static priority scheduling will not guarantee QoS for all classes of traffic because performance of lower priority classes is sacrificed in favor of higher priority traffic classes, leading to significant degradation of QoS for lower priority traffic classes.
A common practice is to classify traffic into one of M traffic classes and use class-based scheduling at input and output port modules. However, the schedulers in the input and output port modules guarantee QoS only over the local bottleneck, namely the link between the input port module and the switch fabric, and the link between the output port module and down stream traffic manager devices respectively. The responsibility of resolving conflicts between input port modules for common resource in the cross bar fabric falls on the central cross bar scheduler. Since the central scheduler has to maintain global information, and must schedule N times as fast as the input and output schedulers, providing a multi-class centralized scheduler is not a scalable solution as the number of cross bar ports and the speed of the cross bar ports increase.

Method and system for guaranteeing quality of service in a multi-plane cell switch


A polymer for use in an opto-electrical device comprising aromatically conjugated repeat units of optionally substituted 9,9-dimethylfluorene.

One class of opto-electrical devices is those using an organic material for light emission or detection. The basic structure of these devices is a light emissive organic layer, for instance a film of a poly(p-phenylenevinylene) ("PPV") or polyfluorene, sandwiched between a cathode for injecting negative charge carriers (electrons) and an anode for injecting positive charge carriers (holes) into the organic layer. The electrons and holes combine in the organic layer generating photons. In WO 90/13148 the organic light-emissive material is a polymer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,507 the organic light-emissive material is of the class known as small molecule materials, such as (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium ("Alq3"). In a practical device one of the electrodes is transparent, to allow the photons to escape the device.
A typical organic light-emissive device ("OLED") is fabricated on a glass or plastic substrate coated with a transparent first electrode such as indium-tin-oxide ("ITO"). A layer of a thin film of at least one electroluminescent organic material covers the first electrode. Finally, a cathode covers the layer of electroluminescent organic material. The cathode is typically a metal or alloy and may comprise a single layer, such as aluminium, or a plurality of layers such as calcium and aluminium. Other layers can be added to the device, for example to improve charge injection from the electrodes to the electroluminescent material. For example, a hole injection layer such as poly (ethylene dioxythiophene)/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT-PSS) or polyaniline may be provided between the anode and the electroluminescent material. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes from a power supply one of the electrodes acts as a cathode and the other as an anode. For organic semiconductors important characteristics are the binding energies, measured with respect to the vacuum level of the electronic energy levels, particularly the "highest occupied molecular orbital" (HOMO) and the "lowest unoccupied molecular orbital" (LUMO) level. These can be estimated from measurements of photoemission and particularly measurements of the electrochemical potentials for oxidation and reduction. It is well understood in this field that such energies are affected by a number of factors, such as the local environment near an interface, and the point on the curve (peak) from which the value is determined. Accordingly, the use of such values is indicative rather than quantitative.
In operation, holes are injected into the device through the anode and electrons are injected into the device through the cathode. The holes and electrons combine in the organic electroluminescent layer to form an exciton which then undergoes radiative decay to give light. One way of improving efficiency of devices is to provide hole and electron transporting materials—for example, WO 99/48610 discloses blending of hole transporting polymers, electron transporting polymers and electroluminescent polymers. A 1:1 copolymer of dioctylfluorene and triphenylamine is used as the hole transporting polymer in this document.
A focus in the field of polymer OLEDs is the development of full colour displays for which red, green and blue emissive materials are required. One drawback with existing polymer OLED displays relevant to this development is the relatively short lifetime of blue emissive materials known to date (by "lifetime" is meant the time for the brightness of the OLED to halve at constant current when operated under DC drive).
In one approach, the lifetime of the emissive material may be extended by optimisation of the OLED architecture; for example lifetime of the blue material may in part be dependant on the cathode being used. However, the advantage of selecting a cathode that improves blue lifetime may be offset by disadvantageous effects of the cathode on performance of red and green materials. For example, Synthetic Metals 111-112 (2000), 125-128 discloses a full colour display wherein the cathode is LiF/Ca/Al. The present inventors have found that this cathode is particularly efficacious with respect to the blue emissive material but shows poor performance with respect to green and, especially, red emitters.
Another approach is development of novel blue electroluminescent materials. For example, WO 00/55927, which is a development of WO 99/48160, discloses a blue electroluminescent polymer of formula (w):

wherein w+x+y=1, w≧0.5, 0≦x+y≦0.5, and n≧2
In essence, the repeat units of the separate polymers disclosed in WO 99/48160 are combined into a single molecule. The F8 repeat unit is provided for the purpose of electron injection; the TFB unit is provided for the purpose of hole transport; and the PFB repeat unit is provided as the emissive unit.
In another example, disclosed in WO 03/095586, it was found that the lifetime of a polymer for use in an optical device, in particular an electroluminescent polymer, may be increased by the incorporation of repeat units that increase the glass temperature (Tg) of the polymer. In particular, incorporation of 2,7-linked 9,9-diarylfluorene repeat units into an electroluminescent polymer, particularly a blue emissive electroluminescent polymer, results in significant increase in that polymer's lifetime. Furthermore, it was found to be unnecessary to have separate hole transporting units and blue emissive units; it was found that both functions may be performed by the PFB unit. Surprisingly, the omission of TFB from the prior art polymers described above was found to result in a significant improvement in lifetime. A preferred embodiment disclosed in WO 03/095586 is a blue electroluminescent polymer prepared in accordance with the process of WO 00/53656 by reaction of 9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-2,7-di(ethylenylboronate) (0.5 equivalents), 2,7-dibromo-9,9-diphenylfluorene (0.35 equivalents) and N,N′-di(4-bromophenyl)-N,N′-di(4-n-butylphenyl)-1,4-diaminobenzene (0.15 equivalents) to give polymer (P1):

In another example, disclosed in WO 04/041902, it was determined that improved electron injection, and therefore improved device performance, may be accomplished by increasing the electron affinity of known polyfluorenes (by providing a deeper LUMO). This was achieved in WO 04/041902 by providing fluorene repeat units having electron withdrawing aryl groups. It was also found that increasing electron affinity in this manner lead to better lifetimes for the polymers disclosed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,763, discloses a copolymer comprising 10-90% by weight of the group of formula (y):

wherein R1 is independently selected in each occurrence from, among other things, C1-C20 hydrocarbyl. The repeat unit is provided in a copolymer with 10-90% triarylamine. In all the examples each R1 is C8H17 as in polymers (w) and (P1) discussed above.
EP 1528074 also discloses various polymers comprising the above-identified fluorene group in which R1 is C8H17. In example 2 of EP 1528074, there is also disclosed a polymer comprising a 9,9-dimethylfluorene unit directly bonded to nitrogen atoms in the backbone as shown in formula (y2):

JP 2004-131700 also discloses various polymers comprising a fluorene group in which R1 is C8H17. In addition, this document also discloses a polymer comprising 9,9-dimethylfluorene directly bonded to silicon in the polymer backbone as shown in formula (y3):

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a means for increasing the lifetime of polymers for use in an optical device above that of prior art polymers such as those discussed above. It is a further aim of the invention to provide a long-lived polymer for use in an opto-electrical device, particularly a long-lived blue electroluminescent material. It is a yet further aim of the invention to provide a means for increasing the thermal stability of the prior art polymers such as those discussed above. It is yet a further aim of the invention to provide improved device performance.


The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for producing and digitizing a number of images to create a digital library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and providing a text descriptive of the image from outside the digital library.

