The present invention is a digital watermarking technique Phasemark™ for image authentication. Using a signature extracted from the original image, the present invention hides an encoded version of the signature back into the original image, forming the watermarked image. The hiding is done in the frequency domain. Specifically, the present invention is a new transform domain digital watermarking technique that hides a signature obtained from the Fourier phases into the magnitude spectrum of the same host image. The detection process computes the discrete Fourier transform of the watermarked image, extracts and decodes the embedded signature, and then correlates it with calculated phase information. Correlation metrics determine the degree of authenticity of the image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of digital images, and more particularly to the field of watermarking digital images.
2. Description of Related Art
Watermarking has been in use for hundreds of years. Its earliest form was that of putting a physical impression into blank paper. Much later in the history of watermarking, the watermark was used as a way of authenticating a paper document, such as money, or other important legal documents [Ingemar Cox, Jeffrey Bloom, Matthew Miller, Digital Watermarking: Principles & Practice, 2001, Morgan Kauffman Publishers]. Our interest is in inserting a watermark into a digital image. This is a topic of recent interest. Due to the proliferation of electronic images on the Internet starting in the 1990s and the accompanying use of email, the owners or custodians of digital images wish to protect their intellectual property rights. Also, of interest is the ability to authenticate that a digital image is actually the digital image that one was intended to receive. The present invention relates to the field of authentication watermarks. The present invention is an authentication watermarking process of a digital image. Many of the existing watermarks of digital images are for proof of ownership. Authentication watermarks of digital images are an equally important area of watermarking.
A watermark is a semi-fragile watermark if it is robust to some degradation that might normally occur due to image processing (compression for example), while it is at the same time destroyed if the digital image is tampered with. Thus, an effective authentication watermarking method will work with JPEG images, which is a desired property. However, an authentication watermark should not be robust to gross image degradation due to tampering, which is also a desired property. Some watermarks are digital hashes of the digital image which are added onto the file. This is not a desired property because it changes and lengthens the original file format of the digital image.
In the area of Fourier optics, phase based filters, and in particular the binary phase only filter are used in image reconstruction [A. Oppenheim and J. Lim, "The importance of phase in signals," Proc. IEEE, vol. 69, pp. 529-541, May 1981] and correlation based pattern recognition applications [J. L. Horner and J. R. Leger, "Pattern Recognition with Binary Phase-only Filters," Applied Optics, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 609-611, 1985; David L. Flannery and Joseph L. Homer, "Fourier Optical Signal Processors", Proc of the IEEE, vol. 77, no. 10, 1989]. These filters are obtained by transforming the digital image from the spatial domain to the frequency domain via a discrete Fourier transform. Once in the frequency domain the transformed image is mathematically manipulated to obtain the phase based filters [D. Psaltis, E. Pack, and S. Venkatesh, "Optical Image correlation with binary spatial light modulator," Opt. Eng., pp. 698-704, 1984; J. L. Homer and P. D. Gianino, "Phase-only matched Filtering," Appl. Opt., vol. 23, pp. 812-816, 1984].
No existing watermarking method uses a Fourier optics based approach. This is a deficiency in the field of watermarking because Fourier optics allows one to modify the original image without gross changes to the phase of the image. Thus, Fourier optics allows an unobtrusive watermark to be added to an image. A watermark that modifies an image too much is not desirable. Also, the field of Fourier optics is well developed for the use of image processing. Since watermarking an image is an aspect of image processing, using a Fourier optics based watermark is a natural extension of Fourier optics.

Method and system for frequency domain watermarking using a phase based filter signature

