Neural networks of suitable topology are trained with sets of images, where one image of each set depicts a garment and another pair of images of each set depicts an item of apparel from multiple viewpoints, and a final image of each set depicts a model wearing the garment and the other item of apparel. Once trained, the neural network can synthesize a new image based on input images including an image of a garment and a pair of images of another item of apparel. Quantitative parameters controlling the image synthesis permit adjustment of features of the synthetic image, including skin tone, body shape and pose of the model, as well as characteristics of the garment and other items of apparel.

Neural networks are computing systems that are inspired by biological processes. In particular, they comprise a plurality of modules that are designed to operate similarly to the way biological neurons are thought to function. Neurons are often modeled as multiple-input, single-output thresholding accumulators, which "fire" if enough of the inputs are active enough. (The output of one model neuron may be connected to a number of subsequent neurons model inputs, or even to previous neuron models in a feedback loop.) Although the function of a single neuron model is quite simple, it has been observed that a large number of models operating simultaneously, which are configured or "trained" properly, can produce surprisingly good results in problems that are difficult to address with traditional data processing or programming techniques.
One common neural-network task is image recognition: a plurality of neurons are arranged in a pyramid-like hierarchy, with an array of input neurons for each pixel of an image, followed by one or more decreasing-sized layers of neurons, and where an output neuron is designated to indicate whether an input image has a characteristic of interest. Such a network can be "trained" by exposure to a set of images where the characteristic of interest is present or absent. For example, the characteristic may be whether a penguin is present in the image. Once trained, the network may be able to determine fairly accurately whether a penguin is depicted in a new image, not part of the training set.
Neural networks can also be used to generate or synthesize new information based on prior training and a random seed. For example, biophysicist Dr. Mike Tyka has experimented with training neural networks to generate images that resemble artistic portraits of human faces, although there is no actual subject involved, and any resemblance to an individual is purely coincidental.
Although neural networks are not infallible (recognizers may misidentify a target, or generative networks may construct output that is not usable for the intended purpose) they are often adequate for practical use in applications where deterministic methods are too slow, too complex or too expensive. Thus, neural networks can fill a gap between rote mechanical methods that are easy to implement on a computer, and labor-intensive methods that depend on human judgment to achieve best results.

Systems and methods for synthesizing images of apparel ensembles on models


A particle beam irradiation apparatus comprises a particle beam shielding member which shields a part of a particle beam which is scanned, a prompt signal detector which detects a prompt signal which is generated when the particle beam which is scanned collides with the particle beam shielding member and a signal comparison device which predicts and obtains a generation pattern of a prompt signal which is generated with a predetermined scanning pattern and stores as a signal time pattern for comparison, wherein the signal comparison device detects an abnormality of scanning of a particle beam or the particle beam shielding member by comparing a detected signal time pattern which is a time pattern of a signal which is detected by the prompt signal detector to a signal time pattern for comparison which is stored.

In a therapy method based on a particle beam, a high-energy particle beam such as a proton beam or a carbon beam, which is accelerated up to 70% of the light speed, is utilized. These high-energy particle beams have the following features when irradiated into a body. Firstly, almost all of irradiated particles stop at a position of the depth proportional to the 1.7th power of the charged particle energy. Secondly, the density (referred to as a dose) of energy, which is given to the path through which an irradiated particle passes until it stops in a body, becomes maximum at a position where the particle beam stops. A distinctive deep dose distribution curve formed along a path through which a particle beam passes is referred to as a Bragg curve and the position where the dose value becomes maximum is referred to as a Bragg peak.
In a particle beam irradiation system utilizing the irradiation field forming method, which is frequently used and referred as the two-dimensional irradiation method, first, a particle beam is spread laterally so as to form a uniform lateral irradiation field, then, by using a patient collimator or a multi-leaf collimator, the irradiation field is formed in accordance with a shape of an affected part. Further, in order to conform the maximum depth position which is a position where a particle beam stops in a body (a position of Bragg peak) to the vicinity of an edge of an affected part regardless of a lateral position, a particle beam is made to pass through an energy compensation filter which is made for each patient (referred as a patient bolus or Bolus). Further, by using an apparatus called a ridge filter, the width of Bragg peak is spread so as to cover whole of the patient's depth width. By performing the above-mentioned, in a patient's volume, substantially uniform dose distribution can be formed.
A method for spread of a particle beam in a lateral direction includes a method using a scattering member, a method using a wobbler electromagnet, etc. A wobbler method using a wobbler electromagnet includes a single circular wobbler method in which a beam spot having approximately 10 centimeters is rotated along a circular path at about 50 Hz so as to form a uniform dose distribution in the center and a method for forming a uniform dose distribution in the center by scanning a beam spot having the diameter approximately 0.5 to 2 centimeters at a high speed in accordance with a complicated scanning pattern. According to this method, a thin beam spot is scanned with a fixed periodic pattern so as to form a uniform lateral dose distribution. Therefore, this method is also referred as a uniform scanning. As a scanning pattern, a spiral pattern and a saw wave pattern are well known. In a case where a scanning pattern is spiral, a method is called as a spiral wobbler method.