The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for making a history or record, particularly, but not exclusively, of medical treatments or procedures, and to methods of and apparatus for using the history or record. More particularly, it relates to producing and digitizing a number of images to create a digital library of images, producing and providing a digital library of texts corresponding to the images in the library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and selecting from the digital library of texts a text which corresponds to the outside image, and using the selected text to produce at least a portion of a record.
In many fields and technologies it is important to create and maintain a record, or history or narrative, of situations, facts, operations or procedures. Such records are important for achieving repeatability and accuracy, for educational or evaluative purposes, and/or for reconstructive purposes. For example, in industrial production, they may be used to detect deviations from specifications and production standards, and/or they may be used to create a xe2x80x9cstandard operating procedurexe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cSOPxe2x80x9d). In the legal field, transcripts or records of legal proceedings may be used to revisit or review the propriety of proceedings and decisions. In research or experimental science, laboratory notebooks or journals may reflect and/or evidence results of chemical combinations or hypothesis. In medicine, medical records and transcripts of surgical procedures may be used for diagnosis, to determine subsequent treatments, and/or to determine or assess prognoses. In each of these examples, and in many other instances and fields, records provide a database or library of knowledge, teach, instruct or inform about past practices or products, and/or aid in the detection and elimination of anomalies and inaccuracies.
Making and keeping a record has been, and is, a painstaking process. Typically, it has involved an individual hand writing a description or narrative, which may then be archived or preserved for reference by the individual who created it, or others. Developments in recording technologies, e.g., photography, sound and voice recording and storage, digital storage of information, etc., have somewhat eased the burden of creating a record, but there is room for further improvement.
Turning to the field of medicine, in which the present invention finds particular, but not exclusive, applicability, medical records were typically produced by the care giver writing by hand, for example, in a patient""s chart. More recently, a care giver or physician may speak into a sound recording machine, or dictate, a description of a treatment or procedure. The recording or xe2x80x9ctapexe2x80x9d is then transcribed by others into a written record or chart. Also more recently, photographic records may be used. For example, a surgical procedure may be filmed, and the film may be accompanied by a verbal description dictated or spoken by the surgeon or attending physician while the procedure is taking place. Notwithstanding these advances, problems and inefficiencies remain.
One problem stems from outsourcing dictated medical records, even when such outsourcing is to organizations or people specializing in the transcription of medical records. The dictated item must be communicated to the transcriptionist, and back, and physicians and care givers must review and edit the transcription, leading to inefficiencies in time and handling, and increased costs. Another problem is the time interval or delay between the procedure and the availability of the transcript. This is true even when a physician dictates during a procedure, which itself may interfere with the concentration or performance of the physician. Typically, current medical record procedures still require a physician or surgeon to go to a workstation to dictate a description of a procedure or treatment after it is completed, at least to review a transcript, but in most instances, to dictate a description as well.
There are some attempts to improve the efficiency of producing medical records. For example, there are service providers, e.g., Speech Machines, Inc. and MedQuist, Inc., which specialize in transcribing dictated descriptions of medical treatments. They may use voice or term recognition systems (e.g., Dragon System""s xe2x80x9cNaturally Speaking,xe2x80x9d IBM""s xe2x80x9cViaVoicexe2x80x9d and Lernout and Hauspie""s xe2x80x9cVoiceXpressxe2x80x9d) wherein a vocal term or phrase is recognized by a computer which then converts it into a word-processing result. U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,526 discloses a system wherein generating electronic and printed medical records provides automatic integration of captured video still images and voice dictated information concerning the image, and wherein a voice recognition module allows the system to respond to voice commands and automatically transcribe the dictated text into a word processing document. Another, generally similar example of such systems is that provided by cMore Medical Solutions, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. Although efficiency of making a record may be increased, there are still transmission and handling delays, even when use is made of browser or internet-based systems.
One way to relieve physicians"" dictation burden would be to film or photograph a treatment or surgical procedure and use the recorded images to trigger a descriptive text. Such a solution would likely involve a computer or computers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,707 (O""Malley et al.) discloses a computer system having the capability to receive and store graphic images which might be useful in such a solution. The system includes software that can digitize images, enabling them to be stored in memory and then accessed and used for various purposes, including identification, printing, or converting the digitized images to speech using a xe2x80x9ctext-to-speechxe2x80x9d module. There is no disclosure or suggestion of digitizing a large number of images to create a digital library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and providing for the production of a descriptive text associated with the image from outside the digital library.
Computers and storage and manipulation of data using computers hold promise for improving medical record creation, record keeping and use of stored medical records. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,220 involves an optical fingerprint correlator wherein a fingerprint is digitized, and then may be compared to a database of fingerprints to try to find a match. Such a correlator could be adapted to identify a patient, pull up the patient""s medical record, and compare a current or recent diagnostic image (e.g., an MRI image) to the record. U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,228 discloses another image recognition system and method for identifying a pattern in images, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,897 discloses a method and apparatus for imaging and image processing, including digitizing an image and comparing the digitized image against a codebook of stored digital images. None of these patents discloses using an image to select or create a text describing an image.
The use of microprocessors, computers and computer management of data, including images, in the field of medicine is reflected in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,241,472; 5,261,404; 5,740,802; 5,951,571; 5,961,456 and 6,024,695, the disclosures of which patents are incorporated herein by reference. Typically, the systems and methods disclosed in these patents involve obtaining images, digitizing the images and storing and/or manipulating or using the images, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,472 to create a text file. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,571 a computer is used to access a data storage unit containing previously acquired and digitally stored images of a patient. U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,456 is directed to a system and method for using current actual images and computer generated reference images, and the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,404 and 6,024,695 patents use computer technologies to use images to position or guide surgical procedures. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,802 patent involves interactive computer generated models obtained from medical diagnostic imaging data to allow a surgeon to view internal and external patient structures and their relation to adjust the surgery accordingly. None of these patents discloses or suggests the use of the disclosed technologies to facilitate dictation, i.e., to help a physician create a medical record describing an administered treatment or procedure by using an image drawn from the treatment or procedure to trigger or select a text descriptive of the image, wherein the text then becomes at least part of a medical record.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,704,371 and 6,026,363 disclose a medical history documentation system and method which may involve a microprocessor to collect data and down load it to a computer which may store and process the data to provide a patient history text. There is no disclosure of using images to provoke the selection of a text corresponding to the image, wherein the selected text may become the record, or portion of the record, of a medical treatment or surgical procedure.
Notwithstanding the advances represented by the above mentioned technology and patents, it would be advantageous if there were a method and apparatus for more efficiently and accurately making a history or record, particularly, but not exclusively, a medical record.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for making a history or record, particularly, but not exclusively, of a medical treatment or surgical procedure.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to producing and digitizing a number of images to create a digital library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and producing a text associated with the image from outside the digital library.
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a visual input device, a processor, a visual output device, and a transmission system linking the input device, the processor and the output device.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to the capture, recognition and manipulation of data.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to the capture, recognition and manipulation of data, particularly data concerning medical treatment, wherein the treatment may be broken down into a series of steps, and wherein each step may be described by standard language understood by one skilled in the art. This feature of the present invention is well-suited to use in surgical procedures, wherein any one procedure may be accomplished in one of usually several or so standard or routine ways, wherein any one procedure may be broken down into steps or milestones, and wherein any one procedure usually involves encountering the same or similar physical structures.
An advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates creating a record, particularly, but not exclusively, a medical record.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to producing and digitizing a number of images, related to a medical treatment, particularly a surgical procedure, to create a digital library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and producing a text associated with the image from outside the digital library. In some embodiments, an image of an unusual, a typical and/or anomalous medical condition or situation may provoke, trigger or provide a xe2x80x9cblankxe2x80x9d text to be filled in later by the treating person. An advantage is better coordination of procedures and respective outcomes, as well as improving the time it takes for comparative or analytical information to become available. In some embodiments, the image from outside the digital library may be a real time image.
A feature of the present invention is image recognition, wherein a collection of images is available, each having an associated descriptive text, and wherein an image not in the collection is compared to images in the collection to find a comparable or matching image, and associated text. The collection of images may be created by accumulating images originally not in the collection.
Another feature of the present invention is providing a library of descriptions or texts, each associated, related to and/or describing a structure, step or quality depicted or captured as an image. In some embodiments, the structure, step or quality is an aspect of a medical treatment or surgical procedure.
Another feature of the present invention is providing coordination of procedures and outcomes, e.g., the outcome of a medical treatment may be compared to outcomes of similar procedures, anomalies or abnormalities may be compared and/or identified, a record of a procedure may be available for consideration more quickly, etc.
In one embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention, a live or real-time image obtained during a surgical procedure is compared to stored images of previous surgical procedures to find a stored image similar or substantially identical to the live image, whereupon a script or text describing the live image is produced.
In some embodiments, the method of the present invention involves creating a collection or library of images drawn from surgical procedures, e.g., laparoscopic gallbladder procedures, cholecystectomy, hernia procedures, etc., wherein the individual images comprise pictorial representations of anatomy or structures encountered and steps undertaken during the procedures. In some embodiments, the collection of images may be sorted or indexed into sets or groups, wherein a set or group may be comprised of any number of generally similar images depicting a step or action which is typically common to a selected procedure, e.g., a step in a laparoscopic gallbladder procedure.
In one embodiment, the present invention encompasses breaking a surgical procedure into a series of steps, capturing or representing each step in an image, each image depicting the step and structures and qualities associated with the step, digitizing the images, and creating a text respectively descriptive of a step and images of that step, wherein the text comprises standard language understood by one skilled in the art, and may be selected, without substantial change, to describe the similar step of another generally similar surgical procedure, the text selection being accomplished on the basis of comparing images from the generally similar surgical procedure to the previously acquired images.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to producing a number of digital images to create a digital library of images, providing an image from outside the digital library, digitizing it (if it is not already digital) and comparing it to the digital images in the digital library, and producing a text associated with the image from outside the digital library, wherein the digital images and text may be considered data and may be analyzed and/or manipulated to provide likely or actual: diagnostic outcome information; a classification or sort of procedures by type; possible therapeutic, corrective or repair steps; and a recommendation of optional, and/or the optimal, therapeutic, corrective or repair steps. In one embodiment, the present invention may provide for statistical analysis of subject procedures and outcomes, for example, surgical procedures, whereby the optimum or best step or action within a given procedure may be identified.
In one embodiment of the present invention, data may be accumulated, analyzed and reported.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for viewing and taking an image or picture of a number of objects or situations, processing the images, including digitizing and storing them and creating a text describing each of them, viewing and taking another image or picture, processing the another image, including digitizing and storing it, and selecting one of the texts which corresponds to the another image.
An advantage of the present invention is the creation and use of a world-wide network of procedural information, including, but not limited to medical and/or surgical information, wherein the information may be accessed by those engaged in similar procedures and/or wherein the information may evolve, e.g., the data comprising the information may increase, both in number and sophistication.
Another advantage of the methods and apparatus of the present invention is that they may be used to create an xe2x80x9cearly warningxe2x80x9d system wherein a real-time image is compared to a library of images which includes images of anomalous, abnormal and/or dangerous structures, situations and/or qualities and, if a similarity is detected, a warning or alert is provided. In one embodiment, the present invention takes advantage of the routine, repetitive or common steps typical of a given procedure, for example, a surgical procedure, to provide for the early warning system, and/or to provide for a predictive and/or educational system, wherein a accessible and/or searchable database comprising a collection of images and texts to provided for consideration before undertaking a procedure.
Other features and advantages of methods and apparatus of the present invention will become more fully apparent and understood with reference to the accompanying description, drawings and claims.

