A control strategy is disclosed for regulating speed of an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain that includes an electric motor and gearing. An electrical power flow path and a mechanical power flow path are established. Electrical power is coordinated with mechanical power to effect an arbitrated engine speed for a given power demand that will result in an acceptable noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristic for the powertrain and an acceptable powertrain efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to control of an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain with a divided power flow path from the engine and from an electric motor.
2. Background Art
In a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, the power of each of these power sources may be distributed through separate torque flow paths to vehicle traction wheels, one path being a mechanical path and the other being an electromechanical path. The percentage of total power transferred to the vehicle traction wheels from each power source will vary depending upon the operating conditions for the vehicle, including driver demand for power and a state-of-charge of a battery that is electrically coupled to a vehicle traction motor and to an electric generator.
In a known hybrid electric vehicle powertrain of this type, the generator may be mechanically connected to the sun gear of a simple planetary gear unit, and a carrier may be drivably connected to an engine. The ring gear of the simple planetary gear unit is connected through gearing to the traction wheels. Engine speed can be controlled by controlling generator speed as the level of electro-mechanical power delivery is adjusted due to varying vehicle operating conditions.
In co-pending application Ser. No. 11/566,876, filed Dec. 5, 2006 entitled "System and Method for Controlling an Operating Temperature of a Catalyst of a Vehicle Exhaust System," now U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,198, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a known relationship between engine torque and engine speed may be used in determining a driver demand for power at the traction wheels. A desired threshold of engine power is related functionally to a predetermined temperature of a catalyst in the engine exhaust system. Power from the engine can be modified by supplying a power bias from the battery to reduce the portion of the total power supplied by the engine needed to meet the driver demand for power at the wheels. The temperature of the catalyst thus can be maintained below a predetermined threshold catalyst temperature. This eliminates the need for reducing catalyst temperature by enabling an air/fuel enrichment feature in a powertrain of this type, which would deteriorate the quality of engine exhaust gas emissions.
An operating strategy for controlling engine speed and torque values to meet a desired overall powertrain efficiency is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/161,424, filed Aug. 2, 2005 entitled "Optimal Engine Operating Power Management Strategy for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Powertrain," now U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,147, which also is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. That operating strategy recognizes that engine efficiency has the most influence on total system efficiency, but highly efficient engine operation is not achieved at the expense of a lowering of the total system efficiency. The appropriate engine speed and torque values for achieving maximum system efficiency is achieved by considering the efficiency of each of the components of the overall powertrain system. The power loss for each of the system components is obtained, and the engine speed is commanded so that it corresponds to the minimum value of the sum of the total powertrain system losses.
The strategies of the co-pending patent applications include method steps that are common to the method steps of the strategy of the present invention. In the case of the strategy of the '424 patent application, engine noise, vibration and harshness characteristics in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain are not considered while effecting best powertrain efficiency. The vehicle system control architecture is not designed to adjust the target engine speed to achieve optimum noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). There is no arbitration of powertrain operating variables to achieve acceptable powertrain efficiency while meeting a goal of optimum noise, vibration and harshness.

Engine speed control for an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain for improved noise, vibration and harshness


A device for stabilizing the base of the nipple valves in a continent ileal reservoir with inlet and outlet nipple valves, includes a substantially annular member made of a biocompatible material, the annular member being pre-formed and permanently shaped to substantially define a ring. The ring has a radial slot formed therein to allow insertion of the annular ring member over the base of a respective nipple valve, with the annular ring member having an inner radius adapted to fit around said base. The annular ring member has first and second surfaces, with one of the surfaces facing the ileal reservoir outer wall, and through holes extending through said first and second surfaces for promoting a good adherence of the device to the surrounding soft tissue.

Urinary diversion via a continent ileal reservoir in the abdominal cavity has been previously performed, see for instance:
(I) Urinary diversion via a continent ileal reservoir: Clinical results in 12 patients, N. G. Kock, A. E. Nilson, L. O. Nilsson, L. J. Norlen and B. M. Philipson; The Journal of Urology, Vol. 128. Sept 1982, and PA0 (II) Current Status of the Ileal Reservoir for Continent Urinary Diversion, N. G. Kock, L. Norlen, B. M. Philipson and S. .ANG.kerlund: Surgical Rounds, Jan. 1985, p. 32-48.
For construction of the ileal reservoir (Kock reservoir) a small bowel segment is isolated from the intestinal canal and used for the reservoir walls. The operative technique for this is previously known, see ref. I-II, and will therefore not be described in detail here.
The completed ileal reservoir is made with a reflux valve nipple (inlet opening) and a continence valve nipple (outlet opening). Both these valves are formed by a surgical technique in which an ileum segment is folded into a U-shape directed towards the interior of the reservoir and preformed into small inlet and outlet channels. Also the technique for forming these nipple valves is described in the references I-II.
The position and form of the valve nipples are not always maintained, however. In the long run an eversion and relapse may occur which means a malfunction of the valve nipples with respect to the inlet and outlet control of the reservoir.
In order to prevent such eversion of the valve nipples it is previously known to stabilize the valve nipples by means of staples applied by a stapling instrument so that the folded tissue is clamped together. The staples can be made of an absorbable or biocompatible material such as titanium. The valve nipples are secured by such staples, but as the staples penetrate the reservoir wall it involves a risk for the formation of stones in the urine when the contents of the reservoir is infected. Furthermore it is an expensive method as four rows of staples are applied around the nipple valve by use of a specific stapling instrument having fastener and retainer parts as well as a loading unit for the staples.
It is also previously known to stabilize the valve nipples by means of a Marlex mesh, that is, a strip of a synthetic mesh-like material positioned around the base of the nipple valves and sutured together to prevent desusception of the nipple valves but not so tight that urinary flow is obstructed. The Marlex mesh strips are applied exterior to the reservoir around the base of the nipple valves. However, the Marlex mesh may still irritate the surrounding tissue and cause fistulation and later on formation of stones in the urine.


An apparatus for coloring gas flames in gas-burning fireplaces so as to give the appearance of a wood-burning fireplace comprises a ceramic tube having a coating which causes colorization of gas flames when the coated tube is placed in the secondary reaction zone of a gas flame. Principle coating ingredients include sodium carbonate, aluminum oxide, pulverized soda lime glass, and sodium silicate. The coating is baked onto the ceramic tube, and, when located in the secondary reaction zone of a flame, will provide nearly constant natural color to a gas flame for periods in excess of 1000 hours.