Particle beam irradiation apparatus and particle beam therapy system


Techniques are provided for speech denoising using a denoising neural network (NN) trained with deep feature losses obtained from an audio classifier NN. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes applying the speech denoising NN, to be trained, to a noisy sample of a training speech signal to generate a processed training speech signal. The method further includes applying a trained audio classifier NN to the processed training speech signal to generate a first set of activation features, and applying the trained audio classifier NN to a clean sample of the training speech signal to generate a second set of activation features. The method further includes calculating a loss value based on the first and second sets of activation features, and performing a back-propagation training update of the denoising NN, based on the loss value. The method includes iterating this process to further train the denoising NN.

Speech processing systems, including speech recognition systems, speech enabled devices, hearing aids and the like, are often required to work on received audio signals that are degraded by the presence of background noise. Techniques to remove this noise, sometimes referred to as denoising or as enhancement, are used to improve the audio signal quality so that the underlying speech can be recognized and understood, whether by a human listener or by subsequent processing systems.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent in light of this disclosure.

Neural network for speech denoising trained with deep feature losses


A second device (120) has a first virtual terminal and a second virtual terminal. The second device (120) switches the access point of a third telephone terminal (32) to the first virtual terminal and switches the access point of a second telephone terminal (22) to the second virtual terminal by control of a first device (110). Then, the first virtual terminal is put on hold. Then, the first virtual terminal calls the first telephone terminal by an outgoing call for forwarding to a first telephone terminal (12). Then, the first device (110) connects the first telephone terminal (12) to the third telephone terminal (32).

A telephone call between the second telephone terminal and the third telephone terminal is sometimes forwarded to the first telephone terminal. For example, when the first telephone terminal and the second telephone terminal belong to the same internal line communication network, the first telephone terminal and the second telephone terminal are managed by the same telephone relay device. It facilitates forwarding from the second telephone terminal to the first telephone terminal.
In some cases, the telephone call is forwarded from the second telephone terminal to the first telephone terminal, even when the first telephone terminal and the second telephone terminal are managed by different telephone relay devices. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe that a signal line separate from a telephone call channel is provided between the telephone relay device for managing the first telephone terminal and the telephone relay device for managing the second telephone terminal. They also disclose that information (for example, access point information) necessary for forwarding is forwarded through the signal line.

Telephone relay device, method of relaying telephones, and program therefor


Some aspects relate to systems to determine a first metamodel conforming to a first meta-metamodel supporting metamodel class inheritance at the first metamodel level, identify one or more segments of an aggregation-free tree of nodes of the first metamodel, identify a lowest-level node of one of the one or more segments, identify all higher-level nodes of the one of the one or more segments, and consolidate attributes of each of the identified nodes of the one of the one or more segments into a node of a second metamodel conforming to a second meta-metamodel.

According to conventional business software terminology, a business object is an object model representing real-world items used during the transaction of business. For example, a business object may represent a business document such as a sales order, a purchase order, or an invoice. A business object may also represent items such as a product, a business partner, or a piece of equipment. Particular documents (e.g., SalesOrder SO435539) and/or items (e.g., ACME corporation) are represented by instances of their representing business object, or business object instances.
A business process platform provides application programming interfaces to allow read and write access to business object instances. Notably, each specific business object (i.e., object model) conforms to a same metadata model (or, "metamodel"). As a result, a business process platform may employ similar application programming interfaces, services, and persistencies to support all instances of each specific business object.
A business process platform may include other metamodels describing technical entities such as, but not limited to, a Web Service, a view, a floorplan (i.e., a user interface layout), a work center, UI texts, and process components. Each metamodel, including the business object metamodel, may in turn conform to a same meta-metamodel. More specifically, each metamodel may comprise an instance of a same meta-metadata model.
Some application development tools (e.g., Eclipse-based tools) operate based on specific metamodels (e.g., Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) models). These metamodels are instances of a specific meta-metamodel (e.g., eCore). As such, these tools are unable to utilize metamodels (and their instances) which conform to a different meta-metamodel. Moreover, application platforms which support the different meta-metamodel are unable to use metamodels (and their instances) which conform to the above-mentioned specific meta-metamodel.
In some cases, the native meta-metamodel (e.g., eCore) of a development tool exposes the same modeling unit types as another meta-metamodel (e.g., UML). Accordingly, desired metamodels of the other meta-metamodel may be directly mapped to metamodels of the native meta-metamodel for use by the development tool. Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/690,511 describes systems to map between metamodels of meta-metamodels which exhibit different modeling unit types.
However, neither of the foregoing mapping techniques supports mapping between metamodels of a first meta-metamodel which supports specialization/inheritance on the metamodel level and metamodels of a second meta-metamodel which does not support specialization/inheritance on the metamodel level.