Methods and apparatus for image recognition and dictation


A self-supporting filter of adsorbent particles is provided by agglomerating the adsorbent particles with a thermoplastic binder and forming a self-supporting filter with a low pressure drop and high efficiency suitable for use as an automotive cabin filter.

It is known in the art that activated carbon can remove undesired odors, noxious fumes, organic vapors and the like from air and fluid streams. It is also known to use these activated carbon granules in a variety of structures including packed beds, loaded nonwovens, loaded foams, and bonded adsorbents. Granular adsorbents have been bonded and molded into shapes suitable for filtration of gases.
For example, Breger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,715, and Tobias, U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,600, propose extruding cylindrical, or other shaped, pellets of activated carbon which pellets are then placed into a supporting structure. The rods exemplified were an extruded mix of activated carbon and polyethylene binder. The purpose of these patents was to provide improved pressure drops over carbon bonded into a monolithic structure (e.g., a sheet). U.K. Patent No. 1,390,668 stated that a drawback with this extrusion process was that during extrusion a substantial portion of the pores within the rods became clogged resulting in a decrease in adsorption capacity and an increase in pressure drop when the extruded rods were used alone (i.e., a cigarette filter), rather than a packed bed. This patent proposed forming sheets of bonded activated carbon using a polyolefin binder by mixing hot carbon with the binder, collecting the mixture on a belt, leveling the mixture, and compressing the mixture. The objective is to eliminate shear forces in forming the bonded carbon body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,020, Hassett et al., proposes forming filters by coating adsorbent particles with a liquid prepolymer binder, placing the coated particles in a mold and curing. A cartridge formed by this method allegedly had three combined advantages not simultaneously possessed by any of the tested commercial cartridges, low cost, good efficiency and low pressure drop. A similar technique is discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,544,507 (Lloyd) and 3,721,072 (Clapham) who used a binder emulsion or solution of a vinylidine polymer and a water soluble thermosetting aminoplast to coat activated carbon. The object of the Lloyd patent was to prevent dusting and provide adequate binding of the activated carbon particles without a great loss in adsorption capacity. Clapham describes forming such coated carbon granules into a pleated structure to provide improved pressure drop performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,807 (Shaler et al.) describes a method where water is used to promote adhesion between a binder and a granular adsorbent material prior to molding the binder and adsorbent and heating to consolidate the material into a self-supporting filter. This allegedly provides a simple method to manufacture a self-supporting adsorbent filter.
Reduction in pressure drop is a concern with U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,501 (Von Blucher et al.). This patent proposes dipping a 3-dimensional open framework into a binder or adhesive, then dipping the binder-coated framework into a mass of loose absorbent granules (about 0.1-1 mm diameter).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,369 (Holden) molds a self-supporting filter using a method similar to that of Shaler et al. with holes formed into the molded shape to decrease pressure drop. These open structures, however, will be deficient in efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,465 (Braun) discloses forming a self-supporting panel-shaped filter. The binder used is predominately of a particle size greater than 400 mesh. The patent emphasizes uniform mixing of binder and adsorbent granules and avoiding agglomeration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,050 (Degen et al.) describes a self-supporting structure comprising an inorganic sorbent such as alumina, and a binder. The process for immobilizing the sorbent particles in the self-supporting structure comprises the steps of: (a) preheating the inorganic sorbent particles to an elevated temperature sufficient to slightly soften the binder particles; (b) mixing the sorbent particles with a binding material to coat the sorbent particles while avoiding adhesion between binder particles (by use of cooling or of an antiagglomerating agent); and (c) heating the mixture to about the solid-liquid transition temperature of the polymeric binding material with or without pressure to form a structure which upon cooling is self-supporting.
The above patents propose a variety of methods for employing adsorbent particles in a variety of filter applications and providing varying levels of efficiency, capacity, pressure drop and cost. The present invention is directed at forming a self-supporting filter structure having good efficiencies and adsorption capacities while providing low pressure drops. Particularly, the invention is directed at providing an adsorbent self-supporting filter for use in applications such as a recirculating filter, room filter or automotive filter where low pressure drop and good adsorption efficiency is required.

Agglomerated activated carbon air filter

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


Signal, data transmission, and/or encryption units generating a cryptographic code using a cryptographic key before writing to a pseudorandom noise buffer memory. The PRN code generator comprises a first processor generating a PRN code from initial data using a cryptographic key. A second processor generates sections of the PRN code for integrity check purposes through computation using the same cryptographic key and initial data. Within the PRN code generator and before temporary storage of the PRN code in the buffer memory, there is a comparison device for comparing at least one duplicated section of the PRN code sequence cryptographically generated by the first processor with the section computed by the second processor. A blocking, stop and/or alarm function is activated in the comparison device and triggered on the basis of a predefined degree of matching between the section obtained through duplication and the computed section.

