The invention relates to a method for making a connection component that comprises a set of conducting inserts to be electrically connected with another component, said inserts being hollow.

At the present time, two possibilities are known in the main for assembling, according to the "flip chip by thermocompression" technique, two components requiring a large number of vertical electrical connections with a very fine pitch:                the first thermocompression technique comprises pressing two beads, at temperature, one against the other so as to bind them by plastic deformation (FIG. 1A).        the second technique, developed for the finest interconnect pitches, allows working at a lower temperature than the temperatures used in the first technique: it involves replacing one of the thermocompressed beads by a "hard" protuberance which breaks the native oxide of the solder at low-temperature reducing the support cross-section (FIG. 1B), thereby making it possible:                    to reduce the assembly temperature and assembly pressure;            to control crushing.
This second technique has been subject to patent application WO2006/054005 and adapted inserts are described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,198 (FIG. 1B).
The present invention falls within this second technique, known as insertion thermocompression, and aims to resolve the limitations in relation thereto, which are basically two in number.
The first problem relates to the thermocompression forces.
Indeed, the cross-section of the insert in the plane (X, Y) is required to be as low as possible so as to restrict the insertion force.
If the number of columns to be inserted increases, the insertion force to be exerted on the part for assembly is proportionate to the number N of connections to be implemented, and to the surface of their cross-section S, according to the following formula:Fhyb=k*S*N
This technique is thereby limited in respect of components with a very large number of connections, since it is known for example that a force of 4 tonnes would be needed to hybridize a matrix of 4 million pixels (1 g/bump).
The problem in relation to these forces may be exacerbated owing to the sensitivity of the assembled components.
Some materials for assembly are thus very sensitive to local stresses, leading to the creation of destructive dislocations during thermocompression hybridization.
Alternatively, the forces brought into play are no longer compatible with the required precision of assembly. Indeed, the requisite maximum lateral movement after hybridization must be less than 1 micrometer.
The second major technical problem raised by the insertion thermocompression technique is related to the way the inserts are made.
Indeed, making protuberances in a semi-conductor foundry may become problematic in respect of very fine pitches. If the cross-section of the inserts is reduced, conventional production techniques may prove difficult to implement, given the fineness of the required inserts.
This restriction is therefore related to the concept of a minimum fineness of photolithography. It is thus not possible to reduce the cross-section of a conventional full insert, for a given technological photolithographic resolution D, below the value □*D2/4.

Method of making a connection component with hollow inserts

Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


[Object] To provide a capacitor in which generation of warpage of a laminate can be prevented.

In general, a capacitor includes a laminate in which a plurality of dielectric layers are laminated, inner electrodes provided between the dielectric layers of the laminate, and outer electrodes provided on end faces of the laminate so as to be connected to the inner electrodes and each having an extending portion extending to a first main surface. For example, a plating method is used as a method for forming the outer electrodes. In the case where the extending portion of the outer electrode is formed by this method, an underlying electrode layer is formed in advance on an area where the extending portion is to be formed, the area being located on the first main surface of the laminate. The extending portion of the outer electrode is then formed on the underlying electrode layer by a plating method.

Abstract: [Solution] A capacitor 1 includes a laminate 2 in which a plurality of dielectric layers 6 are laminated, an inner electrode 3 disposed between the dielectric layers 6 of the laminate 2, an outer electrode 4 that is disposed on an end face of the laminate 2 so as to be connected to the inner electrode 3 and that has an extending portion 4A extending to a first main surface 2A of the laminate 2, and an underlying layer 5 including a base 5a disposed between the extending portion 4A and the first main surface 2A and metal particles 5b that are contained in the base 5a and that are joined to the outer electrode 4. With this structure, it is possible to provide a capacitor 1 in which warpage is not easily generated in the laminate 2 during sintering.


Keyword selection methods for use with handwriting recording devices such as a personal digital notepad (PDN) which provide robust keyword selection by making stroke membership and selection more flexible and, therefore, less prone user error/variability. In one aspect of the present invention, a method for selecting a keyword in a handwriting recording device comprises the steps of invoking a keyword selection mode writing bounding strokes around handwritten strokes selected by a user for designation as a keyword; defining a bounding region as the area contained within the bounding strokes; and determining keyword membership of a recorded stroke based on a relation between the recorded stroke and the defined bounding region. Keyword membership may be determined by including only those recorded strokes which fall entirely within the bounding region. In another aspect, keyword membership is determined by including only those strokes for which the ratio of the length of the stroke inside the bounding region to the total length of the stroke is larger than some predetermined or user-specified threshold. In another aspect, keyword membership can be implemented to include only those recorded strokes having a beginning, an end, or a beginning and end included within the bounding region. In yet another aspect, the keyword membership is implemented by including or excluding as a keyword member a stroke having a cost factor which exceeds a prespecified threshold, wherein the cost factor is based on a distance from the bounding region of a portion of a stroke that is outside of the bounding region and the percentage of the stroke length which is outside the bounding region.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to handwriting recording devices for real-time digitization of handwritten text and, more particularly, to system and methods for selecting keywords in a handwriting recording device.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a variety of handwriting recording devices which digitize and electronically capture handwritten text in real-time as the text is written. Typically, these conventional handwriting recording devices utilize a digitizing tablet in conjunction with an electronic stylus (i.e., pen) to record handwriting data. The digitizing tablet generates positional data representing the coordinates of the electronic stylus by detecting, for example, RF (radio frequency) signal emissions generated by the stylus as a user applies the stylus to the surface of the tablet (e.g., when the user is writing on or near the surface of the tablet).
One type of handwriting recording device is a personal digital notepad (PDN) device. The PDN device includes an electronic stylus having an inking tip which allows the user to write on a piece of paper placed over the digitizing tablet while recording handwriting strokes (positional data). The stylus typically includes a pressure sensor which generates a "pen down" signal when the stylus is in contact with the surface of the digitizing tablet. This signal is usually conveyed to the digitizing tablet via a dedicated line or through a secondary RF emission. Accordingly, by monitoring the pen down signal and the path of the radio emission of the stylus as it move across the radio sensitive grid, the digitizing tablet may generate a data stream representing the pen strokes which comprise written text on, or in proximity to, the surface of the digitizing tablet. The term "stroke" used herein refers to a group of handwriting data which is recorded between a "pen-down" signal and a "pen-up" signal.
One embodiment of a PDN device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/747,735 entitled: "Methods, Systems and Products Pertaining To A Digitizer For Use In Paper Based Record Making Systems" filed on Nov. 12, 1996, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. One currently available embodiment of this PDN device is marketed by the A. T. Cross Company and sold under the name CROSSPAD.TM.. The CROSSPAD allows a user to record handwritten information on a standard paper notepad and simultaneously record an electronic carbon copy of the writing.
One novel feature of the CROSSPAD is its ability to record user defined keywords while a user is writing on the device. A keyword can be one word or a group of words which are selected by the user when producing a handwritten record to represent key concepts or ideas for a given handwritten paragraph or page. In particular, a keyword comprises one or more recorded strokes which correspond to the handwritten text selected by the user and are electronically tagged as a single unit. The strokes comprising the keyword are subsequently converted into a text representation of the ink using handwritten recognition technology.
Specifically, the CROSSPAD is currently configured to define a keyword in the following manner. After the user is done writing on the writing medium associated with the PDN, the user actuates a designated switch, button or menu option on the PDN to invoke a "keyword mode." While in the keyword mode, the user selects a keyword by drawing "bounding strokes" around the handwritten strokes comprising the desired keyword. The bounding strokes may take the form of a circle, a box, or any other shape drawn by the user to delineate an area encompassing the desired (keyword) handwriting strokes. For instance, as shown in FIG. 1, a bounding stroke "b" (in the shape of an ellipse) is drawn around the handwritten word "jumps" on page P. As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the bounding stroke "b" is processed by the PDN to detect the extremities of the bounding stroke "b", i.e., the maximum X and Y coordinates (i.e., Xmax and Ymax) and the minimum X and Y coordinates (i.e., Xmin and Ymin) to generate a "bounding box" (denoted as "B") through which the detected coordinates extend. All recorded strokes having coordinates which fall within the "bounding box" area are used to define the keyword.
There are various disadvantages to the current keyword selection algorithm. For instance, the user may not fully encircle a handwritten stroke. Consequently, it is possible that some or even all of the handwritten strokes that the user desires to select as a keyword will not be included in the keyword. In addition, even if the bounding stroke "b" encloses the desired handwritten strokes, the current algorithm for generating the bounding box "B" (area) may cause the keyword members to include recorded strokes that are outside the actual bounding stroke "b" (i.e., in the areas denoted as "a" in FIG. 1) made by the user. These problems can result in user inconvenience and reduce the usability of the PDN with respect to keyword selection.