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A chewing gum carrier system for supplemental nutrients and pharmaceutical products is provided using compressed gum with a buffering system designed for simultaneous release and ultimate exhaustion of both flavor elements and supplementary nutritive elements and/or pharmacological values by use of a sodium carbonate, bicarbonate and magnesium oxide buffering system included in a compressed gum base, preferably using a plasticizer to prevent premature crumbling of the compressed gum base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of nutritional and dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products, and more particularly this invention relates to an improved release process for vitamins, active pharmaceutical products, flavoring systems, sweeteners and mineral supplements from a chewing gum-type carrying agent. Thus, the invention is in the field of improved release of flavor and nutritional elements from a chewable carrier or applicator composition over a controlled period. More particularly the present inventor provides an improved release system for vitamins and other health effecting elements for chewing gum-type applicator systems and the like.
2. Preliminary Discussion
Pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement dosage agents intended for oral administration are typically provided in solid form as tablets, capsules of various types, lozenges or so-called caplets or capsules. Tablets can be swallowed whole, usually with water, chewed in the mouth and then swallowed or sometimes applied sublingually, i.e. dissolved in the mouth, usually under the tongue. Absorption of the active moiety in the tablet depends upon its release from the dosage form, usually in a solid form, which may be controlled by various different technologies.
Since many consumers either dislike "taking pills" or may well forget to take them, attempts to encourage regular self-administration have been made by adding flavor elements to the pills or capsules.
More recently, the dosage of vitamin supplement elements and other pharmacological elements have been administered in the form of chewing gum. This has the advantage that the one taking the dosage will be more likely to take such dosage regularly and assuming they like to chew gum, or can be habituated to like it, will commonly take it regularly rather than regularly forgetting to take it. In addition, in the absence of a readily available water supply one can still take their vitamins or other supplemental nutritional elements or other medicine in the form of gum. while in pill form water is almost always required in order to aid in swallowing the supplement pill or in washing a chewed pill into the gastrointestinal tract.
It has been suggested previously, therefore, to provide dosages of supplemental vitamins of various kinds, as well as pharmacological elements such as nicotine, caffeine and other mild and unlikely to be abused pharmaceutical agents from chewable release agents such as chewing gum and the like together with flavor agents which encourage the user to continue chewing for the time necessary to obtain the desired dosage of the vitamins or other desired element.
Unfortunately, in such gum-type release systems, while there is an initial heavy release or flush of the substance desired to be released into the bucal and sublingual cavity, such release quickly declines or "drops off" so that the desired release substance such as a vitamin content and/or pharmaceutical content quickly declines along with the release of flavor content. While the rapid drop off or release of flavor or flavoring agent is not necessarily, at least in the eyes of many manufacturers, an undesirable effect, since it encourages the consumer of the chewing gum to discard the partially chewed gum and hopefully to take another or fresh piece of chewing gum, as a practical matter tests have shown that as much as 80 to 85% of any vitamins or other pharmaceutical elements remains in the gum element when it is discarded. Consequently, in a gum which advertises that it contains, for example, 200 units of vitamin B complex, 160 of such units will usually remain in the gum when such gum is discarded and as a result, the consumer is not provided with anywhere near, or anywhere like, the amount of vitamin content or other pharmaceutical contents which they believe they are receiving. This is not only a detriment to the consumer, but an unnecessary cost to the producer of the chewing gum release system or dosage system. Furthermore, assuming that the chewer is attempting to achieve a given dose of vitamins or other pharmaceutical unit, it is clearly necessary that they obtain most of the available content from each piece of gum chewed, since if the chewer believes they have to chew more gum to obtain the desired dosage, or aimed for dosage, they will have to chew more gum and may merely achieve an undesirable result.
Since many or, even most gum chewers will tend to throw away their gum and take another piece when the flavor element becomes exhausted, it is also desirable if the flavor element is substantially exhausted at the same time or at least not before the vitamin or pharmaceutical content is exhausted. It is also naturally desirable, so far as a manufacturer or vendor of the gum delivered pharmaceutical or supplement product is concerned, if the flavor element or enhancer does not last too long so that any given piece of product is not chewed too long in order to encourage the exchange for a new piece.
A fairly new gum technology, namely so-called compressed gum, has been commercialized in the last several years. Traditional gum has been made by essentially mixing together a viscoelastic component with any other desired ingredients such as flavor elements and the like including supplemental vitamins and/or pharmaceutical elements such as nicotine alkaloids and the like, with the mixing being conducted usually in steam jacketed mixers somewhat similar to large kitchen mixers and bowls or similar apparatuses. Because such mixing tends inherently to be uneven, or streaky, very similar to the mixing of cake or bread dough, such mixing has been at best uneven and in fact when such gums are chewed, additional mixing occurs in the mouth; but even then the flavor, pharmaceutical and buffering components are at best only partially mixed. This is satisfactory for some uses, but when one wishes the ingredients to be precisely released has been found to be less than satisfactory. Thus when the sticky gum material is extruded after initial mixing into usually a flat sheet which is then usually severed into thin strips which are then in turn severed into square or oblong sections of gum and forthwith wrapped, not only is the equipment covered with a sticky goo which requires a great deal of labor to clean and keep clean, but the mixing of ingredients in the gum is uneven at best and each piece, or stick, of gum varies considerably in the amount and distribution of any ingredients mixed into the gum or any portion of the gum. As a result, the coordination of a mixture of ingredients mixed together in the gum is invariably not very satisfactory.
The present inventor has found that by the use of the more recently commercially available technology of so-called compressed gum in which the gum components are initially formed into fine particles or particulates of powder which fine particles are then compressed by a tablet press into individual gum pieces of any desired shape or size that a much more satisfactory release system can be attained because the manufacturing process can be adapted to provide a much more intimate and accurate mixture of ingredients to provide a relatively accurate and uniform mix of ingredients in any particular gum particulate. The present inventor has also found that with the use of a precisely calculated amount of sweetening elements, nutritional supplement and/or pharmaceutical elements and buffing elements or substances all initially mixed together as fine particles or particulates together with the powdered gum particles or particulates and compressed together in a uniform larger particulate mass and then compressed into a final pellet or gum particle for consumption, a gum product can be and is produced which upon mastication in the mouth cavity will release both its nutritional supplement and/or pharmacological values at a precisely calculated rate usually designed to completely release both sweetening and nutritional and/or pharmaceutical moieties in a period of up to 30 minutes of mastication depending upon what is desired, or longer if desired, so that almost the full load of supplementary nutrition elements, or vitamins, are released during chewing or mastication followed immediately by a precipitous drop off of the sweetener released so that the average user will discard that particular piece of gum and select another piece. The individual component particles of the gum, flavor and nutritional and/or pharmacological elements are provided in a granulation fineness which will largely prevent any but very slight undesired reaction between them as long as kept dry to provide a desirable shelf life of several years, but will be finely enough divided so that an immediate release of such elements will occur in the bucal or mouth cavity upon mastication and exposure as a result of such mastication to moisture from the saliva of the mouth.
One characteristic of compressed gum that has proven unpopular with consumers is a tendency to feel that the gum is crumbling in the chewer's mouth until it has been significantly masticated, at which time it reverts to the feeling of typical gum. This feeling is caused by the fact that the gum particulates which are largely surrounded by other ingredients are in fact largely mechanically adhered by the pressure of the pelletizing process and because surrounded by other ingredients, initially break apart upon the beginning of mastication in the bucal cavity.
While such incipient crumbling is a benefit to expression or release of the other values for the gum, such as nutrients and pharmacological agents, its unfamiliar feeling of lack of consistency may be disconcerting to users of the gum products. Furthermore, crumbling will cause up to as much or more of the flavor and dietary supplement values to be almost immediately released followed by a tapering off period. The present inventor has found by extensive testing, however, that the use of a plasticiser during the manufacture of the final dose of compressed gum will alleviate the feeling of crumbling without seriously interfering with the expression of the nutritive content or pharmaceutical content of the compressed gum. Furthermore, the prevention of crumbling slows down the initial flush or release of ingredients and allows more exact control of simultaneous release of both the flavor and nutritive and pharmaceutical values by the proper use of buffers.
In order to have a proper effect, the plasticiser should be added to the formulation before a glidant material, i.e. silicon dioxide and lubricant are entered into or mixed into the formulation. By use of the plasticiser ingredient, the initial adherence of the gum particulates is increased and their breaking apart is delayed beyond the usual 30 seconds or so when the usual crumbling effect is noticeable after which the gum particulates are further driven together by the mastication itself. On the other hand, the release of the nutritional and/or pharmaceutical values are not substantially interfered with and less overall of such materials are necessary because they are not so much trapped in the gum, but completely expressed by proper buffering.
In order to obtain the desirable results of the invention, the present inventor has discovered that it is necessary to carefully balance the size and the amount of gum particles or particulates, flavor elements and release as well as buffering elements to obtain the desired simultaneous release of and ultimate exhaustion of flavor compounds, nutritional supplement compounds or elements and/or pharmacological compounds and release or buffering compound or compounds as well as plasticiser elements to provide the desired results and without such careful and critical combination the simultaneous release will not be obtained. By the broad term, nutritive values the invention includes not only various vitamin, agents, but also mineral nutritive agents, such as calcium, iron, zinc and the like.
Preferably non-nutritive sweetener compounds such as Xylitol, which is an alcohol rather than a sugar and does not normally support major bacterial activity in the mouth, is mixed in lesser amounts with aspartame and Ace-K which also do not readily support bacterial growth such as is found in the mouth or bucal cavity. At the same time, the buffering agents sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are used in critical quantities and particular sizes to regulate the release of the flavor agents and supplemental nutritive values as well as any pharmacological values. Other release or buffering value agents could also be used such as magnesium stearate, potassium carbonate and citric acid can also have beneficial effects. None of these support bacterial activity and all but the citric acid tend to establish bucal cavity conditions that are not favorable to tooth decay.
3. Description of Related Art
British Patent 1,325,011 published Jul. 9, 1971 assigned to Aktiebolage Leo of Sweden contains a thorough discussion of the inclusion and release of so-called tobacco alkaloid or nicotine alkaloid from ordinary chewing gum. The disadvantage of too quick release is discussed and the use of ion exchange resin compositions and particularly cation exchangers designed to effect both retention and release of the nicotine alkaloid during chewing of the gum depending basically upon the acidity are discussed together with sweetening inclusions in the gum including both sugar based and sugarless based sweetening agents are discussed and the conditions for proper release of the nicotine alkaloid suggested. The release rate of the nicotine alkaloid from the gum composition is bound closely to the quantity of cation exchanger material, which is used, preferably in the hydrogen ionic form. Applicant's release system is not disclosed, however.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,313 issued Jun. 10, 1997 to Chau et al. discloses a method of making chewable dosage forms including the use of a gum base and various pharmaceutical agents and may include Xylitol, a sugarless sweetening agent in the form of an alcohol related to the sugar xylitose. A long list of possible inclusions is provided including modifiers, bulking agents and flavoring agents including calcium carbonate and the like. The applicant's particular composition, however, is not disclosed nor the applicant's method of making his product set forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,527 issued Jul. 4, 2000 to Thistle discloses the provision of a breath mint including particularly Xylitol as a natural sweetener buffered with calcium hydroxide to provide a confection to which vitamins may be added in dosage form. The simultaneous delivering of vitamins while preventing tooth decay because the ingredients do not encourage tooth decay is disclosed and the dosage vehicle is disclosed as including the use of a gum. Applicant's particular composition for attaining controlled release of both the flavoring and active ingredients is not disclosed, however.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,114 issued Mar. 11, 2003 to Gunder et al. assigned to the Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Company discloses the advantages of having a pharmacological sublingual or bucal route for certain pharmaceutical agents making absorption from a chewing gum vehicle particularly advantageous, but does not disclose the efficiency of compressed gum for gaining very immediate absorption in the mucus membranes of the bucal cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,705 issued Jan. 16, 2007 to Johnson et al. and assigned to the Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Company thoroughly discusses the addition of various supplements and medicaments to the traditionally mixed gums with buffering systems comprised of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate and includes a very large number of cited references. The use of compressed gum is not disclosed, however.
Rohm and Haas ion exchange product data sheet copyrighted in 2000 by Rohm and Haas Company provides a discussion of the use of Amberlite™ resin for controlled release of pharmacological units from compounds but does not disclose applicant's product or method of making.

Achieving long-term release of health enhancing elements from chemical components


Techniques provide for managing data storage. The techniques involve in response to receiving a request for unmapping a logical storage unit associated with a first disk slice on a first physical disk and the first disk slice, determining information associated with the first disk slice; generating, based on the information, a first entry and a second entry corresponding to the first disk slice; adding the first entry into a queue of failed disk slices to enable data stored on the first disk slice to be cleared; and adding the second entry into a queue of free disk slices to enable the first disk slice to be mapped to a further logical storage unit. Accordingly, such techniques can remarkably improve the write I/O performance of the system and prolong the lifetime of the SSD.

Solid-State Drives (SSDs) store data in flash memory cells. The flash memory cells are grouped into pages typically of 4 to 16 KB and grouped together into blocks of typically 128 to 512 pages. For example, a flash memory cell of 512 KB has 4 KB pages in 128-page blocks. The flash memory cells can only be directly written when they are empty, otherwise they must be erased first. Due to hardware limitations, erase commands always affect entire blocks. When a written page is required to be overwritten again, the SSD needs to initiate a read-erase-modify cycle including: storing contents of an entire block in cache, erasing the entire block, writing the overwritten page to the cached block, and only then, writing the entire updated block into a flash medium. This phenomenon may be referred to as write amplification.
"Unmap" (may be referred to as TRIM in an ATA command set, and UNMAP in an SCSI command set) allows an operation system to inform the SSD which blocks of data are no longer used and can be wiped internally. After unmapping, the SSD can erase the block directly when data are written to the block again, which reduces the write amplification. The "Unmap" also increases the SSD lifetime since the amount of data movement in SSD's background garbage collection is reduced.
A mapper may initiate the unmapping process. Upon determining that data of a logical storage unit are useless, the mapper sends a request for unmapping the logical storage unit and disk slices associated with the logical storage unit, to release resources of the disk slices. In the current unmap implementations, only disk slices are released to enable these disk slices to be marked free for the subsequent usage. However, no operation is executed for backend SSDs in the process. That is to say, the data of the unmapped logical storage unit are still stored on the SSDs, although the data are failed.

