A high throughput apparatus and method for gaining access to and extracting internal tissue or structure of interest from a seed or plurality of seed is disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus utilizes means to expose the internal tissue or structure and means to separate at least some of the exposed internal tissue or structure for collection and evaluation. In one aspect, a method utilizes some force or action to expose the internal tissue or structure and some force or action to separate the internal tissue or structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gaining access to and extracting specific internal tissue or structure of seed, and in particular, to a more efficient method or system of doing so in a relatively high throughput manner. The invention also relates to collecting extracted tissue or structure, including for evaluation by chemical, physical, or genetic testing, and in one aspect high throughput extraction of embryos suitable for enabling doubled haploid plant reproduction. One example of internal tissue or structure is the embryo of a maize seed.
2. State of the Art
The nature of most seeds makes access to and/or extraction of relevant tissue or structure non-trivial. While this can be done, seed-by-seed, in a labor-intensive, manual way (e.g. using a knife and tweezers), there is a need for a method of doing so in a more time and resource efficient manner.
For example, one of the most labor intensive steps in the process of doubled haploid plant production, such as with maize, is the extraction of immature embryos from the developing kernels. For maize kernels the term "immature" is used to mean less than physiological maturity, which normally means less than approximately 30 days or so after pollination or prior to total solidification of the endosperm or after black layer formation.
Extraction of embryos is done by hand at present, often under sterile conditions, which is tedious and time-consuming. In the case of maize, the most relevant genetic material is in the embryo of the seed. The embryo is encased by the endosperm. The endosperm, in turn, is encased in the pericarp, a relatively robust tissue. Additionally, maize kernels are relatively small in size, with the embryo being even smaller. Furthermore, the maize embryos and kernels develop biologically and temporally on a cob into an ear of corn, with a single ear generally having anywhere from a few to a few hundred kernels depending on genotype and growth conditions during plant and ear development. This increases the difficulty of extracting intact embryos. This also increases the complexity and difficulty of trying to automate, at least partially, the steps for accessing and then extracting an intact viable embryo, or a part of its tissue without destroying it or making it difficult to obtain accurate information from, or so that it is suitable for doubled haploid plant production.
There is also other internal tissue or structure in maize seed that may be of interest for efficient extraction. There are also other seed types and species which have at least some of the same or similar issues to maize and which have internal tissues or structures that could be of interest to access by non-destructive extraction.
Manual embryo extraction, especially on a seed-by-seed or kernel-by-kernel basis, is not a high throughput process. In commercial product development operations, time can be of the essence. Hundreds, if not thousands, of seed samples may need to have embryo tissue extracted in a relatively short time. With a manual process, substantial labor resources must be allocated to the task in order to achieve extraction of large numbers of embryos or other seed tissues in this short time frame, for subsequent analysis or use. Consider the example of a substantial size maize seed company. It may handle hundreds of thousands, and more often millions, of seeds per year. Depending on the age, attained growth and stage of development of the embryos, it is possible that present state of the art manual extraction methods could result in embryo extraction rates as low as 600 embryos per worker per hour, and in the best case scenario as much as 800 embryos per worker per hour. At this rate, as an example, processing 1 million seed would take well over a thousand worker hours. Moreover, embryo extraction rates using manual extraction techniques can vary as much as 300-400 embryos per worker per hour depending on the stage of development of the embryos (i.e., the number of days that have elapsed since pollination).
In commercial maize seed research and plant production, knowledge of a seed's phenotype and genotype saves time and effort by avoiding the need to grow plants from the seed and subsequently test plant tissue to look for desirable heritable traits or characteristics, thereby justifying its use in subsequent research and/or commercialization. Notwithstanding this effort, growing experimental plots of plants from seed for selection for commercial quantities is widely practiced in the maize seed business. Eliminating time and resources needed for this step is beneficial in a number of ways. Both time and significant resources in terms of labor and processing (e.g. planting, tilling, maintenance, obtaining tissue samples, etc.) would be saved. Moreover, the need for substantial amounts of land for growing the requisite plots could be greatly reduced. Decisions about a plant could be made when seed is developing or yet immature, as opposed to waiting for one or more subsequent generations to be grown. Additionally, efficient extraction of viable embryos could be used to harvest embryos for further use such as in the reproduction of succeeding generations of plants, and is particularly suitable for use in the process of doubled haploid plant production. This would facilitate shorter time to market, use of less space, time and resources, and the harvest of more embryos, more quickly.
Similar issues to those set forth above exist for other plants and seeds. It is beneficial to be able to obtain reliable information about a seed to make decisions about that plant without having to grow a subsequent generation and test tissue from the plant to make such decisions. It is also beneficial to extract, in a relatively high throughput manner, internal tissue(s) or structure(s) of the seed. It is therefore beneficial to quickly and efficiently extract internal tissue or structure from maize or other species.
Thus, a need exits for a more efficient way of harvesting or extracting embryos or embryo tissue from maize kernels for use in doubled haploid plant production. In this context, "efficiency" means a higher throughput of extracting embryos or tissues from multiple kernels in a given time period. Efficiency can also mean extraction of the embryo tissue without destroying it (i.e., extraction of intact viable embryos) or requiring substantial post-extraction steps to isolate the embryo tissue. Analogous issues and needs exist with other internal tissue or structure of maize and with internal tissue or structure of other types of seed plants. Benefits from an efficient and accurate method of accessing and extracting relevant internal seed tissue or structure exist for other such seed, as well as maize seed.

Apparatus and methods to gain access to and extract intact immature embryos from developing maize kernels or specific internal tissue or structures from one or more seeds


To reduce calculation errors of remaining batter power so as to take into account capacity diminutions due to cycle degradation and temperature, a remaining power calculation device specifies a temperature correction value for calculation of remaining battery power corresponding to temperature, from among temperature correction values changed every predetermined number of charge/discharge cycles stored in a correction value storage device, on the basis of a temperature of a battery cell measured by a temperature measurement device and the number of charge/discharge cycles counted by a charge/discharge counting device, and calculates remaining battery power corresponding to the specified temperature correction value. Temperature correction values changed every predetermined number of charge/discharge cycles are used instead of setting different temperature correction values for all charge/discharge cycles, whereby correction of remaining battery power based on cycle degradation and temperature is performed with a small number of parameters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack and a remaining battery power calculation method, and more particularly, to a battery pack and a remaining battery power calculation method which permits calculating remaining battery power according to the number of charge/discharge cycles and temperature during use of the battery.
2. Related Art
Battery packs (secondary batteries) such as liquid ion batteries have specific capacities, and their capacities have the characteristic of varying according to the temperature under which the battery pack is used.
When a battery pack is used under low temperature, the internal impedance of its battery cell increases and when the same current as normal temperature is applied, a large voltage drop occurs, so the capacity of the battery pack decreases.
FIG. 11 is a graph showing discharge characteristics of a battery pack at 25° C., 10° C. and 0° C. The abscissa represents time, while the ordinate represents voltage.
As shown in FIG. 11, in the case where its discharge power and end voltage are set to 2.0 W and 3.35 V, respectively, the following measurement result is obtained: if a dischargeable capacity in an environment of, for example, 25° C. is set to 100%, approximately 80% dischargeable capacity and approximately 60% dischargeable capacity are respectively obtained in environments of 10° C. and 0° C.
On the other hand, the battery pack has the characteristic of decreasing its capacity even in the case where it continues to be used and the number of charge/discharge cycles increases. This is because the battery pack repeats a charge/discharge cycle and its battery cell is degraded, so the usable capacity thereof decreases, and called 'cycle degradation'.
The usable capacity of a battery which has undergone a large number of charge/discharge cycles is changed by two factors: cycle degradation and temperature during use.
The technique of detecting the temperature of a battery pack by using a temperature sensor and correcting the remaining battery power has heretofore been used to correct battery capacity diminutions during use at low temperatures, as in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-A-2000-260488 (Paragraph Numbers [0038]-[0072]), for example.
Similarly, the technique of counting the number of charge/discharge cycles, determining that cycle degradation is advancing, according to the counted number, and estimating the remaining battery power to be lower than the actual battery power is used to correct battery degradation due to the number of charge/discharge cycles.
In these conventional techniques, correction of a usable time in the current temperature environment is performed by measuring the current temperature with a thermistor, and correction of the usable time of a battery cell which has undergone a larger number of charge/discharge cycles is performed by counting the number of charge/discharge cycles.
Specifically, temperature data and correction values depending on temperate are held, and when temperature data indicates a low temperature, the remaining battery power is estimated to be lower than the actual remaining battery power, in view of the degradation of the discharge characteristic of the battery cell. Similarly, correction values for cycle degradation are prepared, and as the number of charge/discharge cycles becomes larger, the remaining battery power is estimated to be smaller. In this manner, two correction values, i.e., temperature and cycle degradation, are prepared as data stored in the battery pack, whereby the remaining battery power is corrected according to use environment and the number of times of use.

