A positioning system is provided for mounting a circuit board or device to be tested, and for mounting a sensor assembly, the positioning system having the capability of moving the sensor assembly in three dimensions. The sensor assembly is positioned on the mounting assembly such that it is not in contact with the circuit board under test. The sensor assembly in operation samples the electromagnetic field emanating from the circuit under test and converts those signals into a representative electrical signal in a digitized format. A processing system compares the measured values from the sensor assembly with reference values from the same point in a circuit known to be good and provides an indication to the user as to whether the difference therebetween is within an acceptable range or outside thereof.

It is well recognised that fast and accurate fault determinations for electronic circuits involving component failures or degradation is important. Electronic components and/or circuits or other elements present on circuit boards may fail in the field due to damage, age or otherwise degrade sufficiently that they no longer meet the manufacturer's specifications. The failed circuit boards are tested to determine the source of the failure, which typically will be one or more components, electrical connections or other elements on the board.
Following the fault diagnosis, attempts are typically made to repair the board. Standard test/diagnostic practices for troubleshooting a circuit board include the use of various testing devices which are designed to identify one source of the failed or marginal component, other circuit element or connection. These test devices include the use of benchtop equipment involving either automatic or manual comparison of digital signatures of circuit components while the circuit is operating. Such a device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,516. Such devices include probes which physically contact circuit elements, produce a signal signature, usually in response to a signal stimulus, and then compare that signature with a standard or reference signature. The signature can be in analog or digital format.
These test/diagnostic devices are best suited for circuits operating below 100 MHz. At significantly higher circuit frequencies, i.e. 200 MHz and above, including most RF (radio frequency) circuits and microwave circuits, such devices are usually not effective. Any contacting circuit element, such as a probe, used to obtain signals from such an operating circuit is likely to produce self-generated failures in the circuit or a distortion in the signature. Thus, conventional fault determination test devices and techniques are typically not useful with high frequency circuits.
Hence, it is desirable that test equipment and techniques be developed which are capable of making reliable and accurate fault determinations in high frequency circuits, without introducing errors into the determination.

System for fault determinations for high frequency electronic circuits


An encryption apparatus 100a including: a CRL storage unit 111 storing a CRL; a device key ring storage unit 112 storing a device key KD_A specific to each copyright protection module 210a used by a decryption apparatus 200a; a content key storage unit 113 storing a content key Kc that is a secret key for encrypting a content; a hashing function processing unit 114 calculating a hash value of the CRL stored in the CRL storage unit 111 according to a hashing function; and an Ex-OR unit 115 obtaining an exclusive OR value between the hash value and the device key KD_A. The encryption apparatus also includes an Enc unit 116 encrypting the content key Kc using an output value from the Ex-OR unit, and storing the hash value, the encrypted content key and the encrypted content in a DVD2a.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encryption apparatus, a decryption apparatus, a secret key generation apparatus and a copyright protection system for protecting copyright for transmitting a digital work via a recording medium or a transmission medium. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique of protecting against an attack enacted by replacing a Certificate Revocation List for specifying revoked public key certificates.
(2) Description of the Related Art
When a first device transmits a digital work to a second device, the first device authenticates the second device (or the first and second devices mutually authenticate). The authentication is performed before the transmission so as to prevent a copyright infringement by unauthorized obtainment. In other words, the authentication is a means to make sure whether the person on the other side of the communication is a person intended to be there for communication.
One of the examples in using a public key encryption is as follows: the first device sends a random number to the second device, then, the second device encrypts the random number using its own secret key (e.g., digital signature) and returns the encrypted text to the first device, and finally, the first device verifies the returned encrypted text (or the digital signature) using the public key held by the second device. However, in the authentication based on such public key encryption, it is presupposed that the public key is valid.
In recent years, an organization or a company called "certificate authority" issues a "public key certificate" indicating that a public key is authorized for each user (a "guarantee" for a public key). Among the issued public key certificates, for those with expired validity or those possessed by the user who has illegally conducted or who has his/her secret key stolen, Certificate Revocation List (hereinafter to be referred to as "CRL", "public key certificate revocation list" or "revocation list") indicating a list of information for specifying revoked public key certificates is issued in order to nullify such certificates (in order to inform other users of the revoked public key certificates).
It is possible to prevent an error of transmitting an important digital work to an unauthorized person by obtaining a public key certificate from a person on the other side of communication so as to authenticate the person using the public key possessed by the person, and performing the authentication as described above after confirming that the obtained public key certificate is not registered in the CRL (i.e., nullified).
It should be noted that, in some cases, the verification of a public key is performed using only a public key certificate (see reference to Japanese Patent Publication No. 3199119 (pp. 2)). However, this does not work for the public key certificate possessed by the user who has illegally acted or the user who has had his/her own secret key stolen.
However, not all the computers can always obtain a proper CRL so as to check the validity of the public key certificate issued for the person at the other end of the communication. This is a defect in the authentication based on the CRL and illegal conducts are enacted by taking advantage of the defect.
For example, in the case where a device, such as a Digital Video/Versatile Disc (DVD) for replaying a DVD on which a digital work such as a movie is recorded, obtains the latest CRL via the DVD (i.e., reads out the latest CRL recorded on the DVD) and employs the method of authentication with reference to the CRL for a partner device (e.g., a computer that activates an integrated replay processing circuit or replay software), there is a possibility that the CRL may be replaced with the old one in the process of reading out the CRL. The problem therefore is that the digital work may be obtained illegally with a revoked key that is not yet registered in the replaced and old CRL, whereas the public key would have been registered as a revoked public key certificate in a proper (i.e., the latest) CRL.
In order to overcome such a problem, the encryption apparatus, the decryption apparatus, and the copyright protection system are invented for realizing a prevention of the replacement of the CRL and a safe transmission of a digital work (see reference to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-259514).
On one hand, in the encryption apparatus according to this conception, the following operations are performed: an attribute value calculation unit calculates an attribute value which depends on the information in the CRL that is a list of information for specifying revoked public key certificates; a modification unit modifies, using the attribute value calculated by the attribute value calculation unit, a second secret key associated with the decryption apparatus that decrypts an encrypted digital work; a first encryption unit encrypts a first secret key used for the encryption of the digital work using the second secret key modified by the modification unit; a second encryption unit encrypts the digital work using a first secret key; and an output unit outputs, to the storage medium or the transmission medium, the CRL, the first secret key encrypted by the first encryption unit and the digital work encrypted by the second encryption unit.
On the other hand, in the decryption apparatus according to this conception, an obtainment unit obtains, via a storage medium or a transmission medium, an encrypted digital work, an encrypted first secret key generated by encrypting the first secret key used for the encryption of the digital work, and an CRL that is a list of information for specifying revoked public key certificates; the attribute value calculation unit calculates, based on the obtained CRL, an attribute value that depends on the contents of the CRL; the modification unit modifies, using the attribute value calculated by the attribute value calculation unit, a second secret key which is specific to the decryption apparatus and is already held by said apparatus; a first decryption unit decrypts the obtained encrypted first secret key using the second secret key modified by the modification unit; and a second decryption unit decrypts the encrypted digital work obtained by the obtainment unit using the first secret key decrypted by the first decryption unit.
Thus, the encryption apparatus outputs the encrypted digital work, the encrypted first secret key generated by encrypting the first secret key used for the encryption of the digital work, and the CRL. However, the encrypted first secret key is the first secret key encrypted by the second secret key being a key which is not only associated with the decryption apparatus, but also in which the CRL is involved. In the case where the CRL is replaced with the old one, the information related to the CRL for the pre-held second secret key is changed. Therefore, the decryption apparatus which has received the encrypted digital work, the encrypted first secret key and the CRL cannot decrypt the encrypted first secret key into the original first secret key with the use of the second secret key thus transformed. Consequently, the decryption apparatus cannot properly decrypt the encrypted digital work, and it is possible to safely transmit a digital work allowed by the function to prevent the attack enacted by replacing the CRL.

Encryption apparatus, decryption apparatus, secret key generation apparatus, and copyright protection system


The present invention provides a method for stabilizing an oxide-semiconductor interface, which is free from the formation of an interface layer (reactive layer) between a semiconductor and an interface oxide and which thereby allows satisfactory exhibition of performance capabilities of a functional oxide and achievement of the stability of oxide-semiconductor interface, yet independent of temperature; it also provides a stabilized semiconductor.