Method, device and computer program product for managing data storage


An agricultural baler having a baling chamber, an intake duct leading into the baling chamber and a stuffer mechanism for transferring slice of crop in the intake duct into the baling chamber, wherein the baler comprises a wall segment positioned substantially in line with an inner wall surface of the baler, the wall segment being suspended from the inner wall surface via at least one load measurement sensor in such a manner that both a load perpendicular to, and a load parallel to the inner wall are derivable.

In a conventional baler, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,267, hay, straw, silage or similar crop material that has been previously cut, windrowed or swathed, is picked up from the ground by a pick-up unit, fed into an intake duct by a packer unit and loaded in successive batches or slices into an elongated bale chamber by tines of a stuffer unit in timed sequence with a reciprocating plunger. The plunger compresses the material into bales and, at the same time, gradually advances the bales towards the outlet of the bale chamber. As the bales reach a predetermined length as determined by a metering device, a knotter device is actuated which wraps cord, twine or other flexible binding material around the bale and secures the ends of the binding material together. Instead of a packer it is also known to for example use a rotor cutter that chops the crop material in smaller pieces.
The packer unit or rotor cutter pre-compresses the crop material in the pre-compression chamber against a backstop. The stuffer unit is designed to transfer slices of the crop material quickly into the bale chamber within the short interval during which the reciprocating plunger clears the entrance of the bale chamber. Typically this is accomplished by a fork assembly of which the arms are rotatably connected to cranks, the arms being provided with longitudinally extending slots in which stationary journals are received. A uniform revolution of the cranks makes the arms shift along and pivot about the journals so that the tines of the fork travel along a generally kidney-shaped path with a varying speed. The maximum or peak speed is obtained when the distance between the connection to the cranks and the stationary journals reaches its minimum, since the arms then act as levers with very close fulcrum points. Such a system permits a quick sweep of the material behind the packer unit through the duct and to the entrance of the bale chamber.
This type of stuffer unit and baler was originally designed for the baling of dry, low density material such as straw or hay, but meanwhile there has been an important shift in agriculture from the use of hay to the use of silage. Silage grass can also be baled, but since it has a higher humidity and a higher density than the other crop materials, the load on the components of the stuffer unit and of the baling chamber increases accordingly.
Solutions have been proposed for example in WO2011/012487 by providing a sensor in the baler which measures the frictional properties of the crop. An operator or an automatic control system can take the output of this friction sensor into consideration so that overload can be avoided.
A drawback from the known sensor is that a change in an external parameter of the crop material such as humidity, density, pressure, etc. significantly changes the load measured via the sensor. As a result, the output of the sensor is not reliable in itself and it requires a complex automatic control system or an experienced operator to correctly interpret the measured load in the context of the external parameters.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor which is less influenced by external parameters, and which provides a reliable output.
Therefore the invention proposes an agricultural baler having a baling chamber, an intake duct leading into the baling chamber and a stuffer for transferring slice of crop in the intake duct into the baling chamber, wherein the baler comprises a wall segment positioned substantially in line with an inner wall surface of the baler, the wall segment being suspended from the inner wall surface via load measurement means in such a manner that both a load perpendicular to, and a load parallel to the inner wall are derivable from the load measurement means.
According to the invention, a normal force (force directed perpendicular to the surface) and a friction force (force parallel to the surface) is measured simultaneously on one wall segment. Thereby, not only the friction force (as is known from the prior art) but also the coefficient of friction is directly derivable from the measurement results. The coefficient of friction can be defined as the friction force divided by the normal force. Unlike the friction force, which is dependent on a multitude of external parameters, the coefficient of friction is a property of the crop material and therefore a more reliable value. As a result, the combination of perpendicular and parallel load measurement proves to be a reliable parameter for an automated control system or for an operator because this combination gives an objective crop-related parameter. An inner wall surface of the baler is defined as one of the boundary surfaces of the baling chamber, such as a sidewall surface, a top surface, a bottom surface or the like.
Preferably, the load measurement means comprise at least two load cells positioned at an angle with respect to one another so that a load measurement in two directions is derivable. A load cell is known in the art and is provided to measure the load in one direction. By having two load cells positioned at an angle with respect to each other, a load in two directions can be measured. Thereby it is noted that the measured directions not need to be the perpendicular and the parallel directions, because via mathematical conversion, the latter directions can be calculated from measurement results in other directions. Preferably, said angle is about 90 degrees as this reduces the margin of error in the conversion and thereby provides in more reliable measurement results.
Preferably, said load cells are moment compensating load cells. Moment compensating load cells are known in the art and are particularly useful in the present situation where multiple load cells are connected. The moments of torque directly acting on the wall segment, and the moments or torque as a result of a cascade of load cells can be compensated thereby not disturbing the load measurements.
Preferably, the wall segment, the two load cells and the inner wall surface of the baler are serially connected. This provides in a mechanically simple and compact solution to measure loads in two directions on one suspended wall segment.
Preferably, the load parallel to the inner wall derivable from the load measurement means is furthermore parallel to a moving direction of crop material in the baling chamber in use. In the moving direction, the highest friction force is measured as this is the direction of movement. In a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, no noteworthy friction force will be measured. In directions between the latter two, proportional forces will be measured. Therefore the margin of error in the calculation of the coefficient of friction is minimized by measuring the friction force in the direction of movement of the crop material.
Preferably, the wall segment has a crop-contacting-surface larger than 50 cm2 and smaller than 1000 cm2, preferably larger than 100 cm2 and smaller than 500 cm2. If the wall segment is too small, the measurement does not represent the average situation in the baler, but only a very local situation (which can deviate from the average). If the wall segment is large, high forces are exerted on the wall segment so that a heavy and rigid construction is necessary to prevent damage. The proposed surface area proves to provide a balance between the magnitude of the forces and the reliability of the measurement. A reliable average measurement values can be derived without unnecessarily high forces on the surface of the wall segment.
Preferably, the wall section is positioned to have its center in a region adjacent and behind a bend in the inner surface of the baling chamber. The bend in the inner surface of the baling chamber is a known aid in the pressing of bales, whereby the crop is first compressed to a maximum (at the bend) and than by the resilience of the compressed crop material, the bale is allowed during the further movement of the baling chamber to relax a bit so that a stable and solid bale is obtained at the end of the baling process. The area after the bend has proven to be the location where a reliable average measurement can be made which is representable for the situation inside the baling chamber.
In another embodiment of the invention, a movable wall section of the baling chamber integrally forms said wall segment by suspending the movable wall section to a frame of the baler via said load measurement means. The movable wall section is already suspended with respect to the inner walls of the baler. By providing load measurement means to the movable wall section which is already suspended, a reliable measurement can be obtained without significant structural amendments to the baler. Preferably, the movable wall section is connected to the baler frame via a hinging mechanism comprising a first load cell provided for measuring the force exerted parallel to the movable wall section, and wherein an actuator, mounted to the movable wall section for moving the latter, is provided with a second load cell provided for measuring the force exerted perpendicular to the wall segment. The hinging mechanism and the actuators form the intermediary elements via which the movable wall section is suspended, and mounting the load measurement means to these elements requires less amendments to the baler structure.
Preferably, a position sensor is provided for measuring the angular position of said wall segment with respect to the moving direction of the plunger of the baler.
The position of the wall segment with respect to the moving direction of the plunger of the baler has an influence on the ratio of load in the perpendicular and the parallel direction. In the case where the wall segment is parallel with the moving direction of the plunger, the direct influence of the plunger force on the perpendicular load measured via the wall segment is negligible. In another case where the angular position of the wall part with respect to the moving direction of the plunger is for example 10 degrees, the direct influence of the plunger force on the perpendicular load measured via the wall segment is quite substantial. Therefore knowing the angular position of the wall segment with respect to the moving direction of the plunger provides advantages in interpreting the load measurements of the wall segment.
The terms "front", "rear", "forward", "rearward", "left" and "right" used throughout this description are determined with respect to the normal direction of travel of the machine in operation. However they are not to be construed as limiting terms.
FIG. 1 shows an agricultural baler 10 comprising a main frame 11 which is equipped with a forwardly extending tongue 12 provided at its front end with hitch means (not shown) for coupling the baler 10 to a towing tractor. A pick-up assembly 14 lifts windrowed crop material off the field as the baler 10 is traveled thereover and delivers such material into the front end of a rearwardly and upwardly curved, slice-forming feeder duct 16. The duct 16 communicates at its upper end with an overhead, fore-and-aft extending baling chamber 18 into which slices of crop material are loaded by a cyclically operating stuffer mechanism 20. A continuously operating packer mechanism 22 at the lower front end of the feeder duct 16 continuously feeds and packs material into the duct 16 as to cause charges of the crop material to take on and assume the internal configuration of the duct 16 prior to periodic engagement by the stuffer 20 and insertion up into the baling chamber 18. The feeder duct 16 may be equipped with means (not shown) for establishing whether a complete slice has been formed therein and operating the stuffer 20 in response thereto. Each action of the stuffer 20 introduces a "slice" or "flake" of crop material from the duct 16 into the baling chamber 18.
A plunger 24 reciprocates in a fore-and-aft direction within the baling chamber 18 under action of a pair of connecting or pitman rods 25 (also known as conrods) which are linked to the crank arms 26 of a gearbox 27 driven by a transmission shaft 29 which is connected to the PTO shaft of the tractor. The reciprocating plunger 24 pushes each new slice introduced into the baling chamber 18 rearwardly and forms the subsequent slices into a parallelepiped package of crop material, which is forced by the same action of the plunger 24 toward a rearmost discharge aperture 28 of the chamber.