Traditional wood-burning fireplaces are enjoyed for their attractive appearance, the "atmosphere" that their use creates, and their heat producing ability. However, there are many drawbacks to wood-burning fireplaces, among them the necessity for cleaning the chimney of soot to prevent chimney fires, and the build-up of wood ash in the hearth which must be periodically removed. In addition, wood for a fireplace is usually more expensive in urban settings than other fuels, such as gas, and it is difficult, or impossible, to install wood-burning fireplaces in many areas. Furthermore, wood is not completely combusted in most wood-burning fireplaces, and this produces ash and soot which enter the atmosphere and contribute to pollution.
On the other hand, gas-burning fireplaces can be installed in a wider variety of locations, burn more efficiently to produce a greater amount of heat, are easier to maintain, produce less pollutants, and are less expensive to utilize. However, the clean, hot flame produced by a gas burner does not have the same attractive appearance or provide the warm glow effect of the yellow/orange colored flame of a conventional wood-burning fireplace. Furthermore, the burner assembly of a gas-burning fireplace is not as attractive as a pile of wood blazing in the hearth of a wood-burning fireplace.
In an effort to enable gas-burning fireplaces to have a closer resemblance to wood-burning fireplaces, Coats, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,585, disclosed a simulated, non-combustible log structure supported above the burner of a gas-burning fireplace. Flames are permitted to contact the underside of the artificial logs to provide for a more realistic simulation of a wood-burning fireplace. However, no provision was made to color or modify the gas flames to resemble those produced from burning wood.
British Pat. No. 12,742, awarded to Oelbermann in 1902, noted that it was already old to color flames using a great variety of substances; these include metal salts or ashes, such as compounds of lithium, strontium, barium, copper, thorium, cerium, etc. Oelbermann produced a colored flame by projecting a holder filled with flame-coloring substances into a candle flame. However, this required an elaborate apparatus to maintain the holder in the candle flame since the candle would shrink in height as it was consumed.
Parker et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,135, improved upon the teachings of Oelbermann to produce a flame-coloring device for gas burners which makes the flame visible even when the burner is used outdoors or in a bright environment. A carrier is placed on the burner barrel, and a solid colorant emitter such as sodium chloride is supported by the carrier. However, the flame-coloring device has only been demonstrated to color flames of small conventional bunsentype burners. Furthermore, the colorant emitter used by Parker et al. is not heat-stable and may become molten at the temperatures employed to cause the colorant to drip off of the carrier, possibly clogging the burner and soiling the area surrounding the burner while also rapidly exhausting the flame colorant.
Salooja, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,001 recognized that heat-stable metal compounds could be used to catalytically improve the combustion of carbonatious fuels when applied to a support which is then placed in the center of the primary reaction zone of a flame. The catalytically active material is selected from compounds of barium and sodium, barium and yttrium, barium and erbium, aluminum, aluminum and yttrium, aluminum and lanthanum, aluminum and erbium, aluminum and platinum, gallium and sodium, zirconium and yttrium, zirconium and erbium, zirconium and chromium, zirconium and manganese, zirconium and iron, zirconium and platinum, manganese and sodium, manganese and yttrium, manganese and titanium, manganese and chromium, manganese and iron, manganese and nickel, and palladium and iron.
A critical aspect of Salooja's disclosure is the correct placement of the catalytically active material in the flame. Salooja recognized that all gas flames have a general structure comprised of three zones:
1. A cool zone at the base of the flame where air and fuel are mixed without substantial fuel combustion; PA1 2. A primary reaction zone, adjacent to the base of the flame; this -s the hottest part of the flame since combustion is most vigorous here and the concentration of ions is at a maximum; and PA1 3 Asecondary reaction zone, above and adjacent to the primary reaction zone; this is the most luminous part of a flame, and is usually substantially cooler than the primary reaction zone. If there is insufficient air, or if combustion is not complete, smoke and soot would appear above the secondary reaction zone. Only by placing Salooja's catalyst impregnated support in the primary reaction zone of a flame will there be a reduction in the production of soot and smoke and an increase in the efficiency of flame combustion. The catalyst impregnated support of Salooja will not work correctly if placed outside of the primary reaction zone, nor does it assist in coloring the flame.
Wood-burning flames generally burn cooler than gas flames and have larger secondary reaction zones due to the incomplete combustion of the wood components. However, gasburning fireplaces generally do not suffer from incomplete fuel combustion, nor do they generate significant quantities of smoke or soot. In fact, their high temperatures and efficient utilization of fuel causes the secondary reaction zone of a gas-burning fireplace flame to be almost invisible. For example, the primary reaction zone of a natural gas flame burning in air may achieve temperatures in excess of 3400.degree. F. (depending on the fuel to oxidant ratio) while the secondary reaction zone may have temperatures ranging down to approximately 1000.degree. F.
The high temperatures achieved in a gas-burning fireplace may pose potential fire and explosion hazards if the fireplace is not correctly designed and used. As a result, gas-burning fireplaces should meet appropriate safety standards such as those set by the American National Standards Institute, ANSI. Existing flame-coloring methods, if they were to be used in conjunction with an ANSI approved gas burner, may not be capable of certification under ANSI or other safety standards.
There is thus a need for a gas-burning fireplace in which fuel is burned efficiently and cleanly, but which also has a secondary reaction zone which has the color and appearance of a wood-burning flame. There is also a need for a device which can provide uniform flame coloration for extended periods of time, can be easily replaced, is safe to use, and which has a flame-coloring substance which will not, when exposed to a flame, rapidly decompose, or flake and/or drip off to clog the burner and/or soil the surrounding area. A fireplace using such a device would combine the economical and improved heating capabilities of a gas-burning fireplace with the aesthetic beauty associated with wood-burning fireplaces.

Method and apparatus for producing a wood-like flame appearance from a fireplace-type gas burner


A system and a method of generating a three-dimensional terrain model using one-dimensional interferometry of a rotating radar unit is provided herein. Height information is evaluated from phase differences between two echoes by applying a Kalman filter in relation to a phase confidence map that is generated from phase forward projections relating to formerly analyzed phase data. The radar system starts from a flat earth model and gathers height information of the actual terrain as the platform approaches it. Height ambiguities are corrected by removing redundant 2π multiples from the unwrapped phase difference between the echoes.

Using radar for three-dimensional (3D) mapping is advantageous in many applications in poor visibility conditions, such as harsh weather, limited light, underwater environments and the like. For example, there is a need for a Helicopter Flight and Landing Radar (Heli-FLR) to assist pilots in avoiding potential hazards for helicopter safety during flight phase (such as terrain, antennas, trees and power transmission wires), in various weather conditions during day and night, and, furthermore to provide near-real time information of the landing area (such as obstacles, inclined terrain, holes) during the landing phase. A similar need exists in neighboring applications such as mapping obstacles for submarines and remotely piloted aircrafts (RPA).
U.S. Patent Application Publications Nos. 2005/128126 and 2004/178943, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,159, disclose relevant prior art information regarding various radar system. In particular, US 2005/128126 discloses a radar system mounted on a helicopter's rotating cross (ROSAR—rotor mounted synthetic aperture radar), US 2004/178943 discloses a non-scanning system utilizing Doppler shifts, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,159 discloses another ROSAR system.


Transmitting packets in a frame includes receiving the packets. Delay constraints are established, where each delay constraint is associated with a packet. Frame departure times of the frames are predicted, where the frames include the packets. A packet departure time is determined for each packet in accordance with the frame departure time of the frame that includes the packet. An order of the packets is determined using the delay constraints and the packet departure times. The packets are placed in the order, and the frames are formed from the ordered packets.

Packets are typically encapsulated in frames for transmission from a transmitter to a receiver. A packet of a frame may be associated with a delay constraint that indicates a time period during which the packet must be transmitted in order to be usable at the receiver. If multiple packets are transmitted in a frame, the frame waits until all packets of the frame have been encapsulated. This wait, however, may result in the violation of the delay constraints of the individual packets. Consequently, known techniques for transmitting multiple packets in a frame are unsatisfactory for some situations.

Transmitting multiple packets in a frame


A system and method permits a network management agent executing on a customer premise equipment (CPE) component to determine whether a router is coupled between the CPE component and the cable modem through which the CPE component communicates with a data-over-cable network. The network management agent executing on the CPE component encapsulates the MAC address of the CPE component in a network management message that is sent to a server at the head end of the data-over-cable network. The head end compares the encapsulated MAC address with the MAC address of the device coupled to the cable modem that sent the network management message. If the MAC addresses are not the same, the server at the head end sets a router status element in the network management message response and sends it to the agent executing on the CPE component. The agent may then interrogate the router status element and determine whether a router is coupled between the CPE component on which it is executing and the cable modem through which it is coupled to the data-over-cable network.