The present invention relates to a method for stabilizing an oxide-semiconductor interface by using a Group Vb element and to a stabilized semiconductor. In further detail, the invention of the present application provides a method for stabilizing an oxide-semiconductor interface and a stabilized semiconductor, which are useful in highly integrated circuits, ferroelectric materials, ferroelectric memories, etc.
Extensive research and development have been made heretofore on realizing integrated circuits (referred to sometimes hereinafter as xe2x80x9cICsxe2x80x9d) with yet higher degree of integration and on realizing ferroelectric ICs. As a means of implementing such ICs with higher integration and ferroelectric ICs, there is established a method comprising forming an oxide film on the surface of a semiconductor such as a silicon to obtain a semiconductor oxide film.
However, the interface between the semiconductor and the oxide film thus formed by a conventional method is extremely unstable, and hence, various reactions were found to occur as to result in unavoidable problems such as an increase in leak current, a malfunction of capacitors, etc.
The problem of such an unstable oxide/semiconductor interface not only concerns the conventionally known electronic components, but also is a severe problem on realizing ferroelectric memories that are attracting much attention as an ultimate memory structure in near future. No solution of overcoming such an unstable oxide/semiconductor interface is found to present, and this has been the obstacle in implementing a ferroelectric memory. Very recently, however, some methods of stabilizing the oxide/semiconductor interface are being proposed to solve the problem of unstable oxide/semiconductor interface.
Such proposals include, for instance, as shown in FIG. 3, a method for stabilizing the oxide/semiconductor interface, which comprises interposing a stable interface oxide (50) such as Y2O3, MgO, BiSiO3, etc., between a functional oxide (1) such as BaTiO3 or SrTiO3, etc., and the semiconductor (2) such as a Si substrate.
However, in the case of a known method for stabilizing the oxide/semiconductor interface as shown in FIG. 3, an interface layer (a reaction layer) (51), although being thin, was found to be formed between the semiconductor (2) and the interface oxide (50), which unavoidably resulted in a semiconductor with impaired function.
Furthermore, since two types of oxides, namely, the functional oxide (1) and the interface oxide (50), are laminated, there was found another severe problem of causing insufficient exhibition of the intrinsic performance of the functional oxide (1).
Considering the stabilization behavior of the oxide/semiconductor interface in atomic level, the stabilization is realized by the bonding that is formed between the elements constituting the interface oxide (50) and the dangling bonds of the elements constituting the semiconductor (2). For instance, FIG. 4(A) shows schematically a part of the structure of a clean (001) surface of semiconductor Si that is highly reactive, because the outermost surface of the semiconductor Si consists of Si dimers having dangling bonds that are filled with two electrons and those having no electrons. Hence, an interface layer is formed between the semiconductor and the interface oxide as a result.
Furthermore referring to FIG. 4(B), on considering the bonding between the Si dimers (53) in the outermost layer and the Si atoms (52) in the lower layers in the atomic level, it can be understood that the bond is highly stressed by the strain applied thereto. Thus, if seen in atomic level, the bonding between the Si dimers (53) in the outermost layer and the Si atoms (52) in the lower layers easily causes breakage at low temperatures. Hence, theoretically, the oxide/semiconductor interface can be stabilized at super low temperatures. In practice, however, the stabilization of the oxide/semiconductor interface was found to be extremely difficult.
Conclusively, no methods capable of stabilizing the oxide/semiconductor interface independent to temperature while sufficiently exhibiting the performance of the functional oxide without allowing the formation of an interface layer (reaction layer) between a semiconductor and the interface oxide, nor a stabilized semiconductor, are realized to present.
In the light of the aforementioned circumstances, an object of the invention of the present application is to provide a method of stabilizing the oxide/semiconductor interface independent to temperature, which yet sufficiently realizes the performance of the functional oxide without forming an interface layer (reaction layer) between a semiconductor and the interface oxide, and to provide a stabilized semiconductor.
As a means of overcoming the aforementioned problems, the invention of the present application provides, in a first aspect, a method of stabilizing an oxide-semiconductor interface by using a Group Vb element, which comprises supplying an elemental Group Vb element or two or more types of Group VB element to the surface of a semiconductor and growing an oxide on said Group Vb element, thereby stabilizing the interface between the oxide and the semiconductor.
Furthermore, the invention of the present application provides, in a second aspect, a method of stabilizing an oxide-semiconductor interface by using a Group Vb element, wherein the semiconductor is silicon, the Group Vb element is As, and the oxide grown on the Group Vb element is a functional oxide such as CeO2, BaTiO3, PbZrTiO3, or SrTiO3.
Additionally, the invention of the present application provides, in a third aspect, a stabilized semiconductor the oxide-semiconductor interface thereof is stabilized by using a Group Vb element, in which the interface between the oxide and the semiconductor is stabilized by an oxide being grown on the surface of the semiconductor with an elemental Group Vb element or two or more types of Group Vb element being incorporated between them.
That is, the inventors of the present application extensively conducted studies, and, as a result, they have found that, by terminating the surface of the semiconductor with a Group Vb element, a surface structure having extremely low reactivity can be formed at the interface between the oxide and the semiconductor. The present invention has been accomplished based on these findings.

Method for stabilizing oxide-semiconductor interface by using group 5 element and stabilized semiconductor

Japan Science and Technology Corporation

National Institute for Materials Science


A food washing apparatus of the invention includes an ozonized water generator (10), a cylindrical washing tank (1) in which the food materials are put and which can rotate to wash the food materials, a drainage part (4) formed at a part of the washing tank (1) and including openings to such a degree that water passes through and the food materials do not pass through, and wash water pipings (2, 9) which are inserted and disposed in the washing tank (1) in an axial direction and in which water spray holes (2a, 2a) for spraying wash water including at least ozonized water are formed, and while at least one part of the wash water sprayed from the wash water pipings (2, 9) is draind from the washing tank (1) every rotation of the washing tank (1), washing of the food materials is performed. Further, there is also a method in which a receiving tank (8) for wash water drained from the washing tank (1) is provided, and at least one part of the wash water in the receiving tank (8) is returned to an inlet side of the ozonized water generator (10) to perform cyclic use of the wash water.

Conventionally, a method of cutting vegetables to be eaten raw into predetermined sizes and transporting or selling them has been carried out. This method is carried out when vegetables for salad to be eaten raw are cut into predetermined sizes, are divided into small pieces for single persons, are packed and are sold, or vegetables cut in a processing plant are transported to related restaurants. In recent years, the demand tends to increase. Besides, needs for a treatment of enabling the long preservation of grains, tubers, or seeds or nuts, or a treatment of performing washing and sterilization when they are processed as food, are also increased.
Particularly, for vegetables to be eaten raw, such as salad vegetables, washing is performed and a sterilization treatment is performed in order to prevent a change in quality or decomposition until they are eaten. For this, there is also a method in which a washing step by clean water and a sterilization step using a chemical agent are independently performed in separate work places. However, recently, as a rational method in which such washing and sterilization are performed at the same time, a method of using ozonized water is proposed. As this method, there is a revolving current method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 19376/1997. That is, this is a method in which stored water in a washing tank into which vegetables are put is circulated by a circulation pump to generate a revolving current in the washing tank, and an ozone-containing gas generated by an ozone generator is blown into the washing tank. By this, bacteria stuck on the vegetables are sterilized, and at the same time, pollutants such as agricultural chemicals are also removed, and moisture is supplied to cells of the vegetables to revive freshness. As another method, there is a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 290049/1999. In this method, after vegetables are received in a space of a sealed type chamber, low concentration ozonized water is poured to such a degree that the vegetables are not soaked. Stored ozonized water is circulated and jetted to the vegetables. By this, washing and sterilization of the vegetables are performed under a mixture atmosphere of gaseous ozone and ozonized water.
In the conventional methods, first, in the revolving current method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 19376/1997, even if air containing ozone is blown into the washing tank, before the ozone dissolves, most of it passes through the washing tank without stopping and is diffused into the atmosphere. Thus, there has been a problem in a sterilization effect by ozone.
On the other hand, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 290049/1999, the ozonized water is water stored in the sealed container, and this stored water is cyclically used as wash water. As compared with the former, although an improvement in the sterilization effect by ozone can be expected, gradual contamination of the wash water can not be avoided. Thus, after washing by the ozonized water, it is necessary to perform a step of, for example, performing washing by clear water such as tap water,
Further, since both are of a batch type in which vegetables are put into the container and are washed, they are unsuitable methods as a continuous method applied to an apparatus for continuously washing plenty of vegetables.
In view of such circumstances, the invention has an object to provide a method in which a large amount of food materials can be always continuously washed and sterilized by fresh ozonized water, and which uses a small quantity of water and is economical.

Device for cleaning food with ozone water, and method of cleaning food using cleaning device


A delay locked loop (DLL) includes a delay unit configured to delay an input clock signal by a specified amount to produce a delayed clock signal. A phase detector receives as input the input clock signal and the delayed clock signal and outputs a signal proportional to the phase difference between the input clock signal and the delayed clock signal to provide a control voltage for adjusting the delay to the specified amount. A pulse swallower removes a pulse from the input clock signal or from the delayed clock signal to reverse the direction of the control signal.