System and methods for providing robust keyword selection in a personal digital notepad

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for producing fiber optic devices having improved intrinsic resistance to external environmental conditions and a fiber optic device made my the method are disclosed. The fabrication method produces an optic device that is treated with deuterium. The method includes a step for treating and/or making optical devices in the presence of a flame produced by the combustion of deuterium gas or a mixture including deuterium.

The present invention relates to fabrication of fiber optic devices, and more particularly to a fabrication method that produces fiber optic devices having improved intrinsic resistance to external environmental conditions.
The widespread and global deployment of fiber optic networks and systems mandates that fiber optic devices and components operate reliably over long periods of time. This mandate imposes stringent performance requirements on various fiber optic devices and components that are used in such networks and systems. In this respect, since fiber optic devices and components are expected to operate reliably for decades or more, prior to qualification for use, such components are typically subjected to an array of mechanical and environmental tests that are designed to measure their long term reliability.
Guarantees of long term performance become especially crucial in application where the cost of failure is very high (e.g., submarine applications.) One of these tests is a damp/heat soak test, where a fiber optic device or component is exposed to elevated temperature and humidity conditions (typically 85xc2x0 C. and 85% relative humidity) for an extended period of time. Fiber optic couplers exposed to such conditions may exhibit a gradual drift in insertion loss. Eventually, this drift will cause a coupler to fail to meet its assigned performance specifications.
It is believed that the primary cause for the above-identified drift is water vapor or some component, constituent or by-product of water vapor diffusing into the exposed core glass of the coupler and changing the coupler""s index of refraction.
In an attempt to prevent migration of moisture into the coupling region, it has been known to provide improved packaging for optic couplers, with the goal of eliminating exposure to external environment. For example, prior art approaches have included packaging fiber optic couplers and other fiber optic components inside a metal tubing and sealing the ends of the tubing with a polymeric material, such as a silicon-based material or epoxy. These types of packaging have not proved successful in preventing the aforementioned problem.
Other prior art approaches have focused on reducing the introduction of water vapor during the manufacturing process. These attempts include the use of heat sources, such as a solid state heaters alone, that introduce less hydrogen/water during fabrication of a coupler, than is introduced using an xe2x80x9copen flamexe2x80x9d heat source. However, these attempts have also failed. Such approaches are deficient because it has been discovered that the introduction of water and water related species during fabrication is not a major cause of long-term drift of optical properties under damp heat accelerated aging conditions. See Maack et. al, Confirmation of a Water Diffusion Model for Splitter Coupling Ration Drift Using Long Term Reliability Data. See also, Cryan et al., Long Term Splitting Ration Drifts in Singlemode Fused Fiber Optic Splitters, Proc. Nat. Fiber Opt. Eng. Conf. Jun. 18-22, 1995.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of forming an optical device having a region treated by deuterium, comprising the steps of maintaining first and second optic fibers proximate to one another along a segment, and fusing together the segment to form a coupling region in the presence of a flame produced by combustion of deuterium gas.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method where the first and second optical fibers have different propagation constants.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method where a diameter of said first optic fiber is modified to change the propagation constant.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method where the diameter of one of the optic fibers is modified by heating the optic fiber while stretching the first optical fiber to reduce its diameter in a portion of the optic fiber.
In another aspect, the invention provides a coupler comprising at least two optic fibers having respective longitudinal segments, where the longitudinal segments are fused together in the presence of a flame produced by combustion of deuterium gas.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method where another chemical or compound is added to the deuterium fuel.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method where oxygen is added to the deuterium fuel.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure and steps particularly pointed out in the written description, the claims and the drawings.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an optical fiber before stretching.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus used to stretch an optical fiber.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an optical fiber after a pre-taper operation has been performed.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus and a coupler.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing change is splitting loss over time.
FIG. 6 is a graph showing median time to failure for various optical devices.
FIG. 7 is a chart showing probability distributions of rates of change of splitting loss at 85xc2x0 C./85%RH.
FIG. 8 is a table including data from TTF experiments.

Fiber optic device with enhanced resistance to environmental conditions and method


Digital signage systems and methods are provided for advertising and vehicle maintenance-related content based on vehicle telematics data. Example method steps include receiving vehicle telematics data from an in-vehicle telematics device, creating a content production request based on the vehicle telematics data, retrieving context-aware information based on the content production request from a local database or a remote networked resource, creating a digital signage message based at least in part on the context-aware information and at least one predetermined rule, and causing display of the digital signage message on one or more displays.

Traditionally, digital signage systems are used to display advertisements in public venues such as stadiums, convention centers, airports, transit stations, subways stations, individual subway cars, buses, commercial buildings, office buildings, shopping malls, retail outlets, and so forth. These systems can help to provide advertisements and information to the public by employing dynamic signage involving various predetermined rules to be triggered by specific events. In particular, dynamic signage can allow for video advertisements and messages to be displayed on electronic displays, typically with the purpose of delivering targeted messages at specific locations, specific times, and for specific individuals. The digital content displayed by dynamic signage systems can be programmed and updated on a real time-basis.
Existing digital signage systems can be interactive. These systems may include video cameras operable to detect the presence of individuals near a display or certain venue to initiate displaying advertising content. Some existing interactive digital signage systems include touch screens to provide interactive information inquiry service. However, there are a number of limitations associated with interactive digital signage systems, especially in the vehicle maintenance area.
The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Methods and systems for context-aware car diagnostics and commerce


A synchronous digital demodulator and method for demodulating a read signal including a user data waveform and a servo waveform which are generated by a read head as the read head passes over a user data area and a servo area, respectively, on a medium in a storage device. The user data waveform is converted to a series of digital user data values at a user data sample rate. The series of digital user data values are then applied to a user data detector circuit. The servo waveform is converted to a series of digital servo values at a servo sample rate, which is independent from the user data sample rate. The series of digital servo values are demodulated synchronously with the servo waveform to produce a position error value indicative of a position error of the read head relative to a location on the medium.