Systems and methods for metamodel transformation


A brand new and unexpected textured fabric or textile that can be used to provide articles of clothing (for humans and/or animals), wall hangings, home decorating articles, headwear, footwear, etc. The method transforms one dimensional fabric or textile into three dimensional fabric or textile tubes having height, breadth, width, length and depth, which can in turn be weaved into an unlimited array of garments, articles of clothing, fabrics for hanging up on walls, etc.

The basic function of the clothing industry is to provide suitable exterior attire for humans and animals. Another function of the clothing industry, particularly with regard to the contemporary age, is to provide fashionable clothing, which makes a person feel good and/or look good. There is a need for new clothing styles and fashions to satisfy real or latent demand for such items. In addition, there is a need for new garments, fabrics and new methods of making garments and fabrics.

Weaved article or garment and method of making weaved article or garment


Elements, couplers, systems, and methods for joining two or more trough members. A locking element for a coupler of a cable trough system can include a threaded portion including first and second ends, the first end extending at an angle to a point, and a head portion coupled to the threaded portion at the second end, the head portion including a key portion that corresponds to the point of the first end of the threaded portion.

In the telecommunications industry, optical fiber systems are increasingly used for high-speed signal transmission. With the increased utilization of optical fiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industry attention.
One area of optical fiber management is the routing of optical fibers from one piece of equipment to another. For example, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables are routed between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminating equipment. In buildings and other structures that carry such equipment, the cable routing typically takes place in concealed ceiling areas or in other manners to route cables from one location to another.
When routing optical fibers and other cables such as copper wires, it is desirable that a routing system is readily modifiable and adaptable to changes in equipment needs. Accordingly, such routing systems include a plurality of components, such as trough members and couplers, for defining the cable routing paths. The trough members are joined together by couplings. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,067,678; 5,316,243; 5,752,781; 6,709,186; and 6,715,719 teach cable routing systems that include a plurality of trough members and couplers.
Various concerns arise with the use of couplers for coupling trough members. One concern is that a plurality of hardware is used for joining the trough members. This hardware can be cumbersome. Further, there is sometimes a need to rearrange or change the trough members and couplers. It is desirable to provide couplers that can be disconnected and reconnected.


A long-range house number identification panel has its number indicia mounted on an illuminated viewing screen, being individually readable with the naked eye from up to 200 feet distance. An electrically energizable phosphorescent screen behind the indicia serves to illuminate the numbers at night. The identifying indicia may consist of transparencies through the surface of a blanking screen. A photocell switches off the screen in daylight; and the level of screen illumination may be limited below the optimum, by operating at a reduced voltage so as to extend the service life of the screen. A u/v barrier coat may be used to protect the phosphor of the screen against solar degradation.

1. This invention is directed to a back-lighted phosphorescent panel for silhouetting identification indicia, such as house numbers, and in particular to a panel having long range visibility, for remote viewing.
2. There are products presently available in the market for use with house address numbers, wherein a planar panel is backlighted by phosphor-based luminescence, to silhouette dark numbers which block off selected areas of the lighted surface.
These prior art products are characterized by a number of disadvantageous aspects:                1) the panels are limited in size, usually to rectangles about 3-inches by 5-inches;        2) many of the panels are permanently energized, being connected to the door-bell power circuit, thereby reducing the working life of the panel;        3) the panels are subject to ultra-violet degradation, becoming bleached by sunlight.
The small, three inch by five inch size of existing panels defeats a major safety potential of such signage, which is the rapid identification of a property address by distant-viewing from a remote vantage point in the adjacent street at times of crisis and extreme emergency.
At the present time, when an emergency alarm is generated for a service such as the Fire Service, in answer to a domestic call involving a fire or a heart attack, it is frequently necessary for a pilot, spotter vehicle to precede the response team, in order to locate the given address of the premises where the crisis has originated. In such instances, the currently available above-mentioned illuminated signage is generally completely indecipherable from the street, owing to its undue size limitation, rendering it virtually useless at a time when it is most needed. The delay presently associated with this circumstance may prove in some instances to be fatally critical.


An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a lighting component, an energy storage assembly electrically connected to the lighting component, a control assembly electrically connected to the energy storage assembly, and an energy receiving component electrically connected to the control assembly. The energy receiving component wirelessly receives energy. The energy storage assembly includes a Graphene strip.

Artificial illumination includes light that is not natural light. Artificial light may be a product of human creative activity. Some artificial light may be employed for decoration, safety, or convenience. In some scenarios, decorative light displays may involve illumination of many lights.
Users of illuminated artificial lights include individuals and organizations. Some decorative artificial lights may be utilized during holidays or special occasions. Some holiday seasons may last weeks or months. A decorative artificial light display may thereby remain illuminated for an extended period of time.
Illuminating artificial lights involves an energy source. Some artificial lights may be powered with various electrical energy sources. In some scenarios, artificial lights may be powered with electrical energy from, for example, a battery or an electrical distribution grid. However, sustained illumination of some battery-powered artificial lights may involve costly battery replacement or inconvenient battery recharging. Also, some illuminated artificial lights powered from an electrical distribution grid may involve cumbersome power cord connection.
The exemplary disclosed apparatus and method are directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other deficiencies in existing technology.