FIG. 1 shows a delay-locked loop (DLL) 101 of the prior art (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,634 to McDonagh, for example). The DLL 101 comprises a phase frequency detector (PFD) 103, a charge pump 105, a loop filter (loop capacitor) 107 and a voltage controlled delay line (VCDL) 109. The VCDL 109 can include n stages, each stage contributing a certain amount of delay to the overall delay. The DLL 101 receives a reference clock signal (input clock signal) 111 and generates an output clock signal 113 that has its phase delayed by a fraction of a period of the reference clock signal 111.
The PFD 103 receives, on its input terminals, the reference clock signal 111 and the output clock signal 113. In a conventional arrangement, the PFD 103 is a rising edge detector that compares the rising edges of the two clock signals. Based on this comparison, the PFD 103 generates one of three states. If the phases of the two signals differ by the desired amount, then the loop is "locked". Neither the UP nor the DOWN signal is asserted and the delay of the VCDL remains the same. If the reference clock signal 111 leads the output clock signal 113 by more than the desired amount, then the delay of the DLL 101 is too much. If the reference clock signal 111 lags the output clock signal 113 by more than the desired amount, then the delay of the DLL 101 is too little. The detector 103 then outputs an UP or a DOWN signal (depending on the particular circuit design) proportional to the phase difference between the reference clock signal 111 and the output clock signal 113. The UP and DOWN signals typically take the form of pulses having a width or duration corresponding to the timing difference between the rising edges of the reference and output clock signals. The UP and DOWN signals are output to the charge pump 105 through two separate lines.
The charge pump 105 generates a current Icp 115 that controls the voltage of the loop filter 107 and thereby the delay of the VCDL 109. The current 115 is dependent on the signal output by the PFD 103. If the charge pump 105 receives an UP signal from the PFD 103, Icp 115 is increased. If the charge pump 105 receives a DOWN signal from the PFD 103, Icp 115 is decreased. If neither an UP nor a DOWN signal is received, indicating that the clock signals have the desired phase difference, the charge pump 105 does not adjust Icp 115.
The loop filter 107 is positioned between the charge pump 105 and the VCDL 109. An UP signal from the PFD 103 results in an increase of the voltage Vloop 117 on the loop filter 107, while a DOWN signal from the PFD 103 results in a decrease of the voltage Vloop 117 on the loop filter 107. Vloop 117 is applied to the VCDL 109. The VCDL 109 can be comprised of a voltage-to-current converter, which then supplies a current to a current controlled delay line to control the delay. The loop filter 107 also removes out-of-band, interfering signals before application of Vloop 117 to the VCDL 109. A common configuration for the loop filter 107 in the DLL 101 is a simple single-pole, low-pass filter that can be realized with a single capacitor.
The output clock signal 113 is looped back to the PFD 103 to facilitate the delay-locked loop operation. The DLL 101 thus compares the reference clock signal 111 phase to the output clock signal 113 phase and adjusts the detected phase difference between the two to a desired amount by adjusting the delay of the VCDL 109.
The prior-art DLL 101 faces lock problems. In order to prevent a false lock to a zero or incorrect phase, the initial state of the DLL 101 must be well defined so that the leading edge of the output clock signal 113 is delayed between ½ a period and 1½ periods. Additionally, a reset signal must be applied if the input frequency is changed.
FIG. 4 illustrates the lock-to-zero problem of the prior art. As can be seen, the fed-back output clock signal 113 has a phase, which is delayed by a small amount relative to the reference clock signal 111. The PFD 103 outputs an up signal 403 to the charge pump 105, increasing the voltage Vloop 117 in order to decrease the delay of the fed-back output clock signal 113. However, the Vloop 117 cannot increase enough and the DLL 201 becomes stuck, or locked-to-zero trying to achieve the zero phase delay.
FIG. 6 illustrates the false locking of the prior-art DLL. Due to the false locking, the reference clock signal 111 has a phase, which is delayed relative to fed-back output clock signal 113. The PFD 103 outputs a down signal 503 to the charge pump 105, decreasing the voltage Vloop 117 in order to increase the delay of the fed-back output clock signal 113.
McDonagh provides a circuit providing correct start-up and locking of the DLL circuit, but still requires that the DLL be biased to the smallest delay value. If the reference clock signal frequency is changed, then the DLL needs to be reset.
It would be desirable to have a DLL that would, without being reset, achieve correct startup and lock to the correct phase even if the reference clock signal frequency is changed.


There is provided an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a recording medium that can estimate a three-dimensional position of a targeted point more accurately. The information processing apparatus includes: a targeted point estimation unit configured to identify probability maps indicating existence probabilities of a targeted point in a plurality of projection directions, on the basis of an input image; and a synthesis unit configured to identify a three-dimensional position of the targeted point on the basis of the probability maps in the plurality of projection directions.

The recognition of the shape of an object included (appearing) in an image is performed on the basis of the image. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology of performing the recognition of a hand shape from an image, and Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology of recognizing a surface shape of a subject on the basis of polarization images in a plurality of polarization directions, and performing image processing that is based on the surface shape of the subject.
On the other hand, a three-dimensional position of a targeted point related to an object is estimated on the basis of an image. For example, Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology of estimating a two-dimensional position of a targeted point on a plane of an input image using a depth image as an input image, and estimating a three-dimensional position of a targeted point related to a hand such as a joint point or a fingertip, by acquiring a depth value of the two-dimensional position.

Information processing apparatus, information processing mei'hod, and recording medium


In one embodiment, a method, system and apparatus are described, the method including receiving an initial request from a client device, being a request to establish a connection, including an initial connection IP address of the client device, recording the initial connection IP address, receiving an additional request at the network interface, the additional request comprising a URL, an actual client IP address of the client device, and a request for streaming content, comparing the initial connection IP address with the actual client IP address, performing one of providing the streaming content in response to the additional request if the initial connection IP address and the actual client IP address are the same, or providing a response to the additional request comprising a redirect instruction if the initial connection IP address and the actual client IP address are different. Related methods, apparatus, and systems are also described.

Subscribers of content distribution networks (CDNs) may use mobile devices to access media and other web-based content. As subscribers move around throughout the day, their mobile devices may transition between many different networks (i.e., wireless LANs, 5G, etc.). The choice of a CDN edge server through which to retrieve content is often statically assigned at session setup time (i.e. when a subscriber starts watching a live channel or alternatively, starts viewing web-based content). As a result, mobile device on which the content is being viewed will often retrieve content from the same edge server throughout the viewing session, regardless of changes in network and location. This results in clients that are not connected to an optimal edge server based on their current location. Rather, clients remain connected to an original edge server with which their connection was originally established, and, as a result, additional traffic is caused to flow over network core and backbone links.


An illumination assembly for a scanner according to one example embodiment includes a scan head frame. A thermally conductive heat sink component has an elongated base portion that is mounted along a longitudinal edge of the scan head frame and a protruding portion having a generally L-shaped structure that includes a first portion extending from the base portion and a second portion extending from and generally orthogonal to the first portion. A light source is coupled to the second portion of the protruding portion of the heat sink component. A first reflector is removably coupled to the first portion of the protruding portion of the heat sink component and is positioned directly in the optical path of the light source.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to scanners, and more specifically, to an is illumination assembly for a scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Developments in the field of scanners have improved the scanning speed of scanners. High speed scanners typically require high intensity illumination. A light source, such as an external electrode xenon fluorescent lamp, may be utilized in the scanners to provide the required illumination. However, xenon fluorescent lamps may generate excessive heat. In some instances, the excess heat may impact the scanner's life and the scanning quality of the scanner.
Recent technological developments in the field of scanners have provided another light source, white LEDs (light emitting diodes). To achieve high intensity illumination, either a single high power LED or an array of medium power LEDs may be utilized. The use of LEDs to provide high intensity illumination may also generate a considerable amount of heat, which may impact the scanner's life and the scanning quality. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that an illumination assembly for a scanner that provides high intensity illumination in a thermally efficient manner is desired.

Illumination assembly for a scanner with thermally conductive heat sink


Device for selective climate control in vehicle cabins having a first air-vent duct (18) and a second air-vent duct (22) on respective sides or different zones in a vehicle cabin. The duct temperature on each side is measured and the duct adjustment is regulated by inner feedback control circuits. The cabin temperature (Tc1, Tc2 resp.) on both sides is measured, preferably at approximately head level, and fed to outer control circuits which determine the desired duct temperature as the deviation between the desired cabin temperatures (Tcs1, Tcs2 resp.) set by means of separate control knobs (38, 44) and the measured cabin temperatures (Tc1, Tc2 resp.). Desired duct temperature signals (Dts1, Dts2 resp.) are connected as input signals to respective inner control circuits.

In order to offer all the occupants of a vehicle the highest possible comfort, it is desirable to be able to offer the passenger as well as the driver the possibility to set the cabin temperature. In other words it is desirable to have the possibility to maintain different temperatures in separate parts of the same cabin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,269 shows a system in which the air conditioning, in this case temperature and air flow velocity, for the driver's and passenger's side respectively in a motor vehicle is regulated by means of separate control panels. The temperature in the cabin is determined by an interior temperature sensor. The disadvantage with this system is that the lack of separate and effectively placed temperature sensors seriously affects the possibility to regulate the temperature automatically; the system does not measure the temperatures where respective occupants sit and sense the cabin climate. The system according to Swedish document SE-457574 also makes use of a single temperature sensor and accordingly displays the same disadvantages.
Improved attempts to achieve separate climate control are described in the Japanese patent JP 59-59517 and in the French patent FR 2608520. These systems make use of a better placement of temperature sensors in the cabin, at head level, though the temperature at head level is an insufficient measure of the temperature around the driver or the passenger. The Japanese document JP 58188714 and the German document DE 3215293 describe systems which comprise temperature sensors placed in the air-vent and in the cabin on respective cabin sides. Despite separate temperature measuring, neither of these systems have separate regulators and can therefore not compensate for different temperature changes on the driver and passenger sides respectively in an independent manner.
The object of the present invention is accordingly to provide a device which permits automatic precise and substantially independent climate control in separate regions in a vehicle's cabin.