The present invention relates to a servo system in a data storage device and, in particular, to demodulation of position error signals (PES) within the servo system.
A data storage device, such as a magnetic disc drive, stores data on a recording medium The recording medium is typically divided into a plurality of generally parallel data tracks. In a magnetic disc drive, the data tracks are arranged concentrically with one another, perpendicular to the disc radius. The data is stored and retrieved by a transducer or "head" that is positioned over a desired data track by an actuator arm.
The actuator arm moves the head in a radial direction across the data tracks under the control of a closed-loop servo system based on servo data stored on the disc surface within dedicated servo fields. The servo fields can be interleaved with data sectors on the disc surface or on a separate disc surface that is dedicated to storing servo information. As the head passes over the servo fields, it generates a readback servo signal that identifies the location of the head relative to the centerline of the desired track. Based on this location, the servo system rotates the actuator arm to adjust the head's position so that it moves toward a desired position.
There are several types of servo field patterns, such as a "null-type" servo pattern, a "split-burst amplitude" servo pattern, and a "phase type" servo pattern. A null type servo pattern includes at least two fields which are written at a known phase relation to one another. The first field is a "phase" or "sync" field which is used to lock the phase and frequency of the read channel to the phase and frequency of the read signal. The second field is a position error field which is used to identify the location of the head with respect to the track centerline.
As the head passes over the position error field, the amplitude and phase of the read signal indicates the magnitude and direction of the head offset with respect to the track centerline. The position error field has a null-type magnetization pattern such that when the head is directly straddling the track centerline, the amplitude of the readback signal is ideally zero. As the head moves away from the desired track centerline, the amplitude of the read signal increases. When the head is half-way between the desired track centerline and the centerline of the adjacent track, the read signal has a maximum amplitude. The magnetization pattern on one side of the centerline is written 180.degree. out of phase with the magnetization pattern on the other side of the centerline. Thus, the phase of the read signal indicates the direction of the head position error.
To control the servo system, a single position error value is generated for each pass over the position error field. Typically, the magnitude of the position error value indicates the distance of the head from the track centerline, and the sign of the position error value indicates the direction of the head's displacement. The position error values are typically created by demodulating the read signal associated with the position error field. In a synchronous process, the exact phase of the read signal from the position error field is known from the phase field's read signal because the phase field is written on the storage medium at a known and fixed phase relation to the position error field. A phase-locked loop (PLL) is typically used to acquire the phase of the phase field, and this phase information is used for demodulating the position error field.
The read signal is demodulated by generating a demodulating signal, such as a square wave, having the same phase and frequency as a fundamental component of the read signal and then, with analog techniques, multiplying the read signal by the demodulating signal. The product is integrated over a time window that corresponds to the middle cycles of the position error field. The result is a position error value for the head with respect to a desired position on the storage medium within that servo pattern. This process essentially identifies the amplitude and phase of the read signal at a specific frequency point. The sign of the position error value indicates which direction the head is located with respect to the desired location.
Although demodulating the read signal with analog techniques provides a very accurate position error value, this type of demodulation can be difficult to integrate onto the same integrated circuit as a predominately digital data channel. This can increase the overall cost and complexity of a servo system.
The present invention addresses these and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.

Synchronous digital demodulator with integrated read and servo channels


A method of moving reflectors in an optical cross-connect switch. In one embodiment, the optical cross-connect switch identifies a reflector path avoiding possible interference with other reflectors, predicts the reflector path from pre-computed tables, and moves the reflector in a straight line in target reflector plane coordinates from initial position to target position.

The present invention relates to the field of optical switching. More particularly, the present invention relates to techniques for positioning optical reflectors in optimal positions.
A micro-electro-mechanical-system (xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d) device is a micro-sized mechanical structure having electrical circuitry fabricated using conventional integrated circuit (xe2x80x9cICxe2x80x9d) fabrication methods. One type of MEMS device is a microscopic gimbaled mirror device. A gimbaled mirror device includes a mirror component, which is suspended off a substrate, and is able to pivot about an axis caused by, for example, electrostatic actuation. Electrostatic actuation creates an electric field that causes the mirror component to pivot. The electrostatic actuation is typically induced by pairs of parallel plate electrodes residing beneath the movable members of the gimbaled mirror device.
By allowing the mirror component to pivot, the mirror component is capable of having an angular range of motion. The gimbaled mirror may be used to reflect light in X and Y axes.
MEMS mirrors typically resonate at a relatively low resonant frequency. When moving the mirrors to create new paths, MEMS mirrors typically show a strong tendency to resonate. Significant oscillations in the order of 30 follow an abrupt move, while overshoots approach 75%.
A 3D mirror has two axes, and therefore two significant resonances. There will be others that will be excited during normal activity. For example vertical vibrations of various parts of the assembly, and the flexing of the frame. Additionally, there can be a great deal of cross coupling between the driving forces on the two axes. A change in voltages to rotate one axis can also modify the torque on the other axis. Similarly, a change in the angular position of one axis can modify the torque exerted on the other axis.
One approach to solving these problems is to use position sensors and active feedback loops. However, addition of sensors, feedback loops and control processing adds complexity to the device. Further, component drift may give rise to instabilities, and the creation of resonances and overshoot.
Overshoot can be a problem, putting a mirror into an unstable region, or causing excessive movement beyond the working range of a mirror. Overshoot may lead to mirror lockup or breakage.
The geometry of an assembly holding multiple gimbaled mirror devices may also change with temperature and time. A resulting problem from a drifting mirror position is that the path of light reflected by the gimbaled mirror will change. A small change in mirror position could lead to a large change in the position of an end of a beam of light.
A method of moving reflectors in an optical cross-connect switch is described. In one embodiment, the optical cross-connect switch identifies a reflector path avoiding possible interference with other reflectors, predicts the reflector path from pre-computed tables, and moves the reflector in a straight line in target reflector plane coordinates from initial position to target position.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.

Safe procedure for moving mirrors in an optical cross-connect switch


A seat system includes a seat including a sensor configured to acquire information for detection of a motion of an occupant seated on a seat body, a terminal device configured to acquire the information from the sensor, and a server capable of communicating with the terminal device. The terminal device executes a game using the sensor based on the information, and acquires an execution result corresponding to the occupant for a game played by the occupant. The server generates integrated data by integrating execution results of the game acquired from another terminal device, and computes a reference value for execution results of the game based on the integrated data. The terminal device or the server assigns a difficulty level of the game for the terminal device based on the execution result corresponding to the occupant and the reference value. The terminal device reflects the difficulty level on the game.