Apparatus and method for harvesting energy for a light


A materials handling vehicle, such as a turret stockpicker, includes a telescoping mast comprising inner and outer sections. The staging of these sections, and the stopping of the platform assembly is smoothed by monitoring the actual height of the platform and restricting the speed of the platform as it approaches these transition points. The height of these transition points are stored in a digital memory. The platofrm speed is normally determined by a control handle, but as the platform reaches a transition point, the maximum speed of the platform is restricted by a micro-computer which controls a servo controlled hydraulic valve and the hydraulic pump motor supplying hydraulic fluid to the platform lifting cylinders. The maximum rate of platform movement after a transition is returned to the control of the operator.

This invention relates to a system for controlling the rate of extension of a two stage telescoping mast of a materials handling vehicle.
In a materials handling vehicle, such as a turret stockpicker, an operator's platform mounted on a telescoping mast may be raised, along with a load handling assembly supporting load carrying forks, from floor level to the maximum height of the mast. The platform is raised until it reaches the top of the outer section of the mast. At this time, staging occurs, that is, as the platform is raised further, the platform picks up the outer section of the mast which telescopes on the inner or main section until the assembly reaches its maximum height, in the order of 35 feet.
When staging occurs, the weight of the structure being moved upwards is increased by the weight of the outer section of the mast, and in prior art vehicles, this sudden increase in weight causes a momentary deceleration that is severe enough to be uncomfortable to the operator. This is true even though shock absorbers are used between the platform and the outer mast section. Also, when the platform reaches its upper or lower limits, if this speed is not reduced, a sudden de-acceleration will result.

Slowdown during staging of a turret stockpicker


There is provided an information processing apparatus including a message storage unit for storing a message sent to a component, and an execution processing unit for loading the component body into a computer in response to receiving an execution instruction on the component to execute the component body and process the message stored in the message storage unit prior to the execution instruction.

Use of the mashup technique has increased, which decomposes, as components, the functions necessary for an application and combines the multiple components so that the application can be built easily in a short period. In a mashup application, not only are the multiple component windows displayed at the same time, but also cooperation among components is defined to enable efficient operations on the application.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Information processing apparatus, execution method, and object program

International Business Machines Corporation


Maleic anhydride, MAN, as an adjunct to triphenylbismuthine (TPB) yields roved benefits to the mechanical properties of isophorone diisocyanate cured hydroxy terminated polymer binders. Results from several propellant mixes indicate that both pot life and mechanical properties are affected not only by the concentration of TPB catalyst used, but also by the ratio of TPB to MAN. The ratio of TPB to MAN from about 1 to 0.5 to about 1 to 1.5 produces interesting results in the values of stress, strain, and modulus as shown in the data set forth in the specification and as graphically depicted in the drawing. The weight percent of MAN ranges from about 0.0125 percent to about 0.0375 percent, and the weight percent of TPB ranges from about 0.015 percent to about 0.035 percent.