One of the earliest methods of accessing services available over the Internet was through subscription service provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Most subscribers were individuals who owned personal computers. After obtaining a subscription with an ISP, they would install ISP access software on their computers. This software would use a modem, either internal or external to a computer, to dial an access number for the ISP and establish a communication link with an ISP server through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The ISP server could then communicate data messages between the subscriber's computer and other computers coupled to the ISP server through the Internet backbone. These messages were principally used to download files, typically in the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, to the subscribers. Most subscribers executed an application program on their computers called a browser that displayed the content of the downloaded files for the subscriber.
Content from the other computers coupled to the ISP server became significantly larger as image data files and program files, such as applets and the like, were included in the downloaded files. The telephone connection through the modem to the PSTN was typically a twisted pair connection that had a significantly limited bandwidth. Because this limitation was a physical characteristic of the twisted pair conductors used to provide telephone service to most homes, companies began to investigate the availability of other communication media capable of broad bandwidth communication that could be used to couple subscribers to an Internet access service provider.
One candidate for broad bandwidth Internet service is Cable Television (CATV) system architecture. These systems typically include coaxial cable service to subscriber homes and, in some systems, fiber optic cable may form a backbone for the system. Systems that use both coaxial cable and fiber optic cable to provide service to subscribers are called hybrid fiber cable (HFC) systems. These coaxial and fiber optic cables may support broad bandwidth communications but the data messages in this type of system are unidirectional rather than bi-directional as required for Internet communication. To address these limitations, companies began to develop cable modems for receiving Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) messages from a computer at a subscriber site and translating them for delivery to the head end of the CATV system and vice versa. While a communication channel could be provided for downstream messages from the head end to a subscriber through the same equipment that provided cable programming content to subscribers, communication to the head end from the subscribers was more problematic. One way of addressing the limited ability to route communication from the subscribers to the head end was to have the cable modems direct communication for the head end to a Telephony Remote Access Concentrator (TRAC) through the PSTN. As routers were developed for bi-directional message traffic through a CATV system, CATV systems capable of supporting broad bandwidth data communication without PSTN support for upstream communication became available.
At the head end of a CATV system, a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) manages the communication network aspects of a CATV system. The CMTS may receive data messages from computers at subscriber sites or the messages may be received by a TRAC that communicates with the CMTS for downstream communication with the subscribers. The TRAC or the CMTS, or both, may communicate with other computers on the Internet to obtain the content requested by computers at the subscriber sites and then deliver that content to the subscriber sites through the CMTS.
In order to establish communication between the CMTS at the head end of a CATV system and computers at the subscriber sites, the communication standards for the network formed by the CMTS, CATV system, and cable modems needed to be defined. One specification developed for this type of network is the Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS). This specification provides the requirements that cable modems need to implement in order to support data communication over CATV systems and be compatible with the CMTS and TRAC component, if provided, in such systems.
One requirement identified by this specification is the need for the CMTS to recognize the cable modem at each subscriber site through which the computers at the subscriber site communicate with the CMTS. This recognition is provided through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). DHCP is known from TCP/IP networks. DHCP allows a device to be installed on a network and obtain an IP address on the network so messages from and to the device may be identified. Under DOCSIS, a cable modem is identified by its Media Access Control (MAC) address. This address is a 48-bit value that is stored in a network interface card (NIC) at the time of its manufacture. A cable modem communicates with the CMTS through a NIC having a MAC address and this address is provided to a DHCP server. Through the process managed by a DHCP server located at the head end and coupled to the CATV system through the CMTS, a routing table and Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table are generated at the CMTS that correlates each MAC address of the cable modems on the system with a unique IP address. Also, the DHCP server provides a pointer to a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server so the cable modem may download a configuration file from the TFTP server to establish the modem's configuration mode and parameters. Likewise, the cable modem generates a routing table and ARP table for identifying the IP address and MAC address of the CMTS.
When a subscriber couples a computer to a cable modem, the computer requires an IP address for communication with the CMTS under DOCSIS. The CPE component communicates with the DHCP server through the cable modem and CMTS so the DHCP server may assign an IP address to the subscriber's computer. Equipment coupled to the CATV system through a cable modem is known as Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). A NIC within a CPE component is coupled to a NIC at the cable modem other than its CATV NIC. The CATV NIC is the NIC through which the modem is coupled to the CATV network. The cable modem relaying the DHCP messages from the DHCP agent software executing on the CPE provides the DHCP server with the CATV NIC MAC address and the MAC address of the CPE NIC. The DHCP server uses the MAC addresses to assign an IP address to the CPE device coupled through the cable modem and to provide a TFTP server pointer through the DHCP server at the head end. The CMTS uses the two MAC addresses and assigned IP address to update its routing and ARP tables. Also, the cable modem maintains a routing table and ARP table that correlate the MAC address of the CPE NIC with the IP address assigned to the CPE coupled through the network interface.
The DOCSIS specification assumes that each CPE coupled to the CATV system through the cable modem is coupled through a separate NIC at the cable modem. However, many subscribers have more than one computer at a site and may desire to couple more than one computer at the site to the CATV system at the same time. In order to make contemporaneous operation of two computers through the cable modem possible, each would require a separate connection to the cable modem. This may require a hub or physical proximity of the two or more computers to the cable modem. In an effort to avoid such a constraint, some subscribers install a router, such as a wireless router, to couple all of the computers at their site together into a network. The router may then be coupled to the cable modem so all of the computers and other devices coupled together on the network are coupled through the router to the cable modem and the data-over-cable system supported on the CATV system.
When the router is initialized after being coupled to the cable modem, it is assigned an IP address by the DHCP server. When one of the computers coupled to the subscriber site router initiates an Internet session through the CMTS, the computer must be assigned an IP address and configured for communication over the CATV system. The agent software that manages the IP communication parameters for the computer does not know that it is coupled to the CATV network through a router. When the agent sends a message to a Service Activation Service (SAS) server at the CMTS requesting access account information for the CPE component on which it is executing, the MAC address of the CPE component does not get past the router to the cable modem. Consequently, the SAS server treats the message as coming from the router. Messages received at the router for the CPE component are still passed through to the CPE component because the router recognizes the IP address for the CPE component from its internal routing table. Also, the CMTS views the topology of the computers-coupled to it through a cable modem as only being no more than one node behind the cable modem because the modem only supplies its MAC address and the MAC address of the router to the CMTS. This limitation raises a number of issues for communication over a DOCSIS network.
For one, configuration management may be affected. Configuration management of nodes on a network includes initializing, maintaining, adding, and updating network components. Typically, this includes modifying parameters for physical resources and/or logical objects. Configuration actions may be classified as non-operational or operational actions. Non-operational actions are those parameter modifications that do not alter the operating environment. For example, a change regarding contact information that identifies the person responsible for CMTS operation is non-operational. Operational actions, on the other hand, do alter the operating environment.
One example of an operational action occurs when a subscriber activates an account with a Cable Access Provider. Prior to account registration/activation, the cable modem, router, and CPE component at a subscriber site only have private IP addresses. A private IP address permits a subscriber to access services directly provided from the head end but it does not allow access to services from the Internet or other external service. In order to access the Internet, the subscriber must activate the high speed data service. Agent software on the CPE component is responsible for obtaining the user's account information, authenticating the user with the SAS server at the head end, and navigating to the SAS server activation page. At the end of a successful registration/activation, the SAS server sends a MIME message response for the agent software that indicates the completion of the activation/registration.
At this point, the user has established an account and a service level for the account. The agent software then sends an account query message to the SAS server to determine whether device management is required for utilization of the account. If a cable modem reboot is required, the SAS server responds with a response message indicating the cable modem needs to be reset for account utilization. After processing the response message, the agent software on the CPE component displays a message informing the user that the cable modem needs to reboot in order for Internet access to become available. This is typically required as the cable modem may also provide access to other services and the rebooting of the cable modem may disrupt other active services. If the user signals acceptance of a cable modem reboot, the agent software sends a Cable Modem Reset XML message to the SAS server, which in turn issues a cable modem reboot to the cable modem. In response, the cable modem goes through the process for obtaining a routable IP address and being configured for the level of service to which the subscriber agreed.
At this point, only the cable modem has a routable IP address. If the CPE component is directly coupled to the cable modem, then one way to obtain a routable address is for the CPE component to reboot in order to initiate the process for obtaining a routable IP address. This process is commonly known as the DHCP renew process. However, if the CPE component is coupled to the cable modem through a router, rebooting the CPE component is ineffective because the CPE component is assigned an IP address by the router and, until the router has a routable IP address, the CPE component cannot obtain a routable IP address to access the Internet through a high speed data service. To obtain a routable IP address, the router needs to be reset so it initiates the process for obtaining a routable IP address. However, the agent software does not have data indicating whether it is coupled directly to the cable modem or indirectly through a router to initiate the router to obtain a routable IP address.
This type of ambiguous condition occurs when a router at a subscriber site is replaced with another router. When the CPE component is rebooted after the router replacement, the agent software on the CPE component may send an account query message to the SAS server. The SAS server detects the router change from the change in MAC address between the previous router and the replacement router. The message response from the SAS server to the CPE component indicates that device management is required. After performing device management, the agent software knows that a DHCP renew message needs to be issued. However, the CPE agent software does not know whether the message is to be issued to the new router or to the CPE component.
What is needed is a way for the agent software executing on a CPE component to recognize that a router is coupled between the CPE component on which it is executing and the cable modem coupling the CPE component to a data-over-cable system.
What is needed is a way for the agent software executing on a CPE component to take an action with respect to a router to which it is coupled in response to a device management response directed to the CPE component.
What is needed is a way for the head end to distinguish a router at a site from the CPE components it couples to a data-over-cable network.

System and method for detecting customer premise equipment behind a router on a data-over-cable system


A jitter generator for generating a jittered clock signal, includes a jitter control signal generator and a jittered clock generator. The jitter control signal generator is utilized for selecting a digital control code from a plurality of candidate digital control codes at individual time points and respectively outputting a plurality of selected digital control codes. The jittered clock generator is coupled to the jitter control signal generator, and utilized for generating the jittered clock signal. The jittered clock generator dynamically adjusts the jittered clock signal according to the plurality of different digital control codes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a jitter generator, and more particularly, to a jitter generator capable of generating a jittered clock signal for being utilized for built-in-self-test (BIST) of a chip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In digital communication systems, the tolerance ability of a receiver with respect to timing jitter is an important parameter for evaluating the overall system performance, especially in high-speed communication systems. So-called timing jitter means the appearance of a shift of a rising/falling edge of a data signal or a clock signal (that is, phase shift), causing an increased bit error rate (BER) of the receiver. The conventional solutions usually reduce the effect of jitter in the receiver by utilizing a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit of the receiver.
Therefore, how to test the jitter tolerance of a receiver is always an important topic. A common test method for the conventional architecture comprises utilizing a jitter generator to generate a clock signal having timing jitter, and inputting a series of random test data bits into a D-type flip-flop, where the D-type flip-flop is triggered by the clock signal having timing jitter to operate. In this way, the D-type flip-flop is capable of outputting a series of data bits having timing jitter. Then the data bit stream having timing jitter is input into the receiver. By comparing the input and output test data bit streams, the jitter tolerance of the receiver can be derived.
However, a good jitter generator must be capable of controlling the jitter frequency and the magnitude of the jitter amplitude, where the jitter amplitude represents the amount of the phase shift of the data signal or the clock signal, and the jitter frequency is the times of generating a phase shift. Although on the current market, there are plenty of off-the-rack test instruments that may satisfy this demand, these test instruments, however, are very expensive and not suitable for being tested in mass production. Another prior art solution utilizes a signal generator and a mixer to modulate a clock signal having timing jitter, where the cost of this solution is lower.