A position sensor for ultraviolet beams includes a beam positioning member for directing an ultraviolet beam along a path; a downconverter member for converting the beam to visible light; a position sensing member for sensing position of visible light thereon; and relay optics for directing the visible light to the position sensing member; wherein the position sensing member is communicated with the beam positioning member for conveying information regarding position of the visible light to the beam positioning member.

The invention relates to a beam position sensing apparatus for sensing position of ultraviolet (UV, DUV, EUV) beams.
Numerous medical, industrial and other processes rely on proper positioning of beams such as ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet beams and the like. Accurate positioning of the beams in such processes is critical.
Position sensing members such as quad cells, lateral effect detectors and the like are known. However, long-term exposure of such position sensing members to UV, DUV and EUV radiation results in rapid and serious degradation of performance of the position sensing member.
It is clear that the need remains for an apparatus for sensing position of ultraviolet, deep ultraviolet and the like beams wherein performance does not rapidly decline.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and advantages have been readily attained.
According to the invention, a position sensor for ultraviolet beams is provided, which comprises a beam positioning member for directing an ultraviolet beam along a path; a downconverter member for converting the beam to visible light; and a position sensing member for sensing position of the visible light thereon; and relay optics for directing the visible light to the position sensing member; wherein the position sensing member is communicated with the beam positioning member for conveying information regarding position of the visible light to the beam positioning member.

Position sensor for ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet beams


A method for making stir-in type halophosphate phosphors to obtain a fluffy, deagglomerated powder is disclosed. A wet phosphor filter cake is fed into a toroidal-shaped direct-fired glass flash dryer in which a hot gaseous stream is circulating. The wet phosphor particles are suspended in the stream while the remaining liquid is evaporated. The dried phosphor powder is ejected from the dryer by centrifugal force and collected. Recovery efficiency of the process is about 99.9 percent.

Preparation of halophosphate phosphor to obtain a deagglomerated powder is known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,654,173 and 3,654,174 to Thomas et al disclose a method of making such a phosphor whereby during synthesis the phosphor particles are maintained in continuous motion or agitation to prevent substantially any agglomeration thereof.
U.S. Pat. application No. B 345,390 to Demarest et al discloses a method of making such a phosphor whereby deagglomeration of the phosphor crystals occurs by high-shear mechanical stirring of the phosphor in an aqueous slurry.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,339 to Vodoklys discloses a method of making such a phosphor whereby an aqueous slurry containing the phosphor is fed into a spray dryer, where it is atomized in a hot gas or air stream and exposed to temperatures well above the boiling point of water to rapidly evaporate the water, leaving a fluffy, deagglomerated phosphor powder. The gas or air stream is heated indirectly to about 600.degree. F. (316.degree. C.). The dried phosphor and evaporated water are fed into a conventional centrifugal separator, or cyclone collector. The air stream is forced into a circular path and deposits a substantial portion of the phosphor powder via centrifugal forces in the bottom of the cyclone collector. Residual phosphor dust remaining in the circulating stream is collected in a dust collecting bag, while the circulating stream is vented to the atmosphere. Recovery efficiency of the process is about 95 percent.

Deagglomerating direct-fired flash dryer for drying stir-in phosphors and method of using same


Methods and apparatus for providing multiple transaction cards in a single package are described. According to one aspect, a carrier package arrangement includes a holder and a plurality of transaction cards. The transaction cards are retained on the holder, and are arranged to be transitioned form an unactivated state to an activated state using a first activation code. The carrier package arrangement can also include a case that can contain the holder and the plurality of transaction cards.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transaction cards and, more particularly, to providing multiple monetary transaction cards in a single package and facilitating substantially simultaneous activation of the multiple monetary transaction cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monetary transaction cards generally include smart cards, credit cards, debit cards, automatic teller machine (ATM) cards, identification (ID) cards, and pre-paid cards such as gift cards. Typically, monetary transaction cards are of a standard credit card size, or a the size of a CR-80 card. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a standard CR-80 card. A CR-80 card 100 generally includes a magnetic stripe 108, and has a height H 112 that is approximately 2.125 inches and a width W 116 that is approximately 3.375 inches. A distance D1 120 between magnetic stripe 108 and an edge 104 of CR-80 card 100 is approximately 0.223 inches. In general, a thickness D2 124 of magnetic stripe 108 may vary depending upon the number of tracks (not shown) associated with magnetic stripe 108. Typically, if two tracks (not shown) are encoded on magnetic stripe 108, thickness D2 124 may be approximately 0.375 inches. Alternatively, if three tracks (not shown) are encoded on magnetic stripe 108, thickness D2 124 may be approximately 0.5 inches.
Monetary transaction cards that are gift cards or other pre-paid cards are often attached to carrier cards, and displayed at retail locations. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a transaction card mounted on a carrier card. A carrier assembly 236 includes a transaction card 200 and a carrier card 240. Transaction card 200 is often mounted on carrier card 240 using an adhesive. Carrier card 240 may include an opening 244 that enables carrier card 240 to be hung on a rack for display purposes.
When an individual wishes to purchase or otherwise obtain multiple transaction cards such as pre-paid cards, he or she selects individual transaction cards which are then individually activated, e.g., using a point-of-sale computing system. The individual activation of the transaction cards may be time consuming, as information is read from each transaction card, and transmitted to an activation system. If there are many transaction cards to be activated, activating the transaction cards one-by-one may be inefficient.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for providing and facilitating activation of multiple transaction cards such as pre-paid cards.

Multi-pack gift card and activation thereof


Compositions for treating bodies of water are disclosed herein. The water treatment composition can include sodium percarbonate, a binder, a fibrous material, and inert materials combined to form an integral product. The integral product can be in the form of a tablet. The binder can be vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer, the fibrous material can be organic fibers, for example cotton fibers, and the inert material can be polyethylene glycol. The integral product can be between approximately 70 to 95 weight percent sodium percarbonate, between approximately 0.5 to 10.0 weight percent binder, between approximately 0.05 to 10.0 weight percent fibrous material, and between approximately 1.0 to 10.0 weight percent inert material. More specifically, the integral product can be approximately 91 weight percent sodium percarbonate, approximately 4.5 weight percent binder, approximately 1.0 weight percent fibrous material, and approximately 3.5 weight percent inert material. The integral product can be moisture free and water soluble.

One attribute of water and other liquids is the amount of oxygen dissolved in the liquid. In many instances, the quality or usefulness of a liquid is in large part determined by the level of dissolved oxygen in the liquid. In general, dissolved oxygen refers to free non-compound oxygen present in a liquid. When oxygen is free and non-compound, each oxygen atom is bonded to only one other oxygen atom and not bonded in any other element. Such an arrangement forms an oxygen molecule (O2). Therefore, dissolved oxygen is an oxygen molecule that is dissolved in a liquid such as water. The dissolved oxygen level of a liquid is the ratio of the amount of dissolved oxygen present in a given volume of the liquid. The level of dissolved oxygen is typically expressed as the weight of oxygen (typically in milligrams) per a volume of liquid (typically in liters).
As will be understood, the level of dissolved oxygen can be very important to the quality and usefulness of naturally-formed and man-made bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, streams, lagoons, reservoirs, retention ponds, holding tanks, settlement tanks, wastewater collected for treatment, and the like. In naturally-formed bodies of water, organisms such as plants, fish, amphibians, bacteria, etc. rely on dissolved oxygen in the body of water for respiration and other biologic functions. While the adequate amount of dissolved oxygen is based on many factors and varies for different bodies of water, generally, bodies of water require between 1 and 15 milligrams of dissolved oxygen per liter of water to sustain a healthy ecosystem to support various organisms.
In certain man-made bodies of water, including wastewater collected for treatment, controlling the level of dissolved oxygen can enable and enhance the treatment of wastewater. For example, certain wastewater treatment processes are aerobic, which means that the process relies on the presence of oxygen to break down organic matter present in the wastewater. Whether on a small scale, such as treating wastewater generated by a rural residential home, or on a large scale, such as a municipal wastewater treatment facility, insuring the presence of oxygen and controlling the oxygen level can be paramount to the effective operation of such aerobic treatment processes.
Conventionally, oxygen is dissolved into bodies of water through mechanical processes such as bubbling air into the water or agitating the water through churning to force air into the water. As will be appreciated, such processes typically require specialized equipment that is powered by electrical energy or by a machine driven by carbon-based energy sources. Thus, conventional methods can be very energy intensive. Furthermore, in such conventional methods, the specialized equipment must be procured and maintained, which adds additional costs. Additionally, agitation of water or bubbling of air into bodies of water can cause turbulence in the body of water, which may be undesirable or detrimental to certain bodies of water such as lakes, ponds and settlement tanks.
Another attribute of water and other liquids is the amount of bacteria and other undesirable organisms in the liquid. In many instances, it is desirable to eliminate or at least reduce the amount of bacteria in a body of water. Bacteria can propagate disease, harm organisms, and contaminate nutrients and other substances that come into contact with the bacteria. Many bodies of water that benefit from proper dissolved oxygen levels can also benefit from the elimination or reduction of bacteria and other undesirable organisms.
There is a need for novel methods and compositions for increasing or controlling the level of dissolved oxygen in bodies of water that overcome the limitations of the prior art. Additionally, there is a need for novel methods and products for providing a disinfecting or antibacterial agent in a body of water.