A vehicle seat with a plurality of pressure sensors provided on the seat to detect a sitting posture of an occupant is known in the art (Patent Document 1). A device with a pressure sensor or the like provided on a driver's seat to estimate a sitting posture of an occupant is also known in the art (Patent Document 2).


In the heat-sensitive indicator herein disclosed, a colored heat-fusible substance 3 is accommodated in an inner hollow portion of a projection 1 which is formed from a film collapsible by application of an external pressure such as a finger-pressure. The opening of the hollow portion is sealed with a thin cover 9 collapsible through the application of the foregoing pressure. An An absorber 7 in which the colored heat-fusible substance 3 in the molten state can permeate is arranged outside the thin cover 9 of the hollow portion. The colored heat-fusible substance 3 is supported by a carrier 5 and accommodated in the interior of the hollow portion of the projection 1. A space in which the carrier is dropped when the thin cover 9 is broken through the application of a pressure is formed, behind the thin cover 9, by a hollow ring 11. The carrier 5 is positioned within the hollow ring 11, which forms the space outside the opening of the hollow portion and behind the thin cover 9 for the opening, and on the absorber 7. The carrier 5 serves to control the rate of permeation of the colored heat-fusible substance into the absorber and accordingly, stable permeation thereof into the absorber 7 can be ensured.

The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive indicator which gives an irreversible indication when the temperature of a desired subject exceeds a predetermined level and more specifically to a heat-sensitive indicator used for temperature-control in the fields of frozen foods and medical care products which require low temperature storage.
In the recent eating habits, a large number of frozen foods have frequently been used, but the frozen temperatures thereof largely differ from one another. An increase in the temperature thereof during transportation leads to quality reduction and proliferation of bacteria which, in turn, result in deterioration and rottenness. For this reason, severe conditions for temperature-control has been required for these frozen foods. In the field of medical care, the role of low temperature-control is very important for particular medicines, blood and specimens. In this case, if the temperature of these products increases, they likewise cause quality deterioration and in the worst case, they cannot be used.
As indicators for temperature-control of the foregoing foods and medical products for medical care, there have been known, for instance, time-temperature integrating monitors which undergo temperature histeresis phenomena such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 50-60262 and 51-33432; and temperature-time monitors which make use of microcapsules such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 61-13116 and 62-197486 as well as indicators which make use of capillary phenomena such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 59-164929.
It has been very difficult to use an indicator for low temperature-control since the temperature histeresis thereof is quite complicated. In case of the foregoing indicators for temperature-control, they are cooled prior to the use thereof and then the reaction thereof is initiated. However, most of them suffer from problems concerning the timing and mechanism for the initiation of the reaction. Moreover, substances used in these low temperature reactions have low storage stability and this often greatly affects the accuracy of the resulting indicators.


Systems and methods for self-provisioning of mobile devices in a deployable telecommunications network are disclosed. A telecommunications network may include an enhanced provisioning server for recording and maintaining user data and authentication information associating users with applications of the network, and for generating secure, transportable user credentials that carry the user data and authentication information on a per-user basis. An enhanced deployable mobile communication system may include local versions of the applications, as well as a local subscriber database and provisioning server. The enhanced deployable mobile system securely import individual user data and authentication information from a user's transportable credentials, and use the imported data to provision the user in the deployable mobile system. Multiple deployable systems may be used, each enabling individual users to self-provision. Each may function as a standalone mobile network even in the absence of connectivity to a core telecommunications network.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Cellular wireless networks typically include a number of base stations that radiate to define wireless coverage areas, such as cells and/or cell sectors, in which user equipment devices (UEs) such as cell phones, "smart" phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. Each base station forms part of a Radio Access Network (RAN) that is coupled by a "backhaul" to a "core" network, which in turn provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for voice communications and/or the Internet for voice and/or data communications, as well as data services, for instance.
In general, a wireless network operates in accordance with a particular air interface protocol or radio access technology, with communications from the base stations to UEs defining a downlink or forward link and communications from the UEs to the base stations defining an uplink or reverse link. Examples of existing air interface protocols include, without limitation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) or Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) (e.g., 1×RTT and 1×EV-DO), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) among others. Each protocol defines its own procedures for registration of UEs, initiation of communications, allocation of bandwidth for UE communications, handoff/handover between coverage areas, and functions related to air interface communication.
When a UE enters into a cell or sector (or more generally, coverage area) of a base station, the UE may attach, register, or otherwise associate with the base station, and the base station may then serve the UE on one or more carriers. The base station may then be referred to as the UE's "serving" base station. In practice, the process of serving the UE may involve the serving base station allocating use of particular air interface resources, such as traffic channels or portions thereof, to carry data communications to and from the UE, and managing transmission on those resources, such as controlling what modulation scheme is used for the transmissions.
With this arrangement, a UE within the coverage area of the wireless network may engage in air interface communication with a base station. This arrangement enables UEs to communicate via the base station with various remote network entities or with other UEs served by the base station or by one or more other base stations.
A cellular wireless network is typically operated by a service provider that offers network access and service to users or subscribers. In order to ensure that only authorized UEs may gain access to a service provider's network and its services, various types of security techniques may be implemented. These may include a mutual authentication in which the network authenticates the UE and the UE authenticates the network. The network will also typically need to know "secret information" of a user or subscriber in order to be able to offer services.
A service provider may employ a centralized "Home Subscriber Server" ("HSS") in its core network for provisioning subscribers and their UEs, as well as maintaining a database of subscribers and their provisioned services. When a subscriber accesses the wireless network via the subscriber's UE, the HSS provides authentication "vectors" to a "Mobility Management Entity" ("MME"), which are used to authenticate the UE with the network, and to authenticate the network with the UE. The centralized HSS stores information regarding the subscriber's profile and one or more service attributes.
Cellular wireless networks are also used for public safety networks, either as standalone networks or overlaid on existing networks of service providers. A public safety network will typically have its own HSS for its personnel and their associated UEs, yet must also be able to operate under circumstances in which a RAN or part of a RAN loses connectivity with the core network (e.g., in the event of a natural disaster). In order to establish and/or maintain at least some level of operability when RAN-core connectivity is interrupted, public safety networks employ a form of portable network customarily referred to as a "deployable." Each deployable integrates the functionality of a RAN and many aspects of the core network, including a local HSS that duplicates the centralized HSS, in a standalone unit. When deployed in a geographic region where RAN-core connectivity has been lost, a deployable makes it possible for emergency personnel to authenticate their UEs with the cellular wireless network of the deployable (and vice versa), and thereby be afforded wireless communications within an area served by the deployable.