Battery pack and remaining battery power calculation method


An apparatus for inclining a roller on which a pressure belt is suspended to perform a deviation control of the pressure belt, which can well perform the deviation control of the pressure belt even when the pressure belt has been spaced apart from a fixing roller. A fixing device is provided with a pressure belt suspended on rollers, a deviation control device adjusting the deviation of the pressure belt, and a pressure unit bringing the pressure belt into pressure contact with a fixing roller to form a nip portion. The deviation control device is designed to be moved with the pressure unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image heating apparatus for heating an image on a recording material. As such image heating apparatus, mention can be made of a fixing apparatus for fixing an unfixed image on a recording material, or a gloss improving apparatus for heating an image fixed on a recording material to thereby improve the degree of glossiness of the image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine using an electrophotographic printing material, there has been provided a fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image on a sheet.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-157880, as such a fixing apparatus, there is proposed one using a belt. An example of the conventional belt fixing apparatus will be shown below.
The conventional belt fixing apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings is constituted by a fixing unit 100A having a fixing roller 101 provided with a halogen heater (not shown) therein, and a belt conveying apparatus 133. The belt conveying apparatus 133 is constituted by a pressure unit 100B, a release cam 108, a deviation control driving portion 115, etc. The pressure unit 100B has a suspension roller 102 and a tension roller 103 as suspension members for circulating a suspended pressure belt 104.
The opposite ends of the rotary shaft 102a of the suspension roller 102 are rotatably supported on a pair of supporting metal plates 105 by antifriction bearings (not shown). The opposite ends of the rotary shaft 103c of the tension roller 103 are also rotatably supported on a pair of slide metal plates 106 by antifriction bearings (not shown). The slide metal plates 106 are slidably provided on the supporting metal plates 105. The slide metal plates 106 are biased away from the supporting metal plates 105 by tension springs 107. Therefore, the suspension roller 103 is biased away from the tension roller 104 to thereby give a tensile force to the pressure belt 104.
Also, when a pair of release cams 108 (one of which is not shown) are rotated by a pulse motor (not shown) the pressure unit 100B is adapted to be rotated about a pivot shaft 109 and is moved toward and away from the fixing roller 101 as a nip forming member.
As shown in FIG. 8, a driving force from a drive source 110 is inputted to the pressure belt 104 of the pressure unit 100B through an idler gear 111 on the pivot shaft 109. Therefore, the pressure unit 100B has the driving force inputted thereto whether it is in a pressed state or in a spaced-apart state relative to the fixing roller 101.
Such a fixing apparatus 100 presses the pressure belt 104 of the pressure unit 100B against the fixing roller 101 of the fixing unit 100A to thereby form a fixing nip portion between the fixing roller 101 and the pressure belt 104. The fixing nip portion, when a recording material S bearing an unfixed toner image thereon is conveyed thereto, nips and heats the sheet as the recording material together with the toner image. The recording material S is pressurized and heated, whereby the toner image thereon is fixed.
As described above, the fixing apparatus 100 using the belt enables the nip width in the conveyance direction of the recording material S to be wider than in a fixing apparatus (not shown) using a pair of rollers comprising a fixing roller and a pressure roller, and can obtain high fixing performance.
The endless belt of such a belt conveying apparatus, when it is circulated, may sometime be deviated in the width direction thereof crossing the circulation direction of the belt. Usually, the deviation of the belt is continued until as shown in FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings, the pressure belt 104 comes into contact with a deviation restricting flange 112 provided on an end portion of a roller and the deviation thereof is restricted. In this case, however, the slide edge portion of the pressure belt 104 and the flange 112 may sometimes rub against each other and the side edge portion may be shaved thereby.
The main cause of the belt being circulated while being deviated is largely the inclination difference between the suspension members such as the suspension roller 102 and the tension roller 103 which are not disposed in parallelism to each other. In other words, by changing the inclination of the suspension members, it is possible to control the deviation direction of the belt.
So, the deviation of the belt can be adjusted if the deviation information of the belt is obtained from deviation detecting sensors 113a and 113b disposed in opposed relationship with the side edges 104a and 104b of the pressure belt 104 (see FIG. 8) to thereby change the inclination of the tension roller 103. The changing of the inclination of the tension roller 103 is accomplished by moving only one end portion of the tension roller 103 up and down by a deviation control arm 114 rotated in a vertical direction by a deviation control driving portion 115.
The deviation control of the belt will now be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings. When the pressure belt 104 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow A and becomes deviated in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the deviation detecting sensor 113a detects the side edge 104a of the pressure belt 104 to thereby detect the deviation of the pressure belt 104. On the basis of the result of the detection, a controlling portion (not shown) controls the operation of the deviation control driving portion 115 and rotates the deviation control arm 114 by a predetermined value in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7. Thereupon, the end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 rises in the direction indicated by the arrow C as shown in FIG. 11, and the pressure belt 104 deviates in the direction indicated by the arrow D.
The inner part side refers to the side on which the drive source 110 is disposed. Also, this side refers to the side on which the deviation control driving portion 115 is disposed.
The end portion 103b on the inner part side of the tension roller 103 is tiltably fixed to the slide metal plate 106 disposed on the inner part side. The end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 extends through the longitudinal slot 106a (see FIG. 7) of the slide metal plate 106 and is vertically movable. Accordingly, the tension roller 103 is designed such that the end portion 103a on this side is vertically moved with the end portion 103b on the inner part side as a fulcrum and the tension roller 103 is inclined as a whole.
When as shown in FIG. 12, the pressure belt 104 deviates in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow B, the deviation detecting sensor 113b (see FIG. 8) detects the other side edge 104a of the pressure belt 104. On the basis of the result of the detection, the controlling portion (not shown) controls the operation of the deviation control driving portion 115 and rotates the deviation control arm 114 by a predetermined value in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7. Thereupon, the end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 lowers in the direction indicated by the arrow E as shown in FIG. 12, and the pressure belt 104 deviates in the direction indicated by the arrow F.
As described above, the belt conveying apparatus 133 continues the operation of vertically moving the end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 while the pressure belt 104 is circulated, whereby it can control the deviation of the pressure belt and circulate the pressure belt 104 to a substantially predetermined position.
In the above-described belt fixing apparatus, however, with the termination of the fixing operation, such an inconvenience as will be described below has occurred when the pressure belt 104 has been spaced apart from the fixing roller 101. That is, when standby rotation is performed with the pressure belt spaced apart from the fixing roller, disorder has occurred to the deviation control of the belt.
When in FIG. 7, the pressure belt 104 is brought into pressure contact with the fixing roller 101, the release cam 108 is rotated to thereby move the supporting metal plate 105 and the slide metal plate 106 toward the fixing roller 101. At this time, the suspension roller 102 rises integrally with the supporting metal plate 105. However, the end portion 103b on the inner part side of the tension roller 103 rises integrally with the slide metal plate 106 on the inner part side, but the end portion 103a on this side is received by the deviation control arm 114 and does not rise. Accordingly, the tension roller 103 is changed in its inclined state relative to the suspension roller 102. Therefore, there has occurred the necessity of operating the deviation control arm 114 to thereby readjust the inclination of the tension roller 103 to its original inclination.
Also, when as shown in FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings, the tension roller 103 is received with the deviation control arm 114 lowered, the end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 will not rise even if the release cam 108 is rotated to thereby move the two metal plates 105 and 106 toward the fixing roller 101. Therefore, the pressure force of the nip portion cannot be made into a desired pressure force. So, there has occurred the necessity of elevating the end portion 103a on this side of the tension roller 103 to thereby provide a desired pressure force.
That is, in the conventional construction, the deviation control driving portion 115 is discrete from the pressure unit 100B and therefore, when one of the operation of moving the pressure belt toward and away from the fixing roller and the operation of displacing the tension roller 103 is performed, the other operation has been affected.
So, as shown in FIG. 14A of the accompanying drawings, it is conceivable that when the nip portion is released from pressure, the direction in which the inclination of the tension roller 103 is changed relative to the direction indicated by the arrow H in which the tension roller 103 is moved, for the purpose of deviation control, be made orthogonal to the direction indicated by the arrow I. In this case, however, there arises another problem that by the inclination of the tension roller 103 being changed, a tension force applied to the pressure belt 104 is greatly changed.
Also, when as shown in FIG. 14B of the accompanying drawings, the direction in which the inclination of the tension roller 103 is changed (the direction indicated by the arrow J) and the direction in which the tension roller 103 is moved are the same direction indicated by the arrow K, there arises another problem that the deviation control arm 114 becomes a hindrance to the release of pressure during the release of the pressure force.
Also, in both of these methods, there has been the problem that when one of the operation of moving the pressure belt toward and away from the fixing roller and the operation of displacing the tension roller 103 is performed, the other operation is affected.