Pseudorandom code sequences, what are known as pseudorandom noise codes, abbreviated to PRNC or PRN codes or PRN code sequences, are used in radio transmission and in navigation systems. They may be used as spread codes that bring about frequency spreading of a message signal. Due to the wideband transmission, such a signal is robust against interference. Spread sequences are used for example in satellite navigation systems GNSS (global navigation satellite system), such as GPS (global positioning system), Glonass, Beidou, and/or Galileo. In this case, the received satellite signal is generally below a noise level. A receiver is able to detect and decode the emitted signal only through correlation with an appropriate PRN code that it itself contains.
Systems use cryptographic PRN codes in spread spectrum transmission. The code sequence is in this case generated on the basis of a cryptographic key. A receiver is able to generate the appropriate PRN code in order to correlate and decode the reception signal only if it knows the PRN code used by the transmitter to transmit the signal. It requires the cryptographic key for this purpose.
Methods for modulating signals are described in U.S. Ser. No. 10/225,038 B2, which make it impossible or at least extremely difficult to be able to extract, from a secure signal, the replica pseudorandom noise code and/or correlation key that it contains. A PRN code may be used in particular in spread spectrum transmission to modulate data signals, for example through multiplication and/or mixing with the PRN code signal sequence, and/or a PRN code may be used to receive a reception signal, for example through correlation with the PRN code signal sequence. The bits—which are also referred to as "chip"—of a PRN code sequence are generally generated at a high data rate, for example a few Mbit/sec or even Gbit/sec.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,696B1 describes a cryptographic communication system that discloses generating a cryptographic PRN code. A cryptographically generated PRN code may be used to protect the data and/or signal transmission on a "physical layer security" transmission layer, in particular in the case of wireless transmission. By way of example, this may be the case for a bidirectional or unidirectional data transmission, for example for data transmission or for satellite-aided navigation. The security of the data transmission in this case depends on whether the PRN code sequence that is used is actually cryptographically generated as expected.
If not, a transmitter could transmit a transmission signal with insufficient protection. It could be the case at a receiver that reception properties are worsened and/or local attacks on the device are made easier, for example using a side channel attack.
"Side channel attack" describes a cryptographic method that makes use of the physical implementation of a cryptosystem in a device such as a chip card. The principle is based on observing a cryptographic device when executing cryptographic algorithms and finding correlations between the observed data and the key that is used. This characteristic information may be obtained by analyzing the runtime of the algorithm, the energy consumption of the processor during the computing operations and/or the electromagnetic radiation. Active invasive attacks involve intervening in the device and introducing errors in the execution of the cryptographic algorithm. Side channel analysis provides information in this regard.
A side channel attack is normally performed by an attacker in order to reconstruct a cryptographic key that is used. Such technologies for recording and evaluating side channel information may also in principle be used constructively in order to monitor the integrity of a device, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 9,430,644B2. Such monitoring is however highly complex and is more suitable for recognizing a basic malfunction of a device. An integrity infringement would also be recognized only with a relatively long time delay.

Signal and/or data transmission and/or encryption unit, PRN code generator, integrated integrity check, and computer-aided method for secure signal transmission


A method for measuring the antioxidant capacity and/or the amount of a specific antioxidant in a sample, which comprises:. a) at least two samples (A) and (B) to be assayed in parallel; PA1 b) addition of an antioxidant deactivator to sample (A) which selectively deactivates the antioxidant ability of an antioxidant in the sample; PA1 c) addition of a redox indicator to both samples (A) and (B), the indicator being capable of indicating the antioxidant capacity of each sample absorbance of electromagnetic radiation; PA1 d) measurement of the change in absorbance of electromagnetic radiation of the indicator in each sample at a given time interval, from the time when the redox indicator was added to or mixed with the samples or immediately prior to this addition or mixing until a given time after the redox indicator was added; PA1 e) determining the antioxidant capacity of the sample and/or the specific antioxidant in the sample, by relating the change in absorbance of electromagnetic radiation of step (d) to the absorbance value of a standard solution run under the same conditions or to molar absorptivity value.

In the invention described, the terms "antioxidant (or reducing or reductive) capacity, antioxidant (or reducing or reductive) power, antioxidant (or reducing or reductive) ability, antioxidant (or reductive or reducing)" are held to be synonymous and interchangeable. Oxidising species, or reactive oxidant species, are known to contribute to the cause of a number human diseases. In situations or conditions where antioxidant defence is inadequate, there may be oxidative changes to DNA, protein and lipids, which may lead to various degenerative diseases, such as coronary hear disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and cataracts (Gey K. F., Br. Med. Bull., (1993), 49, 679-99; Steinberg D., Circulation, (1992), 85, 2338-44; Cutteridge J. M. C., (1994) 91, 133-40; Gey K. F. et al, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., (1993), 57, 787S-797S).
Measurement of antioxidant status of biological fluids and tissues may be useful in the study of pro-oxidant:antioxidant balance and the risk of, or defence against, diseases associated with oxidative damage. The relative contributions to this by individual antioxidants, and assessment of the potential for ingestion or treatment with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, vitamin preparations, herbs etc., to improve antioxidant status may be useful in helping to plan risk reduction/health promoting strategies.
The term "antioxidant," can be employed as a generic term describing a group of compounds which may prevent the generation of oxidising species, remove such species or inactivate them, thus preventing, delaying or minimising oxidative changes to important biomolecules. Members of this group are diverse in structure and action, and include metal chelating compounds and enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase. However, one important antioxidant sub-group comprises electron donating (i.e. reducing) antioxidant, such as (but not limited to) ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherols and tocotrienols (collectively known as "vitamin E"), uric acid, bilirubin, phenolic group compounds such as flavonoids, and thiol group-containing compounds such as protein and glutathione. Electron donating antioxidants, also known as scavenging and chain breaking antioxidants, destroy or inactivate oxidising species by means of electron transfer from "antioxidant" to the oxidant. In this application, the term "antioxidant" is used hereafter to describe such electron donating antioxidants.
Up until now, most tests used for measuring the antioxidant power of a sample have measured the ability of the sample to withstand the oxidative effects of reactive species purposely generated in the reaction mixture. For example, depletion of antioxidants denoted by a change in signal, such as the rate of oxygen utilisation (Wayner, D. D. M. et al, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, (1987), 924, 408-419, or chemiluminescence (GB 2245062; Popov, I. N., Free Radicals Biol. Med., (1994), 17, 267-71; Whitehead, T. P., et al, anal. Chim, Acta., (1992), 266, 265-277; Lissi, E., Free Radicals Biol. Med., (1995), 16, 581-90). However, these methods require specialised equipment and can be time consuming. Therefore, these methods are difficult to sue and limited in their applications. As a result of the lack of an inexpensive, simple, rapid and efficient method of measuring individual antioxidant and/or total antioxidant (reducing) power of biological samples, there is insufficient data on the clinical utility of assessing antioxidant status in the various disorders thought to be associated with oxidative changes/oxidative stress.
Specific antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, are known to play a major role in antioxidant defence. However, most methods of measuring the concentration of ascorbic acid in samples are non-specific, redox linked colourimetric methods (Pachla L.A. et al, J. Assoc. Anal. Chem., (1985), 68 1-12). A more specific method has been disclosed by Liu L. S., et al, J. Chrom., (1993), 612, 63-70, which requires use of HPLC. However, this method is both time consuming and expensive. Lewin G., et al, J. Biochem. Biophys. Meth., (1994), 28, 277-82, has recently disclosed a sensitive method of measuring ascorbic acid using a photochemiluminescence method, however this method requires specialised equipment. Moreover, owing to the time consuming nature of most methods used to date, pre-treatment of samples is usually needed in order to stabilise the ascorbic acid content.
Furthermore, it is time consuming, expensive and difficult to the point of impracticality to attempt to measure all possible constituent antioxidants within a heterogeneous sample, such as blood plasma, urine, plant material, foodstuffs etc. Therefore, a method suitable for the speedy, specific and sensitive measurement of individual antioxidant(s) and/or net, overall or total antioxidant power of a wide range of sample types would have considerable advantages over currently available methods. This would especially be true if such a method could be performed on samples with no or minimal pre-treatment. Such a method would facilitate observational, clinical and nutritional studies into antioxidant defence and the role of oxidative stress in the aetiology and severity of chronic disease.

Measurement of antioxidant (reducing) power and/or antioxidant concentration


A method measures and analyzes a physical quantity of interest having first and second significant values dependent on a plurality of characteristic parameters. The method includes storing the characteristic parameters in a storage support external of the measuring device and ancillary thereto; automatically measuring the first and second significant values; and analyzing, on a data processor, the measured significant values to produce a classification thereof based on a knowledge of said characteristic parameters. A system measures and analyzes a physical quantity of interest by application of fuzzy rules. The system comprises an apparatus for measuring the physical quantity of interest having its output connected to a fuzzy processor. The system also comprises a storage support, ancillary to the measuring apparatus, which stores the characteristic parameters of a user being tested, which is connected to a smart card reader/writer in turn connected to the measuring system and the fuzzy processor.