Jitter generator for generating jittered clock signal


A management policy is given to a predetermined storage area by an administrator or a predetermined end user of end users as users of a plurality of client terminals. At this time, a file server generates a setting file in which the management policy is written, to set in a directory corresponding to the predetermined storage area. A write instruction (change data) is given by the administrator or the predetermined end user. The file server changes the management policy based on the change data.

A file server is widely used for a simple method to share a file. The file server has been used for a relatively small group of users of client terminals as a file server in a department (a department file server). That is, the server has been used by a relatively small group of end users. In these years, integration of the file servers is promoted for the purpose of improvement of performance of equipments such as an NAS (Network Attached storage; an exclusive appliance for file server) and a server, and information integration trend. The integrated file servers have a size of a few terabytes and are used in the scale of thousands of users.
Such file servers are different from a conventional department file server, and are required to certainly backup data and operate around-the-clock without any down time. That is, it can be said that the integrated file servers are made to be used in a large scale and built as an infrastructure.
A maintenance cost increases in accordance with the usage in a large scale as an infrastructure of the file servers. Accordingly, reduction of the maintenance cost is a major problem for a user (an administrator) of the file server.
The administrator has to manage all files at a level for a most important file. However, all of the files stored in the file server are not necessarily important. Accordingly, the ordinarily-unnecessary maintenance cost for "regular backup", "storage for redundancy", "storage of access logs", and the like is also generated to the files unrelated to business. Such generation of the unnecessary maintenance cost occurs through even management of all the files without relation to a file attribution.
In order to handle such problems, various techniques for changing a management method in accordance with the file attributions such as importance of the files are developed and proposed. For example, a Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) for moving a file of low importance to a low cost storage is proposed. When these methods are employed, the maintenance cost can be reduced, but indeed there is a problem that it is difficult to classify the files. In the conventional department file server, the administrator could classify the files because the number of end users is small. However, when the file servers are used in a large scale as an infrastructure, the administrator deals with up to thousands of end users and thus cannot know the importance of each file.
For example, the Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) employs attributions such as an update time, an access time, and an access history of a file as a policy to classify the file. This is based on a concept that "a file that is accessed is highly important and requires a high performance" and "a file that is not accessed is less important and does not require a high performance". This policy is rational in a total performance. However, it is actually difficult to evenly classify all the files stored in the file server by using only the policy. As a matter of fact, among all the files, there are so many files that are not frequently accessed in the file server by a client terminal but are important. If the HSM moves such files to a low-speed storage, a problem of delaying an access time to the file may occur.
In the department file server that is accessed by a small group of end users, the administrator can know which file is important, but in the file servers accessed in the scale of hundreds of or thousands of end users, the administrator cannot know that and determine the policy simply.
In addition, when the file servers are used in a large scale as an infrastructure, the administrator generally tends to strongly believe that he works as an infrastructure administrator and not to concern contents of the files. On the contrary, a method can be considered in which the administrator does not set an importance level of whether or not each file is important, to each file but an end user dealing with the file sets the importance levels to all files by opening an administration GUI (Graphical User Interface) and commands to the end user. However, it will cause a matter of system security that anyone of thousands of end users can change the setting of the importance level.
It should be noted that "Proposal of the Command File Method for Management Operation of Extended File system Function by Users" (FIT2006: 5th Forum on Information Technology) is made by Ishida and Sonoda, to propose a method for realizing a file system extension function by using a command file allocated on a directory. In this method, the command file is produced by a client program in a client terminal.
In order to efficiently manage the files with reduction of the maintenance cost, it is required to set an importance level to each of files and to appropriately reduce the maintenance cost. However, when the administrator sets the importance level to each file, the administrator has to check contents of all files to determine the levels, and accordingly the case cannot be realized substantially in the file servers used in a large scale as an infrastructure.

File server system and file management method using management policy and setting file to indicate management competence of storage area


A structure of a surgical instrument configured for thermally cutting tissue. The structure includes a frame and a thermal cutting element. The frame includes a proximal flange portion and a distal body portion. The distal body portion includes a proximal section extending from the proximal flange portion, a distal section, and a center section extending between the proximal and distal sections. The distal body portion includes first and second distal body portion segments. The distal body portion segments are disposed a first distance apart from one another at the proximal section, a second distance apart from one another at the distal section, and a third distance apart from one another at the center section. The third distance is greater than the first and second distances. The thermal cutting element is disposed within the distal body portion of the frame and extends from the proximal section, through the center section, to the distal section.

A surgical forceps is a pliers-like instrument that relies on mechanical action between its jaw members to grasp, clamp, and constrict tissue. Electrosurgical forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and energy to heat tissue to treat, e.g., coagulate, cauterize, or seal, tissue. Typically, once tissue is treated, the surgeon has to accurately sever the treated tissue. Accordingly, many electrosurgical forceps are designed to incorporate a knife that is advanced between the jaw members to cut the treated tissue. As an alternative to a mechanical knife, an energy-based tissue cutting element may be provided to cut the treated tissue using energy, e.g., thermal, electrosurgical, ultrasonic, light, or other suitable energy.

Electrosurgical forceps including thermal cutting element


A metal-organic framework (MOF) structure comprising at least one metal ion and at least one multidentate organic ligand which is coordinately bonded to said metal ion, and a scaffold.

Extensive research over the past few years has been focused on the synthesis and characterization of microporous materials with high internal surface areas. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a subset of these materials, have shown promise in a wide range of gas storage and separation applications. MOFs are composed of at least one multidentate organic linker and at least one metal ion, forming a low-density crystalline structure with gas interaction properties. Their development has accelerated in the past decade because of favorable performance characteristics relative to other solutions, stemming from differentials in internal surface area, porosity and tunability (see Farha, O. K., et al., De novo synthesis of a metal-organic framework material featuring ultrahigh surface area and gas storage capacities. Nature Chemistry, 2010. 2(11): p. 944-948; Furukawa, H., et al., Ultrahigh Porosity in Metal-Organic Frameworks. Science, 2010. 329(5990): p. 424-428; Chae, H. K., et al., A route to high surface area, porosity and inclusion of large molecules in crystals. Nature, 2004. 427(6974): p. 523-527; Nelson, A. P., et al., Supercritical Processing as a Route to High Internal Surface Areas and Permanent Microporosity in Metal-Organic Framework Materials. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2009. 131(2): p. 458; Farha, O. K., et al., Metal-Organic Framework Materials with Ultrahigh Surface Areas: Is the Sky the Limit? Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2012. 134(36): p. 15016-15021; and Ergun, S., Fluid Flow through Packed Columns. Chem. Eng. Prog. 1952. 48). The use of sorbents in industrial and commercial applications requires materials with specific particle sizes and pore size distributions, which is often accomplished with mechanical material formation techniques such as agglomeration, grinding, pressing, and extruding. Existing mechanical formation techniques have shown to significantly decrease the surface area of these materials (see Peterson G. W., et al. Effects of pelletization pressure on the physical and chemical properties of the metal-organic frameworks Cu3(BTC)2 and UiO-66. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 179 (2013) 48-53; Hu, X., et al. Development of a Semiautomated Zero Length Column Technique for Carbon Capture Applications: Rapid Capacity Ranking of Novel Adsorbents. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res, 54 (2015) 6772-6780; Bazer-Bachi, D., et al. Towards industrial use of metal-organic framework: Impact of shaping on the MOF properties. Powder Technology, 255 (2014) 52-59; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,444 (Hesse et al.)). In rare examples, the surface area of the material has not been significantly affected by formation, although these examples only use low formation pressures (<20,000 psi) and low-surface-area materials (<1,100 m2/g) (See Peterson G. W., et al. Effects of pelletization pressure on the physical and chemical properties of the metal-organic frameworks Cu3(BTC)2 and UiO-66. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 179 (2013) 48-53; and Peterson, G. W., et al. Engineering UiO-66-NH2 for Toxic Gas Removal. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 53 (2014) 701-707). These techniques all impact the performance ceiling of this material class by imposing constraints on the surface area of the material used and formation pressure that can be utilized.