Earlier aging studies for hydroxy terminated polybutadiene propellants indicated mild to severe hardening or softening during high temperature aging. Further studies indicated that the changes during high temperature aging was attributed to reaction results of the bonding agents.
Prior art bonding agents including MT4 reaction product of 2.0 moles of tris 1(2 methylaziridinyl)phosphine oxide, 0.7 mole adipic acid, and 0.3 mole tartaric acid), HX752 (bis isophthaloyl 1(2 methyl) aziridine), and other type bonding agents have been employed individually in aging studies to determine effects on propellant physical properties. A hydroxy terminated propellant composition cured with a diisocyanate curing agent and containing MT4 as the bonding agent showed significant softening at high temperature (52.degree. F. and 70.degree. C.) aging. A propellant containing HX752 and cured with isophorone diisocyanate hardened severely under the same conditions.
Applicant's coinvention with Henry C. Allen filed as Ser. No. 840,927 on Oct. 11, 1977, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,893, and assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, D.C., teaches and claims a bonding agent system for use in a hydroxy terminate polybutadiene propellant composition that is curable with a diisocyanate curing agent. This propellant contains a high solids loading of aluminum metal fuel and ammonium perchlorate oxidizer, and it employs a bonding agent system consisting of MT4, the reaction product of 2.0 moles of tris 1 (2 methyl aziridinyl) phosphine oxide, 0.7 mole adipic acid, and 0.3 mole tartaric acid in an amount from about 0.10 to about 0.20 weight percent of the propellant composition; HX752, bis isophthaloyl 1(2 methyl) aziridine in an amount from about 0.10 to about 0.20 weight percent of the propellant composition; and BIDE, butyliminodiethanol in an amount from about 0.02 to about 0.05 weight percent of the propellant composition.
The above hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene propellant composition employed an optional delay quick cure catalyst system (of each parts) of triphenylbismuthine, magnesium oxide Mg0 and maleic anhydride (MAN)(0-0.05% each). The delayed quick cured system with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) makes possible a longer pot like but a shorter cure time of only 2 days as compared to more than 5 days for propellants cured with dimeryl diisocyanate (DDI) and 14 days for propellants cured with IPDI without using a catalyzed cure.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,753 teaches that an amount from about 0.5% to about 2.0% weight percent of meta-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (m-TMXDI) is effective in extending propellant pot life and yielding a propellant composition which is less sensitive to temperature change as compared with an isophorone dissocyanate (IPDI) cured composite rocket propellant composition. The domestically produced m-TMXDI is made by a non-phosgenation process developed by American Cyanamid Company's research laboratories. The original proposed application, prior to applicant's patent, for m-TMXDI and p-TMXDI was in reaction injection molding (RIM) which permits the manufacture of urethane parts which require no post-painting. The isomers of either TMXDI which are naturally white (or can be pigmented any desired color) are light stable; and if scratched or damaged in use, they retain their integral color. Triphenylbismuthine (TPB) has been used singly in propellants to obtain higher modulus and/or stress values in composite propellants with isocyanate cured hydroxy terminated polymer binders. TPB has been widely accepted for the designated benefits it provide; however, since the cost of TPB is in the range of $1.08 per gram, an adjunct to TPB having only a fractional part of the cost of TPB and which imparts equal or improved benefits to the mechanical properties in hydroxyterminated binders would be attractive in view of present budget restraints to reduce cost.

Maleic anhydride adjunct to triphenylbismuthine to improve mechanical properties of hydroxy terminated binders


A wireless BCI input system for mobile intelligent devices is described. The system may include an SSVEP keyboard for stimulating SSVEP signals and an EEG headband for acquiring EEG signals. The SSVEP keyboard may include sixteen virtual buttons and a mask that can be replaced to change functions of the virtual buttons. The EEG headband may include an EEG acquisition module, an EEG analysis module, and a Bluetooth communication module, which are used for acquiring EEG signals, determining the user's input intentions, and sending characters or controlling commands to a matched mobile intelligent device via Bluetooth connection.

BCI is an information transmission channel between a human brain and a computer or other electronic devices. This technique does not rely on the peripheral nervous system and muscles, and therefore provide a direct brain-computer communication pathway.
Currently available BCI systems can be grouped into two categories based on methods for acquisition of human brain activities: invasive methods (e.g., ECoG and sEEG) and non-invasive methods (e.g., EEG and MEG). Invasive methods can get more accurate signals, but are not proper for daily uses due to their invasive manners. Thus, studies focus on non-invasive methods. Among existing non-invasive techniques, EEG is one of the most widely used approaches because of its practicability and low cost.
Various BCI systems have been developed by different research groups. For example, Graz BCI is a cue-based system, which was developed by University of Technology Graz (Austria). The Graz BCI system uses imagery of motor action as an appropriate mental task. Several clinical applications of Graz BCI operations for hand orthosis have been reported. The Wadworth Center (US) developed a BCI system named BCI2000, which provides a flexible general-purpose platform that facilitates the evaluation, comparison, and a combination of alternative brain signals, processing methods, applications, and operating protocols.
Traditional BCI systems require multi-channel EEG facilities for measuring brain activities, which is complex and cumbersome. Furthermore, most of these systems need PCs for analysis of EEG signals. These constraints limit applications of BCI systems in a laboratory-scale.

Wireless input system based on steady-state visual-evoked potentials


Apparatus and methods for making a sand core in a core box are provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes introducing into a cavity of the core box a sand-binder mixture, the sand-binder mixture being introduced into the cavity through an inlet conduit of the core box. Pressurized air is then introduced into the cavity while a flow rate of the pressurized air is measured in a first air flow path upstream the core box. A control unit automatically alters the degree of opening of an electronically controlled flow regulator located in a second air flow path located downstream an outlet conduit of the core box depending on the measured flow rate to regulate the flow of pressurized air into the cavity of the core box.