As is well known, the evaluation of arterial pressure represents an essential parameter to the diagnostics of the human body, in both normal and pathological situations.
A significant example of a field where a knowledge of arterial pressure is needed is the prevention of cardio-circulatory diseases.
The measurement of arterial pressure, at one time tied to the attendance by specialized medical personnel equipped with appropriate instruments, can now be carried on "at home", thanks to the availability of automatic pressure measuring devices which are easy to operate and relatively inexpensive.
Accordingly, the number is growing of those who choose to add such automatic blood pressure meters to their domestic first-aid equipment.
Prior art devices can take measurements with varying degrees of accuracy in a short time, and require no special knowledge or skill on the part of their users.
They have an important limitation, however, in that they offer no support for classification of the evidence provided by the pressure readings. Consequently, there exists a risk that they may infuse baseless worry or overconfidence.
The data gathering operations, e.g., for arterial pressure, and attendant classification, e.g., within the clinical picture of each patient, may appear simple at first sight. Actually, these are lengthy, complicated operations contingent on a number of factors. In particular, the arterial pressure signal is dependent on:
the patient's characteristic parameters, such as age, sex, race, possible pathological and/or functional conditions; and PA1 parameters tied to local environmental conditions, such as temperature, pressure, possible noise.

Method and related apparatus for measuring and analyzing a physical quantity of interest through the application of fuzzy logic rules


Disclosed is a virtual navigation system using a moving image. The system comprises an input section for inputting a command information such as a departure point and a destination each related to a traveling route; a traveling route estimating section for reading the traveling route from the departure point to the destination, which is inputted by the input section, from stored data to estimate an optimum traveling route; a traveling route processing section for processing the moving image for a road and surroundings around the road of the traveling route estimated by the traveling route estimating section; an information processing section for searching moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and the surroundings under control of the traveling route processing section; a storing section for storing road data shown in a map, and the moving image data and the spatial data related to the road and the surroundings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a virtual navigation system and method capable of realizing an actual environment by use of a moving image, and more particularly, to a system of virtually navigating using a moving image, in which the moving image taken when actually driving along a route is stored, and actual road information is displayed by use of the moving image related to a traveling route from a departure point to a destination, thereby exactly guiding the traveling route.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, in order to acquire the information on a road of which although a user have been to the road the user has a poor memory, or of which a user is unfamiliar with the road because of the first time to the road, the user utilizes a map or a rough map. However, it is difficult to search a destination itself by use of the map or rough map. In addition, since the map or rough map provides simple information, it is inadequate for the complex road.
In order to solve the drawback described above, a topographical searching system or route searching system has been developed. The topographical searching system is to display the information on the destination inputted by the user and a map around the destination. The route searching system is to search and display a traveling route from a departure point to a destination, the information of which is inputted by the user.
In case of the prior topographical searching system and the route searching system, however, the information on the surroundings of the destination or a two-dimensional map on the route information from the departure point to the destination is provided. Accordingly, the cognitive faculty is reduced due to a disparate feeling between the map displayed by the system and an actual road, and the system may not provide the user with a sufficient traveling experience. In particular, it is difficult to communicate the accurate information on an overpass, an underground roadway, or a rotary by the two-dimensional map.
A prior car navigation system (CNS) guides a traveling route from a departure point to a destination through a two-dimensional map and a sound, depending upon a location of a vehicle during the drive.
Since the CNS provides the two-dimensional map, similar to the topographical searching system or route searching system, however, it is difficult to communicate the accurate information. In particular, if the eyes of the drive are focused on the CNS during the drive, the driver acts against the traffic regulations, as well as leading to hinder the safe driving. It is preferable for a driver to have an experience on the traveling route prior to the driving.
Furthermore, according to the prior art related to the topographical searching system, the route searching system, and the CNS, the technique using an actual photography provides not actual moving image reflecting the surroundings which is visually varied according to the traveling direction when traveling on a road, but a still image or a moving image obtained from a fixed camera, in order to guide a special point.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a virtual navigation system and method capable of realizing an actual environment by use of a moving image that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a virtual navigation system and method providing a moving image of a road, which a user actually experiences during the drive, as well as a two-dimensional map, to undergo the virtual navigation, such as traveling on a road, turning at a diverging point and a crossroad, traveling on a rotary, entry to an underground roadway, identifying of a location of an overspeed preventing protrusion, or the like, thereby inaccurately communicating the information as compared with the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a virtual navigation system and method using a moving image, in which even though an expensive CNS equipment is not installed in a vehicle, it is possible to have an experience of the virtual navigation through a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile communication terminal, Internet or the like.
To achieve the object and other advantages, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a virtual navigation system using a moving image, the system comprising: input means for inputting a command information such as a departure point and a destination each related to a traveling route; traveling route estimating means for reading the traveling route from the departure point to the destination, which is inputted by the input means, from stored data to estimate an optimum traveling route; traveling route processing means for processing the moving image for a road and surroundings around the road of the traveling route estimated by the traveling route estimating means; information processing means for searching moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and the surroundings under control of the traveling route processing means; storing means for storing road data shown in a map, and the moving image data and the spatial data related to the road and the surroundings; and output means for displaying the moving image and the spatial data related to the traveling route transferred from the traveling route processing means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing information of a virtual navigation using a moving image, to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the method comprising the steps of: searching designated records around a road and a diverging point in a traveling route by an external input signal inputted a departure point and a destination, and generating a list of searched records; sequentially accessing to the records along the traveling route among the generated list; reading moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and a surroundings around the road, the data recorded in the accessed list; replaying the moving image data and the spatial data on a screen in proportion to a constant vehicle speed; and sequentially replaying the moving image for a next accessed record, if the replay of the moving image for the accessed record is completed, to continuously replay the moving image from the departure point to the destination; wherein a virtual traveling route from the departure point to the destination is provided by the method, and the moving image for the surroundings around the road and the moving image for change of the surroundings according to a vehicle speed are provided in a nearly similar to an actual circumstance, so that a user has the experience of the virtual navigation.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing information of a virtual navigation using a moving image, to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the method comprising the steps of: reading the moving image file and spatial data corresponding to the entire traveling route according to an external input signal in which a departure point and a destination are inputted, to generate one file; reading moving image data and spatial data each related to a road and a surroundings around the road from storing means, the data recorded in the file; and replaying the moving image data and the spatial data on a screen in proportion to a constant vehicle speed; wherein a virtual traveling route from the departure point to the destination is provided by the method, and the moving image for the surroundings around the road and the moving image for change of the surroundings according to a vehicle speed are provided in a nearly similar to an actual circumstance, so that a user has an experience of a virtual navigation.
According to the construction and process, the present invention is characterized in that by constructing an actual moving image for diverging points along a traveling direction, such as a crossroad, a rotary, an overpass, an underground roadway or the like, or all of traveling possible cases, and by searching and combining the moving image for the road from the departure point to the destination and the moving image for the traveling direction of the diverging point, the driver has an experience of the virtual navigation on the routed to be traveled.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Virtual navigation system and method using moving image