Image heating apparatus including a retractable pressure belt with deviation control


Static sealing element (1) for a rolling bearing (2) which is mounted on a cylindrical element (3) which presents a blocking moulding (4) which is positioned against an inner race (5) of the rolling bearing (2) itself and which is suitable for being arranged in contact with a shoulder (6) the sealing element (1) presenting a support (8) which is associated with the inner race (5) of the rolling bearing (2), and a sealing lip (9), which forms an integral part of the support (8) and which presents, in turn, a substantially conical end portion (17), which axially projects in relation to the blocking moulding (4) and which radially forks opposite the blocking moulding (4) itself.

The present invention relates to a static sealing element for a rolling bearing.
In particular, the present invention relates to a static sealing element for a roller bearing which is mounted onto a cylindrical element which presents a blocking moulding which is positioned against an inner race of the rolling bearing itself and which is suitable for being arranged in contact against a shoulder of an external element, which might, for example, be a motor shaft or a junction.
With reference to the assembly of the kind of device which has just been described above, and of which a more detailed description will be given below, without losing any of its general nature, it should be pointed out that static sealing elements of a well-known kind comprise a substantially rigid support which is suitable for being coupled to an inner race of a roller bearing and that such elements also comprise a sealing lip which forms an integral part of the support and which also extends axially beyond the blocking moulding as well as extending radially towards the interior in order to be compressed between the blocking moulding and the shoulder.
It should, however, be mentioned that the sealing capacity which is supplied by the above elements has not been found to be very efficient due, above all, to the fact that it is difficult to control the deformation of the lip during the compression between the blocking moulding and the shoulder, so that it is obvious that the aim of the present invention is to create a static sealing element which will not have the above-described disadvantages.
According to the present invention a static sealing element for a rolling bearing will be produced which is mounted on a cylindrical element and which presents a blocking moulding which is positioned against an inner race of the rolling bearing itself and which is suitable for being arranged in contact with a shoulder, the element comprises a support which is associated with the inner race of the rolling bearing, and a sealing lip, which forms an integral part of the support, and which axially extends beyond the blocking moulding; the sealing element is characterised by the fact that the said sealing lip comprises a substantially conical end portion which projects axially in relation to the blocking moulding and which forks radially opposite the blocking moulding itself.

Static sealing element for a rolling bearing


To make error correction in a position estimate of a vehicle, visual lane markings on the road can be matched with lane boundaries for the road within 3-D map data. Embodiments include obtaining a “stripe” indicative of an observed lane marking captured in a from a camera image, obtaining map data for the road on which the vehicle is located, determining the plane of the road from coordinates of lane boundaries within the map data, projecting the stripe onto the plane, and comparing the projected stripe with lane boundaries within the map data and associating the visual lane markings with the closest lane boundary. Differences between the projected stripe and the associated lane boundary can then be used for error correction in the position estimate of the vehicle.

Vehicle systems, such as autonomous driving and Advanced Driver-Assist Systems (ADAS), often need highly-accurate positioning information to operate correctly. To provide such accurate positioning, ADAS systems may utilize positioning technologies from a variety of sources. For example, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or similar satellite-based positioning technologies can be used to provide positioning data, which may be enhanced with (or substituted by, where necessary) Visual Inertial Odometery (VIO), which uses data from motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) and one or more cameras to track vehicle movement. These systems can be used to provide a position estimate of the vehicle in a global coordinate system (or "global frame").

Robust lane association by projecting 2-D image into 3-D world using map information


A climate controlled cabinet with integrated transport device is provided with a movable carrier plate for receiving the storage towers. The carrier plate can be moved to provide better access to the interior walls and floor of the device, and/or it can be moved to shake the contents of the objects to be stored.

The invention relates to a climate-controlled cabinet. Such cabinets comprise a climate-controlled chamber for receiving objects to be stored and a climate controller for generating controlled, climatic conditions in this chamber. They are used for objects that must be stored under controlled climatic conditions. The field of applications of such cabinets ranges from the long-term storage of microtiterplates to the breeding of cell cultures or microorganisms under well defined climatic conditions in a clean environment. In applications where particles or micro microorganisms must be stored floating in a solvent, an agitation of the stored goods may be necessary.
CH 690 645 describes a device having a user door and an automatic auxiliary door with storage towers and a transport device inside, the latter for transporting the objects between the storage towers and the auxiliary door. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the transport device makes access to the inner floor and walls of the chamber difficult or even impossible. For cleaning, the transport device must be removed.
The device shown in DE 100 24 581 has an inclined floor and a raised transport device. Accessability of the floor is, however, still not satisfactory. The lateral walls and the back wall remain difficult to reach. The raised transport device leads to a waste of space.

Climate controlled cabinet with movable carrier


An infrastructure node and a method of using the node. The node may comprise a processor and memory. The memory may store instructions executable by the processor that include, to: identify a hazard to a target vehicle; and based on the identification, transmit a private message to the target vehicle using a line-of-sight (LOS) transmission.

Traffic accidents sometimes occur as a result of a driver having an inability to sense things outside of his/her direct line-of-sight until a collision becomes imminent. Vehicles operating in an autonomous mode may experience even greater risks, as the onboard computing systems may not be programmed to consider scenarios which the human driver may predict—e.g., based on previous driving experience. Accordingly, there is a need to provide more information to vehicles—especially autonomously-operated vehicles—particularly when at least a portion of the vehicle's field of view is obstructed.

Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) messaging system


A DC/DC converter includes a first comparator configured to compare an output voltage to a reference voltage; a pulse generator circuit configured to generate a pulse signal when triggered by an output signal from the first comparator; a first switch circuit configured to open and close on the basis of the pulse signal; an output voltage generator configured to generate the output voltage on the basis of an input voltage supplied via the first switch circuit; a delay generator circuit configured to delay the output signal from the first comparator before outputting; and an error amplifier configured to control a delay time of the delay generator circuit on the basis of a potential difference between the output voltage and the reference voltage.

FIG. 9 illustrates a constant on-time DC/DC converter. A direct-current input voltage Vin, which is supplied from a battery or similar source, is supplied to one end of a coil 2 via a switch circuit 1. One end of the coil 2 is connected to the cathode of a diode 3, while the anode of the diode 3 is connected to ground GND.
The other end of the coil 2 is connected to ground GND via a capacitor 4. An output voltage Vout is then output on the basis of the switching control of the switch circuit 1.
FIG. 10 is a timing waveform diagram illustrating the operation of a DC/DC converter. The output voltage Vout is input into the minus-side input terminal of a comparator 5, while a reference voltage Vref is input into the plus-side input terminal of the comparator 5. The output signal from the comparator 5 is output to a mono multivibrator circuit (MM) 6, and the switching of the switch circuit 1 is controlled by the output signal Vmm from the mono multivibrator circuit 6.
When the output voltage Vout goes lower than the reference voltage Vref, the comparator 5 outputs an H-level signal. When the output voltage Vout goes higher than the reference voltage Vref, the comparator 5 outputs an L-level signal. The mono multivibrator circuit 6 outputs an output signal that is H-level for a fixed amount of time when triggered by the rising of the output signal from the comparator 5.
When the output voltage Vout falls to or below the level of the reference voltage Vref, the output signal Vmm from the mono multivibrator circuit 6 rises to H-level, the switch circuit 1 enters a conducting state, and the output voltage Vout rises.
Once a fixed amount of time has elapsed since the rising of the output signal Vmm from the mono multivibrator circuit 6, Vmm goes to L-level. At this point, the switch circuit 1 becomes non-conducting, and supply of the input voltage Vin is cut off, which causes the output voltage Vout to fall. Once the output voltage Vout has fallen to the reference voltage Vref, the above operation is repeated. In this way, the generated output voltage Vout is smoothed by an output smoothing capacitor, and an average value Vave is supplied to an external device as power.
However, in a DC/DC converter like the above, fluctuations in the input voltage Vin fluctuates will cause the ripple (i.e., the slope of the rise and the wave height value) to change in the output voltage Vout, which causes fluctuations in the average value Vave supplied to the external device.
FIG. 11 illustrates another constant on-time DC/DC converter (U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,940). The output voltage Ve from an error amplifier 7 is input into the plus-side input terminal of a comparator 5. The output voltage Vout is input into the minus-side input terminal of the error amplifier 7 via a resistor, while a reference voltage Vref is input into the plus-side input terminal.
The error amplifier 7 operates so as to lower the output voltage Ve when the output voltage Vout goes higher than the reference voltage Vref, and to raise the output voltage Ve when the output voltage Vout goes lower than the reference voltage Vref. If the output voltage Vout rises, the rise timing of the output signal from the comparator 5 occurs later. If the output voltage Vout lowers, the rise timing of the output signal from the comparator 5 occurs earlier.
As a result, the above DC/DC converter operates such that the average value Vave of the output voltage Vout converges on the reference voltage Vref, and the fluctuations in the average value Vave due to fluctuations in the input voltage Vin are suppressed.