The baling chamber 18 comprises at least one movable wall portion 30 of which the position can be adjusted to vary the cross section of the aperture 28. Reduction of this cross section will increase the resistance to rearward movement of the crop packages and hence increase the density of the crop material contained therein. Similarly an enlargement of the cross section will reduce said resistance to rearward movement and hence equally reduce the density of the newly formed packages. The position of the wall portion 30 is controlled by actuator means comprising of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 31 (only one shown in FIG. 1) which are installed between the frame 11 and the wall portion 30.
Before leaving the confines of the baler 10, each package is securely bound in its final compacted form by a tying mechanism 32. The length of each bale produced by the baler 10 can be adjustably predetermined by conventional means not shown. The tying mechanism 32 comprises a series of periodically actuated needles 33 which are normally stationed in a stand-by condition below the chamber 18 but which, when actuated, swing upwardly through and across the baling chamber 18 to present twine to a corresponding series of knotters positioned on top of the chamber 18 and extending across the width of the latter.
FIG. 1 shows a wall segment 100 located in a side wall of the baling chamber. Wall segment is placed with respect to the baling chamber so that the surface of the wall segment is in line with the inner surface of the baling chamber. According to the invention, multiple wall segments can be formed inside the baling chamber, inside the intake duct, or at other locations in the agricultural baler.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic overview of a wall segment 101 that is directly connected to a first load cell 102. The first load cell 102 is further connected to a right-angle-connector 104, the latter interconnecting the first load cell 102 with the second load cell 103. The second load cell 103 is furthermore connected to the inner wall 107 via a connection arm 105.
FIG. 3 shows a wall segment 101 that is suspended to the inner surface 106, 107 of the agricultural baler, via load measurement means. The wall segment has a crop contacting surface 108 provided for contacting the crop material moving through the baling chamber or the intake duct of the agricultural baler. This can be seen in FIG. 3, the wall segment is mounted with respect to the inner wall of the baler 106 in such a manner that the crop contacting surface 108 is in line with the inner surface 107 of the baling chamber wall 106. Preferably, the wall segment is beveled at the front side 109 of the wall section, in such a manner that crop material moving in the moving direction 110 is guided via the beveled front end 109 of the wall segment to slide over this wall segment. This beveled front end 109 thereby prevents crop material from getting choked at the gap between inner wall of the baler and the wall segment.
The wall segment is suspendedly mounted to the inner wall of the baler via load measurement means. Thereby, the wall segment can be directly mounted to the inner wall of the baler, or be mounted to the frame of the baler to which frame the inner wall of the baler is also connected. In the shown figure, the wall segment is connected to the inner wall of the baler. The wall segment is connected to a first load measurement cell 102. This load measurement cell is provided to measure the force parallel to the wall segment. This first measurement cell is connected to a second measurement cell 103 via an intermediary piece 104, so that the second measurement cell is positioned at an angle with respect to the first measurement cell. Preferably, the intermediary piece 104 forms an angle of about 90°, so that the second load measurement cell 103 measures the load perpendicular to the first measurement cell 102. Thereby, the second measurement cell 103 measures the load perpendicular to the wall segment 101. The second load measurement cell is connected to the inner wall 106, 107 of the baler via a second intermediary piece 105.
Although it is claimed that a load parallel to the wall segment and the load perpendicular to a movable load section is derivable from the measurement means, this does not mean that the load measurement cells should directly measure forces in these directions. It will be clear that the measurement cells 102, 103 can be placed under different angles with respect to each other and with respect to the wall segment, and still keeping the capability of deriving the force parallel and perpendicular to the wall segment via mathematical conversion from the measured values. To be able to convert the measurements to a parallel and perpendicular load, the measurement load cells should be placed under an angle of at least 10° one with respect to the other. Preferably the load measurement cells are placed under an angle of at least 25°, more preferably at least 50°, most preferably around 90°. Therefore multiple configurations of load measurement cells can be formed and can all result in the effects of the invention. In the example shown in FIG. 3, load measurement cells are used which are capable of measuring the load in only one direction, and therefore two load measurement cells are used. However one could also use a load measurement cell that is provided to measure the load in two or three directions, so that only one load measurement cell is necessary to measure the loads exerted on the wall segment to derive a parallel and perpendicular load there from.
Preferably the load measurement cells are moment compensation load measurement cells meaning that the load measurement cells are designed so that a moment of torque exerted on the wall segment does not effect the load measurement measured via the load measurement cells 102, 103. Such moment compensating load measurement cells enhance correctness and relevance of the measurement.
FIG. 4 shows a top view of a baling chamber, and shows a plunger that is provided for reciprocally moving and thereby pushing the crop material in direction 110. Thereby, the movable wall part 106 of the inner wall of the baling chamber is provided with a wall segment 101. Via the wall segment 101, a normal force FN and a friction force FF is derived from the measurement. The normal force FN represents the force exerted by the crop material in a direction perpendicular to the wall segment. The friction force FF is the force parallel to the wall segment and preferably parallel to the moving direction of the crop material 110 and thereby indicates the drag exerted by the crop material to the wall segment resulting from a forward movement 110. The combination of the force FF and FN allows to calculate the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction can be calculated by dividing the friction force FF by the normal force FN. The coefficient of friction is a dimensionless scalar value which depends on the materials used, in the present case the crop material and the wall segment material.
Because the coefficient of the friction is material dependent, this value can be used by the agricultural baler to automatically detect the crop material that is processed. If a coefficient of friction is calculated of around 0.25, the crop material can be for example very dry straw. In another example, if the calculated coefficient of friction is around 0.7, the crop material can be wet silage. Various coefficients of friction can be associated with a look-up table with various crop materials. Preferably, the baler comprises a moisture sensor for measuring the moisture of the crop material. The results from this moisture measurement can also be used in combination with the calculated coefficient of friction to increase the chance of successful crop material detection. Furthermore the measurement results of the wall segment 101 can be used for overload protection. Should a high normal force be measured, the data processor of the agricultural baler can be programmed to stop plunger movement or to open the movable wall section 106 so that the pressure level inside the baling chamber is decreased.
Preferably the angular position of the wall segment is measured via an angular sensor. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the angular sensor can be constructed as part of the hinging mechanism of the movable wall section 106. Thereby, the angular sensor is provided for measuring the angular position of the wall segment with respect to the moving direction 110 of the crop material. This angular position influences the load measured via the wall segment 101. Namely, when the angular position of the wall segment with respect to the crop material moving direction 110 is zero, meaning that the wall segment is in line with the moving direction 110 of the crop material, then the normal force does not comprise a noteworthy part of the plunger force. However if the angular position of the wall segment with respect to the moving direction 110 of the crop material is for example 10°, then the direct influence of the plunger force on the wall segment is sin (10°)=17% of the plunger force. Therefore, this angular position is preferably transferred to the data processor of the agricultural baler, so that the latter can take this angular position into account when interpreting the measured loads for recommending actions. The angular sensor can alternatively be integrated into the actuator means controlling the position of the movable wall section 106. Thereby, the extent that the actuator is extended is proportional to the angular position of the wall segment. As a further alternative, a distance sensor can be provided at the movable wall section to measure the distance between the movable wall section and a reference point on the baler frame, the distance being proportional to the angular position of the movable wall section.
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment, whereby the movable wall section 106 integrally forms the wall segment according to the invention. To this end, the movable wall section 106 is suspended with respect to the baler frame via load measurement means 120, 121 whereby first load measurement means 120 is integrated into the hinging mechanism and measures the friction force FF. The second load measurement means 121 is integrated into the actuator, for measuring the normal force FN exerted to the movable wall section 106. Thereby, an angular position sensor can be integrated into the hinging mechanism to measure the angular position of the movable wall section 106.
The wall segment according to the invention can be used in the agricultural baler in various ways, for example by the data processor to recommend actions to the operator or to steer different actuators and system inside the agricultural baler. Thereby, an advantage is that both a friction force and a normal force is measured via the same wall segment. Therefore the coefficient of friction can be calculated. This coefficient of friction can be used in the density control system of the agricultural baler to control the density of the bales formed in the baler. Thereby, preferably a moisture sensor and a angular position sensor measuring the angular position of the wall segment with respect to the moving direction 110 of the crop material is also coupled to the density control system.
The manner in which the data processor arrives at a recommended action is not fundamental to the present invention. It may simply rely on values derived from a look-up table in which the stored values have been determined empirically or it may employ a mathematical algorithm that generates suitable settings for the various parameters. As a further possibility, the data processor may employ a so-called expert system which essentially learns to avoid past mistakes.
When a group of suitable control parameter settings is determined by the data processor, the desired settings are compared with the actual setting and a recommended action is taken by the data processor to change the parameter that differs most from the desired settings. Preferably, the data processor changes the parameter to a value halving the difference between its current setting and the desired setting determined by the data processor.
The square baler according to the invention as defined in the claims is of course not limited to the exemplary embodiments as described and shown in the drawings, but can equally comprise combinations and variations that fall within the scope of protection of the claims.