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An LED package and a fabrication method therefor. The LED package includes first and second lead frames made of heat and electric conductors, each of the lead frames comprising a planar base and extensions extending in opposed directions and upward directions from the base. The package also includes a package body made of a resin and configured to surround the extensions of the first and second lead frames to fix the first and second lead frames while exposing underside surfaces of the first and second lead frames. The LED package further includes a light emitting diode chip disposed on an upper surface of the base of the first lead frame and electrically connected to the bases of the first and second lead frames, and a transparent encapsulant for encapsulating the light emitting diode chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Light Emitting Diode (LED) and, more particularly, to an LED package having a simple configuration with superior heat radiation efficiency, and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Alight emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device for generating various colors of light in response to current application. The colors generated from the LED are determined by the chemical substances constituting the semiconductor of the LED. Such an LED has various merits such as a long lifetime, low power, excellent initial driving characteristics, high resistance for vibration and high tolerance for frequent power on/off compared to a light emitting device based on filament, and thus there has been a steadily increasing demand for the LEDs.
LEDs are recently adopted as backlights for lighting devices and large sized Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs), which require large outputs, and accordingly the LEDs used therefor require especially excellent heat radiation capacities.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional LED package mounted on a circuit board.
First, referring to FIG. 1, the LED package 1 has a heat slug 3 for seating the LED chip 2 thereon while functioning as a heat guiding means. The LED chip 2 receives electricity from an external source (not shown) through a pair of wires 7 and a pair of terminals 8. The upper part of the heat slug 3 including the LED chip 2 is encapsulated by an encapsulant 5 typically made of silicone, and a lens 6 is attached over the encapsulant 5. A housing 4 is formed around the heat slug 3 by general molding to support the heat slug 3 and the terminals 8.
Such an LED package 1 of FIG. 1 is mounted on a circuit board 10, which is a heat sink, to construct an LED assembly as shown in FIG. 2. At this time, a heat conducting pad 9 such as solder is interposed between the heat slug 3 of the LED package 1 and a metal heat radiating plate (not shown) of the circuit board 10, facilitating heat conductivity between them. In addition, the terminals 8 are also more stably connected to a circuit pattern (not shown) of the circuit board by the solder (not shown).
As described above, the LED package 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the LED assembly with the LED package 1 mounted on the circuit board 10 are focused on effective discharge of the heat, i.e., heat radiation. That is, the LED package 1 has the heat sink, i.e., the heat slug 3 connected to the heat radiating plate of the circuit board 10 either directly or via the heat conducting pad 9 in order to absorb and discharge the heat generated from the LED chip 2. This allows the heat generated from the LED chip 2 to be mostly discharged via the heat slug 3 into the circuit board 10, and only a small amount of the heat to be discharged into the air through the surface of the LED package 1, i.e., through the housing 4 or the lens 6.
However, this conventional heat radiation structure is complicated and requires many components. Therefore, it is difficult to automate the manufacturing process of the LED package with assembly of many components, thus increasing the manufacturing time and costs.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating another conventional LED package.
The LED package shown in FIG. 3 is suggested in "SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE," U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0057144 (published on May 17, 2005). In this LED device or LED package, a cup-shaped reflecting frame 2 is installed on a surface of the substrate 1 with circuit patterns 3 and 6 formed thereon, and an LED chip 4 is mounted in the cup-shaped portion and electrically connected to the circuit pattern 3. In the meantime, the reference numeral 7 represents phosphor, the reference numeral 8 represents diffuser and the reference numeral 9 represents resin.
The LED package with the above described configuration requires a fewer number of components than that of FIG. 1 and can be advantageously fabricated into a relatively simple configuration. However, the heat generated from the LED chip 4 is transferred to a circuit board 10 (not shown in FIG. 3, see FIG. 2) via a heat radiation path H, thus resulting in low heat radiation efficiency.

Light emitting diode package and fabrication method thereof


The present invention relates to a display method and a display device. The display method includes steps of: S1, obtaining an original image that needs to be displayed; S2, generating a plurality of first images each having the same boundary as the original image according to the information contained in the original image, wherein each first image includes at least partial information of the original image, and union of information contained in the plurality of first images includes all information contained in the original image; and S3, displaying, in the form of continuous multi-frame images, all first images in sequence within visual persistence time of human eyes. The above method can improve the display effect of the display device.

In the field of display technology, the resolution is an important parameter reflecting the display effect, and directly indicates the definition of display. In a broad sense, the resolution includes spatial resolution and time resolution. But generally, the resolution of a display device refers to the spatial resolution, i.e., the number of pixels in each row and the number of pixels in each column.
With continuous improvement of preparation process, the resolution of the display device is improved continuously. Taking a cell phone as an example, the resolution is increased significantly from QVGA to the present FHD, 2K in recent years. At the same time, with continuous increase in the resolution of the display device, it becomes more difficult to increase the resolution of the display device. Due to the limit of the aperture ratio of pixels, pixel circuits, etc., it is difficult to prepare more pixel points on a display panel.
Therefore, a technical solution in which the resolution of the display device is increased by changing the arrangement mode of pixels has been proposed in the prior art. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of pixels in PenTile arrangement mode in an existing display device. As shown in FIG. 1, each pixel R forms a pixel point D1 together with a pixel B and a pixel G which are located on the left side of the pixel R and forms a pixel point D2 together with a pixel G and a pixel B which are located at the right side of the pixel R; in addition, each pixel B forms a pixel point D3 together with a pixel R and a pixel G which are located on the left side of the pixel B and forms a pixel point D4 together with a pixel G and a pixel R which are located at the right side of the pixel B. It can be known from the above that, compared with the standard RGB arrangement mode, the PenTile arrangement mode increases the number of pixel points by sharing the pixel R and the pixel G on the premise that the number of pixels R, G and B remains unchanged, so as to improve the resolution of the display device.
However, in the PenTile arrangement mode, only one pixel can be shared between two adjacent pixel points generally, which limits the number of pixel points that can be increased, i.e., the display effect of the display device cannot be improved further after the resolution of the display device is increased to a certain extend.


A plate puller device can include a head portion and extension rod portion. The device enables the fastener receiving member to be pulled against a bone surface before a head section of the fastener is advanced within the fastener receiving member into a locked position. The head portion can be positioned between the head section of the fastener and a surface of the fastener receiving member not adjacent to the bone surface. Also, a plate puller device can include a screwdriver, a grasper portion and a grasper sleeve. The grasper portion and grasper sleeve can be threadingly mated wherein rotation of the grasper sleeve forces a head portion of the grasper portion to grip the head section of the fastener to prevent the head section from advancing within the fastener receiving member.

A variety of techniques exist in the field of orthopaedic surgery for treating bone fractures. Many known techniques utilize bone screws and bone fixation plates. Typically, the plate is used to stabilize the site of a bone fracture, and one or more bone screws are inserted through apertures of the plate and threaded into the bone material so as to secure the plate to the bone material. It is also known that bone screw/plate systems can be improved by machining a thread onto the head of the bone screw, in addition to the thread normally machined onto the main shaft of the screw. In connection with the use of threaded-head screws, the apertures of the plate are threaded to matingly receive the threads of the screw head. Thus, as the screw is inserted into an aperture of the plate and threaded into the bone material, the head of the screw likewise is threaded into the aperture. As a result, the screw becomes rigidly affixed to the plate, in effect locking to the plate rather than simply bearing against the plate. Examples of threaded-head bone screws and threaded-aperture bone plates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,686 to Talus et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,881 to Frigg et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,140 to Siddiqui.
The use of threaded-head screws and threaded-aperture plates provides certain advantages. It is known that some types of small bone fragments tend to change position relative to the plate over time. This deleterious condition can result from the "toggling" of the screws affixed to the plate. However, when multiple screws are rigidly fixed to the plate by mating the respective threads of the screw heads with the threads of the corresponding plate apertures, the screws do not toggle in the plate. The locking action provided by the threaded-head screw in combination with the threaded-aperture plate prevents motion between the bone fragment and the plate as well as premature loosening of the screws.
Although the use of threaded-head screws has provided improvements in orthopaedic surgical techniques, there remains the disadvantage that these screw/plate systems are unidirectional. That is, the thread formed on the inside surface of the aperture of the plate is structurally fixed at a constant helical angle with respect to the central axis passing through the center point of the aperture. Hence, the head of a conventional threaded-head screw can only be rigidly affixed to the plate by mating its thread with that of the aperture, such that the bone screw is always inserted and threaded in one direction, e.g., perpendicularly or coaxially with respect to the plate.
Recent developments in this field provide screw/plate systems that allow the surgeon to choose the angle at which the screw is inserted through, and rigidly affixed in, an aperture of the plate. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,677 to Dahners. Such improvements enable the surgeon to direct the bone screw toward bone fragments that are not situated directly beneath the aperture of the plate, and also provide flexibility in the placement of the plate in relation to the bone fracture. These systems, however, do not address the possibility of the plate failing to completely pull against a bone surface before the head of the bone screw locks into the aperture of the plate, thereby leaving a gap between the plate and the bone surface to which the plate is intended to firmly abut. This is problematic in that the plate fails to perform its intended function, providing support for the bone fracture.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a plate puller device that prevents the head section of the bone screw from advancing and locking within the aperture of the plate until the plate is pulled against the bone surface.

Surgical plate puller devices and methods for use with surgical bone screw/plate systems

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


Methods, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable media are described for detecting system outages using application event logs. Various aspects may include obtaining several prior application event logs where the status of the system is known at the time the application event logs were recorded. Additionally, various aspects may include determining characteristics of prior application event logs which were recorded during a system outage, and/or determining characteristics of prior application event logs which were recorded while the system was available. When current application event logs are obtained where the status of the system is unknown at the time the current application event logs are recorded, various aspects include comparing the current application event logs to the prior application event logs to determine that a system outage has occurred based upon the comparison.