Formation of high surface area metal-organic frameworks


A detachable support is provided. The detachable support includes a first arm having a first connection portion, a second arm having a second connection portion, and a frame. The frame has a first end portion and a second end portion, which are respectively hinged to the first arm and the second arm. The first connection portion and the second connection portion are operable to be inserted and fixed into two grooves respectively, and the two grooves are defined in a housing to be mounted. The first arm has a hole, the housing to be mounted is provided with a spring loaded bolt, and the spring loaded bolt is operable to be inserted into the hole to lock the first arm. No tool is required throughout installation and removal processes of the detachable support according to the present disclosure, thereby improving the efficiency of the installation and removal processes.

Currently, many products in the market need to be capable of adjusting angles and directions thereof, such as luminaires, cameras, loudspeaker boxes, nozzles, fans, and so on. The supports for these products generally require an angle adjusting function. Especially for some professional products, their supports need to be firm, easy to use, and with a simple appearance and a compact structure, thereby minimizing an additionally increasing volume for the products. Fixed supports usually have a relative high firmness, but special tools will be involved during both assembly and disassembly procedures, and when being disassembled, mounting fittings such as screws and gaskets should be stored for later assemblies, resulting in complicated processes of adjustment, assembly, and disassembly.


An aspect of the present invention is a method for laying out a power wiring of a semiconductor device. The method includes: modeling the power wiring as an analysis model including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of element resistors provided between the plurality of nodes neighboring each other; obtaining voltage values of the plurality of nodes by a circuit simulation; searching a path of a current flowing into a node of the plurality of nodes when an IR drop violation exists in the voltage values, the node having a maximum value of the IR drop violation; selecting a bottleneck element resistor from among the plurality of element resistors included in the path; and changing a resistance value of the bottleneck element resistor.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for laying out a power wiring of a semiconductor device.
Along with miniaturization and speeding-up (increasing operating frequency) of semiconductor integrated circuits, it becomes important to prevent voltage drops in a power wiring, or so-called IR drops, which cause a malfunction. The IR drop can be evaluated by modeling a power wiring layout and performing a DC (direct-current) analysis by using SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) on a computer, for example.
Mitsuhashi et al. ("Power and Ground Network Topology Optimization for Cell Based VLSIs," Proceedings of the 29th Design Automation Conference, pp. 524-529, 1992.) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 03-204958 disclose analysis methods for dealing with IR drops purely mathematically as a nonlinear function problem. However, it is difficult to apply these analysis methods to a practical method for laying out a power wiring because the solution may not converge.
In the practical method for laying out a power wiring, when an IR drop violation exists as a result of a DC analysis, the DC analysis is performed again after widening the power wiring, for example. A sequence of operations are repeated until the IR drop violation is resolved.
Singh et al. ("Partition-Based Algorithm for Power Grid Design Using Locality," IEEE Transactions on Computer-aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 664-677, April, 2006.) discloses a method for resolving the IR drop violation by widening the whole wiring in a certain region when the IR drop violation exists. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-349161 discloses a method for resolving the IR drop violation by providing an optimization target wiring and widening the whole optimization target wiring when the IR drop violation exists.

Method and apparatus for laying out power wiring of semiconductor


A magnetic sensing element using a Heusler alloy is provided. In the magnetic sensing element, a free magnetic layer composed of a Heusler alloy layer is disposed on a nonmagnetic layer that corresponds to an fcc layer having the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. Equivalent crystal planes represented as [111] planes in the fcc structure, which are the closest packed planes, are exposed on the surface of the nonmagnetic layer.

FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of a known magnetic sensing element, i.e., spin-valve thin film element, cut from the direction parallel to a surface facing a recording medium.
Referring to FIG. 15, a base layer 1 is composed of Ta, and a seed layer 2 composed of a metal having a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure, for example Cr, is disposed on the base-layer 1.
A multilayer film T is deposited on the seed layer 2. In the multilayer film T, a free magnetic layer 3, a nonmagnetic layer 4, a pinned magnetic layer 5, an antiferromagnetic layer 6, and a protective layer 7 are disposed in that order.
The free magnetic layer 3 is composed of a Heusler alloy such as Co2MoAl, the nonmagnetic layer 4 is composed of Cu, the pinned magnetic layer 5 is composed of CoFe, the antiferromagnetic layer 6 is composed of PtMn, and the protective layer 7 is composed of Ta.
An exchange coupling magnetic field is generated at the interface between the antiferromagnetic layer 6 and the pinned magnetic layer 5, thereby pinning the magnetization of the pinned magnetic layer 5 in the height direction (in the Y direction in the figure).
Hard bias layers 8 composed of a hard magnetic material such as CoPt are disposed at each end of the free magnetic layer 3. The upper parts, the lower parts, and the ends of the hard bias layers 8 are insulated by an insulating layer 9. The magnetization of the free magnetic layer 3 is aligned in the track width direction (in the X direction in the figure) by a longitudinal bias magnetic field from the hard bias layers 8.
When an external magnetic field is applied to the magnetic sensing element shown in FIG. 15, the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer 3 is relatively changed to that of the pinned magnetic layer 5. Consequently, the resistance of the multilayer film is changed. Under a constant sense current, such a change in resistance is detected as the change in voltage, thus detecting the external magnetic field.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-250366 discloses a magnetic sensing element including the free magnetic layer 3 composed of a Heusler alloy. The free magnetic layer 3 is disposed on the seed layer 2 composed of a metal having the bcc structure.
According to the above patent document, the free magnetic layer 3 composed of a Heusler alloy is disposed on the seed layer 2 composed of a metal having the bcc structure, and consequently, the free magnetic layer 3 can be formed as an adequately crystallized thin film.
However, if it is essential that the free magnetic layer 3 composed of a Heusler alloy is disposed on the seed layer 2 composed of a metal having the bcc structure, a pinned magnetic layer 5 composed of a Heusler alloy cannot be formed between the nonmagnetic layer 4 and the antiferromagnetic layer 6. The reason for this is that the nonmagnetic layer 4 and the antiferromagnetic layer 6 generally have the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure.
For the same reason, a bottom spin-valve giant magnetoresistive (GMR) magnetic sensing element cannot be formed. In the bottom spin-valve GMR magnetic sensing element, the antiferromagnetic layer 6, the pinned magnetic layer 5, the nonmagnetic layer 4, and the free magnetic layer 3 are sequentially deposited from the bottom to form a multilayer film.

Magnetic sensing element including magnetic layer composed of Heusler alloy disposed on underlayer having {111}-oriented fcc structure


A heat exchanger structure including multiple fluid circuits, through which respective streams of a first fluid pass from a stream inlet to a stream outlet to transfer heat to or from a second medium. The fluid circuits are arranged into at least a first group and a second group, at least the first group consisting essentially of only fluid circuits that perform substantially similarly according to at least one selected performance criterion. A control sensor for at least the first group generates a signal representative of a parameter of the first fluid in the associated group. A valve for at least the first group is in fluid communication with of all the streams of the associated group so as to be able to control the flow of fluid through the streams of the associated group in parallel.