DC/DC converter having a delay generator circuit positioned between a comparator and a pulse generator and a DC/DC converter control method


The present invention is embodied by a composition capable of chaperoning a typically non-orally available therapeutic or diagnostic agent through the environment of the digestive tract such that the therapeutic or diagnostic agent is bioavailable. The composition may or may not be targeted to specific cellular receptors, such as hepatocytes. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, insulin, calcitonin, serotonin, and other proteins. Targeting is accomplished with biotin or metal based targeting agents.

One of the most preferred ways to deliver a pharmaceutical to a subject is in an oral formulation. However, oral formulations of many pharmaceutical compounds are often unavailable due to the pharmaceutical's incompatibility with the harsh environment of the digestive tract. This is particularly true for pharmaceutical compounds such as peptides, proteins, certain small molecules, and nucleic acids.
An oral formulation of a protein such as insulin would be highly desirable. Present strategies to normalize blood glucose levels in Type I and Type II diabetic patients utilize subcutaneous administration of insulin in various time-released formulations, such as ultralente and humulin NPH insulin. Use of these formulations delay and subsequently control the bio-distribution of insulin by regulating release of the drug to tissues. Sustained management of insulin leads to better glucose control and the need for fewer injections over the course of the disease. Unfortunately, multiple painful injections are still required because these formulations fail to provide sustained levels of insulin in the subject suffering from diabetes.
Many other important drugs are also not presently available in oral formulations. Examples include calcitonin, serotonin, parathyroid hormone, GLP-1, erythropoietin, interferon of various types, human growth hormone, and monoclonal antibodies, the utilities of which have been extensively reviewed in the literature.
What is needed in the field of oral drug delivery is a composition that enables oral delivery of a wide range of pharmaceutical products. The present invention meets and addresses this need.

Orally bioavailable lipid-based constructs


A decapper for removing a cap from a laboratory sample container is presented. The decapper comprises a guidance. An apparatus comprising such a decapper is also presented.

The present disclosure generally relates to a decapper for removing a cap from a laboratory sample container and to an apparatus comprising such a decapper.
In laboratories some types of instruments and/or analysis require closed laboratory sample containers such as sample tubes to be opened before laboratory samples are pretreated and/or analyzed. Therefore, such instruments may have a decapper to remove a cap from the container.
Therefore, there is a need for a decapper having improved properties than the decappers of the prior art.


The present disclosure relates to devices, methods, and computer-readable medium for providing recommendations for alternate resources to use for cloud services. The devices, methods, and computer-readable medium may receive a resource allocation request for a new resource of a computing system and may predict an occurrence of a capacity related allocation for the resource allocation request. The devices, methods, and computer-readable medium may identify alternate resources to use for the resource allocation request and may provide recommendations with the alternate resources.

A cloud computing system refers to a collection of computing devices capable of providing remote services and resources. Cloud computing systems are experiencing unprecedented growth in the demand for resources (e.g., virtual machines (VMs) and Storage) in several regions. Typically, proactive efforts, such as supply chain modeling, enable cloud services to have the necessary capacity to meet the demands of their users. However, capacity related allocation failures may occur, and customers may receive an error message indicating that an allocation failure occurred. When a capacity related allocation failure occurs, customers may spend additional time and/or money with a support team, revisit architectural plans, and/or may leave a platform out of frustration for failing to achieve the perception of unlimited resource capacity.
These and other problems exist in provisioning resources for cloud computing systems.

Providing alternate resource deployment guidance for use with cloud services


Disclosed herein is a magnetic recording medium comprising:. a stretched polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate multilayered film having a high-roughness surface and a low-roughness surface;. a coating layer (A) having specific surface properties and being formed on the high-roughness surface of said multilayered film;. a coating layer (B) having a specific surface property and being formed on the low-roughness surface of said multilayered film; and. a thin ferromagnetic metal film formed on said coating layer (B).

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium having a ferromagnetic metal layer as a magnetic recording layer disposed on a stretched polyethylene-2,6-naphthalene multilayered film. More particularly the present invention relates to the magnetic recording medium which is high in output, and excellent in output stability and running property.
Further improvement of magnetic recording density strongly required in the art, and recently a non-binder-type magnetic recording medium has become into the spotlight in place of the conventional coating type magnetic recording medium in which the magnetic material is dispersed in an organic binder and coated and dried, or a magnetic recording medium in which the binder in the dispersion is cross-linked by electron radiation. This new magnetic recording medium is characterized by forming a thin film of a ferromagnetic metal on the surface of a non-magnetic support such as polyester film or polyimide film by a suitable method such as vacuum deposition method, sputtering method, ion plating method, electroplating method, electroless plating method, etc. As is well known, for the increase of recording density, it is an essential requirement to make the magnetic layer as thin as possible in view of the thickness loss. In the non-binder-type magnetic recording medium, it is required that the thickness of the magnetic layer is usually not more than 1 .mu.m, preferably not more than 0.5 .mu.m.
As the thickness of the magnetic layer is reduced, the unevenness of the support surface becomes more liable to affect to the surface of the magnetic layer, resulting in noticeably affecting the performances of video film and audio films, for example, electromagnetic properties such as output, output variation, output defect, etc. of the video films or audio films as compared with the conventional magnetic recording media.
Therefore, in the development of magnetic recording media having such a ferromagnetic metal layer, smoothness of the support is required more than ever.
However, as the film surface is smooth, the slippery property of the film reduces, resulting in deteriorating its handling property and running property. If the running surface of a magnetic recording medium, that is, the film surface on the side opposite from the ferromagnetic metal layer is smooth, running of the tape becomes unstable and, in an extreme case, the tape becomes unable to run.
For a magnetic recording medium provided with a ferromagnetic metal layer satisfying both requirements for smoothness and slipperiness, there are proposed to dispose a coating layer on the base film (Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) Nos. 55-47050, 60-50150, 63-28097, or to use a base film wherein the roughness of both sides thereof is different each other (Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 55-15770). It was also proposed to use these techniques in combination (Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) Nos. 1-26337, 1-26338).
Employment of these known techniques is still insufficient to well meet the recent strict requirements for the magnetic recording media. Further, when a magnetic recording medium is wound up, there often takes place backside transfer phenomenon that roughness on the opposite side transfers to the surface of the magnetic layer, whereby it is difficult to attain desired high quality.
Polyethylene terephthalate film has been popularly used as base film for magnetic recording media, but the polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate film (hereinafter referred to as PEN film) with which it is relatively easy to attain increase of recording density, is more suited as base film for the magnetic recording media having a ferromagnetic metal layer, of which further reduction of thickness is required. However, the adhesion between such PEN film and the ferromagnetic metal layer formed by vacuum deposition method, is not always satisfactory.
As a result of earnest studies for overcoming the said prior art problems, it has been found that by forming a coating layer (A) having characteristics defined by the following formulae (1)-(3) concerning a three-dimensional average protuberance height "Ha" (unit: .mu.m), the number of the protuberances "Na" (unit: protuberances/mm.sup.2) and its hardness "HD" (unit .mu.m.sup.-2) in its surface, on the high-roughness surface of a stretched polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate multilayered film, then forming a coating layer (B) having specificities defined by the following formula (4) concerning a three-dimensional average protuberance height "Hb" (unit: .mu.m) in its surface on the low-roughness surface of the said multilayered film and further forming a thin ferromagnetic metal film on the said coating layer (B), the obtained magnetic recording medium has substantially no scratches on its ferromagnetic metal film surface by protuberances of the multilayered film, shows a stabilized running property, is capable of maintaining the VTR head output almost unchanged from its initial level after 100 times of repeated runs, and thus is high in output and excellent in output stability. EQU 0.01.ltoreq.Ha.ltoreq.0.08 (1) EQU 10,000.ltoreq.Na.ltoreq.60,000 (2) EQU 10.ltoreq.HD.ltoreq.150 (3) EQU 0.001.ltoreq.Hb.ltoreq.0.008 (4)
The present invention was achieved on the basis of this finding.