Today, computing systems including network servers may experience failures or outages where the servers are unable to communicate with user devices. This may cause several problems, particularly in fields such as banking, e-commerce, health information systems, nuclear power, etc., where system availability may be crucial. To detect outages, system administrators may manually review application data, may receive complaints from customers after the system experiences an outage, and/or may create robot interactions with the system to simulate users.
However, in such systems millions or even billions of events may be logged each day, making manual review an extremely time-consuming, if not impossible task. Moreover, in many cases, the system may be unavailable for a lengthy period of time causing harm to the users before customer complaints are received. Robot interactions may also be time-consuming and difficult to create, which may result in errors or inaccuracies in system outage detection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for detecting system outages using application event logs

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY


A disk for a hard disk drive. The disk includes a first layer of magnetic material located over a substrate, an intermediate layer located over the first magnetic layer and a second layer of magnetic material located over the intermediate layer. The second layer may include cobalt and chromium. The intermediate layer may include titanium. The first magnetic layer include iron, hafnium and nitrogen (FeHfN). This composition of the first magnetic layer shows higher saturation magnetization and lower roughness, and increases the nucleation field of the disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to the field of hard disk drives.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. There have been developed magnetic heads that have a write element for magnetizing the disks and a separate read element for sensing the magnetic fields of the disks. The read element is typically constructed from a magneto-resistive material. The magneto-resistive material has a resistance that varies with the magnetic fields of the disk. Heads with magneto-resistive read elements are commonly referred to as magneto-resistive (MR) heads.
Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create an subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly (xe2x80x9cHGAxe2x80x9d). The HGA""s are attached to an actuator arm that has a voice coil coupled to a magnet assembly. The voice coil and magnet assembly create a voice coil motor that can pivot the actuator arm and move the heads across the disks.
Information is typically stored within annular tracks that extend across each surface of a disk. The voice coil motor can move the heads to different track locations to access data stored onto the disk surfaces. Each track is typically divided into a plurality of adjacent sectors. Each sector may have one or more data fields. Each data field has a series of magnetic transitions that are decoded into binary data. The spacing between transitions define the bit density of the disk drive. It is generally desirable to provide a high bit density to increase the overall storage capacity of the drive.
FIG. 1 schematically shows the layers of a double layered perpendicular magnetic recording (xe2x80x9cPMRxe2x80x9d) media 1. The media is used as a disk for a hard disk drive. The double layer PMR media 1 includes a first magnetic layer 2 located over a substrate 3. The first magnetic layer 2 and substrate 3 are typically separated by an underlayer 4 that strengthens the adhesion of the first material.
The first magnetic layer 2 is covered with an intermediate layer 5 and a second layer of magnetic material 6. The second magnetic layer 6 is protected with an overcoat layer 7, typically a diamond-like-carbon (DLC). The overcoat layer 7 may be covered with a layer of lubricant 8 to minimize any frictional contact between the head and the disk.
The first magnetic layer 2, sometimes referred to as the soft underlayer is typically constructed from NiFe, CoZrNb, CoTaZr, etc. These material typically exhibit low saturation magnetization. Additionally, with compositions of the prior art it is difficult to obtain favorable negative nucleation fields in the disk.
A disk for a hard disk drive. The disk includes a first layer of magnetic material separated from a second layer of magnetic material by an intermediate layer. The first layer of magnetic material includes iron, hafnium and nitrogen (FeHfN).

Double layered perpendicular magnetic recording media with nanocrystalline structured FEHFN soft magnetic back layer


An apparatus and method for guiding recording media through a printer comprises a roller unit which is coupled to the printer and which comprises a plurality of roller wheels.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to inkjet printers and, more particularly, to an improved method and system for guiding recording media, such as paper, through a printer.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In typical inkjet printing processes, droplets of ink are emitted from ink jet nozzles, or apertures, onto a recording medium, such as paper, which is fed through a printing area of the inkjet printer. The pattern in which the droplets of ink are "sprayed" onto the recording medium is typically directed by computer control.
In many prior art printers, most commonly large format printers, a plurality of single wheel pinch rollers are spread across the width of a printing surface to assist in the guidance of recording media, such as paper, across the platen of the printer during the printing process. Often, however, the alignment of one or more of the rollers in a prior art printer is slightly skewed from the direction of motion of the paper from the feeder apparatus. This can cause a misalignment of the paper as it is fed through the printer and, consequently, can detrimentally affect the printing quality of the printer. In some cases, noticeable wrinkling of the paper may result.


Disclosed is a satellite weather detection system that uses atmospheric precipitation density data. Subscribers detect the signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio of signals that are transmitted from the satellite. Upstream transmit power data is also collected, which is needed to achieve a given SNR at a gateway. The values of the downstream signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio data as well as the upstream transmit power data are normalized and compared with current atmospheric data. The data can be color coded and graphically displayed to show weather patterns. Location and velocity of high precipitation density cells can be tracked to predict movement of storms.

Satellite technology has been used for a number of years for communication purposes. For example, satellites have been used to transmit television signals, Internet data, telephone signals, navigational signals and other data. Satellites have the advantage of being able to transmit communication data to the most remote parts of the world without topographical interference.

Weather detection using satellite communication signals


A hold-down device for Jacquard controlled loom machines including a resilient element which exerts a spring force on the hook which is attached to the heald of the machine. The hold-down device is arranged between the hook cord and the cord assembly. The spring force provided by the resilient element is determined by the stroke of the Jacquard machine. Where it is desired for the device to be retrofitted to a Jacquard controlled loom machine, a plurality of resilient elements may be arranged in a matrix between two perforated plates, with springs being arranged in guide tubes and a stop member being attached to the cord assembly. The unit formed by the plurality of resilient elements can be arranged at an adjustable height between the frame of the Jacquard machine and the loom.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hold-down device for Jacquard-controlled looms.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
With arrangements of this kind the individual warp threads are moved by means of cord assemblies between an upper and a lower position to form the shed. By means of a pull-down device exerting spring force the warp threads or the lower end of the cord assembly are prestressed towards the frame of the machine in the lower shed position. Lifting the warp thread and the cord assembly into the upper shed position is achieved by control of the hooks of a Jacquard machine according to a pattern, the lower end of the hooks of the Jacquard machine being directly, and usually releasably, connected to the upper end of the cord assembly by means of a hook cord. In the lower shed position the respective hook of the Jacquard machine is supported on a bottom board, and in the upper shed position, when controlled, the hook is held by means of a suitable arresting device. A large number of systems for controlling the hooks of a Jacquard machine according to a pattern are known and used commercially, for example mechanical and electromechanical systems.
Generally the lower ends of all the hooks of a Jacquard machine have a different geometric spatial arrangement than the points of engagement of the cord assemblies with the warp threads, so that guides are necessary for the cord assemblies, which result in different amounts of friction. Furthermore it is usual to lift or to lower a plurality of warp threads by means of one hook, i.e. to provide a plurality of hook cords and cord assemblies. When weaving with a pattern repeat in this way up to 10 cord assemblies can be controlled by means of one hook, so that a correspondingly greater force is exerted on the hook by the plurality of pull-down devices. The number of cord assemblies arranged in a pattern repeat can alter from one piece of weaving to another. There are thus different loads depending on the job. If, however, the force exerted by the pull-down device is too great, wear is high. The desired harness life, the operating time of the loom with a Jacquard machine, is thereby reduced.
If on the other hand the force exerted by the pull-down device is too low operational difficulties can result. These disadvantages become greater at faster operating speeds since at a higher speed of rotation of the drive for the Jacquard machine the hooks are moved at greater speeds and also have to be returned by the spring force.
The difficulty therefore lies in combining the requirements of the weaving process and the mechanical requirements so as to keep the harness life as high as possible.
If the force exerted on the hook was too low, craftsmen sometimes also stretched a spring between the hook and the frame of the machine. For constructional reasons, and because of the inaccessibility of the numerous hooks in a Jacquard machine, this was only done occasionally, and furthermore was only possible with hooks at the outside.
Different loads on the weaving machine can occur depending on the application for which the weaving is performed. A requirement of weaving technology lies in the fact that the spring force of the pull-down device must always be sufficiently high in order to prevent operational disturbances, such that the force of the pull-down device must be sufficiently high in order to enable the machine to operate efficiently at any rate that the hook is pulled back. On the other hand, a mechanical requirement for the machine must be met, in order to prevent excessive wear which may occur in the case of excessive exertion of force. This disadvantage is particularly serious if the machine is operated with a pattern repeat, that is to say, if more than one cord assembly is controlled by means of a single hook. In addition, the Jacquard loom shall be designed such that by means of retrofitting the machine during standstill, a changing number of cord assemblies may be controllable by means of one hook, thus efficient operation of the machine is insured while wear is reduced even at high speeds.