Composition for water treatment and methods of manufacture


A transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and a method of monitoring the same includes a transmission having a shift position member movable between a plurality of gear positions. A linkage is coupled to an actuator and movable between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the actuator. A cable having first and second ends is coupled to the linkage and the shift position member respectively for transferring movement from the actuator to the shift position member. A plurality of sensors are spaced from each other and disposed about the first end of the cable such that movement of the cable relative to said linkage causes the sensors to monitor movement of the shift position member between the gear positions for achieving a proper position of the shift position member in one of the gear positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and a method of monitoring the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current column shift technologies use a steering column mounted device to move an automatic transmission through a plurality of gear positions. The gear positions may include a park position, a reverse position, a neutral position and a plurality of drive positions. The transmission includes a cam and a follower moving relative to each other. The cam includes a plurality of peaks spaced from each other with a valley disposed between each of the peaks to define the gear positions. A lever is coupled to the transmission for moving the cam in response to selection of one of the gear positions. A spool shaft is coupled to the lever and the cam such that movement of the lever causes movement to the cam. A transmission sensor senses a rotational displacement of the spool shaft to sense the gear position of the transmission. However the transmission sensor is unable to determine if the follower is disposed properly in one of the valleys of the desired gear positions. Improper position of the follower in the cam may cause damage to the transmission.
In addition, current technologies use an ignition lock mechanism to prevent removal of a key from an ignition until the transmission is put in the park position. However, the ignition lock mechanism requires additional components and manufacturing to a portion of the steering column.
Therefore there remains a need to develop a transmission shift assembly and a method of monitoring the same for a vehicle having a linkage with a plurality of sensors to sense whether one of a plurality of gear positions was proper achieved and to potentially eliminate the ignition lock mechanism.

Transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and a method of monitoring the same

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation


Systems and methods are described for managing charging and discharging of battery packs. In one or more aspects, a system and method are provided to minimize overcharging of battery cells of specific battery chemistries while still enabling fast charging cycles. In other aspects, a buck converter may be used to reduce a voltage of power used to charge the cells. In further aspects, a fast overcurrent protection circuit is described to address situations involving internal short circuits of a battery cell or battery pack. In yet further aspects, a bypass circuit is provided in series-connected battery packs to improve the charging of undercharged battery packs while also increasing the efficiency of the overall charging process. In other aspects, a circuit is provided that permits a controller to determine a configuration of battery packs. In yet further aspects, a system may determine a discharge current for a collection of battery packs based on each battery pack's state of health (SOH) and forward that determination to an external device.

The charging of battery cells, in a single battery pack or across multiple battery packs, can be difficult. In some situations, battery cells with specific battery chemistries are prone to reaching an over-voltage condition while other battery cells in the same array have not yet reached a desired state of charge. Responding to an over-voltage condition is often too late to prevent damage to the battery cells. Similarly, parallel arrangements of battery cells or battery packs can create dangerous situations when one of the cells or packs experiences a short circuit. While that cell or pack may protect itself from catastrophic failure, other cells or packs may experience a cascading overcurrent situation that may untimely wear and/or degrade the life expectancy of the non-shorting cells or packs. Also, continuing to charge series-connected battery packs may create issues by overcharging already charged packs while trying to charge undercharged packs. Further, some operations for battery packs may be improved based on knowledge of how the battery packs are arranged in an environment. However, battery pack manufacturers are not always knowledgeable of all arrangements of their battery packs and cannot optimize specific operations.

Hardware short circuit protection in a large battery pack


A plurality of traffic profiles is determined for a plurality of traffic groups where each traffic profile includes a share of traffic and an address footprint size associated with a corresponding traffic group. A host write is received from a host and the traffic group that the host write belongs to is identified. Write data associated with the host write is stored in the solid state storage allocated to the traffic group that the host write is identified as belonging to where the amount of solid state storage allocated to each of the plurality of traffic groups is based at least in part on the traffic profile of a given traffic group.

One performance metric of particular interest in solid state storage systems (which is not of interest to other types of storage systems, such as hard disk drives) is write amplification. Write amplification is the ratio of host writes plus overhead writes, compared to host writes alone and is (generally speaking) one measure of the "efficiency" of solid state storage systems. Write amplification is of interest in solid state storage systems because programming and erasing cause the electrical insulation of solid state storage cells to break down, making the cells "leaky" and less able to hold charge for long periods of time. The ideal write amplification value is 1, because no overhead writes are performed when the write amplification value is 1.
It is known that storing hot data with hot data and cold data with cold data in the solid state storage media (i.e., data separation) tends to be better for write amplification. However, techniques which further improve the performance of the system (e.g., which further reduce write amplification) would be desirable.

Data separation during host write with storage allocated based on traffic profiles


A notification appliance (10) includes a lighting element (30) and strobe drive electronics (18) mounted on a single printed circuit board (14). A lens (20) is mounted to the printed circuit board (14) over the lighting element (30). The lens (20) includes a cavity (35) disposed over the lighting element (30). The lens (20) is shaped to focus light from the lighting element (30) into a far-field lighting pattern (40) including a visible first arc (42) that subtends approximately a 90° angle in a first plane, a visible second arc (44) that subtends approximately a 180° angle in a second plane, and two visible spots (46), each spot (46) on an opposite side of the first arc (42) from the other. A lens (20) for a notification appliance (10) is also disclosed.

Notification strobe units are incorporated into alarm systems to provide visual warnings to occupants of a space. The visual warning may indicate fire or provide a mass notification for other hazardous conditions, such as chemical contamination, required evacuation, carbon monoxide, security lock-down, and the like. In most applications, the notification strobes have to comply with building codes and/or certification agency standards for brightness of the light they project, and the angles from which the light must be visible.
To comply with those standards, known notification strobes have their lighting element mounted out of the plane of the main printed circuit board (PCB), in other words, away from a PCB having a strobe-drive, management and interface electronics and/or the electro-mechanical interface to the power line. This separation allows the lighting element to be spatially offset from the other components of the strobe unit which may block the light, allowing the light from the element to be visible from the required angles. Further, spacing the light element from the waste heat emanating from the light-engine and interface electronics limits incident heating of the lighting element. Further, thermally conductive cladding such as aluminum used in the PCB construction may also be used to dissipate heat generated by the lighting element.
To meet brightness standards, known notification strobe units require so much power that the driver and interface electronics produce relatively large amounts of heat relative to the amount of light. Because of this heat production, internal temperatures in some known notification strobe units can significantly exceed ambient temperatures. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are frequently used as lighting elements in notification strobes because they are more energy efficient than many alternatives, but the high internal temperatures of some known strobe units can cause LEDs to operate at less than optimal efficiency. For example, for a given LED at a fixed drive current, a 60° C. increase in temperature might reduce light output by about 10%. Known strobe unit designs thus require some combination of spacing between the LED and PCB, heat dissipating cladding, and extra power in order to maintain required light output.


According to a certain embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a circuit block and a clock circuit configured to supply a clock signal to the circuit block at a specific timing. The clock circuit includes an output circuit configured to provide the clock signal to the circuit block, and a control circuit configured to control the timing at which the output circuit provides the clock signal. A threshold voltage of at least a transistor in the output circuit using the clock signal as input/output signals is a first threshold voltage, and a threshold voltage of a transistor configuring the control circuit is a second threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage.

With increase in integration and speed of semiconductor devices, there is a tendency to lower a threshold voltage of a transistor mounted in the semiconductor devices in order to support lower signal delays.
In addition, a clock gating cell configured to stop an operation of a circuit(s) of a functional block which is not used has been used, as low power consumption technology.

Semiconductor device, clock circuit, and control method of semiconductor device


The invention relates to a method of bit allocation in a scene change situation during encoding a video sequence. Following a scene change, the picture complexity of the current picture is adjusted so that the bit allocation for the next picture is more accurately estimated.