The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for optimizing performance of multi-circuit heat exchangers. As used herein, "heat exchanger" means a device built for relatively efficient heat transfer between a first medium and a second medium, the first medium being a fluid constrained in a conduit having a wall, the second medium being a fluid or a non-fluid, and if the second medium is a fluid, then the first medium and the second medium are separated by at least the conduit wall so that the first medium and the second medium do not come into contact with one another. A "multi-circuit" heat exchanger, as used herein, means a single heat exchanger having multiple fluid conduits (circuits) into which a flow of a fluid is subdivided while flowing from one common point to another common point, heat from another medium of the heat exchanger being transferred to or from the fluid while the fluid passes through the multiple fluid conduits.
Heat exchangers are used in a variety of applications. A very abbreviated list of some of the ways in which heat exchangers are used includes transferring heat from semiconductors to a cooling fluid, transferring heat in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration systems ("HVACR systems") as part of a process to warm or cool a location, and transferring heat in industrial processes such as those used in electrical power plants, chemical plants and oil refineries.
For example, a typical function of one type of HVACR system is to heat or cool air to a more comfortable temperature by manipulating the transfer of heat. In particular, an air conditioning system may contain a cooling coil that absorbs heat from hot air to lower the air's temperature. Similarly, a heating system may utilize a heated gas or liquid to transfer heat to cold air to increase the air's temperature.
Heat transfer from or to a medium may be effected within such HVAC systems by the use of a working fluid or refrigerant, such as ammonia, R134a (tetrafluoroethane), or similar fluids. These working fluids are generally capable of changing state under various conditions of temperature and pressure. With each change of state, the working fluid either accepts energy or gives up energy. As a result, this energy is either removed or added to the medium, respectively, so that a cold medium may be heated or a hot medium may be cooled.
In the following example, the working fluid is a first fluid and the medium to be cooled is air, a second fluid. A heat exchanger is utilized to transfer heat between the first and second fluids while preventing intermixing of the two fluids.
In a conventional air conditioning system, the working fluid generally moves in the following cycle of operation: (1) from a compressor; (2) to a condenser; (3) through an expansion valve; (4) to an evaporator; and then (5) back to the compressor. As an example of a typical air conditioning system, the working fluid enters the compressor as a low temperature gas at about 65 degrees F. and leaves the compressor as a high temperature gas at about 150 degrees F. The working fluid then enters the condenser. Within the condenser, which is a heat exchanger, the working fluid thermally communicates with, and gives up heat to without intermixing with, surrounding cooler air or other cooler medium, and the working fluid is converted from a high temperature gas into a cooler liquid of about 90 degrees F. The working fluid then passes through an expansion valve to a region of low pressure. As a result, the working fluid begins to change state from a liquid to a low temperature gas of about 45 degrees F. The working fluid then flows through the evaporator, which is another heat exchanger, where the working fluid thermally communicates with, and absorbs heat from without intermixing with, the hot second fluid (air) flowing through another part of the evaporator. As heat is transferred from the hot second fluid to the working fluid, the hot second fluid is cooled, and the working fluid is heated to become a gas of about 65 degrees F., ready for return to the compressor. When the second fluid is a gas, such as the air in this example, the second fluid may be dehumidified as part of this process.
According to one aspect of the invention, this invention relates to a method for optimizing performance of a heat exchanger having multiple fluid circuits through which respective streams of a first fluid pass from a stream inlet to a stream outlet to transfer heat to or from a second medium. The method includes, as a first step, dividing the fluid circuits into at least two groups by identifying at least one group of the fluid circuits that perform similarly according to at least one selected performance criterion. A second step includes providing a respective valve for at least the identified group, which valve is in fluid communication with of all the streams of the associated group so as to be able to control the flow of fluid through the streams of the associated group in parallel. A third step, which may be performed before the second step, includes providing a respective sensor for at least the identified group, which sensor generates a signal representative of a parameter of the first fluid in the associated group. A fourth step includes operating each respective valve based at least in part upon the signal generated by the associated control sensor to separately control the flow of the first fluid though the associated group. According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a heat exchanger structure optimized by this method.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Method and structure for optimizing heat exchanger performance


An electric current sensor having a housing, magnetic circuit with a magnetic core, and a magnetic field detector with a detection cell, positioned in an air gap between ends of the core. The core is made of a non-laminated magnetic material, and the magnetic circuit has a strap made of non-magnetic material welded to the core at each side of the air gap. The magnetic field detector has a support plate on which the detection cell is mounted. The plate has a recess, opposition the detection cell, which houses one end of the magnetic circuit.

Numerous open-loop current sensors exist comprising a magnetic circuit having an air-gap and a Hall cell disposed in the air-gap for measuring the magnetic field induced by an electric current flowing along a conductor passing through the magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit is typically made of a material that conducts magnetic flux, i.e. a "magnetic material", and that is laminate. The Hall cell can have electrical terminals in the form of pins mounted orthogonally on a printed circuit.
Conventional open-loop sensors of the above-mentioned type are relatively costly to manufacture due to the cost of manufacturing laminate magnetic circuits and due to cost of assembling the various components, in particular the Hall cell and the magnetic circuit in a housing, while complying with the dimensions and the tolerances of the air-gap and with the position of the Hall cell for guaranteeing good measurement accuracy.
Another problem with conventional open-loop current sensors is that they are not robust enough for certain uses, e.g. for use in the automobile field in which components must be capable of withstanding impacts and vibration without losing measurement accuracy. In certain uses, in which the current sensor must be resistant to the environment and airtight, the magnetic circuit and the Hall cell are covered with a resin. However, that can have detrimental consequences on measurement accuracy because of the different coefficients of expansion, in particular the different thermal and/or humidity coefficients of expansion, of the magnetic circuit, of the resin, and/or of the housing, giving rise to mechanical stresses being exerted on the magnetic circuit. Variation in the air-gap due to such stresses gives rise to errors in measuring the magnetic induction and thus in measuring the electric current.

Electric current sensor with a bracket attached to the core on either side of the air-gap and outside of the air gap

Liaisons Electroniques-Mecaniques LEM S.A.


Protection group members from a cluster of W baseline size disks with RAID (D+P) protection groups associated with W partition indices, where W=D+P, are selected and relocated to a new baseline size disk using a W-by-W relocation sequence matrix. The same relocation sequence matrix is used to select and relocate protection group members from M clusters of baseline size disks to a new disk that has M times the storage capacity of each baseline size disk. A new cluster of multiple size disks is formed when W multiple size disks have been added, after which the W-by-W relocation sequence matrix is used to select and relocate protection group members from the new cluster to additional multiple size disks.

The disk drives in a typical mass data storage system are configured to be members of protection groups known as redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID). A RAID protection group helps to avoid data loss by enabling a failed protection group member to be rebuilt on a spare disk using the remaining non-failed members. A RAID (D+P) protection group has D data members and P parity members. The data members store data. The parity members store parity information such as XORs of the data values on the data members. The parity information enables reconstruction of the data in the event that a data member fails. Parity information can be reconstructed from the data on the data members in the event that a parity member fails. A variety of different RAID levels with different numbers, types, and configurations of members are known. A typical data storage system includes multiple RAID protection groups of the same level, with individual disks serving as protection group members.
Most data storage systems enable storage capacity to be increased to accommodate a greater amount of data by adding new disks. The storage capacity of a data storage system that uses individual disks as RAID (D+P) protection group members is increased by adding W new disks, where W=(D+P). All the disks typically have the same storage capacity. For example, a storage system that implements RAID-5 (4+1) is scaled-up in increments of five new disks of the same size as the installed disks. Similarly, a RAID-5 (3+1) is scaled-up in increments of four new disks of the same size as the installed disks. However, as the storage capacity of individual disk drives increases because of technological advances, an increment of W new disks may be undesirably large and inefficient. Moreover, it may be desirable to add new disks that have greater capacity than the installed disks.

Adding single disks to an array by relocating raid members


In preferred embodiments, a system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a serial link, in which the transmitter is configured to transmit video data, embedded-clock auxiliary data (or auxiliary data derived from embedded-clock auxiliary data), and a video clock over the link to the receiver. The transmitter is configured to extract a sample clock from the auxiliary data without use of a phase-locked loop, and to generate time stamp data in response to the sample clock and the video clock. Typically, the auxiliary data are SPDIF (or other) audio data, and the sample clock changes state in response to codes that occur periodically in the audio data. Other aspects of the invention are a transmitter for use in such a system, a time stamp data generation circuit for use in such a transmitter, and a method for generating time stamp data in response to a stream of embedded-clock auxiliary data and a video clock.