A positive displacement pump apparatus includes a pump chamber in a pipe system for receiving a pumping fluid, the pipe system having an inlet and an outlet which can be shut by a valve. The chamber is connected via an intermediate fluid chamber with a displacement element including a piston head and a piston rod, which is arranged to alternately carry out a suction stroke and a displacement stroke during its movement to displace fluid in the intermediate fluid chamber, thereby increasing or reducing the volume of the pump chamber. A flexible separating element including a diaphragm is provided at the pump chamber to separate the fluid in the intermediate fluid chamber from the pumping fluid. A force member is provided for applying force to the piston head during the displacement stroke to counteract force exerted on the piston head by the fluid in the intermediate fluid chamber.

Positive displacement pumps are widely used. Such pumps can comprise one or more pump chambers, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet. In use, the inlet and outlet can be sequentially opened and closed. In the known apparatus each pump chamber may be arranged with at least one displacement element, which can be moved by some sort of driving means arranged adjacent to the pump chamber. During its movement, the displacement element alternately carries out a suction stroke and a displacement stroke thereby increasing and reducing, respectively, the volume of the pump chamber.
In some prior art embodiments the pump chamber can have at least one flexible separating element which forms at least part of the side wall thereof and which functions to separate the displacement element from the fluid which is being pumped through the chamber.
Such displacement pumps are generally used in pump and/or compressor systems for pumping or displacing aggressive and/or abrasive media such as particulate slurries, or some corrosive liquids or gases which may be at high temperature or under high pressure. In one embodiment of a known displacement device, a certain amount of medium to be displaced is carried into the pump chamber via the inlet side (and from the pipe system) during the suction stroke of the displacement element, and this same amount of medium is displaced (or forced) out of the pump chamber via the outlet side during the displacement stroke of the displacement element.
The driving means, which impose a translating movement on the displacement element, may be a linear motor, a magnet drive, a hydraulic drive, a camshaft drive, an eccentric drive, a crank-connecting rod mechanism, etc. In normal operational circumstances, the displacement element undergoes a displacement stroke loaded by the working pressure and a non- or low-loaded suction stroke. As a result of this unbalanced application of forces, the constructional dimensions of the displacement element and its respective parts are geared to the loaded displacement stroke.
The object of the invention is to provide a displacement pump apparatus in which the load on the moving parts is significantly reduced.


A network is described for providing estimates of the current time. The network includes multiple computer systems each configured to provide an estimate of the current time in response to a received request. The computer systems are logically arranged to form a hierarchical structure, wherein the hierarchical structure includes multiple levels ranked with respect to one another. Each of the computer systems is assigned one of multiple levels of trust, and occupies one of the levels of the hierarchical structure dependent upon the assigned level of trust. The level of trust assigned to a given computer system is dependent upon a timekeeping dependability of the given computer system. The assigned level of trust may also be dependent upon a timekeeping security of the given computer system, where the timekeeping security is dependent upon a tamper resistance of the time clock of the given computer system. Methods for delegating a level of trust to a new computer system (i.e., a computer system not part of the network) and for adding a new computer system to the network are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to computer systems including timekeeping systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to their limitations, time keeping devices such as time clocks are only capable of providing estimates of the current time and/or date. Time critical functions, such as air traffic control operations and banking transaction time stamping functions, require highly accurate estimates of the current time and/or date. Other time dependent functions, such as software evaluation/rental/lease agreements or music rental agreements involving set periods of time, require less accurate estimates of the current time and/or date.
A typical personal computer (PC) includes two time keeping systems: a hardware real time clock (RTC), and a software virtual clock maintained by an operating system. The RTC typically includes a battery backup source of electrical power, and continuously maintains an estimate of the current date and time. The software virtual clock is typically synchronized to the RTC during PC power up and initialization (i.e., during operating system boot up). In many PCs, synchronization of the software virtual clock to the RTC occurs only during operating system boot up.
Unfortunately, the RTC of the typical PC is highly subject to tampering. For example, a PC user is typically free to change the current date/time maintained by the RTC of the PC at will. Further, a PC user may tamper with accessible hardware components of the RTC (e.g., an oscillator crystal) in order to make the RTC run slow, thereby potentially extending time periods of software evaluation/rental/lease agreements or music rental agreements relying on the RTC for timekeeping.
Many different time synchronization systems exist for synchronizing computer system time clocks over networks (e.g., the Internet). Examples of such network time synchronization systems include the network time protocol (NTP) and the related simple network time protocol (SNTP). Time synchronization software executed by a PC typically provides periodic time synchronization of an RTC of the PC to an external time source. The time synchronization software may also track RTC timekeeping errors and adjust programmable RTC timekeeping circuits to improve RTC timekeeping accuracy between periodic time synchronizations.
It is now possible to obtain (e.g., via the Internet) application software and other content (e.g., music) for use over a fixed period of time (e.g., on an evaluation basis, or subject to a rental or lease agreement). As techniques do not exist for verifying the accuracy and/or security of a PC timekeeping system, sophisticated software evaluation/rental/lease systems typically include with the application software either separate timekeeping software or monitoring software which detects/prevents changes to the current date/time maintained by the RTC of a PC. Like the RTC itself, timekeeping and monitoring software is vulnerable to tampering, and security issues related to software evaluation/rental/lease systems are believed to be major reasons why relatively expensive application software programs (e.g., large computer aided design programs) are generally not available for evaluation/rental/lease via the Internet.
In order to facilitate applications such as the distribution of software for evaluation/rental/lease via the Internet, it would thus be desirable to have a network for delegating different levels of timekeeping xe2x80x9ctrustxe2x80x9d to requesting computer systems based upon timekeeping accuracy and/or timekeeping security (e.g., time clock tamper resistance) of the requesting computer systems. Higher levels of timekeeping trust may, for example, allow access to a larger set of application software for evaluation/rental/lease via the Internet including more expensive application software programs. Lower levels of timekeeping trust may limit access to more expensive application software programs, but may be adequate for lower cost content (e.g., music).
A network is described for providing estimates of the current time. The network includes multiple computer systems each configured to provide an estimate of the current time in response to a received request. The computer systems are logically arranged to form a hierarchical structure, wherein the hierarchical structure includes multiple levels ranked with respect to one another. Each of the computer systems is assigned one of multiple levels of trust, and occupies one of the levels of the hierarchical structure dependent upon the assigned level of trust. The level of trust assigned to a given computer system is dependent upon a timekeeping dependability of the given computer system. The assigned level of trust may also be dependent upon a timekeeping security of the given computer system, where the timekeeping security is dependent upon a tamper resistance of the time clock of the given computer system.
Each computer system of the network (i.e., network computer system) may include, for example, a time clock for tracking the passage of time and for maintaining the estimate of the current time. In this case, the timekeeping dependability of a given network computer system may depend upon a timekeeping accuracy of the time clock of the given network computer system, and may also depend upon a timekeeping stability and/or a timekeeping reliability of the time clock.
In one embodiment of the network, a single one of the network computer systems is a central authority assigned the highest level of trust and occupies a highest level in the hierarchical structure. In other embodiments of the network, multiple network computer systems may occupy the highest level in the hierarchical structure.
The network may also include a directory service for storing information specifying the logical arrangement of the computer systems. The directory service may also provide the information in response to a received request.
In a method for delegating a level of trust, a new computer system (i.e., a computer system which is not part of the network) may contact a network computer system and request assignment of a level of trust. The network computer system may assign the new computer system a level of trust dependent upon a timekeeping dependability of the new computer system. For example, the new computer system may include a time clock for tracking the passage of time and maintaining an estimate of the current time. The timekeeping dependability of the new computer system may be dependent upon a timekeeping accuracy, a timekeeping stability, and/or a timekeeping reliability of the time clock. During the trust level delegation process, the new computer system may provide information conveying the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability of the time clock to the network computer system. Alternately, the new computer system may provide time clock identification information identifying the time clock to the network computer system. In this case, the network computer system may use the time clock identification information to obtain the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability of the time clock (e.g., from a table). The network computer system may then apply the established set of criteria using the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability information in order to assign the new computer system a level of trust.
Further, the network computer system may test the time clock of the new computers system by executing time clock testing software. Alternately, the network computer system may transmit the time clock testing software to the new computer system. In this case, the new computer system may execute the time clock testing software, and convey test results produced by the time clock testing software to the network computer system. The time clock testing software may directly measure the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability of the time clock of the new computer system, and the tests results may indicate the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability of the time clock. Alternately, the time clock testing software may determine time clock identification information identifying the time clock, and the test results may include the time clock identification information. In this case, the network computer system may use the time clock identification information to obtain the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability of the time clock (e.g., from a table) as described above. The network computer system may then apply the established set of criteria using the timekeeping accuracy, stability, and/or reliability information in order to assign the new computer system a level of trust.
The level of trust assigned to the new computer system may also be dependent upon a timekeeping security of the new computer system, where the timekeeping security is dependent upon a tamper resistance of the time clock of the new computer system. In this case, the new computer system may also provide information conveying the timekeeping security of the time clock. Alternately, the new computer system may provide time clock identification information identifying the time clock to the network computer system, and the network computer system may use the time clock identification information to obtain the timekeeping security of the time clock (e.g., from the table).
In one embodiment of the network, a given network computer system occupying a given level of trust may only delegate (i.e., assign) levels of trust less than the given level of trust. For example, where the highest level of trust is a trust level xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and lower levels of trust are numbered consecutively in ascending order (e.g., xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d, and so on), a computer system occupying trust level xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d may only delegate levels of trust numbered xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d and greater than xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d, and may not delegate trust levels numbered xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d or less than xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d.
A method for adding a new computer system to the network includes receiving such a request from the new computer system. The new computer system must be configured to provide an estimate of the current time in response to received requests. If the computer system has not been assigned a level of trust, the new computer system may be assigned a level of trust as described above. The new computer system may then be assigned to one of the levels of the hierarchical structure dependent upon the assigned level of trust. In addition, the assignment of the new computer system to the assigned level of the hierarchical structure may be recorded. For example, where the network includes the above described directory service, the recording may include adding information to the directory which indicates the assignment of the new computer system to the assigned level of the hierarchical structure.