Hold-down device for Jacquard-controlled looms


A system for particulate filter regeneration includes a pre-converter universal heated exhaust gas oxygen (UHEGO) sensor disposed upstream from a three-way catalytic (TWC) converter and a particulate filter (PF), and a post-converter UHEGO sensor disposed downstream from the TWC converter and upstream from the PF. An engine controller for an internal combustion engine (ICE) and in communication with the pre-converter UHEGO sensor and the post-converter UHEGO sensor is included. The engine controller is configured to determine an amount of particulate mass accumulated in the PF during operation of the ICE and deactivate at least one of a plurality of cylinders of the ICE such that a deactivated cylinder intake air (DCIA) pass-through volume flows through the at least one deactivated cylinder and into the TWC converter and the PF. The DCIA pass-through volume is a function of the determined amount of particulate mass accumulated in the PF.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
An internal combustion engine (ICE) typically includes an exhaust system to route or handle exhaust gas (i.e., combusted gases) expelled from one or more cylinders of the ICE. And the exhaust system can include an exhaust gas aftertreatment system with a particulate filter (PF) to trap particulate matter (e.g., carbon and carbon containing particles) in the exhaust gas. However, if the PF is not periodically cleaned or regenerated, accumulated particulate matter on or in the PF may cause an increase in exhaust system back pressure, thereby leading to decreased engine performance.
Regenerating the PF of the particulate matter includes increasing the exhaust gas temperature such that accumulated particulate matter (typically referred to as "soot" or "particulate mass") is oxidized and removed from the PF.
Issues related to PF regeneration and other issues related to exhaust systems with particulate filter's or discussed in the present disclosure.

Dual UHEGO control of particulate filter regeneration


A nanostructured composite film comprising a plurality of nanostructured elements, wherein the nanostructured elements are either two-component sub-microscopic structures comprised of whiskers conformally coated with a conducting, preferentially catalytically active material or one component sub-microscopic structures comprised of a conducting preferentially catalytically active material, such that the nanostructured elements are embedded in an encapsulant, wherein the encapsulant can be a solid electrolyte. The composite film can be used as an electrode membrane in an electrochemical cell or sensor.

The electrochemical sensors can be divided into those utilizing high temperature nonporous, inorganic electrolytes and those using gas permeable low temperature electrolytes. Of the latter category a further division can be made according to whether the electrolyte is a solid polymer on one hand, or a liquid, paste or gel on the other.
A typical solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) based electrochemical sensor has at least a working (sometimes referred to as a sensing electrode) and counter electrodes in contact with an SPE. A reference electrode may also be used to form a 3-electrode device. The electrode material, preferably a metal with catalytic properties, is typically Au, Pt, Pd or noble metals and their alloys in the form of wire grids, powders or films.
Various structures and means have been used to apply or otherwise bring a catalyst in contact with an electrolyte to form working, counter, and reference electrodes. The electrode membrane constructions can be summarized as: (a) solid metal films in contact with the SPE, (b) porous metal films or planar distributions of metal particles deposited on top of the SPE or powders pressed against an SPE surface, (c) metal grids or meshes deposited on top of the SPE or embedded within an SPE layer, or (d) separate sheets of catalyst particles bonded in Teflon, which are pressed against the SPE.
Examples of such an known electrode membrane constructions include:
(1) metal (Pt) films formed by electroless chemical plating directly onto Nation.TM. membrane surfaces; PA1 (2) porous Pt layers chemically plated onto a Nation.TM. film, forming a network of interconnected islands of Pt particles interspersed with roughly circular regions (40-100 .mu.m diameter) of Nation.TM. film containing little or no platinum; and PA1 (3) Pt discs spin coated with Nation.TM. solution followed by electrodeposited ruthenium ad-atoms onto a Nation.TM. film. PA1 (1) membrane electrodes with a conducting layer of contiguous metal particles deposited by vacuum evaporation on, and adhering to a non-porous material, overcoated with a permeable membrane layer; PA1 (2) porous 100 nm thick Au films vacuum vapor deposited on to Nation.TM. films; PA1 (3) grid electrode membranes has been produced by vacuum evaporation of Au onto Nation.TM. substrates through photolithographically etched masks, followed by spin coating Nation.TM. solutions over such electrode configurations; the length-to-width ratio of the grid wires being varied; PA1 (4) thin film electrode Nation.TM. film structures constructed by sputtering Pt through photolithographically etched masks onto various substrates and overcoating the Pt electrodes with various Nation.TM. films coated from solution; PA1 (5) ultrafine grid structures made by photolithographically etching 30 nm thick Au films previously deposited on oxidized Si wafers, and after etching, spin coating with Nation.TM. solutions; and PA1 (6) multiple electrodes, biased to null out environmental effects, formed on a common substrate by depositing a metal film and overcoating with a Nation.TM. membrane. PA1 (1) Pt and Ag powders pressed to the sides of SPEs made of compacted discs of Teflon.TM. and zirconium phosphate powders and antimonic oxide powders; PA1 (2) metal powders pressed into Nation.TM. sheet surfaces, and contacted with a gold mesh; PA1 (3) catalyzed carbon black loaded into the surface of Nation.TM. membranes and placed in contact with carbon black loaded Teflon membranes; PA1 (4) a gold minigrid (500 wires/inch) mechanically pressed into the surface of a Nation.TM. film, followed by "gluing" the pressed minigrid to the membrane by solution casting a further layer of Nation.TM. solution over the assembly since the mechanical pressing tends not to give good contact by itself; and PA1 (5) Pt wire meshes partially hot pressed into a Nation.TM. surface. PA1 (1) electrodes comprised of hydrophobic Teflon.TM.-bonded Pt black layers pressed against Nation.TM. membranes; and PA1 (2) electrodes pressed against Nation.TM. membranes, the electrodes being fabricated from platinoid black and Pt-5% Ir catalyst compositions blended with a Teflon.TM. binder. PA1 "acicular" means having an aspect ratio of.gtoreq.3; PA1 "aspect ratio" means a ratio of an element's height to its average cross-sectional width; PA1 "discrete" means distinct elements, having a separate identity, but does not preclude elements from being in contact with one another; PA1 "nanostructured element" means an acicular, discrete, oriented, sub-microscopic, preferably a two-component structure comprised of a whisker coated with an electrically conductive material; alternatively, the nanostructured element may be a one-component structure wherein the electrically conductive material only forms the discrete, oriented structure; PA1 "nanostructured electrode membrane" means a film containing nanostructured elements in an encapsulant, wherein the encapsulant is an electrolyte-containing polymer and the membrane may be configured for either a two-electrode or three-electrode sensor; PA1 "oriented" includes random or uniaxial; PA1 "solid electrolyte" includes non polymeric materials of a solid consistency that will allow ionic conductivity; PA1 "solid polymer electrolyte" includes polymer materials of a solid consistency that will allow ionic conductivity; PA1 "submicroscopic" means having at least one dimension smaller than approximately a micrometer; and PA1 "whisker" means the inert core of the nanostructured element.
Examples of metal grid or mesh based electrodes include:
Examples of electrode membranes wherein catalyst particles are pressed onto an SPE include:
Other examples of electrode membranes include:
Processes for bonding a catalytic material coated onto a current collecting screen and embedding it into the surface of a polymeric cation exchange membrane and other basic processes and properties of an electrode formed of a mixture of noble metal particles bonded with hydrophobic materials have been described.
While the art known electrode membranes have proven useful, such electrode membranes constructed from vapor coated grids and metal films tend to suffer several severe mechanical problems, delamination and cracking as a result of swelling and shrinkage of the SPE, especially when exposed to humidity. Such problems contribute to a decrease in signal from the electrodes with time over and above changes due to catalytic site effects. The adhesion of vapor deposited noble metal films to polymers tends to be poor, thus requiring an adhesion promoting layer like Cr to be deposited first, which can lead to corrosion and degradation of the electrode membrane upon use. Furthermore, the pressed metal meshes generally suffer delamination problems as known in the art.