Throughout the specification, including in the claims, the expression "auxiliary data" is used in a broad sense to denote digital audio data or any other data that is neither video data nor timing information for video data (e.g., a video clock). For example, timing information for audio data (e.g., a clock for recovering transmitted audio data) falls within the scope of "auxiliary data." Other examples of "auxiliary data" transmitted in accordance with the invention include computer keyboard signals, still image data (generated by a camera, for example), text data, control signals for a power supply, picture in picture data, monitor control information (audio volume, brightness, power state), control signals for indicator lights on a monitor or keyboard, non-audio or video control information, etc.
Throughout the specification, including in the claims, the expression "audio data" denotes not only digital audio data samples but also data included (with digital audio data samples) in audio data packets. For example, a 32-bit packet ("sub-frame") of SPDIF audio data includes a 20-bit sample of audio data and twelve additional bits (including a 4-bit "B," "M," or "W" preamble), and all 32 such bits are "audio data" bits as defined herein.
The term "stream" of data, as used herein, denotes that all the data are of the same type and is transmitted with the same clock frequency. The term "channel," as used herein, refers to that portion of a serial link that is employed to transmit data (e.g., a particular conductor or conductor pair between a transmitter and receiver over which the data are transmitted, and specific circuitry within the transmitter and/or receiver used for transmitting and/or recovery of the data) and to the technique employed to transmit the data over the link. A channel can be employed to transmit one stream of data, or more than one stream of data.
The term "transmitter" is used herein in a broad sense to denote any device capable of encoding data and transmitting the encoded data over a serial link (and optionally also performing additional functions, which can include encrypting the data to be transmitted and other operations related to encoding, transmission, or encryption of the data). The term "receiver" is used herein in a broad sense to denote any device capable of receiving and decoding data that has been transmitted over a serial link (and optionally also performing additional functions, which can include decrypting the received data and other operations related to decoding, reception, or decryption of the received data). For example, the term transmitter can denote a transceiver that performs the functions of a receiver as well as the functions of a transmitter. In a more specific example, the term transmitter (with reference to a device that transmits non-audio auxiliary data over a serial link) can denote a transceiver that is configured to receive video data and audio data over the link and to transmit the non-audio auxiliary data over the link.
Various serial links for transmitting data and clock signals are well known.
One conventional serial link, used primarily for high-speed transmission of video data from a host processor (e.g., a personal computer) to a monitor, is known as a transition minimized differential signaling interface ("TMDS" link). The characteristics of a TMDS link include the following:
1. video data are encoded and then transmitted as encoded words (each 8-bit word of digital video data is converted to an encoded 10-bit word before transmission);                a. the encoding determines a set of "in-band" words and a set of "out-of-band" words (the encoder can generate only "in-band" words in response to video data, although it can generate "out-of-band" words in response to control or sync signals. Each in-band word is an encoded word resulting from encoding of one input video data word. All words transmitted over the link that are not in-band words are "out-of-band" words);        b. the encoding of video data is performed such that the in-band words are transition minimized (a sequence of in-band words has a reduced or minimized number of transitions);        c. the encoding of video data is performed such that the in-band words are DC balanced (the encoding prevents each transmitted voltage waveform that is employed to transmit a sequence of in-band words from deviating by more than a predetermined threshold value from a reference potential. Specifically, the tenth bit of each "in-band" word indicates whether eight of the other nine bits thereof have been inverted during the encoding process to correct for an imbalance between running counts of ones and zeroes in the stream of previously encoded data bits);
2. the encoded video data and a video clock signal are transmitted as differential signals (the video clock and encoded video data are transmitted as differential signals over conductor pairs);
3. three conductor pairs are employed to transmit the encoded video, and a fourth conductor pair is employed to transmit the video clock signal; and
4. signal transmission occurs in one direction, from a transmitter (typically associated with a desktop or portable computer, or other host) to a receiver (typically an element of a monitor or other display device).
Another serial link is the "High Definition Multimedia Interface" interface ("HDMI" link) developed Silicon Image, Inc., Matsushita Electric, Royal Philips Electronics, Sony Corporation, Thomson Multimedia, Toshiba Corporation, and Hitachi.
Another serial link is the "Digital Visual Interface" interface ("DVI" link) adopted by the Digital Display Working Group. It will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A DVI link can be implemented to include two TMDS links (which share a common conductor pair for transmitting a video clock signal) or one TMDS link, as well as additional control lines between the transmitter and receiver. The DVI link of FIG. 1 includes transmitter 1, receiver 3, and a cable (comprising connectors 120 and 121 and conductor set 122) between the transmitter and receiver. Conductor set 122 comprises four conductor pairs (Channel 0, Channel 1, and Channel 2 for video data, and Channel C for a video clock signal), Display Data Channel ("DDC") lines for bidirectional communication between the transmitter and a monitor associated with the receiver in accordance with the conventional Display Data Channel standard (the Video Electronics Standard Association's "Display Data Channel Standard," Version 2, Rev. 0, dated Apr. 9, 1996), a Hot Plug Detect (HPD) line (on which the monitor transmits a signal that enables a processor associated with the transmitter to identify the monitor's presence), Analog lines (for transmitting analog video to the receiver), and Power lines (for providing DC power to the receiver and a monitor associated with the receiver). The Display Data Channel standard specifies a protocol for bidirectional communication between a transmitter and a monitor associated with a receiver, including transmission by the monitor of an Extended Display Identification ("EDID") message that specifies various characteristics of the monitor, and transmission by the transmitter of control signals for the monitor. Transmitter 1 includes three identical encoder/serializer units (units 2, 4, and 6) and additional circuitry (not shown). Receiver 3 includes three identical recovery/decoder units (units 8, 10, and 12) and inter-channel alignment circuitry 14 connected as shown, and additional circuitry (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 1, circuit 2 encodes the data to be transmitted over Channel 0, and serializes the encoded bits. Similarly, circuit 4 encodes the data to be transmitted over Channel 1 (and serializes the encoded bits), and circuit 6 encodes the data to be transmitted over Channel 2 (and serializes the encoded bits). Each of circuits 2, 4, and 6 responds to a control signal (an active high binary control signal referred to as a "data enable" or "DE" signal) by selectively encoding either digital video words (in response to DE having a high value) or a control or synchronization signal pair (in response to DE having a low value). Each of encoders 2, 4, and 6 receives a different pair of control or synchronization signals: encoder 2 receives horizontal and vertical synchronization signals (HSYNC and VSYNC); encoder 4 receives control bits CTL0 and CTL1; and encoder 6 receives control bits CTL2 and CTL3. Thus, each of encoders 2, 4, and 6 generates in-band words indicative of video data (in response to DE having a high value), encoder 2 generates out-of-band words indicative of the values of HSYNC and VSYNC (in response to DE having a low value), encoder 4 generates out-of-band words indicative of the values of CTL0 and CTL1 (in response to DE having a low value), and encoder 6 generates out-of-band words indicative of the values of CTL2 and CTL3 (in response to DE having a low value). In response to DE having a low value, each of encoders 4 and 6 generates one of four specific out-of-band words indicative of the values 00, 01, 10, or 11, respectively, of control bits CTL0 and CTL1 (or CTL2 and CTL3).
It has been proposed to encrypt video data transmitted over a serial link. For example, it has been proposed to use a cryptographic protocol known as "High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection" ("HDCP") to encrypt digital video to be transmitted over a DVI link and to decrypt the data at the DVI receiver. A DVI transmitter implementing HDCP outputs a 24-bit bus, known as cout[23:0], during the video active period (i.e. when DE is high). This 24-bit cout data is "Exclusive Ored" (in logic circuitry in the transmitter) with the 24-bit RGB video data input to the transmitter in order to encrypt the video data. The encrypted data is then encoded (according to the TMDS standard) for transmission. The same cout data is also generated in the receiver. After the encoded and encrypted data received at the receiver undergoes TMDS decoding, the cout data is processed together with the decoded video in logic circuitry in order to decrypt the decoded data and recover the original input video data.
Typically, the primary data transmitted by a TMDS link are video data. The video data are not continuous, and instead have blanking intervals. These blanking intervals provide an opportunity for auxiliary data to be transported, and they represent unused bandwidth. However, many serial links do not transmit data having blanking intervals, and thus do not encode input data (for transmission) in response to a data enable signal. For example, audio serial links would typically transmit continuous data.
In some systems of the type described in above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/171,860, a serial link is coupled between a transmitter and a receiver, and the transmitter sends video data, packetized audio data, and a video clock over the link to the receiver. Circuitry in the transmitter uses the video clock to generate cycle time stamps (for use in regenerating an audio clock for the audio data) and the transmitter transmits "time stamp" data (data indicative of the cycle time stamps) to the receiver over the link. The receiver is configured to regenerate an audio clock for the audio data in response to the time stamp data and video clock. Each cycle time stamp ("CTS") is the number of video clock cycles in a defined (predetermined) audio period. The audio period is typicallyN/(128*Fs)where Fs is the audio sample frequency and N is a user-specified number, in which case each CTS value is:CTS=(N*Fp)/(128*Fs)where Fp is the video clock frequency. A video clock is sometimes referred to herein as a "pixel clock," and the frequency of a video clock (e.g., "Fp") is sometimes referred to herein as a "pixel clock frequency."
We will use the expression "embedded-clock audio stream" (or "embedded-clock audio data") to denote audio data stream (e.g., an SPDIF audio stream) in which an audio clock is embedded such that the audio clock is not readily available, and the expression "embedded-clock auxiliary data stream" (or "embedded-clock audio data") to denote a stream of auxiliary data in which an auxiliary data clock is embedded such that the auxiliary data clock is not readily available. In the case that an embedded-clock audio stream (e.g., an SPDIF audio stream) is input to a transmitter, and no audio clock for the input audio is separately provided to the transmitter (e.g., from an external device), circuitry in the transmitter is needed to extract an audio clock from the input audio, for use in generating the CTS values. If the extracted audio clock has frequency Z*Fs, the transmitter could generate a sequence of CTS values by repeatedly counting the number of video clock cycles in N cycles of the audio clock. If the frequency of the extracted audio clock were a multiple of Z*Fs, such as 2Z*Fs or 3Z*Fs, a divider circuit could be employed to generate a desired Z*Fs clock from the extracted clock.
A phase-locked loop (PLL) could be employed to extract an audio clock from an embedded-clock audio stream. However, it is difficult and costly to implement a suitable PLL in a typical transmitter for this purpose. Including such a PLL in the transmitter would add significantly to the cost of designing and manufacturing the transmitter. Inclusion of a PLL in an integrated circuit (configured to generate a sequence of CTS values from a video clock and an SPDIF or other embedded-clock audio stream) would consume costly integrated circuit real estate and development resources, and would add integration complexities to the integrated circuit.