Multilevel network for distributing trusted time and delegating levels of trust regarding timekeeping


A connector comprising a housing comprising a resin composition comprising:. (A) from 50 to 95 parts by weight of a semi-aromatic polyamide comprising (A1) an adipate of hexamethylenediamine and (A2) a terephthalate of hexamethylenediamine, where the weight ratio of the adipate of hexamethylenediamine (A1) to the terephthalate of hexamethylenediamine (A2) is from 80/20 to 50/50; and PA1 (B) from 5 to 50 parts by weight of a modified polyolefin comprising (B1) a polyolefin copolymer comprising (B11) propylene and (B12) ethylene where the molar ratio of propylene (B11) to ethylene (B12) is from 90/10 to 99/1, the polyolefin copolymer (B1) being graft-modified with (B2) from 0.05 to 5 parts by weight of an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an anhydride thereof, or a derivative thereof per 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin copolymer (B1).

Hitherto, for connecting the circuits of electric and electronic instruments or devices of motor cars, connectors equipped with various kinds of plastic housings (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as simply "connectors") have been used. Recently, with the progress of the light-weight construction of a motor car together with the low air pollution by a motor car, the requirement for the light weight of connectors has been increased. Furthermore, with the increase of the performance and the function of a motor car, the connector has been required miniaturization, complication in its form, and improvement in heat resistance, fitting feeling and productivity thereof.
A PBT (polybutene terephthalate) resin excellent in heat resistance, dimensional stability and moldability has conventionally been used as a connector in large quantity, but since the PBT resin has a high specific gravity, there is a problem in that the weight of the connector made of the resin is increased. A 6-nylon resin and a 6,6-nylon resin are suitable for a light-weight connector since the specific gravity of these resins is lower than that of the PBT resin. However, these resins have problems in that they have a high water absorption to cause a dimensional change and deterioration of the mechanical properties by the absorption of water, and the connectors made of these resins are not suitable for miniaturized connectors, complication in its form, and improvement in fitting feeling.
In addition to the foregoing resins, a PP (polypropylene) resin, a PPE (polyphenyleneether) resin, an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) resin, etc., have also been used, but these resins have problems in that they are inferior in heat resistance, chemical resistance, fluidity, etc., and hence these resins are not satisfactory.
Attempts to reduce the weight of connectors by foaming resins, or adding a hollow filler to resins have been investigated but in these attempts, there are problems in that the molding accuracy is insufficient, and the deterioration of the mechanical properties is severe.


An embodiment is a circuit for use with a display device, the circuit including: a first input node configured to be operatively coupled to a first port of a data source device that provides the display device with data, to receive a first direct voltage used for a real-time display of the data on the display device; and at least one output node, configured to operatively provide the display device with at least one output voltage generated based on the first direct voltage, wherein the first port is isolated from a data port used to transmit the data.

To support various signal formats, current computers and audio/video apparati, for example DVD players, provide various data ports, for example USB (Universal Serial BUS) Port, VGA (Video Graphics Array) Port, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) Port, DP (Display Port) Port, etc. The ports not only enable data transmission, but also supply power to some low power consumption devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, mouses, etc.
FIG. 1 shows an example in which a computer 10 supplies power to and transmits data to a mouse 11 via a USB port 12. As shown, the mouse 11 includes a voltage converter 13 and a microprocessor unit (MCU) 14. The USB cable encases four wires: a power supply wire 15, a ground wire 16, a positive data wire 17, and a negative data wire 18 (e.g., for differential data transmission). Wires 15 and 16 are coupled to the voltage converter 13 of the mouse 11 to obtain operating voltages for modules of the mouse ii, and the data wires 17 and 18 are coupled to the MCU 14 of the mouse 11 to enable data transmission between the mouse 11 and the computer 10.
In the configuration of FIG. 1, the port 12 not only enables the data transmission between the computer 10 and the mouse 11, but also enables power to be supplied from the computer 10 to the mouse 11. However, the power supplied via USB Port, DP Port, or HDMI Port is very limited because such power is mainly aimed at supporting data transmission. For example, a USB power wire typically provides a voltage of 5V, and the upper limit of current is generally about 950 mA. For another example, a DP Port typically provides a power of about 1.5W. After it is coupled with a computer or an audio/video apparatus, the display device may fail to normally display the audio/video, operate unstably, or fail to operate in an optimum state if it operates by only using the power supplied via ports like a USB Port. Therefore, display devices usually also need to be coupled to another power source such as commercial power. However, this may lead to inconvenience during use. For example, positioning of the display device is restricted not only by data wires between the display device and the audio/video apparatus, but also by its own power supply wire. In addition, there may be limited power sockets such that the audio/video apparatus and the display device cannot be used simultaneously.

Data source and display having power circuits providing different output voltages based on duty cycle

STMicroelectronics (Shenzhen) R&D Co. Ltd.


A film forming apparatus including a raw material supplying section for supplying a raw material of a liquid or a gas-liquid mixture, a raw material vaporizing section for vaporizing the raw material to form a raw material gas, and a film forming section for conducting a film forming treatment using the formed raw material gas, and a filter on the transport path for the raw material gas from the raw material vaporizing section to the film forming section. An outer edge of the filter is pressed to the inner surface of the transport path over the whole perimeter thereof by a cyclic supporting member, which is less prone to be deformed by a loading in the pressing direction than the outer edge, and is fixed to the inner surface of the transport path in a compressed state between the inner surface of the transport path and the supporting member.

There has been proposed a film forming apparatus, e.g., a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) apparatus, for performing a film formation by using a source gas generated by vaporizing a liquid source material of an organic metal or a liquefied source material of an organic metal dissolved in a solvent. A typical example of such a film forming apparatus is an MO (metal organic) CVD apparatus, which is employed in forming a high-k dielectric thin film of, e.g., a PZT (Pb—Zr—Ti oxide), a BST (Ba—Sr—Ti oxide), and the like; a metal thin film of, e.g., tungsten (W); a semiconductor thin film of, e.g., InP (see, e.g., JP10-177971A); and so forth. The CVD can be classified into a thermal CVD, an optical CVD, a plasma CVD, and so forth depending on the type of energy supplied to trigger a chemical reaction.
In the film forming apparatus described above, fine particles (hereinafter, simply referred to as "particles") are often generated inside of the vaporizer or in a transport path of a source gas leading to a film forming vessel as a result of solidification or decomposition of source material. The particles thus generated may be introduced into a film forming chamber to be deposited on a substrate, resulting in degradation of a film quality and product failure such as deterioration of an insulation property.
To prevent the problems, there have been proposed a configuration in which a filter is disposed at an outlet of the vaporizer (see, e.g., JP7-94426A); a configuration in which a filter (line filter) is disposed between a gas supply source and the film forming chamber (see, e.g., JP5-68826A); and the like. In these configurations, particles flown from the upstream side of the filters are trapped by the filters, so that the particles are prevented from being flown to the downstream side of the filters, and thus the amount of particles introduced into the film forming chamber can be reduced.
However, in the above methods, though the filters trap the particles flown from the upstream sides, the amount of particles reaching the substrate in the film forming chamber cannot be reduced sufficiently. Though the reason for this is not clearly found out, it is conjectured that, for example, fine particles grow at the downstream sides of the filters after passing through meshes of the filters or fine droplets (residual mist) of the source material become particles at the downstream sides of the filters after passing therethrough.
To prevent these problems, it is considered to improve the trapping efficiency of the filters by means of reducing the size of the meshes of the filters, thus allowing the fine particles or the fine droplets of the source material to be trapped by the filters. However, if the sizes of the meshes are reduced, the filters would be clogged shortly, and in such case, a repair and maintenance work of cleaning or replacing the filters need to be performed more frequently so as to maintain a set supply flow rate of the source gas.
Moreover, particles can also be generated inside the film forming chamber as a result of deposits being peeled off inner surfaces of the chamber or vicinities of the susceptor. Such a problem may not be avoided by reducing the amount of the particles introduced into the film forming chamber from a gas supply line by the filters.


Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a method of controlling the flow of fluid, such as air, between a stack of glass sheets during a co-sagging process. In embodiments, this involves a particular method and certain mechanical means of applying force at or near the edges and/or corners of a stack of glass sheets during a co-sagging process. In other embodiments, this involves creating low pressure regions at or near the edges and/or corners during the co-sagging process. In particular, controlling the flow of fluid between glass sheets is particularly suitable for preventing shape mismatch between two glass sheets having different thicknesses and/or compositions.

The disclosure relates generally to forming a curved glass laminate article, and specifically to processes for co-forming (e.g., co-sagging) glass sheets while controlling separation of the glass sheets to reduce shape mismatch.
Curved glass laminate sheets or articles find use in many applications, including vehicle or automotive window glass. Typically, curved glass sheets for such applications have been formed from relatively thick sheets of glass material. To improve shape consistency between individual glass layers of the laminate article, the glass materials may be shaped to the desired shape/curvature via a co-forming process, such as a co-sagging process. Applicant has found that traditional co-sagging processes may produce undesirable characteristics (e.g., shape mismatch) in the curved glass sheets, the severity of which appears to increase when the co-sagged pair of glass sheets have different thicknesses, compositions, and/or viscosities.

Methods for controlling separation between glasses during co-sagging to reduce final shape mismatch therebetween


A computer-implemented method for displaying trustworthiness classifications for files as visually overlaid icons may include (1) identifying a file, (2) identifying a file icon that graphically represents the file within a file manager interface on a computing device, (3) obtaining a trustworthiness classification assigned to the file that identifies the trustworthiness of the file, and then (4) visually overlaying the file icon with a trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the trustworthiness classification assigned to the file. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Security software may attempt to determine the trustworthiness of a file using various heuristics and/or based on various community-supplied information about the file. For example, security software may attempt to determine whether a file is malicious by determining whether the file matches a unique digital signature or fingerprint associated with a known-malicious file. Additionally or alternatively, the security software may attempt to assess the trustworthiness of the file by obtaining a reputation score for the file from a reputation service. In this example, the reputation service may assign the reputation score to the file by collecting, aggregating, and analyzing data from potentially millions of user devices within a community (such as the user base of a security-software vendor) that identify, among other details, the file's origin, age, and prevalence within the community (such as whether the file is predominantly found on at-risk or "unhealthy" machines within the community).
Unfortunately, while a user may (in some cases) see the results of such a trustworthiness evaluation immediately upon its completion, the user may fail to recall the results of the trustworthiness evaluation at a future point in time (e.g., when viewing files within a file manager interface). Thus, the user may be unable to identify the trustworthiness of a file displayed within a file manager interface without requesting a separate evaluation of the file's trustworthiness. Consequently, if the user fails to request a separate trustworthiness evaluation prior to opening or executing a file, the user may unknowingly open or execute a file that is less trustworthy than another file that performs a substantially similar function. For example, the user may unknowingly execute a calculator application that is less trustworthy than another calculator application stored in the same directory.
As such, the instant disclosure identifies a need for systems and methods for enabling users to quickly and easily identify (and/or compare) the trustworthiness of files without having to request a separate evaluation of the files' trustworthiness.

Systems and methods for displaying trustworthiness classifications for files as visually overlaid icons


A multi-purpose table including aperture disposed in a top surface and removable cups therein for playing a bean bag game and for holding items therein, respectively; a pair of compartments underneath the table surface for holding bean bags; and a plurality of spaced apart drawers having holes in which to hold cups and slots for holding poker chips.

Various types of tables are known in the prior art. However, what is needed is a table which includes apertures and removable cups therein for playing a bean bag game and for holding items therein, respectively; a pair of compartments underneath the table surface for holding bean bags; and a plurality of spaced apart drawers having holes in which to hold cups and slots for holding poker chips.


An optical system for X rays having a multilayer reflecting mirror which has high reflectances for X rays of different wavelengths. One type of multilayer reflecting mirror is such that the mirror surface of the multilayer reflecting mirror is divided into a plurality of regions, and the regions are provided with multilayers which are such that the reflectance of each multilayer is maximum for X rays of a corresponding wavelength. Another type of multilayer reflecting mirror has a substrate and a plurality of multilayer laid on the substrate, wherein the wavelength of X rays to be reflected with a maximum reflectance varies from multilayer to multilayer. The optical system for X rays according to the present invention is a focusing optical system having a plurality of such multilayer reflecting mirrors and can obtain object images by using X rays of a plurality of wavelengths.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical system for X rays and a multilayer mirror used therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
The recent development of technology for applying X rays to an object and obtaining an image of the object by the X rays transmitted through the object has been applied for industrial tests, biological analysis, etc. Particularly in the fields where microscopic images by X rays are necessary, there is a great demand for producing a microscopic image of a specific chemical element by transmitted X rays and X-ray luminescence from a specimen.
The reason why a transmission image of only a specific element can be obtained by X rays is that the absorption coefficients of elements have different wavelength dependence in the X-ray wavelength range. FIG. 1 shows how protein, nucleic acid and water absorb X rays, with wavelengths and absorption coefficients represented on the horizontal and vertical axes, respectively. In the figure, the O, N and C edges are the absorption edges of X rays by oxygen, nitrogen and carbon, respectively. As is apparent from the figure, each element has its specific discontinuous absorption edge: for example, carbon has a discontinuous absorption edge at about 44.ANG., and nitrogen at about 31.ANG.. Therefore, when a transmission image of protein is obtained by X rays of a wavelength in the neighborhood of the absorption edge where the absorption coefficient is maximum, for example, X rays of a wavelength of about 40.ANG., one can expect a high-contrast good image showing the distribution of carbon in protein. Furthermore, if one makes use of the difference between a transmission image obtained by X rays of a wavelength slightly shorter than that of the absorption edge of an element to be detected, at which wavelength the absorption coefficient is high, and a transmission image obtained by X rays of a wavelength slightly longer than that of the absorption edge, at which wavelength the absorption coefficient is low, then one can obtain a better image even if the X rays are weak. This is because the use of the difference can eliminate unnecessary signals resulting from the absorption by elements other than the element to be detected. Such a method is achieving success in medical radiography using sychrotron radiation and the like fields.
On the other hand, owing to the recent progress of manufacturing technology, various optical devices for X rays have been developed for commercial use and applied for the imaging optical systems of X-ray microscopes. In particular, attention is recently drawn to a Schwarzschild optical system comprising a concave mirror and a convex mirror each having a multilayer formed on a substrate since it has a better imaging performance than other X-ray optical systems (for example, Walter type optical system). It has been proposed to apply this optical system for the imaging optical system of a microscope or an exposing apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing in which a high imaging performance is required. If the above-mentioned method can be also applied to the Schwarzschild optical system, an attractive microscope system can be realized.
A Schwarzschild optical system as an optical system for X rays, the perspective view of which is shown in FIG. 2, is a focusing optical system in which a concave mirror 1 having a circular opening in its center and a convex mirror 2 are arranged coaxially with their reflecting surfaces opposed to each other and which focuses X rays radiated from an object point O at an image point I through the opening of the concave mirror 1 via the two reflecting mirrors. In order to reflect the X rays radiated from the object point O with a high reflectance to focus them at the image point I, each of the two spherical mirrors 1 and 2 comprises a substrate and a uniform multilayer formed on the substrate by laying alternately two kinds of substances whose refractive indexes are much different from each other.
The multilayer has such a structure as shown in FIG. 3: a layer of substance a having a thickness of d.sub.1 and a layer of substance b having a thickness of d.sub.2 are laid on a substrate 3 alternately and repeatedly with a periodic thickness of d. With this multilayer, a high reflectance can be obtained under Bragg's condition, that is, EQU m.lambda.=2d sin .omega.
where .lambda. is the wavelength of X rays, d is the periodic thickness of the multilayer, .omega. is the grazing angle of X rays with respect to the multilayer, and m is an integer. Especially, X rays of a wavelength defined by the following formula are efficiently reflected: EQU .lambda.=2d sin .omega. (that is, m=1).
Additionally, in FIG. 3, numerals 4 and 5 represent incident X rays and reflected X rays, respectively, and 0 denotes the incident angle.
Thus, in FIG. 2, only when X rays having a specific wavelength are incident on the spherical mirrors 1 and 2 at a specific incident angle, they are efficiently reflected. Particularly in the Schwarzschild optical system, since the grazing angle .omega. is about 90.degree. , only the X rays of a wavelength of .lambda.=2d are focused. So, it is very difficult to focus X rays of two different wavelengths at the same time. Therefore, although it has been also expected in the Schwarzschild optical system to use the difference between the transmission images obtained by X rays of two wavelengths which are on both sides of the absorption edge of an element, the application of this method has been difficult because of the above reason.