Magnetic recording medium comprising a polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate multilayered film coated on both sides by a coating layer


A cache memory is provided which is capable of reducing areas occupied by data memory macro units and preventing delays in data transmission caused by wirings, thus improving performance of the cache memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cache memory to be connected to an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and more particularly to a data memory in the cache memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the cache memory is provided between an arithmetic unit such as the MPU and a memory system serving as a main memory and performs a function of bridging a gap in a processing speed that occurs between the arithmetic unit and the memory system. The cache memory has a tag memory used to store data on addresses of the memory system and a data memory used to temporarily store part of data contained in the memory system as cache data. In the data memory, as is well known, desired cache data is read in one cycle and a predetermined amount of data referenced by the memory system is written in another one cycle. By these operations, a waiting cycle time of the MPU is reduced, thereby achieving high-speed operations between the cache memory and the MPU.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of a data memory in a conventional cache memory employing a set-associative method. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the data memory in the conventional cache memory employs a four-way set-associative method in which unitized data memory macro units 10-13, 20-23, 30-33 and 40-43 used to manage cache data are provided in four ways xe2x80x9c0-3xe2x80x9d, respectively. In FIG. 2, configurations of the data memory macro units 20-23 mounted in the way 1, the data memory macro units 30-33 mounted in the way 2 and the data memory macro units 40-43 mounted in the way 3 are the same as the data memory macro units 10-13 mounted in the way xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. Write data D0-D3 are values obtained by selection of multiplexers 50-53 from word data stored in a line buffer 1 or from MPU write data, which are input, as appropriate, to the data memory macro units 10-43. One of read data which are outputted from each of the data memory macro units 10-43 and are selected by multiplexers 60-63 and a multiplexer 70 is outputted to the MPU.
In the data memory in the cache, the data memory macro unit described above is provided to every word in all the ways (in the example shown in FIG. 2, the number of the words is four) so that one final read data can be outputted in one cycle. Each of the data memory macro units 10 to 43 is configured so as to be simultaneously accessed. At the time of reading of data, one data can be simultaneously from each of the data memory macro units 10 to 43 by inputting an address fed from the MPU to an address terminal A of each of all the data memory macro units 10 to 43 and by inputting chip enable signals 0 to 3 [0:3] having been asserted to a chip enable input terminal CE of each of the data memory macro units 10 to 43. Here, xe2x80x9c[0:3]xe2x80x9d denotes the chip enable signals [0] to [3]. In the data memory, one required data is finally selected from the data read from the data macro units 10 to 43, based on a word address contained in the addresses fed from the MPU and a way number, in which a cache hit has been found, fed from the tag memory. The final data selected as above is fed to the MPU.
Moreover, writing of data to each of the data memory macro units 10 to 43 is carried out when a request for writing is fed from the MPU or when a cache miss occurs due to absence of required data in the data memory. However, in the case of the occurrence of the cache miss, the above writing is carried out after the data read from the memory system have been stored in all the word data areas 0 to 3 in the line buffer 1 as shown in FIG. 2. When data are stored in all the word data areas in the line buffer 1, the writing of data is carried out to all the data memory macro units in any one of the ways 0 to 3. For example, when the writing of the data is performed in the way 0, in order to write all word data simultaneously in one cycle, then address fed from the MPU is input to the address input terminals A of each of the data memory macro units 10 to 13 and, at the same time, each of the write data D0 to D3 is input to the data input terminals D of each of the data memory macro units 10 to 13. Moreover, by inputting each of the chip enable signals 0 [0:3] having been asserted to each of chip enable input terminals CE of all the word data areas in the way 0 and by inputting each of write enable signals 0 [0:3] having been asserted to each of write enable input terminals WE of all the word data areas in the way 0, all the word data can be written simultaneously to the data memory macro units 10 to 13 in the way 0.
FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining a conventional format of an address fed from the MPU. In the cache memory, the address outputted from the MPU is used in a state where the address is divided into four portions including a tag data portion X1, index address portion X2, word address portion X3, and byte address portion X4. The tag data portion X1 is the data to be stored in the tag memory in the cache. The address of the data memory by which an access is required by the MPU is compared with effective data in the tag memory and, when both of them match each other, the cache hit occurs. The index address portion X2 is bit strings indicating a predetermined line position in each of the ways in the cache memory. The word address portion X3 is bit strings indicating a predetermined word position in a predetermined line. The byte address portion X4 is bit strings indicating a predetermined byte position in a predetermined word.
FIG. 4 is a diagram explaining a conventional data storing position in each of the data memory macro units 10-43 contained in each of the ways 0 to 3. For example, each of the data memory macro units 10 to 13 stores data corresponding the data 0 to 3 in the word address portion X3 as shown in FIG. 3. As each of physical memory addresses of the data memory macro units 10-13 in the way 0, that is, each of the cache memory address, the same number as used in the index address portion X2 is employed. Similarly, as each of physical memory addresses of the data memory macro units 20 to 43 in the ways 1 to 3, the same number as used in the index address portion X2 is employed. Examples of the data storing positions at the time of reading and writing are shown by shaded areas in FIG. 4. At the time of reading, if the address requested for reading by the MPU is, for example, xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d for the index address and xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d for the word address, data of (x, 0, z) (x 0 to 3, z 0 to 3) containing data (x, 0, 2) is read as candidate data, as shown in FIG. 4. Out of these candidate data, one data for each of the ways 0 to 3 is selected and, further, out of the data selected for each of the ways 0 to 3, final read data is selected and read. Moreover, at the time of writing, if the index address of the read miss address caused by the cache miss is xe2x80x9c511xe2x80x9d and if the way to be written is xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, data stored in the line buffer 1 is written to a place corresponding to the positions (0, 511, z) as shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining an example of a conventional floor plan for an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) having a cache memory. In FIG. 5, a TAG memory section 81 of the cache memory, an MPU 82, a control section 83, and a data memory section 84 of the cache memory are shown. A size of a die 80 indicates outer dimensions of the LSI chip. In the example of FIG. 5, the data memory section 84 has 16 pieces of data memory macro units 85. Each of the data memory macro units 85 is unitized, that is, is operating as a separate unit, which corresponds to each of the 16 pieces of the data memory macro units 10 to 13, 20 to 23, 30 to 33, and 40 to 43 shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a time chart explaining operations of the conventional data memory macro units 10 to 43 at the time of reading and writing. Each of the data memory macro units 10 to 43 operates in synchronization with a predetermined clock. As shown in FIG. 6, at the time of reading, an address signal RA1 is input during an edge T2 of the clock and, at the same time, one of the chip enable signals 0 to 3 [0:3] having been asserted is input. Read data signal RD1 is output during an edge T3 of the clock so that the MPU can latch the data signal RD1. Moreover, at the time of writing (in the example, the writing is performed in the way 0), both an address signal WA2 and one of write data signals (0 to 3) WD are input during an edge T4 of the clock and, at the same time, the chip enable signal 0 [0:3] and the write enable signal 0 [0:3] each having been asserted are also input. This causes a value of the write data (0 to 3) WD2 to be written to each of the corresponding data memory macro units.
However, in the conventional configurations described above, the data memory macro units each being unitized in numbers that can correspond to the number expressed by xe2x80x9cthe number of ways x the number of wordsxe2x80x9d (in the above example, 16 pieces) have to be prepared and each of them has to be connected to the MPU. As a result, as in the example of the floor plan shown in FIG. 5, some places exist where wirings between the MPU 82 and each of the data memory macro units 85 become long, which causes delays in data transmission between them and interferes with high-speed operations. As the number of the data memory macro units in the memory cache becomes large, an area of the LSI also increases, which causes an increase in a unit price of the LSIs.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cache memory which is capable of reducing areas occupied by data memory macro units and preventing delays in data transmission caused by wirings mounted between an MPU and the data memory macro units, thus improving performance of the cache memory and inhibiting an increase in a unit price of LSIs.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cache memory for temporarily storing part of data stored in a main memory as cache data and having N pieces of ways being represented by two or more integers and employing a set associative method in which the cache data is managed for each of the ways, including:
a plurality of data memory macro units in which a storing position of each of the cache data is designated by a way number used to identify the way, an index number designated by part of an address to be fed to data stored in the main memory and a word number designated by other part of the address and each being able to be accessed simultaneously; and
wherein each of the cache data being given the same way number and same index number is stored in the data memory macro units being different from each other and each of the cache data being given the same index number and same word number is stored in the data memory macro units being different from each other.
In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one wherein a physical cache memory address being commonly applied among the data memory macro units is given in each of data storing positions in each of the data memory macro units and wherein each of the cache data being given the same index number and same way number is stored in the cache memory address being different among the data memory macro units.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein each of the data being given the same index number and same word number is stored in the cache memory address being same among the data memory macro units.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein a physical cache memory address being commonly applied among the data memory macro units is given in each of data storing positions in each of the data memory macro units and wherein each of the data being given the same index number and same way number is stored in the cache memory address being same among the data memory macro units.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein each of the data being given the same index number and same word number is stored in the cache memory address being different among the data memory macro units.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein each of cache data being given the same index number out of the cache data stored in each of the data memory macro units is given the different way number and different word number.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein a plurality of the cache data stored in each of the data memory macro units includes the index numbers being arranged continuously so that the index numbers are sequentially increased by a group of the cache data having the same index number in a manner so as to correspond to arrangement of the cache memory addresses and wherein each of the cache data making up each group of the cache data having the same index number includes the way number or the word number cyclically arranged.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein a phase in an arrangement cycle of the way numbers or the word numbers included in the cache data making up each group of the cache data is different among the data memory macro units.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein the number of the data memory macro units exceeds the number of the ways being N pieces.
Furthermore, a preferable mode is one wherein the number of the data memory macro units is a multiple of the number N.
With the above configurations, the number of the data memory macro units can be made smaller than that in the conventional case. This can present the wiring distance between each of the data memory macro units and the arithmetic device from becoming longer, thereby avoiding easy occurrence of delays in access to each of the data memory macro units. It is thought that, in order to reduce the number of the data memory macro units to give considerations to the wiring distance described above, the capacity per one data memory macro unit is increased to correspond to the decrease in the number of the data memory macro units and the specified way number is assigned to each of the data memory macro units. However, when each of the data memory macro units the capacity of which is increased is merely classified by the way number, there is a fear that data having the same index address may be stored in one data memory macro unit. Moreover, in the cache memory, in general, since simultaneous writing of each data to be stored in different cache memory addresses in one data memory macro unit connected to one port is difficult, each data cannot be written in one data memory macro unit in one cycle. However, in the cache memory of the present invention, the data storing position is assigned so as to solve the above problems, that is, as in the conventional cache, by using comparatively small number of the data memory macro units, the cache data can be read in one cycle and can be written in another cycle.