Self-provisioning of mobile devices in deployable mobile telecommunications networks


A process for preparing a stabilized aloe vera gel which includes separating the clear gel from the whole leaf of the aloe vera plant, by grinding and mixing the whole leaf with a cellulose dissolving compound. Clear aloe vera gel is obtained through a series of filtration steps. A selected quantity of an oxygen scavenging enzyme, such as glucose oxidase is added to the mixture to remove oxygen from within the gel and inhibit the growth of aerobic bacteria therein, and ultra-violet light is used to sterilize the gel without the addition of heat thereto. The material can be passed through a final organic filter to remove any remaining bacteria.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of preparing stabilized aloe vera gel, and, more particularly, to a cold process for preparing aloe vera gel from the whole leaf that allows for both topical applications and internal applications.
2. History of the Prior Art
Aloe vera is a subtropical plant which has elongate leaves containing a clear, viscous gel. The leaves are given structural rigidity by means of a plurality of hair-like connective fibers which run throughout the leaf. The plant is the source of at least two medicinal substances which includes a mucilaginous yellow fluid which comes from the base of the leaves of the plant adjacent the leaf rind. This yellow fluid is known as aloin and has been used throughout history as an active ingredient in cathartics and medicinal purges. The other medicinal substance which comes from aloe vera is the clear gel taken from within the body of the elongated leaves. This gel has been used throughout history for its therapeutic healing effect on bums, insect bites, and other human and animal injuries.
The therapeutic efficaciousness of the clear gel taken from aloe vera leaves is a function of the freshness of the gel. For example, exposure of the gel to light and air for about 1 1/2 hours greatly diminishes the therapeutic power of the gel and may totally destroy it for some applications. For other applications, it has been found that relatively old, unstabilized gel has been effective. This difference is apparently a function of the fact that the gel itself is a complex mixture of components which are affected in varying degrees by exposure to air and light at different temperatures and which may vary from batch to batch of gel.
In addition to the decay of efficaciousness of the clear aloe vera gel upon exposure to light and air, the substance produces decomposition products which catalyze further decomposition over time. These phenomena render aloe vera gel extracts extremely difficult to compound into cream emulsions for topical applications. Cosmetic preparations of aloe vera usually become discolored after about four weeks and, further, the gel typically becomes rancid and totally unusable within the same time period.
One of the goals of prior art techniques of preparing stabilized aloe vera gel has been to preserve its medicinal efficacy as well as stabilize it for use in cosmetic preparations. The techniques taught in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,853 to Cobble and 4,148,372 to Coats have been relatively effective for many applications. However, both of these processes involve a step in which the temperature of the aloe vera gel and catalytic additives range from 35.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C. This addition of heat is necessary in order to destroy the aerobic bacteria within the gel and thereby sterilize it to inhibit decay. Most all of the organisms which cause decay in the therapeutic properties of the aloe vera gel are aerobic and, thus, without sterilization, the substance becomes rancid and essentially unusable within a relatively short period of time. The application of heat to the gel, however, also produces adverse side effects. Among these side effects are the fact that the heat destroys a substantial portion of the active ingredients within the gel and, thus, inhibits its efficacy as a medicinal compound. For example, heating of the gel contributes to the destruction of mucopolysaccharide as well as other enzymes and proteins which are believed to be responsible for a substantial portion of the therapeutic effects of aloe vera gel.
While processes for preparing aloe vera gel extract without the application of heat are known, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,935 and 4,851,224 to McAnalley, such cold processes have generally removed the outer skin of the aloe vera leaf before further processing. It is believed that the skin of the leaf, and the regions just below the skin, contain substantial quantities of highly active mucopolysaccharide compositions. Thus, fileting of the leaves to remove these regions results in a loss of efficacy of the final aloe vera product.
Other cold processes for preparing aloe vera gel extract are known which use the whole leaf of the aloe vera plant. However, these processes usually contain a chemical compound that is used for the purpose of killing bacteria. Due to the nature of these compounds, they have not been approved by the Federal Drug and Food Administration for internal consumption. This limits the gels and creams made from these processes to topical applications only.
Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for a means for preparation of the purified aloe vera gel composition in both its untreated and hypoallergenic varieties without the application of heat that would allow retention of all of the valuable efficacious material contained within the region of the outer skin of the leaf. Furthermore, the provision of a cold process for preparing aloe vera gel from the whole leaf that could be taken internally would allow for greater diversification in the application of the final product.

Method of processing stabilized aloe vera gel obtained from the whole aloe vera leaf


A (e.g., expected) performance of proposed ad placement is compared with a performance threshold (either an initial threshold or an adjusted threshold). The ad may be served if the expected performance meets the threshold (perhaps subject to additional conditions), but is not served if the expected performance is less than the performance threshold. Spend information of the ad so served is analyzed to determine if a target amount (budget) is expected to be overspent or underspent. If the former, the performance threshold is increased (and/or the ad performance value is decreased). If the later, the performance threshold is decreased (and/or the ad performance value is increased).

§1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns advertising, such as online advertising for example. In particular, the present invention concerns improving the values of serving advertisements, such as cost per impression advertisements for example.
§1.2 Background Information
Advertising using traditional media, such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines, is well known. Unfortunately, even when armed with demographic studies and entirely reasonable assumptions about the typical audience of various media outlets, advertisers recognize that much of their ad budget is simply wasted. Moreover, it is very difficult to identify and eliminate such waste.
Recently, advertising over more interactive media has become popular. For example, as the number of people using the Internet has exploded, advertisers have come to appreciate media and services offered over the Internet as a potentially powerful way to advertise.
Interactive advertising provides opportunities for advertisers to target their ads to a receptive audience. That is, targeted ads are more likely to be useful to end users since the ads may be relevant to a need inferred from some user activity (e.g., relevant to a user's search query to a search engine, relevant to content in a document requested by the user, etc.). Query keyword targeting has been used by search engines to deliver relevant ads. For example, the AdWords advertising system by Google Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. (referred to as "Google"), delivers ads targeted to keywords from search queries. Similarly, content targeted ad delivery systems have been proposed. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.: 10/314,427 (incorporated herein by reference and referred to as "the '427 application"), titled "METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SERVING RELEVANT ADVERTISEMENTS", filed on Dec. 6, 2002 and listing Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik and Paul Buchheit as inventors; and Ser. No. 10/375,900 (incorporated by reference and referred to as "the '900 application"), titled "SERVING ADVERTISEMENTS BASED ON CONTENT," filed on Feb. 26, 2003 and listing Darrell Anderson, Paul Buchheit, Alex Carobus, Claire Cui, Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik, Deepak Jindal and Narayanan Shivakumar as inventors, describe methods and apparatus for serving ads relevant to the content of a document, such as a Web page for example. Content targeted ad delivery systems, such as the AdSense advertising system by Google for example, have been used to serve ads on Web pages.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, serving ads relevant to concepts of text in a text document and serving ads relevant to keywords in a search query are useful because such ads presumably concern a current user interest. Consequently, such online advertising has become increasingly popular. Moreover, advertising using other targeting techniques, and even untargeted online advertising, has become increasingly popular.
Initially, advertisers paid for online advertising on a cost per impression (or cost per 1,000 impressions, often referred to as "CPM") basis. However, since many advertisers value impressions that lead potential customers to their Website, many advertising networks adopted a pay per ad selection (often referred to as a cost per click (or "CPC") pricing model. Such a pricing model adequately reflected the value proposition of many advertisers. Further, since some sophisticated advertising networks such as AdWords and AdSense from Google use selection rate (e.g., selections per impressions, also referred to as click-through rate (or "CTR") in scoring ads competing for various ad spots, and CTR is a good indicator of the usefulness of an ad to end users, such a pricing model is also beneficial to end users.
Although many advertisers appreciate the CPC pricing model, some advertisers are interested mainly in branding and are therefore primarily concerned with ad impressions. Such advertisers would like to use a CPM pricing model. Moreover, often such advertisers would like to spend their budget. That is, if a CPM advertiser budgets $1,000 per week for an ad campaign, it would like to spend that entire amount, but not more. Most ad systems today are optimized to meet reservation commitments (e.g. 10,000 page views in the month of March).
Existing advertising systems, such as systems that use or support a CPM pricing model, could be improved. For example, although CPM advertisers are primarily concerned with impressions, many would find it useful to get better or more valuable impressions.