X-ray optical system formed by multilayer reflecting mirrors for reflecting X-rays of different wavelengths


Systems, devices, and methods for using an application program interface (API) client controller to build a model view include a requestor, an executor, a converter, and one or more web APIs. Developers can create web pages that are a collection of references to API queries. The requestor maps an API path to an API request or an API call. The executor executes the API request to an API to retrieve content data. The converter then converts the retrieved content data returned by the API request to a data structure. The retrieved content data (structure) can be stored in a memory device. Multiple content data structures may be requested and stored. The data structure or data structures are then inserted in a web page template to create a model view.

The World Wide Web has become a primary source of communication amongst millions of individuals in recent years. Web sites provide collections of web pages that are accessed by individuals for entertainment, education, information exchange, and even online shopping. As a result, more and more businesses have turned to the Internet to market and advertise to potential customers, to disseminate information about their brands to the public, and to accept orders for their products and services.
Traditionally, business web sites were created by computer programmers who "hard coded" the web sites using a combination of programming languages compatible with HyperText Markup Language (HTML). These programmers would create the site by writing lines of software code describing how the web site should look and the content that the web site should contain. The software code would then be uploaded to a server, where it could be assembled into a number of web pages and accessed by visitors to the web site. Depending on the breadth of the site, it could often take many hours to generate a web site in this fashion. Furthermore, it was very expensive for businesses to maintain web sites over time due to the specialized knowledge needed by the programmer to create the various web pages.
As technology progressed and businesses realized the high value of Internet advertising, web sites became more advanced, with more expansive content, multiple linked web pages, and high-end graphics and videos. Due to the high costs involved in hiring web developers to program and code these advanced web sites, software companies created web site development programs capable of automating the web creation process. This software can be used to build web sites either from scratch or from pre-existing templates. For example, a user can select, display, and arrange various web objects, such as text, graphics, media, and the like, through the page, in a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" fashion. Then, the software development program automatically codes the web page into HTML, without the use of a web developer. HTML provides a way to add structure to the web page documents by providing structural semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, and lists as well as for links, and other items.
However, users of traditional web site development software face many difficulties. For instance, the user must establish precise uniformity of the web site despite the visual inaccuracies of the "drag and drop" format, requiring intense time, skill, and effort. For example, the user must ensure the correct proximity of display objects, alignment, and consistency of format. With respect to business web sites, the user has to ensure uniformity across multiple, even hundreds or thousands, of linked web pages. Furthermore, this traditional web site development software often does not have the level of complexity required by many of today's businesses that want to integrate advanced functions, such as real-time media, into their web sites. Thus, the web pages and web site could become out-of-date and inconsistent, deteriorating the look and feel of the company web presence, and thus the visitor's impression of the company.
In both preparing hard coding and in preparing web development software, a web software developer is needed to generate the web site in accordance with the objectives of the business. Typically, this means that editors, designers, and product managers, who have the most intimate understanding of the business, are not directly involved with the generation of the web site, and must relay this business information to the web developer. It may take a number of drafts and iterations before the editor or designer is satisfied that the web site created by the developer properly reflects the business desires and objectives for the web site.

Controller and method to build a combined web page using data retrieved from multiple APIS


A conveyor is provided which is particularly suited for use in a helical conveyor path where limited footprint space is available. The conveyor includes belt (4) with flights comprised of conveying portions (41) and holding portions (41a). Each of the portions has forward projections and rear projections, the forward projections being staggered relative to the rear projections so that adjacent flights can be interconnected by connection between staggered projection of the adjacent flight. The holding portions (41a) are provided with an upstanding projection (47) which serves to retain product placed on the conveyor in a desired orientation as the conveyor travels along the helical path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyor, in particular to a conveyor adapted to travel along a helical or spiral path.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conveyor systems for use in food handling and processing are well known, whereby conveyor belts, are employed to transfer articles between various locations and/or through various stages of the manufacturing process. Such conveyor belts are commonly formed of materials resistant to temperature degradation in the range −40° C. to 118° C. and which are readily cleanable, for example, plastics materials. In certain applications it is desirable or required that articles being transferred by the conveyor maintain a particular orientation relative to the conveyor's path or indeed maintain a particular desired orientation or spacing relative to the other items on the conveyor. This requirement is particularly important where the articles should be presented correctly in order to ensure that processes along a production line are administered effectively or to ensure that they maintain an optimal configuration to allow for rapid packaging.
However, articles often have to be transferred along conveyors which follow inclined, curved paths. Such helical or spiral conveyors are well known. In some situations the windings of helical conveyors have small radii or involve various inclines or declines as a result of factors such as limited available space or optimal production line design. In such instances where conveyors follow these convoluted and tortuous paths, it is common that the articles thereon become misaligned or misspaced and must then be returned to a correct orientation either by the use of ancillary equipment or through the manual intervention of production line operators. The use of such equipment or personnel not only contributes to increased costs but also increases the degree of handling which the articles are subject to and as such can be detrimental to the quality of the articles, particularly where they comprise delicate items or foodstuffs.


An oven includes a housing forming a cooking compartment defining an interior of the oven. A water supply line extends through the housing to position an end behind a fan within the cooking compartment. The fan is arranged within the cooking compartment near the water supply line to create a low pressure area about the end of the water supply line to draw water through the water supply line and into the fan.

The present invention relates generally to ovens using moving air and/or steam to cook food and, more particularly, to a system and method for handling water in combination ovens.
Many ovens include the ability to cook food using steam. For example, combination ovens provide the ability to cook foods using steam, hot-air convection, or both steam and convection. This combination of convection heating with steam provides a system where food can be properly cooked significantly faster than with traditional ovens or even convection ovens alone. As a result, combination ovens have become a vital asset in commercial cooking environments that need to cook food quickly and, often, in large quantities.
Combination ovens employ a motor driven fan to circulate air within a cooking chamber past electrical heating elements or gas heat exchange tubes to perform the convection functionality. To produce steam within the cooking chamber, a pressurized water line injects water into the cooking chamber, for example onto a rotating cup at the center of the fan, near the heating elements to disperse and vaporize the water. A system of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,045 issued Feb. 13, 2001, entitled: "Combination Oven With Three-Stage Water Atomizer", assigned to the assignee of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference. In this regard, combination ovens require access to both electricity and pressurized water supply lines, such as municipal water supply lines.
Internal plumbing within the combination oven receives pressurized water from the plumbing of the kitchen and delivers it into the cooking chamber of the combination oven. As such, the internal plumbing is subjected to at least a portion of the heat generated within the cooking chamber. While modem plumbing techniques are designed to withstand variations in temperatures, the internal plumbing of combination ovens must be able to tolerate a temperature range extending from room temperature to several hundred degrees Fahrenheit (F). Furthermore, the internal plumbing must be able to tolerate this entire temperature range simultaneously during cooking periods because the plumbing fixtures arranged to interface with the kitchen plumbing are surrounded by room temperature conditions, while plumbing fixtures extending into the cooking compartment are surrounded by several hundred degree steam.
As such, a substantial cost of producing a combination oven is incurred in creating an internal plumbing system that is suited to these operating conditions. For example, considerable engineering design and manufacturing expertise is utilized to create internal plumbing systems for combination ovens that have a minimal number of joints and seals because such interfaces are negatively impacted by wide temperature variations.
Additionally, when including or incorporating a combination oven into a kitchen, the cost of purchasing the combination oven as well as the cost of providing the resources necessary to operating the combination oven (i.e. electricity and pressurized water connections) must be considered. In some cases, the cost of these resources may significantly impact the decision to include a combination oven within a kitchen.
The cost and complexity of installing a combination oven is at least one reason that combination ovens have only been widely adopted in large commercial kitchens and have not gained significant adoption in smaller commercial kitchens and consumer or home kitchens. In particular, it is widely recognized that plumbing costs account for a substantial amount of kitchen building expenses. This is generally true in both new construction, but can be particularly true when remodeling. As such, the decision to incorporate a combination oven into a kitchen, particularly a previously completed kitchen, may be relatively costly and outside of the budget for small commercial and/or residential kitchens.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method to reduce the costs associated with ovens employing steam and, in particular, plumbing costs associated with such ovens. More specifically, it would be desirable to have a system and method for reducing the manufacturing costs associated with internal plumbing systems of ovens employing steam as well as for reducing the installation plumbing costs associated with incorporating such an oven into a kitchen.

System and method for supplying water to an oven