To minimise implementation complexity, the bit allocation scheme in the MPEG-2 Test Model-5 (TM-5) makes use of a complexity measure of a present picture of a certain type (I, P, or B) to estimate the target bit allocation of the next picture of the same type. After a picture of a certain type (I, P, or B) is encoded, the respective "global complexity measure" (Xi, Xp, or Xb) is updated as:Xi=SiQi  (1)Xp=SpQp  (2)Xb=SbQb  (3)where Si, Sp, Sb are the number of bits generated by encoding this picture and Qi, Qp, and Qb are the average quantization parameters computed by averaging the actual quantization values used during the encoding of all the macroblocks, including skipped macroblocks.
The target number of bits (Ti, Tp, or Tb) for the next picture in a group of pictures (GOP) is computed as:Ti=max{R/(1+NpXp/XiKp+NbXb/XiKb), bit_rate/(8*picture_rate)}  (4)Tp=max{R/(Np+NbKpXb/KbXp), bit_rate/(8*picture_rate)}  (5)Tb=max{R/(Nb+NpKbXp/KpXb), bit_rate/(8*picture_rate)}  (6)where:                Kp and Kb are "universal" constants dependent on the quantization matrices;        Np and Nb are the number of P-pictures and B-pictures remaining in the current GOP in the encoding order;        R is the remaining number of bits assigned to the GOP; and R is updated after encoding a picture, as follows:R=R−Si,p,b where Si,p,b is the number of bits generated in the picture just encoded (depending on whether the picture is I, P, or B).        Before encoding the first picture in a GOP (an I-picture):R=G+R G=bit_rate*N/picture_rate        N is the number of pictures in the GOP        At the start of the sequence R=0.
The TM-5 bit allocation method is described fully in "International Organisation for Standardisation ISO-IEC/JTCI/SC29/WG11: Coded Representation of Picture and Audio Information, Test Model 5".
In the TM-5 bit allocation method, using the current picture complexity to estimate the next picture bit allocation gives rise to inaccuracies when a scene change occurs in the next picture.
The bit allocation method used in TM-5 to calculate the target number of bits for the next picture is based on the global complexity measure (Xi, Xp, and Xb) of the current picture, which can result in an inaccurate prediction of the target number of bits when a scene change occurs. Referring to FIG. 2, when a scene change occurs, the complexity measure, Xp1, of the next P-picture (P1) after the scene change will normally be higher.
But since the target number of bits for the P-picture after the scene change is based on the complexity measure of the P-picture before the scene change, the target bits for P1 may be inaccurately predicted. Likewise for the P-picture following P1, the target will be inaccurately predicted as being much higher due to the high complexity measure of P1 being used. The effect of this is that a degradation of picture quality in the several pictures after the scene change will propagate from the encoding error in the first P-picture. To address the problems associated with the scene change situation, an intra-encoding mode can be used to encode a picture which includes a new scene, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,746. When a scene change is detected in a P-picture, the picture is allocated with bits corresponding to the intra-coded picture and the picture is coded in an intra-mode. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,121, the start of a GOP is determined by detecting a new scene in order to intra-frame code the new scene. These kinds of methods do not have a fixed number of pictures in a GOP during encoding of a sequence, and are not suitable to use for an encoder system which requires a fixed number of pictures in a GOP.
Some methods avoid picture degradation in the scene change situation by allocating more bits to encode the new scene picture. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,835, when a scene change occurs, extra bits are allocated to encode the picture, where the number of bits depends on 1) the distance of the P-picture that is about to be coded from the end group of pictures; 2) the number of I-mode macroblocks in the P-picture; 3) ease of coding the I-mode macroblocks in the P-picture; and 4) the number of bits presently in the video buffer verifier (VBV). In this method, the situations where multiple scene changes occur close together may require a significant number of extra bits, and as the extra number of bits is only limited by the potential of a VBV underflow occurrence, it could increase the chance of panic-mode encoding. In panic-mode encoding, only the minimum amount of data required to maintain the integrity of the bitstream is transmitted, which significantly degrades the picture encoding quality.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,150, SUBGOPs are defined as sets of 2-4 frames in a GOP, and if a scene change is found in a subsequent SUBGOP, bit allocation adjustment is made to save bits in the current SUBGOP, and when a scene change is found in the current SUBGOP, extra bits are assigned to the current SUBGOP. As this method requires detection of a scene change in a subsequent SUBGOP before bits assignment, there is an undesirable encoding latency. Also, as bits are saved in the current SUBGOP so as to be used in next SUBGOP, it is only suitable for constant bit-rate applications, as using bits saved from previous pictures is not necessary in variable bit-rate applications.
When a scene change occurs, the first P-picture after the scene change will generally be difficult to encode and will need more bits because of the intra-mode coding required. B-pictures are not affected as much due to the usual bi-directional motion estimation thereof. In addition, because the error in the P-picture will propagate, it is important to minimise the degradation in quality of the first P-picture after a scene change.
It is an object of this invention that the above inaccurate bit allocation estimation problems of TM-5 are addressed by correcting the picture complexity value that is used to estimate the bit allocation for the next picture, or that it at least provides a useful alternative. This inaccuracy problem applies to the two subsequent P-pictures that follows the scene change as both of these P-pictures have inaccurate picture complexity values used for their bit allocation assignment. By adjusting the picture complexity value following the scene change detection to give a more accurate bit allocation to the two P-pictures after the scene change, this method can be used for encoder bit-rate control for both constant bit-rate and also variable bit-rate schemes. It should be noted that reducing the'bit allocation for other pictures to compensate for the increase in bit allocation for scene change is not necessary for variable bit-rate applications.
It is noted that for multiple scene changes close together, for example scene changes which occur every 2 to 3 frames, the increased target bit allocation for every scene change is not realistic in constant bit-rate applications. Also, human visual acuity is generally not able to sensibly interpret such an apparently 'continuous' scene change.

System and method of bit allocation in scene change situations

STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific PTE Ltd.


A strobe notification appliance that outputs directional information is disclosed. The strobe notification appliance may generate, in addition to notification of the fire condition, directional information (e.g., such as away from the unavailable exit paths and/or toward the preferred exit paths). In one instance, the strobe notification appliance includes a strobe element (such as a flash tube strobe element or LED strobe element) outputting fire notification information and a directional light element (such as one or more LEDs) outputting directional information. In another instance, the strobe notification appliance includes the strobe element that outputs both fire notification information and directional information. In this way, occupants of a building may be notified of a fire and notified of available or unavailable exit paths.

Fire alarm devices such as audible horns (audible/visible or A/V), loudspeakers (speaker/visible or SN) and visible strobes (visible only or V/O), are referred to as "notification appliances." Typically, a fire alarm control panel (FACP) drives these devices over one or more "notification appliance circuits" (NACs). The strobes are used, for example, as an alert for the hearing-impaired, or for those in a high noise environment.

Strobe notification appliance with directional information


The invention concerns an improved peristaltic pump including at least one elastically flattenable tube and at least two assemblies of two pressing elements placed opposite each other, each of said assemblies being configured to compress the tube at a different point from the pump. These two pressing elements of a single assembly are placed on either side of the tube, at least one of the pressing elements of this single assembly is mobile such that the distance separating the pressing elements of the single assembly is adjustable, to allow the pressing members to be placed in a rest position, in which the tube is not compressed by the pressing elements, or to allow the pressing elements to be placed in a position compressing the tube. Advantageously, the adjustment is made automatically when the peristaltic pump or pumping is started or stopped.

These pumps comprise two sets of rollers, radial and opposite with respect to the rotor supporting and rotating these sets of rollers. In each set of rollers, two rollers are linked and are separated from each other by a width such that the two walls of the tube are in contact and sufficiently compressed to ensure the tube's tightness during pumping.
Peristaltic pumps use an elastic elastomer tube that is relatively expensive, therefore it is important to ensure that this has a maximum useful life.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show such a peristaltic pump 1 according to the prior state of the art. This pump comprises a rotor 2 fixed on a drive shaft 3. Fixed on this rotor 2 are two symmetrically opposed sets 4, 5 of two rollers 6, 7 rotationally mobile around their longitudinal axis 8.
The two rollers 6, 7 of each set 4, 5 are positioned on either side of the tube 9 of the pump 1 and separated by a width e substantially equal to or less than the double width of walls 10, 11 of the tube 9, so as to ensure tightness in line with the compression of the tube 9.
When the sets 4, 5 of rollers move from the inlet 12 of the pump 1 towards its outlet 13, by the rotation of the rotor, the compressed portion of tube 9 reverts to its original cylindrical shape after the passage of these sets of rollers.
Through the movement, or rotation, of the sets 4, 5 of rollers, the product contained in the tube 9 is drawn in at the inlet 12 of pump 1 and ejected at the outlet 13. The continuous rotation of rotor 2 consequently ensures a pumped flow of the product drawn in at the inlet 12 and then ejected at the outlet 13.
The pumped flow is naturally proportional to the rotational speed of the rotor 2 and to the internal cross-section of the tube 9. The rotation of the drive shaft 3 of rotor 2 of pump 1 is carried out by a motor, not shown.
The rollers 6, 7 of each set 4, 5 are cylindrical and radial cylindrical rollers 14 and axial cylindrical rollers 15 fixed on the rotor 2 guide the tube 9 and keep it in a centered position on the rotor 2.
However, this pump 1 presents a number of drawbacks.
Firstly, it is noted that the axial cylindrical rollers 15 tend to embed themselves laterally at 16 in tube 9 under the latter's tension, since these rollers 15 only bear against one point. As a result, they deform the cylindricity of this tube 9 and reduce its suction capacity.
In addition, a cumbersome retention frame 17 is required to avoid having the tube 9 break away outwards.
In effect, it can be seen that, when these sets 4, 5 of rollers rotate, a traction force is applied on the part of the tube 9 located upstream of these sets 4, 5, which therefore tends to be elongated under this force, thus causing buckling of the part of the tube 9 located downstream of these sets 4, 5, which must therefore be held by this external frame 17.
In addition, the compression of the tube 9 by cylindrical rollers 6, 7 produces a variable linear speed V1 , V2 , V3 over their line of contact with the wall of tube 9, thus creating sliding between this latter and the rollers as a result causing wearing of the external wall of the tube and also heating of the latter that is harmful to the life of the tube 9.
Also, when the sets 4, 5 of cylindrical rollers arrive in front of the tube 9 to compress it during the rotation of the rotor, the sharp edge 18 located at the end of each roller 6, 7 strikes the external wall of the tube 9 and damages it, as a result also reducing the life of the tube 9.
Additionally, when the pump 1 is not utilized, it can remain stopped for a variable length of time, from a few hours to several months. The tube 9 therefore remains compressed by at least one of the two sets 4, 5 of rollers throughout the whole period during which pump 1 is not used. This can therefore lead to a permanent deformation of the elastomer of the tube 9, reducing the suction capacity of this tube 9 very substantially as a result.
It can even result in a decrease in the tube's suction capacity such that pump 1 is no longer able to pump and move any product.
Moreover, the force for compressing the tube 9 by the rollers 6, 7 spaced by width e must be the force required to ensure tightness during the pumping of the product at the maximum pressure that may be used. Because of this, the elastomer of the tube 9 is always subjected to a maximum deformation, not necessary when the pumping pressure is less.
Lastly, during the rotation of rotor 2, when one of the sets 4, 5 of rollers leaves contact with the tube 9 near the outlet 13 of pump 1, the two rollers 6, 7 are no longer driven by their friction on tube 9 and they therefore stop turning. Also when, after a certain rotation of rotor 2, these rollers 6, 7 arrive at the inlet 12 of pump 1, they come into contact with the external wall of tube 9 with a zero rotational speed and therefore abruptly start rotating. This results in damage to the external wall of tube 9 in line with the two impacts caused by the two rollers 6, 7, thus reducing the life of said tube 9.