Cache memory capable of reducing area occupied by data memory macro units

Abstract: The cache memory is provided with four data memory macro units the number of which is equal to that of ways. Each of the data memory macro units can be accessed simultaneously. A different way number is made associated, for every word address having the same index address, with a data storing position in each of the data memory macro units and data having the same index address and same word address in each of the ways is stored for every data memory.


Embodiments of the invention relate to multiview displays. Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving input parameters, evaluating the input parameters to determine resolution settings within the display constraints, and outputting the resolution settings to the multiview display to control display of image data. The resolution settings include color, temporal, spatial and view resolutions. The input parameters include viewer tracking information and content information associated with the image data. Some embodiments provide for determination of view resolution and/or power settings for the display based on viewer tracking information.

Multiview displays are operable to display multiple views of an image. The views are directed to different locations within a viewing area. A multiview display can be used to generate a three-dimensional (3D) visual effect by displaying two or more views to a person viewing the display (i.e. viewer or observer) to create the perception of depth. For example, left and right views representing different perspectives of a scene or object may be directed to the left and right eyes of the viewer, respectively. As the views are spatially separated, the viewer does not need to wear viewing eyeglasses to view the left and right images displayed by a multiview display.
Some multiview displays can display two views (e.g. left and right views). Such displays may be suitable for viewing by a single viewer. Other multiview displays can display more than two views. Such multiview displays can repeat sets of left and right views over a range of viewing positions within the viewing area so that the same 3D image can be observed by a viewer located at one of the viewing positions. In other cases, multiview displays can display images representing different perspectives of a scene or object so that a viewer observes the scene or object from different perspectives when moving from place to place.
A multiview display may be constructed from a flat panel display or projection display having a light source, such as, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), digital light projector (DLP) display, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, high-dynamic range (HDR) display, plasma display, or the like. An optical layer or filter may be provided with such displays to direct light for an image to different locations in the viewing area. In some multiview displays the optical layer comprises a parallax barrier which blocks light in particular directions so that for a given viewing angle only certain parts of the image can be viewed. In other multiview displays the optical layer comprises a plurality of micro-lenses (e.g. lenticular lenses) for refracting the light. The lenses may be adapted to direct the light to different locations along a horizontal direction, or along horizontal and vertical directions, for example.
Some multiview displays have an optical layer comprising active optical steering elements (e.g. switchable parallax barrier, displaceable lenses, and the like). An example of such a display is described by Goulanian et al. in US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0165013 titled "Apparatus and System for Reproducing 3-Dimensional Images."
In addition to the above-noted technologies, other technologies exist for directing light in particular directions to display multiple views within a viewing area.
A problem that the inventors have identified in relation to multiview displays is that increasing the number of views may lead to a degradation of the image quality given the display constraints. It is desirable to provide a multiview display system which can be adapted for different viewing circumstances. Such adaptable displays may provide improved viewing experiences to viewers.
It is also desirable to provide a multiview display that is energy efficient.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Resolution management for multi-view display technologies

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation


A device for initiating positive thoughts in an individual wherein the positive thought is not an implanted post-hypnotic suggestion. The device comprises housing for an energy source and an electronic circuit connected to an energy source affixed within the housing. The electronic circuit has an alerting means and a means for controlling the alerting means. The alerting means notifies the individual a determined number of times over a given period in an apparent random manner at a frequency of 10-12 Hz.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is a device that notifies the wearer to focus on positive thoughts or particular goals. More particularly, to devices that may be worn as jewelry or be placed on a desktop or a wall that alerts the wearer or user by, for example, producing a sound, a blinking light or by vibrating and thereby initiating conditioned thought responses previously formulated or established by the wearer which promote positive wellbeing.
(2) Description of Related Art
A variety of devices in the form of jewelry are available commercially that provide light and/or sound. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,062 a ring is provided that comprises a circuit device comprising a light producing circuit, a sound producing circuit, a battery power supply and a switch that when activated causes the ring to produce light and sound for a predetermined amount of time. Correspondingly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,381 is a pin or broach comprising a plurality of individual filamentary light-conducting fibers whose ends converge at a light source which is connected to a power supply and controlled by a switch. When activated the filaments emit light from their ends, which are directed toward the observer. In addition there are a number of devices for the desktop or wall mounting that are ornamental and/or combine other functions such as a clock, calculator, thermometer, humidity meter, etc. However, none of these devices is an educational or learning tool and none alert the wearer of a particular thought or thought process.
Over the past century a significant amount of research has been conducted regarding the power of thought. A recent book regarding this process written by Rhonda Byrne called The Secret focuses on the law of attraction and the belief that one's positive thoughts are powerful magnets that attract wealth, health and happiness. The premise of the law of attraction is that one's thoughts eventually culminate in actual occurrences, which shape the events in the life of the person. Whether one's thoughts are negative or positive does not effect their culmination, merely the time spent thinking a particular thought increases its probability of occurring. Consequently, it is postulated that continued and consistent positive thinking would result in the proliferation of positive events for the person with such thoughts.
Unfortunately, people do not always focus on thinking a particular way and often times will concentrate on thoughts culminating from fear, worry or concern. Under the theory of the law of attraction, these consistent negative thoughts result in a greater chance of those negative events actually occurring.
Consequently there is a need for a method of reminding people to consider their thoughts at regular intervals as a way of training them to initiate consistent positive thinking or thought processes, thereby resulting in the increased probability of the occurrence of those positive events.