In sand core making machines, the cores are made from a mixture containing sand and a binder. The mixture is introduced in a core box defining a cavity (or cavities) with the shape of the core (or cores) to be made. The core box is usually made up of two facing forming implements, defining the cavity therebetween. A single core can be made in one and the same core box (a cavity is defined), or a plurality of cores can be made simultaneously (a plurality of cavities is defined).
Each cavity defined in a core box is filled with the mixture used for making the core. Before introducing said mixture in the corresponding cavity, said cavity is full of air that must be discharged to allow said mixture to be housed in said cavity. To that end, the core box comprises at least one outlet conduit communicating the cavity with the outside of the core box, through which said air is discharged to the outside (to the environment) as said mixture is gradually being introduced. A filter is furthermore arranged in the outlet conduit to prevent said mixture from being discharged therethrough. Said outlet conduit is usually a through hole of the lower implement.
Once the required mixture is in the corresponding cavity, said mixture is hardened to provide rigidity to the core such that it can then be used where and as required.
The binder used may be organic or inorganic. For hardening mixtures with organic binders, a catalyst such as amine, for example, is usually applied on the mixture, and in some cases pressurized hot air can be used (usually together with the catalyst). Due to the properties of the binder or the catalyst, contaminant gases are generated during mixture hardening and a subsequent treatment or process on said gases is required. Furthermore, due mainly to the cost and danger of catalysts of this type, said catalysts are supplied in a controlled and metered manner, requiring a more complex and costly control over the catalysts compared to the control required over air (when air is used).
For hardening mixtures with inorganic binders, it is usually sufficient to apply pressurized hot air on the mixture drying said mixture by absorbing at least part of its moisture, hardening it, without contaminant gases being generated during the process (moist air is usually generated as a result of moisture absorption).
In hardening processes using pressurized hot air, the air used is dry and hot so that it absorbs moisture from the mixture present in the cavity, such that said mixture is hardened. In addition to this, it is common to heat the core box so that the actual heat of said core box also absorbs part of the moisture of the mixture. The air is generally supplied from a pressurized air source and conducted to the core box, passing it beforehand through a heating device for heating it, such that it reaches said core box (and therefore the corresponding cavity) hot. Since it is hot, it is able to absorb moisture from the mixture present in the core box, and the higher the temperature the air has as it enters the core box, the higher the absorption capacity it will have. However, the more the values of these properties of the air increase, the higher the cost that will be entailed in the core making process (particularly due to the energy requirements necessary for achieving high temperatures).
In processes of this type, there is furthermore a need to assure a minimum air pressure at the air inlet in the core box to assure that said air reaches the entire mixture present in the cavity. If the air reaches it at a low pressure, there is a risk of it not reaching the center of said mixture, for example, with the risk this entails in making fragile cores (the center is not hardened in this case), and/or of it not reaching all the cores suitably (if a plurality of cores is made simultaneously in one and the same core box). Therefore, pressure regulators are usually arranged between the pressurized air source and the heating device to assure that the air is supplied at least with the required minimum pressure. When replacing one core box with another, air pressure can be regulated to a new desired value, if required, given that each of the core boxes can have different needs, and this regulated pressure is maintained as long as the core box is not changed, not being modified during a core making cycle.
The pressurized hot air which is introduced in the core box for hardening the mixture present therein must be discharged as it is introduced so that the moisture of the mixture is discharged from the core box and said mixture is properly hardened. The outlet conduit (generally a plurality of outlet conduits) of the core box through which air present in the corresponding cavity is discharged as the mixture is introduced therein is normally utilized for this discharge, said pressurized and already moist hot air thereby being discharged from the core box through said outlet conduit.
Finally, the core thus made is removed from the core box, and the core box is ready to start another making cycle.
Patent document EP1849537A1 discloses a sand core making machine, comprising a core box in which an inorganic mixture which is subsequently hardened with pressurized hot air is introduced. The machine comprises a heating device between the source and the core box, and a proportional pressure valve arranged between said source and said heating device for regulating air pressure. To improve hardening process efficiency, this machine comprises two alternative air paths from the source to the core box which are selected in a controlled manner depending on the moment of said process. The air is first passed through a heating unit of the heating device with a specific heating capacity, and the air is then passed through said heating unit and two other additional heating units of said heating device arranged in series with the first, thereby significantly increasing air temperature and therefore air moisture absorption capacity. This, however, requires a high overall energy consumption, despite the fact that energy only needs to be provided to one heating unit in the first phase, and furthermore requires a complex installation given that there is a need to provide two different air paths, which makes maintenance difficult and increases the cost thereof.
US20160250680A1 discloses a method for producing cores or molded parts, in which a basic molding material is mixed with alkali silicate or water binder and a lost core or a molded part is formed using a core shooter in a core box.
US20030173049A1 discloses a sand core making machine comprising a core box, a blowing device suitable for introducing a sand-containing mixture in the core box, and a hardening device suitable for introducing pressurized hot-air in the core box, conducted through a specific path, for hardening the mixture present in said core box.


An energy treatment device includes a treatment portion that receives a supply of energy and treats a treatment target, a controller that controls the supply of energy with respect to the treatment portion, a converter that is configured to receive heat energy generated with the treatment of the treatment target, and to convert a temperature difference into an electric energy, and a receiver that receives the electric energy converted at the converter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an energy treatment device that performs treatment on biotissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKAI Publication No. 2014-146708 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a thermoelectric power generation module that is attached to a human skin surface, and generates electric power using a human body as a heat source. The thermoelectric power generation module comprises a thermoelectric power generation unit and a secondary battery.
In an energy treatment device used in a state where it is separated from a box-like power source device (a cordless state), extending a battery's endurance time is an important factor for improving convenience for an operator.