Controlling the serving of advertisements, such as cost per impression advertisements for example, to improve the value of such serves


A digital signal recording disc has a first area storing an audio title set. The audio title set has data representing audio information and data representing a still picture. The audio title set is void of a pack of data for playback control. The first area also stores information for managing the audio title set. The digital signal recording disc is void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording medium such as a digital signal recording disc, a digital video disc, a digital versatile disc, or an IC memory. Also, this invention relates to a signal encoding apparatus. Furthermore, this invention relates to a player for a recording medium such as a digital signal recording disc. In addition, this invention relates to a signal decoding apparatus and a signal decoding method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical discs for storing information include digital video discs and digital versatile discs (DVD""s). A standard DVD stores a combination of an audio signal and a video signal. The audio-signal recording capacity of the standard DVD is significantly smaller than the video-signal recording capacity thereof. It is difficult to manage time-related information of the audio signal recorded on the standard DVD. It is difficult to read out information of the titles of tunes represented by the audio signal recorded on the standard DVD.
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved recording medium.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved signal encoding apparatus.
It is a third object of this invention to provide an improved player for a recording medium.
It is a fourth object of this invention to provide an improved signal decoding apparatus.
It is a fifth object of this invention to provide an improved signal decoding method.
A first aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A second aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set results from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz.
A fourth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; and wherein the first data results from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency.
A sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; and wherein the first data includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz.
A seventh aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; wherein the first data includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz; and means for placing second information in the first area, the second information representing that emphasis reproduction is inhibited when the sampling frequency related to the first sub data is equal to 192 kHz, and when the sampling frequency related to the second sub data is equal to 176.4 kHz.
An eighth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set. The player comprises means for detecting the managing information from the first area of the digital signal recording medium; and means for reproducing the data representing the audio information and the data representing the still picture from the digital signal recording medium in response to the detected managing information.
A ninth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set, wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz. The player comprises means for reproducing the first sub data and the second sub data from the digital signal recording medium; means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the reproduced first sub data to recover a corresponding analog audio signal; and means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the reproduced second sub data to recover a corresponding analog audio signal.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for indicating the sampling frequencies related to the first sub data and the second sub data.
An eleventh aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets having data representing audio information and data representing a still-picture; a second area storing menu information; a third area storing information for managing the audio title sets; a fourth area storing information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information; and a fifth area storing TOC information.
A twelfth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; means for generating second information of management of the audio title set and menu information in response to the first data, the second data, and the menu information; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, the first information, the second information, and TOC information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing audio title sets having the first data and the second data, a second area containing the menu information, a third area containing the first information, a fourth area containing the second information, and a fifth area containing the TOC information.
A thirteenth aspect of this invention provides a player comprising means for dividing an input signal into packs; means for separating the packs into first packs, second packs, and third packs, the first packs including audio data, the second packs containing real-time information data, the third packs still-picture data; means for decoding the first packs into the audio data; means for decoding the second packs into the real-time information data; and means for decoding the third packs into the still-picture data.
A fourteenth aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for outputting the audio data while outputting the still-picture data.
A fifteenth aspect of this invention is based on the fourteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for synchronizing the outputting of the audio data and the outputting of the still-picture data.
A sixteenth aspect of this invention is based on the fourteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player as recited further comprising means for changing a page of a picture represented by the still-picture data in response to a page change command.
A seventeenth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium storing first audio data, second audio data, and sampling frequency information, the first audio data having a first predetermined sampling frequency, the second audio data having a second predetermined sampling frequency, the sampling frequency information representing the first predetermined frequency of the first audio data and the second sampling frequency of the second audio data. The player comprises means for reproducing the first audio data and the sampling frequency information from the digital signal recording medium; means for detecting a sampling frequency of the reproduced first audio data in response to the reproduced sampling frequency information; means for converting the reproduced first audio data into third audio data having a sampling frequency equal to the second predetermined sampling frequency; and means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the third audio data in response to a sampling clock signal having a frequency equal to the second predetermined sampling frequency.
An eighteenth aspect of this invention is based on the seventeenth aspect thereof, and provides a player wherein the first audio data and the second audio data correspond to respective channels of a multiple-channel audio signal.
A nineteenth aspect of this invention is based on the seventeenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for indicating the sampling frequency of the first audio data when the first audio data is reproduced.
A twentieth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium storing audio data, copyright data related to the audio data, and still-picture data. The player comprises means for reproducing the audio data, the copyright data, and the still-picture data from the digital signal recording medium; means for combining the reproduced copyright data and the reproduced still-picture data into a composite picture signal; and means for outputting the reproduced audio data while outputting the composite picture data.
A twenty-first aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for reproducing information from a digital signal recording medium, and means for using the reproduced information as the input signal.
A twenty-second aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for receiving the input signal from a transmission line.
A twenty-third aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs; and means for placing character information and display time control data in the management packs, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A twenty-fourth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; and second areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs, the management packs also containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A twenty-fifth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, and second areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs, the management packs also containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information. The player comprises means for reproducing the management packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced management packs into the character information; means for decoding the reproduced management packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A twenty-sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information; and means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs.
A twenty-seventh aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; second areas storing character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information; and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs.
A twenty-eighth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, second areas storing character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information, and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs. The player comprises means for reproducing the character display packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the character information; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A twenty-ninth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data; and means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A thirtieth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; second areas storing character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data; and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A thirty-first aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, second areas storing character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data, and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information. The player comprises means for reproducing the character display packs and the management packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the character information; means for decoding the management packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A thirty-second aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-third aspect thereof, and provides a signal encoding apparatus wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-third aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-fourth aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-fourth aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-fifth aspect thereof, and provides a player wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-fifth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus for encoding a signal into a format which corresponds to a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-seventh aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding method for encoding a signal into a format which corresponds to a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-eighth aspect of this invention provides a signal decoding apparatus for decoding a signal reproduced from a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-ninth aspect of this invention provides a signal decoding method for decoding a signal reproduced from a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.