Devices for initiating positive thinking


A photonic, integrated circuit chip can have a frequency comb laser configured to generate a plurality of wavelengths, a plurality of modulators, one respective modulator for each wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths, the plurality of modulators being aligned in series with each of the plurality of modulators being tuned to a respective one of the wavelengths of the plurality of wavelengths, a connector configured to convey a drive signal for each modulator of the plurality of modulators, a semiconductor optical amplifier configured to receive light exiting from the plurality of modulators, and a chip having present thereon the frequency comb laser, the plurality of modulators, and the semiconductor optical amplifier. The plurality of modulators can be configured to produce a single beam of time-interleaved, multiple-wavelength output laser light. A mobile system, such as a satellite, can also have the photonic, integrated circuit chip as a component thereof.

The recently developed WDM-TDM space lidar system uses a single laser with a multiple wavelength pulse stream. The lidar transmitter requires a time-sequenced, pulsed lidar, and each consecutive pulse in the sequence has a different wavelength. The WDM-TDM space lidar system currently uses a fast-tunable laser, tuning wavelength at MHz rate, followed by a high-speed external modulator, to generate a synchronized, nano-second pulse sequence. The time-sequenced, pulsed lidar can project laser pulses on the ground, thus forming tracks corresponding to each laser pulse, and measuring differences between the tracks can provide, e.g., mapping information about the earth. Furthermore, the tracks can be used to obtain data about objects moving across the tracks. For example, it is possible to measure, e.g., the speed of an aircraft travelling across an area having the tracks projected thereon.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a laser pulse sequence of a lidar system that produces tracks on an object. An airborne or spaceborne lidar system projects light onto an object by generating a series of specific wavelengths and projecting each wavelength of the series of wavelengths onto an object via a gradient. The gradient spaces different wavelengths, and thus a series of tracks are projected onto an object, one track corresponding to each wavelength. As indicated in FIG. 1, which is a non-limiting example, a laser of a lidar system can produce a series of 11 discreet, pulsed wavelengths of light. Each wavelength is projected onto an angle dispersion device (e.g. a gradient) that spaces each wavelength, and the result is a series of 11 tracks projected onto the object, each track spaced apart from each other. The spacing between tracks can be from several meters to several hundred meters, e.g., from 2 to 500 meters.
As seen in this example, one wavelength corresponds to one projected track. To increase the resolution of the measurement of the objects, more tracks are preferred, meaning that the laser of the lidar system needs to be able to produce a large number of discreet, pulsed wavelengths for projection onto the angle dispersion device.
FIG. 2 provides a graphical representation of the discreet, pulsed wavelengths of light. In this example, the laser is a tunable laser, and laser light is pulsed at 2 nano-second intervals. The result is a series of 11 pulsed wavelengths that can be projected onto the angle dispersion device.
Two technologies on the WDM-TDM space lidar system make the pulse sequencing work, and these technologies can drive up the engineering implementation complexity and power consumption of the space lidar system. The first technology is a fast-tunable laser that has a high tuning speed (˜few MHz) and tuning wavelength range (˜30 nm). The second technology is a modulator for nano-second pulse formation in the laser beam, the modulator having a low duty cycle, high extinction ratio (>35dB), and wide spectral range (˜30 nm). The preferred modulator is a lithium-niobate modulator having a high extinction ratio (>35dB), and it achieves narrow optical linewidth based by physics (interference of optical field).
The two technologies mentioned above result in several drawbacks in the lidar system using them. First, the fast-tunable laser can result in poor resolution in some regimes, such that accurate data obtained by using the tracks can be hard to obtain. Second, the two technologies can consume a large amount of power when on a satellite, which results in increased engineering costs and complicates the use of the satellite.

Integrated multi-wavelength WDM TDM lidar transmitter

United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA


An ion transfer apparatus for transferring ions from an ion source at an ion source pressure, which ion source pressure is greater than 500 mbar, along a path towards a mass analyser at a mass analyser pressure that is lower than the ion source pressure. The apparatus includes a plurality of pressure controlled chambers, wherein each pressure controlled chamber in the ion transfer apparatus includes an ion inlet opening for receiving ions from the ion source on the path and an ion outlet opening for outputting the ions on the path. The plurality of pressure controlled chambers are arranged in succession along the path from an initial pressure controlled chamber to a final pressure controlled chamber, wherein an ion outlet opening of each pressure controlled chamber other than the final pressure controlled chamber is in flow communication with the ion inlet opening of a successive adjacent pressure controlled chamber. The ion transfer apparatus is configured to have, in use, at least one pair of adjacent pressure controlled chambers for which a ratio of pressure in an upstream pressure controlled chamber to pressure in a downstream pressure controlled chamber is set such that there is substantially subsonic gas flow in the downstream pressure controlled chamber.