A method of heating a cabin in a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine employing a coolant to remove engine heat, and a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system using the coolant to heat the cabin is disclosed. The method includes detecting a request to achieve a predetermined temperature inside the cabin. The method also includes selecting a first baseline mode of engine operation to supply thermal energy to the coolant, and selecting a second mode of engine operation to supply additional thermal energy to the coolant if the predetermined temperature has not been achieved via the first mode of operation. The method additionally includes selecting a third mode of engine operation if the predetermined temperature has not been achieved via the second mode of operation. The predetermined temperature may also be maintained by supplying thermal energy to the coolant after the predetermined temperature has been achieved.

A majority of modern motor vehicles employ internal combustion engines for propulsion. Additionally, in search of reduced exhaust emissions, as well as for improved fuel efficiency, an internal combustion engine may be combined with one or more electric motor-generators to form a hybrid powertrain. A vehicle employing such a powertrain is generally termed a hybrid.
Cabin warm-up in motor vehicles is typically accomplished via electric heaters and/or via heat exchangers. Typically, the subject heat exchangers are coolant-to-air type, with the engine coolant being used to transfer heat energy to the air that is forced into the vehicle cabin. In certain situations when the vehicle cabin is required to be warmed up, the operation of the engine may be at odds with the desire to shut the engine off for improved vehicle efficiency.


A telescopic bicycle seat post system for permitting raising and lowering of a bicycle seat post over a wide range of lengths to adjust the overall height of the seat. The telescopic bicycle seat post system includes tubular upper and lower elongate members each having opposite upper and lower ends. The upper end of the lower elongate member telescopically receives therein the lower end of the upper elongate member. The lower end of the lower elongate member is designed for insertion into an upper opening of a seat tube of a bicycle frame. The upper end of the upper elongate member is designed for coupling a bicycle seat thereto. A generally c-shaped extension clamp is disposed around the lower elongate member adjacent the upper end of the lower elongate member. The extension clamp releasably holds the upper elongate member in a fixed position with respect to the lower elongate member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telescopic bicycle seat posts and more particularly pertains to a new telescopic bicycle seat post system for permitting raising and lowering of a bicycle seat post over a wide range of lengths to adjust the overall height of the seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bicycle frames typically include seat tubes for receiving a lower end of a seat post on which a seat is mounted. The extension of the seat post out of the seat tube is almost always adjustable, with a variable portion of the seat post being situated in the seat tube of the frame. Typically, the seat post has been adjusted once for the primary rider of the bicycle, and rarely, if ever, adjusted after that initial adjustment. The seat tube of the bicycle frame has extended downwardly to the crank housing, and thus the seat tube has heretofore typically provided enough interior length to accept a seat post of sufficient length to provide acceptable adjustment of the distance between the seat and the top opening of the seat tube of the frame.
Various seat post devices have been developed for supporting the seat, including the known prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,555; U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,856; U.S. Pat. No. 2,566,387; U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,174; U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,504; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 379,783. These devices include various telescopic structures with locking means for locking the seat post at two or more discrete seat post extension positions, and suspension systems integrated into the seat post assembly.
Recent developments in the art have changed the seat adjustment needs of the bicycle user and the structure of the seat tube of the bicycle frame. Many bicycle riders now find it necessary to frequently switch between at least two seat height positions for various types of bicycle riding, such as, for example, for technical riding (which generally requires a relatively lower seat height adjustment) and normal riding (which generally requires a relatively higher seat height adjustment). Thus, easy and quick seat height adjustment on a frequent basis has become a concern for many bicycle riders. Further, recently developed bicycle frame designs often incorporate a suspension for the rear wheel of the bicycle. Many of these frame designs significantly shorten the length of the seat tube of the bicycle frame to accommodate the suspension system. As a result, only much shorter seat post lengths may be accommodated in the seat tube, which is especially a problem if the seat needs to be adjusted to a relatively lower height with respect to the frame.
What has been lacking in the art is a relatively compact, lightweight, and easy to adjust seat post assembly that meets the requirements of recently-evolving riding styles and bicycle frame styles, while avoiding the complexity of some of the solutions heretofore proposed by the art.


An adjustable steering column for a vehicle and a bushing for the adjustable steering column are provided. The adjustable steering column includes a column jacket having a lower jacket extending along a first axis and an upper jacket telescopically coupled to and extending with the lower jacket. The lower and upper shafts are configured to selectively move telescopically relative to one another for telescope adjustment of the steering column. The adjustable steering column also includes a bushing positioned between the lower jacket and the upper jacket, the bushing including a support portion extending along a length between the lower jacket and upper jacket, the support portion including a first seating area, and a roller portion positioned in the first seating area, the roller portion configured to engage at least one of an outer surface of the lower jacket and an inner surface of the upper jacket.