Recording medium and signal processing apparatus


A step assembly for attachment to a boat lift frame to allow for easy entry and exit from a boat secured on a boat lift. The assembly comprises a platform connected to a vertical member. The vertical member is fastened to a beam of the boat lift frame. The platform may be hingedly connected to the vertical member and movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position.

Often when a boat is moored to a dock or pier, a boat lift or as it sometimes called a lake lift is used. The lift allows the user to moor the boat up and out of the water. This type of mooring helps to maintain the boats finish, paint, mechanical components, and reduces the overall wear and tear on the boat.
There are two basic types of boat lift; a vertical lift and a cantilevered lift. Each of these type of lift operate according to the same basic principles and has a similar structure. Both lifts include a frame that is placed into the water adjacent to a pier or dock. Typically, this frame includes pilings that are placed on the seabed, lakebed, or riverbed that act as a base to support the lift. A movable bunk provides resting support to the boat. In a cantilevered style lift, the bunk is hingedly connected to the frame and raised into position above the water. In a vertical lift, the bunk is secured to a frame that is hoisted vertically out of the water.
Often, the frame structure of a boat lift is located adjacent to a dock or pier, allowing users an access point to a raised boat. Typically, due to various differences in the designs of boat lifts, environmental conditions, or movement during use, a user is required to step across a large gap between the pier or dock and the boat. Often this makes entry into a retained boat difficult for many users. Therefore, there is a need for a device that makes entry into a boat easier and more accommodating. Preferably, this device is universal and adaptable to several types and styles of lifts.


In a motor vehicle seat for an open motor vehicle, with an air supply device integrated in its backrest and/or head restraint, the device including an air outlet duct having an outlet opening arranged on the front side of the head restraint, for supplying the head, neck and shoulder region of the vehicle occupant with hot air, and an air inlet duct having an inlet opening, with a heating element being assigned to the air supply device. The inlet opening of the air supply device is arranged on the rear side of the backrest or of the head restraint and approximately level with or above a rear end wall edge of the motor vehicle.

The present application claims priority to Application No. 101 63 049.2, filed in the Federal Republic of Germany on Dec. 21, 2001, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat.
German Published Patent Application No. 199 49 935 describes a motor vehicle seat for an open motor vehicle with an air supply device integrated in its head restraint, the device including an air outlet duct having an outlet opening arranged on the front side of the head restraint, for supplying the head, neck and shoulder region of the vehicle occupant with hot air, and an air inlet duct having an inlet opening, with a heating element being assigned to the air supply device. The air supply device is overall of very space-consuming and complex design.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle seat, the air supply device of which requires a smaller structural space and is of simpler construction.
The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a motor vehicle seat as described herein.
In the case of the motor vehicle according to the present invention, the inlet opening is arranged on the rear side of the backrest or of the head restraint, as a result of which an air flow flowing back into the passenger cell during open travel may enter into the air supply device and may be used as a hot air flow for supplying the head, neck and shoulder region of the vehicle occupant. In addition, a short air path between the inlet opening and the outlet opening may be achieved, and the air supply device may be configured more compactly and with greater efficiency. Also, the short air path means that the heating element may be of smaller and more energy-efficient configuration. The inlet opening is arranged level with or above a rear end wall edge of the motor vehicle, so that the backflowing air flow may pass with corresponding intensity into the air supply device.
Further aspects, features and details of the present invention are described below with reference to exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings.


An integrated circuit device includes at least one test device and a stress generator coupled to the test device and operable to cycle the at least one test device to generate an AC stress. A method for testing an integrated circuit device including at least one test device and a stress generator coupled to the test device includes enabling the stress generator to cycle the at least one test device to generate an AC stress and measuring at least one parameter of the test device to determine an effect of the AC stress.

The disclosed subject matter relates generally to integrated circuits and, more particularly, to a device having bias temperature instability test structures and a system for measuring the test structures.
Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) is an issue in deep submicron technologies. BTI affects devices which are kept in an active state for extended periods of time. For example, a custom array, or any domino circuit, often requires a keeper to hold the voltage on pre-charged bitlines if none of the pull-down transistors fire. To be properly sized, the keeper should be large enough to compensate the pull down leakage under worst process corners and noise considerations and should also be small enough to ensure fast evaluation when pull-down transistors do fire. However, negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) effectively weakens the keeper PFET over time. Positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) also has the potential to weaken pull-down NFETs over time.
Current testing methodology for determining the effects of BTI requires the use of automated die stepping on individual devices. This testing technique may require long periods of time to generate data for a single test condition. Also, automated test equipment requires significant capital expenditures. Hence, the available testing resources may be limited, further increasing the potential for delay in ascertaining BTI test results.
This section of this document is intended to introduce various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosed subject matter described and/or claimed below. This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. The disclosed subject matter is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Integrated circuit with stress generator for stressing test devices


A system is provided for authenticating and securing product transactions. An integrated circuit is attached to a target, such as an optical disc or electronic device. The integrated circuit has an RF transceiver that is capable of establishing communication with an associated reading device. The integrated circuit also has a hidden memory, which can not be read externally, and a user memory. The hidden memory stores an authentication message, while the user memory stores readable authentication information. The hidden authentication message and the authentication information are related through a cryptographic process. However, even though the integrated circuit benefits from the cryptographic security, the integrated circuit only operates relatively simple logic operations. In this way, a highly secure transaction is enabled without requiring significant processing power or time at the integrated circuit. When the integrated circuit is placed near the reader, the reader reads the authentication information, and with the cooperation of a network operation center, uses the authentication information to derive an activation code. The reader passes the activation code to the integrated circuit, which compares the activation code to its hidden activation message. If they have a proper relationship, the communication has been authenticated, and the integrated circuit proceeds to perform an action.