Atmospheric pressure ionization has evolved into an indispensable analytical tool in mass spectrometry and applications in life sciences with a significant impact in areas spanning from drug discovery to protein structure and function as well as the emerging field of systems biology applied to biomedical scientific research. The advent of atmospheric pressure ionization and particularly electrospray enabled the analysis of intact macromolecular ions under native conditions which offers a wealth of information to many different disciplines of science. The generation of intact ionic species is accomplished at or near atmospheric pressure whereas the determination of molecular mass is accomplished at high vacuum. Therefore transfer efficiency of ions generated at high pressure toward consecutive regions of the mass spectrometer operated at reduced pressure is a critical parameter, which determines instrument performance in terms of sensitivity.
Electrospray ionization ("ESI") is the prevailing method for generation of gas phase ions where ions in solution are sprayed typically under atmospheric pressure and in the presence of a strong electric field. Charged droplets released from the ESI emitter tip undergo a recurring process of evaporation and fission ultimately releasing ions sampled by an inlet capillary or other types of inlet apertures. The inlet aperture forms the interface of the instrument and represents a physical barrier between the high pressure ionization region and the fore vacuum region normally operated at 1 mbar background pressure. The size of the inlet aperture or capillary employed to admit ions in the fore vacuum is typically limited to ˜0.5 mm in diameter to establish the pressure differential preferred for the existing ion optical components to be operable and transport ions to subsequent lower pressure vacuum regions efficiently. Consequently, sampling efficiency of the spray containing charged droplets and bare ions using standard interface designs is limited to <1% and has a profound effect on instrument sensitivity.
The design of a high transmission interface for efficient transportation of ions from atmospheric pressure into the fore vacuum region of a mass spectrometer has grown into a challenging problem. One approach involves increasing pumping speed to accommodate relatively small increments in the size of the inlet aperture. Although increasing the inlet aperture appears a rather straight forward solution the inefficient heat transfer and incomplete desolvation of the electrospray droplets are not easily addressed. Furthermore, the cost related to the increased pumping speed becomes considerable. Efforts for improved ion transfer efficiency are also directed toward the development of novel ion optical devices operable at elevated pressure. The ion funnel has been operated successfully at pressures as high as 30 mbar, nevertheless increments in the size of the inlet aperture remain marginal. In yet another design of an interface a multi-inlet capillary configuration is implemented in an effort to sample a larger area of the electrospray plume. Using this type of a novel multi-inlet system enhanced transfer efficiency is claimed, however, the ion losses at the interface are still severe since the reduction in pressure from atmospheric to near or below 10 mbar requires the cross sectional area of the inlet to be kept small. Reducing pressure by approximately two orders of magnitude in a single step is inevitably associated with severe ion losses due to the narrow aperture or other types of multi-inlet system configurations employed. Indeed, these approaches do not address the underlying loss mechanisms arising from diffusion losses, space charge losses, and high gas velocity at the exit of the capillary/capillaries or skimmer. This latter problem can result in a high value for the turbulent velocity ratio ("TVR") and the high gas speed prevents effective focusing via an electrical field.
In an entirely different approach a multi-chamber configuration has been disclosed to operate using enlarged apertures and where pressure is reduced progressively from the fore vacuum pressure of ˜5 mbar to regions of lower pressure. Over this pressure range ions can be guided by RF electrical fields. Whilst use of a series of vacuum regions to reduce pressure progressively may enhance ion transfer efficiency to the high vacuum region, it does not address the problem of the majority of the ions being lost at the interface where a single inlet aperture is employed to sustain a large drop in pressure which is typically from 1 bar down to 5 mbar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,943,347 discloses a tube for accepting gas-phase ions and particles contained in a gas by allowing substantially all the gas-phase ions and gas from an ion source at or greater than atmospheric pressure to flow into the tube and be transferred to a lower pressure region. Transport and motion of the ions through the tube is determined by a combination of viscous forces exerted on the ions by the flowing gas molecules and electrostatic forces causing the motion of the ions through the tube and away from the walls of the tube. More specifically, the tube is made up of stratified elements, wherein DC potentials are applied to the elements so that the DC voltage on any element determines the electric potential experience by the ions as they pass through the tube. A precise electrical gradient is maintained along the length of the stratified tube to insure the transport of the ions.
WO2008055667 discloses a method of transporting gas and entrained ions between higher and lower pressure regions of a mass spectrometer comprises providing an ion transfer conduit 60 between the higher and lower pressure regions. The ion transfer conduit 60 includes an electrode assembly 300 which defines an ion transfer channel. The electrode assembly 300 has a first set of ring electrodes 305 of a first width D1, and a second set of ring electrodes of a second width D2 (=D1) and interleaved with the first ring electrodes 305. A DC voltage of magnitude V1 and a first polarity is supplied to the first ring electrodes 205 and a DC voltage of magnitude V2 which may be less than or equal to the magnitude of V1 but with an opposed polarity is applied to the second ring electrodes 310. The pressure of the ion transfer conduit 60 is controlled so as to maintain viscous flow of gas and ions within the ion transfer channel.
WO2009/030048 discloses a mass spectrometer including a plurality of guide stages for guiding ions between an ion source and an ion detector along a guide axis. Each of the guide stages is contained within one of a plurality of adjacent chambers. Pressure in each of the plurality of chambers is reduced downstream along the guide axis to guide ions along the axis. Each guide stage may further include a plurality of guide rods for producing a containment filed for containing ions about the guide axis, as they are guided to the detector.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,064,321 (also published as US2005/006579) discloses an ion funnel that screens ions from a gas stream flowing into a differential pump stage of a mass spectrometer, and transfers them to a subsequent differential pump stage. The ion funnel uses apertured diaphragms between which gas escapes easily. Holders for the apertured diaphragms are also provided that offer little resistance to the escaping gas while, at the same time, serving to feed the RF and DC voltages
U.S. Pat. No. 8,610,054 discloses an ion analysis apparatus for conducting differential ion mobility analysis and mass analysis. In embodiments, the apparatus comprises a differential ion mobility device in a vacuum enclosure of a mass spectrometer, located prior to the mass analyser, wherein the pumping system of the apparatus is configured to provide an operating pressure of 0.005 kPa to 40 kPa for the differential ion mobility device, and wherein the apparatus includes a digital asymmetric waveform generator that provides a waveform of frequency of 50 kHz to 25 MHz. Examples demonstrate excellent resolving power and ion transmission. The ion mobility device can be a multipole, for example a 12-pole and radial ion focusing can be achieved by applying a quadrupole field to the device in addition to a dipole field.
US2009/127455 discloses ion guides for use in mass spectrometry and the analysis of chemical samples. The disclosure includes a method and apparatus for transporting ions from a first pressure region in a mass spectrometer to a second pressure region therein. More specifically, the disclosure provides a segmented ion funnel for more efficient use in mass spectrometry (particularly with ionization sources) to transport ions from the first pressure region to the second pressure region.
"A multicapillary inlet jet disruption electrodynamic ion funnel interface for improved sensitivity using atmospheric pressure ion sources", Kim T, Tang K, Udseth H R, Smith R D/Anal Chem. 2001 Sep. 1; 73(17):4162-70 discloses a multicapillary inlet jet disruption electrodynamic ion funnel interface for improved sensitivity using atmospheric pressure ion sources.
PCT/GB2015/051569 (currently unpublished, but relevant extracts from which are included in the present disclosure as an Annex) discloses an ion transfer apparatus comprising a plurality of pressure control chambers. This ion transfer apparatus was designed to provide an improved interface design capable of transferring ions into the fore vacuum region with greater efficiency while maintaining effective desolvation of charged droplets.
The present invention has been devised in light of the above considerations.
In some embodiments, the present invention may provide improvements to the ion transfer apparatus described in PCT/GB2015/051569 (currently unpublished, but relevant extracts from which are included in the present disclosure as an Annex).


In many pump types, in particular in orbital pumps, there is an optimization need with regard to the running characteristics, in particular with regard to parameters which relate to the delivery flow. What is provided is an orbital pump device for delivering liquid medium by a rotational movement including a hydraulic housing surrounding a hydraulic chamber in a fluid-tight manner at least one membrane unit which is arranged inside the hydraulic chamber in flat contact with an inner jacket surface of the hydraulic housing; and an inlet and an outlet provided in the hydraulic housing. At least one crowning is provided at the inner jacket surface and/or at the membrane unit such that a radial gap between the membrane unit and the inner jacket surface is defined by the crowning in a circumferential section of less than 360°, and in particular less than 180°.

Pumps with rotational movement, in particular orbital pumps, are used for various purposes and can deliver liquids and/or gases, depending on the application. The use of orbital pumps lends itself for liquids.
Due to process variation effects and manufacturing tolerances, the delivery volume can often not be specified exactly, for the example the volume (volume flow) delivered per time unit varies within a comparatively large range. Based on this prior art, there is interest in an orbital pump with operating properties, which are as constant as possible, in particular constant delivery volume flow.

Orbital pump device comprising crowning for delivering liquid medium as well as method and use


A device for and computer implemented method of image content recognition and of training a neural network for image content recognition. The method comprising collecting a first set of digital images from a database, the first set of digital images is sampled from digital images assigned to a many shot class; creating a first training set comprising the collected first set of digital images; training a first artificial neural network comprising a first feature extractor and a first classifier for classifying digital images using the first training set; collecting first parameters of the trained first feature extractor, collecting second parameters of the trained classifier, determining third parameters of a second feature extractor of a second artificial neural network depending on the first parameters, determining fourth parameters of a second classifier for classifying digital images of the second artificial neural network.

ZHAO HENG ET AL: "Few-Shot and Many-Shot Fusion Learning in Mobile Visual Food Recognition", 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, IEEE, 26 May 2019, pages 1-5, describes aspects of Few-Shot and Many-Shot Fusion Learning and prototypical neural networks.
Artificial neural networks can be trained for digital image content recognition. Usually a feature extractor extracts features of a digital image and a classifier determines a class for the content of the digital image from a plurality of predetermined classes depending on the extracted features. In order to produce useful recognition, the artificial neural network is trained with training data. Good results are achievable when training data that is used for training the artificial neural network comprises many digital images in each class. When the training data is imbalanced in the sense that the training data comprises very view digital images in some classes while other classes have many digital images, the training of the artificial neural network is less effective. Consequently, it is difficult to provide a good digital image pattern recognition mechanism from such imbalanced training data. It is hence desirable to provide digital image contend recognition for a large number of extremely imbalanced classes in an efficient way.

Device and method of digital image content recognition, training of the same


A connection arrangement to provide an endless belt, especially for a screening rod belt. The band ends are securely disposed between essentially U-shaped fittings that are held together by a transverse pin. To better utilize the band strength, the lateral edges of the legs of the fittings are provided with bent portions against the greatest portion of which the side surfaces of the bands rest. Securement elements are used for the fittings and the band ends, and are driven in the manner of nails accompanied by displacement of material.

The present invention relates to a connection arrangement to provide an endless, inextensible, flexible, flat band especially for a screening rod belt such as used on agricultural harvesters. With such a connection arrangement, band ends are securely disposed between legs of essentially U-shaped fittings of metal or the like, with the fittings being held together by a transverse pin and whereby rivet-like securement elements extend through the legs of the fittings and through the band ends.
With heretofore known connection arrangements of this type, the ends of the bands must be provided with holes in order to be able to introduce rivets or bolts through the bands. Unfortunately, such holes lead to an undesirable weakening of the bands. As a result, the band strength that exists is only inadequately taken advantage of.
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these drawbacks. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a band connection arrangement of the aforementioned general type where the strength of the band is extensively taken advantage of and the connection location can be kept spatially small.

Connection arrangement to provide in endless band