The purpose of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article for pets that fits the body of a pet in an excellent manner and is able to properly absorb liquid bodily waste such as urine. This absorbent article (1) for pets has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, width and thickness directions and is worn in such a way that the longitudinal direction extends around the body of a pet. The absorbent article (1) for pets comprises an absorbent body (4) that is provided with a deformation guide part (40) extending in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction in a plan view.

Known absorbent articles for pets, for treatment of excreta that have been excreted by a pet such as a dog, include absorbent body-comprising belt-shaped disposable diapers that are worn by being wrapped around the torso of the pet.
An example of such a belt-shaped disposable diaper is disclosed in PTL 1, as a diaper for a pet to be worn by wrapping around the torso of the pet, such as male dog, comprising a belt-shaped top sheet having air permeability and liquid permeability, a belt-shaped back sheet having liquid impermeability, and an absorbent body disposed between these sheets and having a liquid-absorbing property, and comprising a standing part (three-dimensional gather) provided on the surface of the top sheet, along the lengthwise direction of the top sheet.


The present invention provides a golf ball having an aerodynamic subsurface for packing dimples. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf ball having an exterior surface and at least a first subsurface containing at least two dimples located solely on the subsurface and lying below the exterior surface of the golf ball. A transition zone between the exterior surface and the subsurface is disclosed having an angle of transition and a top radius and a bottom radius. According to the present invention, the exterior surface and at least the first subsurface have at least a first and second surface colors that are different.

Historically, dimple patterns for golf balls have had a variety of geometric shapes, patterns, and configurations. Primarily, patterns are laid out in order to provide desired performance characteristics based on the particular ball construction, material attributes, and player characteristics influencing the ball's initial launch angle and spin conditions. Therefore, pattern development is a secondary design step that is used to achieve the appropriate aerodynamic behavior, thereby tailoring ball flight characteristics and performance.
Aerodynamic forces generated by a ball in flight are a result of its velocity and spin. These forces can be represented by a lift force and a drag force. Lift force is perpendicular to the direction of flight and is a result of air velocity differences above and below the rotating ball. This phenomenon is attributed to Magnus, who described it in 1853 after studying the aerodynamic forces on spinning spheres and cylinders, and is described by Bernoulli's Equation, a simplification of the first law of thermodynamics. Bernoulli's equation relates pressure and velocity where pressure is inversely proportional to the square of velocity. The velocity differential, due to faster moving air on top and slower moving air on the bottom, results in lower air pressure on top and an upward directed force on the ball.
Drag is opposite in sense to the direction of flight and orthogonal to lift. The drag force on a ball is attributed to parasitic drag forces, which consist of pressure drag and viscous or skin friction drag. A sphere is a bluff body, which is an inefficient aerodynamic shape. As a result, the accelerating flow field around the ball causes a large pressure differential with high-pressure forward and low-pressure behind the ball. The low pressure area behind the ball is also known as the wake. In order to minimize pressure drag, dimples provide a means to energize the flow field and delay the separation of flow, or reduce the wake region behind the ball. Skin friction is a viscous effect residing close to the surface of the ball within the boundary layer.
The industry has seen many efforts to maximize the aerodynamic efficiency of golf balls, through dimple disturbance and other methods, though they are closely controlled by golf's national governing body, the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.). One U.S.G.A. requirement is that golf balls have aerodynamic symmetry. Aerodynamic symmetry allows the ball to fly with a very small amount of variation no matter how the golf ball is placed on the tee or ground. Preferably, dimples cover the maximum surface area of the golf ball without detrimentally affecting the aerodynamic symmetry of the golf ball.
In attempts to improve aerodynamic symmetry, many dimple patterns are based on geometric shapes. These may include circles, hexagons, triangles, and the like. Other dimple patterns are based in general on the five Platonic Solids including icosahedron, dodecahedron, octahedron, cube, or tetrahedron. Yet other dimple patterns are based on the thirteen Archimedian Solids, such as the small icosidodecahedron, rhomicosidodecahedron, small rhombicuboctahedron, snub cube, snub dodecahedron, or truncated icosahedron. Furthermore, other dimple patterns are based on hexagonal dipyramids. Because the number of symmetric solid plane systems is limited, it is difficult to devise new symmetric patterns. Moreover, dimple patterns based some of these geometric shapes result in less than optimal surface coverage and other disadvantageous dimple arrangements. Therefore, dimple properties such as number, shape, size, volume, and arrangement are often manipulated in an attempt to generate a golf ball that has improved aerodynamic properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,416,497 to Simonds et al. discloses a golf ball that minimizes land area by use of a lattice structure in conjunction with a sub-lattice structure within the dimple that is a feature of the dimple.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,033,933 and 8,137,216 to Sullivan et al. disclose a golf ball with channels or ridges on its surface. The channels do not contain any dimples and the ridges are not spherical.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Athletic performance monitoring systems include components for sensing performance data and/or displaying desired information to users. Electronic interface systems facilitate transfer of the data from the performance sensing system to a display device, e.g., to enable the display of athletic performance data on an electronic display device, including conventional electronic display devices that are known and commercially available (e.g., cellular telephones, PDAs, pagers, beepers, MP3 or other audio players, radios, portable televisions, portable DVD players, other video playing devices, watches, etc.). The sensing systems, as well as any data transfer systems associated therewith, may be included as part of an article of footwear, an article of clothing, a piece of athletic equipment, or the like, or even included as part of the interface device.

Modern technology has given rise to a wide variety of different electronic and/or communication devices that keep users in touch with one another, entertained, and informed. A wide variety of portable electronic devices are available for these purposes, such as cellular telephones; personal digital assistants ("PDAs"); pagers; beepers; MP3 or other audio players; radios; portable televisions, DVD players, or other video playing devices; watches; GPS systems; etc. Many people like to carry one or more of these types of devices with them when they exercise and/or participate in athletic events, for example, to keep them in contact with others (e.g., in case of inclement weather, injuries, emergencies, to contact coaches or trainers, etc.), to keep them entertained, to provide information (e.g., time, direction, location, etc.), and the like.
Athletic performance monitoring systems also have benefited from recent advancements in electronic device technology. Electronic performance monitoring devices enable easy and convenient monitoring of many physical or physiological characteristics associated with exercise or other athletic performances, including, for example: speed and distance data, altitude data, GPS data, heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure data, body temperature, etc. While such data can be collected during an athletic performance, providing this information to a user during the performance and/or enabling user use of and interaction with the data and/or sensors during the performance can be more problematic. For example, requiring the user to carry an additional display device during the athletic performance can be undesirable due to the weight, clumsiness, confusion, and inconvenience of carrying such devices, because users often already have one or more other portable electronic devices that they like to carry (e.g., of the types described above), etc. Moreover, substantial costs may be involved in providing a dedicated athletic performance monitor and/or display device.

Interfaces and systems for displaying athletic performance information on electronic devices


According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a device and technique for temperature detection includes a housing having a temperature detection assembly, switch circuitry, and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) module coupled to the switch circuitry. Responsive to the indicator being subjected to a temperature exceeding a threshold, the temperature detection assembly causes a change in the switch circuitry, wherein the change in the switch circuitry causes a change in a value output by the RFID module when activated.