1. Field
The present invention relates to circuits and processes for authenticating and securing a transaction. More particularly, the invention relates to circuits and processes that enable a secure transaction responsive to interrogating an integrated circuit using an RF communication path.
2. Description of Related Art
The manufacturer or distributor of physical goods faces difficult problems in efficiently managing the distribution chain. The distribution chain, which may include distributors, shippers, warehousers, and retailers, each form an important link in bringing products to consumers. The manufacturer relies on the integrity of its distributors and retailers to assure that products are properly sold or otherwise delivered. Unfortunately, the distribution chain is often improperly managed, resulting in an ineffective path to market for the manufacturer's products. For example, products may be misappropriated by a corrupt distributor, by employees of the retailer, or by consumers. Manufacturers may also define distribution agreements with its distributors, where the manufacturer sets rules and restrictions on its distributors. These rules are typically used to assure that a fair distribution model is used, so that each distributor is able to maintain its profit margin, and to assure that consumers are satisfied with customer support. However, some retailers may try to avoid a manufacturer's distribution rules, and sell outside their designated market, or purchase products from an unauthorized source.
To better manage the distribution of products, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have cooperated to implement a standard bar-coding process, UPC, to allow more automated tracking of inventory and products. However, the bar code label is used only to identify a class of product, so every item in that class has the same bar code indicator. While the UPC system has improved management of the distribution channel, additional information is needed. To fill some of the gaps in the UPC model, an RFID system has been proposed, and in limited cases, is being implemented. In the RFID system, a small integrated circuit is integrated into a tag, and the tag attached to a product. The circuit has sufficient memory that each tag can have a different value, thereby allow every product to be individually identified. In use, a unique value is stored into the tag, and the tag attached to the product. In the distribution chain, the product may be scanned by an RF reader, which reads the tag identifier. In this way, the product is tracked and monitored as it moves through the distribution chain. At the retail store, a consumer takes the product to a check stand, where the product is moved past another RF reader. The RF reader reads the tag identifier, and retrieves the price for the product. The sale is completed, and the product is removed from the store's inventory system.
The RFID system holds promise for providing much more information to manufactures, which will be useful in assisting in the control and management of the distribution process. However, the information stored on the RFID tag may be easily retrieved by commercially available readers, so can not be used to convey any sensitive information. Further, the tag and its circuit operate on the very limited power the circuit is able to derive from the RF signal, and must complete its operation as its being moved across a reader's RF field. This means that only limited computation can be performed due to power and time limitations, and that only a limited number of values can be communicated during the brief time the tag is energized. Accordingly, the tag's circuit is incapable of performing any meaningful encryption or decryption processes. In this way, the advances made in cryptography are not available to assist in securing tag-reader transactions.
Since the tag's information is subject to unauthorized access, no critical or vital information may be stored, thereby limiting the usefulness of the RFID system. What is needed then, is a way to better authenticate and secure the information conveyed from an RF integrated circuit. Such a system would greatly improve a manufacturer's ability to manage distribution of its products.

Device and method for authenticating and securing transactions using RF communication


An electrical component and method for manufacturing the electrical component with a substrate a conductor stack having multiple layers and including at least one electrically conductive path. The conductor stack mounted to the substrate with a dielectric passivation stack encasing at least a portion of the conductor stack.

Electronic devices are typically designed, manufactured, and rated for operation at temperatures up to 125° C. In some applications, such as in internal combustion engines or aircraft engines, zones with temperatures far exceeding 125° C. exist. Existing solutions favor placing electronic devices away from the hot zones or using active cooling to maintain a lower temperature than the environment. These strategies add additional complexity, weight, cost, and reliability issues. As propulsion systems evolve and operate at ever increasing temperature while shrinking in volume, the cool zones also shrink or disappear. High temperatures in excess of 300° C. combined with corrosive atmosphere accelerates the corrosion and degradation of conventional interconnect conductors in electronic devices.

Electrical component with a dielectric passivation stack


Embodiments of the present invention provide an application association processing method and apparatus. The method includes: detecting a first operation instruction; and when it is determined that the first operation instruction is to perform a first preset operation on first content displayed on a display interface, displaying prompt information of second content associated with the first content, where the first preset operation is an operation gesture preset by the user, the prompt information is used to inform an association relationship exists between the first content and the second content, where when the first content is an application icon, the second content is an icon of at least one control included in an application corresponding to the application icon; or when the first content is an icon of a control, the second content is an icon of an application to which the control belongs. User operation complexity can be reduced.

With the innovation of communications technologies, touchscreen terminal devices such as mobile phones and tablets also tend to develop rapidly. Researches show that over ten thousand new devices are activated worldwide on a daily basis; therefore, applications used on these devices are increasingly diversified and improved as user demands become different.
Applications can help a user know about news events, capture a note, engage in socialization, listen to music, have entertainment, play games, and the like at any time. To meet a user demand, functions provided by current applications are increasingly improved and diversified, and currently, many applications can all provide two forms: a widget and an application icon for a user to select and use. An application icon is generally a main entry to enter the application, and a widget can display some functions of the application, for example, the widget can make, by using a visual window, it convenient for a user to intuitively know about related functions provided by the application. For example, for a weather forecast application, a main interface of the weather forecast can be entered by using an application icon, and a widget can display information such as a temperature and a wind force today on a desktop.
However, as functions of an application become increasingly powerful, the application includes increasing widgets, and user operation complexity is increased.

Application association processing method and apparatus


A method for printing digital images on at least one input roll of media in order to form at least one output roll by means of a roll-to-roll printing system is disclosed. The roll-to-roll printing system includes a digital image queue including an entry for each digital image to be printed. The method includes registering in an entry of the digital image queue a first digital item identifying the digital image and digital items of print properties of the digital image, printing the digital image according to the order of the entry in the digital image queue, and registering in the entry a second digital item identifying an input roll on which the digital image is going to be printed and a third digital item identifying an output roll on which the printed digital image is going to be wound. A roll-to-roll printing system is configured to apply the method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for printing digital images on at least one input roll of media in order to form at least one output roll by means of a roll-to-roll system, the roll-to-roll system comprising a digital image queue comprising an entry for each digital image to be printed, the method comprising the steps of registering in an entry of the digital image queue a first digital item identifying the digital image and digital items of print properties of the digital image, and printing the digital image according to the order of the entry in the digital image queue.
2. Description of Background Art
Nowadays, printing systems are available for printing digital images according to a digital image queue. The digital image queue has an entry for each submitted digital image to be printed. The sequence order of the entries in the digital image queue represents a chronological order of printing the corresponding digital images on the at least one input roll. Such an entry comprises a digital identification of the digital image, for example a link to the storage location of the digital image or a print job number, image properties of the digital image, etc. A user is able to move entries up and down the digital image queue, for example to move an entry to the head of the digital image queue.
Roll-to-roll systems have an input section comprising at least one input holder for holding input rolls and an output section comprising at least one output holder for holding output rolls. An input roll may be split resulting in different output rolls, for by example by executing a cut of the input roll during printing. An output roll may have media wound up from different input rolls. The output roll may be formed by concatenating the input rolls to each other. For example, an end side of a first input roll may be adhered or glued to the beginning side of a second input roll, etc. In another application, the unwinding of media of the second input roll is started automatically when the first input roll is fully unwound and leads to the media from the second roll wound up on the same output roll as where media of the first input roll is wound up without any adhesive material. Each of the input rolls has its own core and is provided in the input roll section of the printing device. The input roll section may be provided with more than one input holder for holding input rolls. The formed output roll has one core and is provided in an output roll section of the printing device. The output roll section has at least one output holder for holding output rolls.
Especially, in a roll-to-roll printing system moving an entry to the head of a digital image queue may result in a plurality of operator actions when the media specified for the digital image corresponding to the entry that is moved to the head of the digital image is another media than a media of the current first input roll. Subsequent operator actions may be cutting a current first input roll, unloading the current first input roll, loading a second input roll, printing the digital image on the second input roll, cutting the second input roll, unloading the second input roll, loading the first input roll again and continuing printing of the originally planned digital images on the first input roll.
Users may want to influence an order of printing the digital images, but productivity may drop dramatically due to additional roll changes as described in the example here-above.

Method for scheduling printing of digital images from at least one input roll to at least one output roll in a roll-to-roll printing system