Method and circuit for generating time stamp data from an embedded-clock audio data stream and a video clock


A door frame for a vehicle includes an inner frame configured such that a roof part corresponding to a roof of a vehicle body and a pillar part corresponding to a pillar of the vehicle body extend to be integrated with each other. A first outer frame is configured to extend along the roof part of the inner frame and to be coupled to the roof part so that a first glass run is fixed to the first outer frame. A second outer frame is configured to extend along the pillar part and to be coupled to the pillar part so that a second glass run is fixed to the second outer frame. The first glass run and the second glass run are both capable of absorbing impact when the door glass is inserted thereinto.

In general, a door for vehicles is provided with a door window to improve ventilation of the interior of a vehicle and visibility and habitability of passengers, and is usually formed of a steel material in consideration of stability against collision or the like.
That is, a door outer panel and a door inner panel which are formed of a steel material are coupled to each other to form a door structure, a door frame is coupled to the upper portions of the panels to form a door window, and a door module provided with a regulator to raise and lower door window glass, etc., is installed within an inner space formed by coupling the door outer panel and the door inner panel to each other.
Further, a door trim as an interior material, in which a door switch, a window switch or the like is installed, is coupled to the door inner panel, and an impact beam is installed close to the door outer panel so as to increase rigidity against side collision of the door.
As a molding and a glass run are integrated, such a conventional door essentially requires a separate garnish structure and thus increase in cost and weight is caused, and alternatively, if a molding and a pillar part are separately provided, the number of components is excessively increased and poor quality is caused.
The above description has been provided to aid in understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be interpreted as conventional technology known to those skilled in the art.


A magnetic card manufactured according to the present invention is composed of a base film; a first magnetic material coating layer applied on the base film for reading and writing variable information held in the magnetic card; and a second magnetic material coating layer applied on the first magnetic material coating layer, of which surface having a pattern formed by an angle, an interval and a thickness for giving the characteristics of the magnetic card.

This invention relates to a magnetic card which is able to keep permanent signals for preventing its fraudulent misuse within the card.
The increasing use of magnetic cards including keys, identification passes, passports, credit cards or tokens etc., has led to the introduction of sophisticated techniques to prevent their fraudulent misuse.
In particular British Patent specification No. 1,331,604 describes a security card formed of a layer of anisotropic magnetic particles which in spaced regions of the layer are fixedly aligned along a predetermined direction, and in the remaining regions are not so aligned or are aligned along a substantially different direction. By uniaxially magnetising the aligned particles, the pattern of remnant magnetisation becomes permanent, and can only be destroyed if the document is destroyed also.
Such a pattern, therefore, which is sometimes referred to as a magnetic "watermark", or as forming a "permanent magnetic structure", may be used as a permanent identification or verification code, since the regions of differently aligned particles may be assigned different significance, e.g. a binary "1" or "0".
The card of this structure may be passed over a suitable reading device, for example a vertical or horizontal magneto resistive (MR) head.
Since, however, the mechanism for applying the special magnetic material on the card which can record for memory the permanent information was used in manufacturing the above structured card and its mechanism was too expensive, one problem of this technique was that the cost of the card was too high, and its processes were complicated.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A piston pump is described for pumping a fluid. The pump includes at least one cylinder having a piston movable inside the cylinder along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder by a drive, each cylinder having at an end face a mounting flange having at least one cylinder opening, and a chamber having a volume that changes when the associated piston is moved in the cylinder. The piston pump has an inlet port for supplying and an outlet port for draining the fluid. A rotatable valve plate is arranged on the other side of the mounting flange. The mounting flange has at least one passage in the region of the inlet port and the outlet port, respectively, through which the fluid can flow between the inlet port and/or the outlet port and the other side of the mounting flange. The valve plate has fluid-transporting means by which, upon rotation of the valve plate at least one cylinder opening can be connected to a passage of the inlet and/or the outlet port.

Such a piston pump is particularly suited for use in medical infusion/dialysis technology. Predominantly tube pumps and injection pumps are currently in use. Tube pumps which work according to the peristaltic principle are used above all when larger quantities of fluid are to be administered. A provision of these quantities of fluid occurs for example with an infusion bag. In the case of syringe pumps the delivery volume through the injection body is limited and includes generally not more than 50 ml, wherein some models even allow a liquid supply of up to 100 ml.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Machine learning (ML) can be used to gather data on prospective customers from publicly available online sources. The ML can provide data on a likelihood of near future, customers and subscribers and a list of people with low interest in the company's products. The ML system can be recursively updated as new public data becomes available online. Thus, the ML system can be used to generate targeted advertising and root cause analysis based on a relationship between people's statuses and their respective interests in certain products and/or services.

Big data is a field that treats ways to analyze, systematically extract information from, or otherwise deal with data sets that are too large or complex to be dealt with by traditional data-processing application software. Data with many cases (rows) offer greater statistical power, while data with higher complexity (more attributes or columns) may lead to a higher false discovery rate. Big data challenges include capturing data, data storage, data analysis, search, sharing, transfer, visualization, querying, updating, information privacy and data source. Big data was originally associated with three key concepts: volume, variety, and velocity. Therefore, big data often includes data with sizes that exceed the capacity of traditional software to process within an acceptable time and value.
Current usage of the term big data tends to refer to the use of predictive analytics, user behavior analytics, or certain other advanced data analytics methods that extract value from data, and seldom to a particular size of data set. Analysis of data sets can find new correlations to spot business trends, prevent diseases, combat crime and so on. Scientists, business executives, practitioners of medicine, advertising and governments alike regularly meet difficulties with large datasets in areas including Internet searches, fintech, urban informatics, and business informatics. Scientists encounter limitations in e-Science work, including meteorology, genomics, connectomics, complex physics simulations, biology and environmental research. The above-described background relating to facilitating predictions associated with new telecommunications customers is merely intended to provide a contextual overview of some current issues, and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other contextual information may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.

Facilitation of artificial intelligence predictions of telecommunications customers


A production method for an endless track bushing wherein medium-carbon steel is selected as a bushing material, the bushing material is carburized, quench-hardened, and then tempered. In the quenching, the bushing material is induction-heated from an outside surface of the bushing material only. Due to the selection of medium-carbon steel, the carburizing time is reduced as compared with the case of low carbon steel. Further, due to the heating from the outside surface only, the induction-heating step is reduced to one-half of the case of heating from an outside surface of a bushing material and then from an inside surface of a bushing material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production method for a bushing used in an endless track mounted to vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
An endless track adapted to be mounted to vehicles includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a shoe 2, shoe connecting bolts 3, shoe nuts 4, rings 5 and 6, bushings 7, dust seals 8, and pins 9 as one structural unit thereof.
The bushing 7 used for an endless track is shown in FIG. 2 in an enlarged manner. For the endless track bushing, abrasion resistance is required at an inside surface 7a, an outside surface 7b and wall portions 7c adjacent the surfaces 7a and 7b, and strength and toughness are required at a core portion 7d of the wall to endure a load imposed on the bushing.
To satisfy those requirements, the following production methods of a endless track bushing have been proposed:
(a) A production method as proposed in Japanese Patent Publication SHO 52-3486, wherein case hardening steel (JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard): SCM415), which is a low carbon steel, is selected as the bushing material. The bushing material is carburized at portions near the surfaces thereof and is cooled in the furnace. Then, the bushing material is heated and quenched by oil, and then, the bushing material is tempered. The required hardness at the surfaces is obtained through the carburizing, and the required strength and toughness at the core portion are obtained through the quenching and tempering. This method will be called a first related art hereinafter. (b) A production method as proposed in Japanese Patent Application SHO 63-87338 proposed by the present applicant, (published as Japan 01-259,129) as shown in FIG. 3, wherein
a bushing material 10 of medium-carbon steel is carburized, and then the bushing material is cooled to an ambient temperature;
the bushing material is induction-heated beyond an outer carburized layer from an outside surface 10b thereof while the bushing material 10 is rotated about an axis 10a thereof whereby an outer effective hardened layer having a hardness greater than a specified effective hardness is formed;
the bushing material is induction-heated beyond an inner carburized layer from an inside surface 10c thereof while the bushing material 10 is rotated about the axis 10a and the outside surface is cooled by liquid whereby an inner effective hardened layer having a hardness greater than the specified effective hardness is formed and a tempered layer having a hardness less than the specified effective hardness is formed between the inner and outer effective hardened layer; and
the bushing is tempered at low temperatures. This method will be called a second related art hereinafter.
However, the first related art is relatively expensive as it takes a long time to carburize the bushing material because the case hardening steel includes is a low-carbon steel. The problem with the second related art is that it requires two steps in the induction heating because the bushing material is firstly induction-heated from the outside surface thereof and then from the inside surface thereof. Therefore, the hardening time is long.

Production method for a vehicular endless track bushing