During manufacturing, storage, or transit, many types of objects need to be monitored or tracked due to the temperature sensitivity or fragility of the objects. For example, some types of objects may be susceptible to damage if exposed to certain temperatures (e.g., food or pharmaceutical items). Thus, for quality control purposes and/or the general monitoring of transportation conditions, it is desirable to determine and/or verify the environmental conditions to which the object has been exposed.


A drive unit for a carrier that includes a chassis with a drive wheel that is pivotable with an air spring in and out of contact with a surface over which the carrier is propelled. The air spring is in a pneumatic system including an air compressor which is connected to a processor in an electrical system. The compressor is programmed to provide a fair safe mode for the drive wheel, a runtime control for the air compressor and a battery voltage sensing circuit to shut down the electrical system during periods of inactivity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive unit for a carrier for patient handling devices and medical equipment. The drive unit has a processor programmed to control operation of the unit. Included features are a fail safe mode for unintended loss of power, a runtime control to prevent overheating of an air compressor and a battery charge sensor such that the unit is shut down during periods of inactivity.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Health care facilities utilize a wide variety of patient handling and equipment moving carriers. Examples of such carriers include beds, gurneys, stretchers, wheelchairs, bed chairs and other types of devices that are designed to help support a patient. Other carriers are used to transport medical equipment such as scanners and the like. In some prior art carriers such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,854 to Lenkman, the carrier includes a chassis having casters at each corner and a drive unit with a wheel that is pivotable with an air spring in and out of contact with a surface over which the carrier is propelled. A processor controls the active status of an independent motor control system for rotating the wheel and the operation of an air compressor for inflating the air spring. Areas for improvement include, if there is a leak in the pneumatic system the compressor may overheat and if there is an unintended interruption in power, the drive wheel may lose traction with the support surface. Additionally, during period of inactivity, such as if the unit is accidentally left on, battery charge may be wasted.


Laser-based ultrasonic (LBU) systems and methods for measuring at least one material property of a ceramic cellular ceramic body during thermal processing are disclosed. The method includes subjecting the ceramic cellular ceramic body to a temperature cycle within an interior of an oven. For a plurality of temperatures within the temperature cycle, the cellular ceramic body is irradiated with a modulated laser beam to generate acoustic waves in the cellular ceramic body over a plurality of acoustic paths. The method also includes sequentially irradiating the cellular ceramic body using a detection laser beam so that the acoustic waves are detected. The method also includes calculating from the detected acoustic waves at least one material property of the ceramic cellular body as a function of temperature.

Ceramic bodies having cellular (e.g., honeycomb) structures are used to form particulate filters for a variety of filter-based applications, such as vehicular exhaust systems, to reduce pollutants. Such structures generally comprise a network of interconnected web walls that form a matrix of elongated, gas-conducting cells that may have, for example, a square, octagonal or hexagonal cross-sectional shape. A cylindrical outer skin that is integrally connected to the outer edges of the web walls surrounds the network of web walls such that a round-shaped or an oval-shaped cross-sectional structure is formed having opposing inlet and outlet ends for receiving and expelling exhaust gases through the matrix of cells.
It is useful to be able to measure and characterize various properties of ceramic bodies without damaging or destroying the cellular ceramic body. Such measurement and characterization assist in determining whether there are faults (e.g., cracks or fractures, deformities, density variations, etc.) and whether the product conforms to the design specifications. Generally, such measurements provide insight into the manufacturing process and can be used to improve the process. It would be particularly useful to measure and characterize various properties of the ceramic bodies during thermal processing, such as scintering or thermal shock testing, where the ceramic body is not readily accessible to measurement.
One particularly useful property of a ceramic body is its "specific modulus," which is a measure of an object's ability to be non-permanently deformed and can be considered an indicator of the object's resistance to breakage. The specific modulus of a material is essentially the elastic (Young's) modulus divided by the material's density. This parameter is useful in comparing different materials in designing the ceramic body. The specific modulus of an object can be determined by measuring the strain placed on the object in response to an applied stress, normalized by the object's density. The specific modulus of a ceramic body yields information about its composition, its brittleness, etc. The measured specific modulus can also be compared to a specified value to assess whether a particular ceramic body, such as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) meets production specifications.

Laser-based ultrasonic measurements of cellular ceramic bodies during thermal processing


A machine readable assaying system comprising a test card having machine readable assaying means. A plurality of individual analysis strips, each strip comprising antibodies and/or reagents capable of indicating the positive presence of distinct illicit substances form a pattern of elements including one or more fixed strips and one or more blank regions. The detection of the presence of a particular substance or drug will result in one or more of the analysis strips changing from a first (light reflective) color to a second darker (light absorbent) color. The pattern of analysis strips, fixed strips and blank regions may be provided to encode one or more characters/digits of information. By the inclusion of the analysis strips with the plurality of fixed strips and blank regions, the detection of one or more illicit substances may alter the overall pattern of fixed and test strips and blank regions, and hence cause the encoded information represented thereby to be altered. Accordingly, the particular pattern of bars and spaces that result from an exposure the physiological fluids of a donor is contemplated to produce a distinct machine readable indicia. The transformation which occurs on the test card will be uninterpretable by the administrator of the test, thus preserving the anonymity and privacy of the tested individual.

The invention relates to an assaying system. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine readable assaying system for analyzing a specimen of physiological fluid to detect the presence or absence of particular substances therein. In a preferred embodiment, the machine readable assaying system contemplates the utilization of machine readable bar-code patterns imprinted upon a test card which change form in response to a physical, chemical or biological reaction. The test result which is encoded within the bar-code indicia imprinted upon the test card is read by an appropriate decoding apparatus (i.e. a bar-code reader/scanner), and the decoded results are stored in a memory unit and transmitted, if desired, to a distinct location. A test administrator merely scans the bar-code. Because the bar-code patterns change form in such a subtle yet varied manner, the administrator or another observer of the test card is unable to discern the results. Accordingly, the privacy interests of the donor are preserved, as well as human interpretation errors, transcription and translation errors.
The increase in drug use over the past several decades has created a sharp need for more effective, expeditious methods of analyzing whether a particular individual is a user of certain illegal substances. Both private industry employers as well as governmental employers often need to determine whether an individual has drug residue present in his or her biological system, and hence determine whether such an individual is a drug user or drug abuser and thus an unqualified employee.
Typically, the status of an individual as a drug user or abuser is determined by analysis of the individual""s physiological fluids, namely urine. A specimen of urine is collected, and a highly sensitive screening test is first performed, usually at a centralized laboratory. If specimen samples screen positive at the central laboratory, then a more sensitive and controlled confirmation analysis must be performed.
In addition to being an extremely costly process, the above mentioned procedure also involves great time delays to employers desirous of obtaining new qualified employees. Upon collection of the urine sample, the employer must wait to receive test results from the central laboratory before hiring any potential employees. Furthermore, the massive amount of handling and transfer of the sample of urine from the initial collection site to the central laboratory.
To combat the above mentioned timeliness problem which faces many employees in awaiting results from the central laboratory, various xe2x80x9con-sitexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chand-heldxe2x80x9d assaying devices have been developed. A major problem inherent in these xe2x80x9con-sitexe2x80x9d testing devices is that the privacy concerns of the potential employee being tested are not adequately addressed. Since all of the on-site testing devices available heretofore attempt merely to identify drugs present (i.e. simply to indicate which specimens do indeed possess the prohibited substance/drug), the anonymity of a presumptive positive donor is impossible to conceal. Due to such lack of anonymity, many employers (governmental in particular) will not employ such an assaying system as it does not comply with federally mandated regulations regarding privacy and civil liberties during drug-employment testing. A more anonymous, reliable and expeditious assaying system is needed, wherein negative results can be obtained quickly without compromising the privacy concerns of the tested individual. The results are not xe2x80x9chuman readablexe2x80x9d and thus are not subject to interpretation.
It is an object of the invention to produce an assaying system for analyzing a specimen of body fluid to detect the absence of particular substances therein.
It is another object of the invention to provide an assaying system which provides more anonymous, reliable and expeditious results than those assaying systems presently found in the art, wherein said results can be obtained quickly without compromising the privacy concerns of the tested donor individual.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an on-site, portable assaying system which allows the results of said assay to be determined and utilized almost immediately by an employer, without jeopardizing the privacy rights of the individual being tested.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an assaying system which allows the results of said assay to be encoded in a machine readable format (such as bar-coding) such that said encoded results are visually undetectable and must be de-coded by appropriate apparatus. Accordingly, the administrator of the assay lacks access to the test results.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an assaying system which possesses a memory unit to store resultant decoded assay data, and communication means for transmitting said decoded data to a distinct location (such as a central laboratory/processing office). Upon receiving the assay data, the central laboratory/processing office could then electronically, telephonically or manually (via a delivered hard copy) communicate a responsive xe2x80x9cnegative test certificatexe2x80x9d to the employer for those individuals testing negative (indicating that these individuals are candidates for immediate employment). A sample specimen of physiological fluid from only those individuals who tested positive would then be requested by the central laboratory for standard xe2x80x9cconfirmationxe2x80x9d testing.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an assaying system such as that discussed above which possesses means capable of detecting adulteration of the specimen.

On site machine readable IF assaying system