The following description relates to a bushing in a steering column, and in particular, a roller bushing disposed between two telescoping jackets in a steering column.
A steering column may include a steering shaft that is adjustable, for example, in a telescope direction and/or a rake direction. The steering column may include an outer jacket and an inner jacket positioned telescopically therein. The inner jacket and outer jacket are configured for relative movement to adjust the steering shaft in a telescope direction. A plastic bushing may be positioned between the inner jacket and the outer jacket to facilitate relative motion. In particular, the plastic bushing facilitates a relative sliding motion, where one jacket slides relative to the plastic bushing and the other jacket, or vice versa. However, the sliding motion may result in a friction force that adversely affects the relative telescoping movement. In addition, plastic bushing may be susceptible to binding between the jackets.
In addition, during a crash or impact, the steering shaft maybe exposed to an overturning moment resulting from a vertical component force applied to one of the jackets. When the overturning moment is applied, friction may be increased at the plastic bushing between the jackets to an extent that relative sliding or telescope motion between the jackets is unsuitably limited.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a bushing for a telescoping component of a steering shaft that may withstand high loads and overturning moments to maintain suitable relative telescoping movement in the steering shaft.

Steering column telescoping bushing with roller springs

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation


The present disclosure relates to a method for determining an action for collision avoidance in a craft. The method (100) comprises obtaining (110) object data comprising three-dimensional object data points (420); obtaining (120) state data of the craft (260); determining (140) at least one set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c) for the craft (260) based on the obtained craft state data; determining (150) a set of distance thresholds (421) for the three-dimensional object data points (420) based on the object data; comparing (160) each set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c) with the object data and the set of distance thresholds (421), wherein the set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c) is identified as a colliding set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c) when each path of the set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c) is at least partially within the corresponding distance threshold (421) of at least one three-dimensional object data point (420); and determining (170) an action upon identification of at least one colliding set of manoeuvre paths (410a,b,c).

Throughout the history of aviation, controlled flight into terrain has been a major cause of fatal accidents. In response to this concern, the aviation industry developed the ground proximity warning systems (GPWS), which warned pilots if the aircraft was in proximity to terrain. This system became a mandatory installation for large aircraft in 1974 and accidents have decreased significantly.
Although GPWS was very successful, it was limited in that it was only able to detect terrain directly below the aircraft. If there is a sharp change in terrain, GPWS does not detect the aircraft closure rate until it is too late for evasive action. To overcome this limitation, a more advanced technology, known as Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning (EGPWS) was introduced. This technology combines a worldwide digital terrain database with an accurate navigation system, ideally using the Global Positioning System. The aircraft's position is compared with a database of the Earth's terrain; if there is a discrepancy, pilots receive a timely caution or warning of terrain hazards. This enhanced system provides a warning in advance of steeply rising ground and also extends the warning area almost to the runway threshold, overcoming the limitations of GPWS.
The EGPWS is also widely known as Terrain Awareness Warning System or TAWS. EGPWS/TAWS systems are a critical component during low visibility operations and during approach and landing. Numerous studies have aimed to understand if there are identifiable human factors issues within accidents that do occur and, as a secondary investigation, the effects of degraded GPWS/EGPWS/TAWS (if any). Analysis of factors leading to the flight into terrain accidents indicate multiple human performance deficiencies and undesirable behaviours and these constituted by far the largest group of factors. Situational awareness was found to be deficient in all cases.
Historically TAWS in crafts have utilized low-resolution information representing the external environment to determine if a risk of collision exists. Such TAWS configured to utilize low-resolution environmental information may require crude methods to determine risk of collision of the craft in order to minimize the probability of false negatives. An intrinsic drawback of TAWS utilizing such methods to determine risk of collision of a craft is the probability of generating false positives. In a real world situation a TAWS presenting a high number of false positives as warnings may lead the user of a craft to occasionally ignore warnings, ignore all warnings or even disable the TAWS, whereby the user's situational awareness is significantly reduced. There is a demand to improve generation of warnings or instructions for collision avoidance in a craft.

Method, computer program product, system and craft for collision avoidance


An organic electroluminescent device includes first and second substrates facing each other and spaced apart from each other; a gate line on an inner surface of the first substrate; a data line and a power line crossing the gate line and spaced apart from each other; a switching thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a driving thin film transistor connected to the switching thin film transistor and the power line, the driving thin film transistor including a channel region having a ring shape; an electric connection pattern connected to the driving thin film transistor, the connection pattern being disposed over the driving thin film transistor; and an organic electroluminescent diode on an inner surface of the second substrate, the organic electroluminescent diode being connected to the electric connection pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device, and more particularly, to a dual panel type organic electroluminescent device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Among flat panel displays (FPDs), organic electroluminescent (EL) devices have been of particular interest in research and development because they are light-emitting type displays having a wide viewing angle as well as a high contrast ratio in comparison to liquid crystal display (LCD) devices. Organic EL devices are lightweight and small, as compared to other types of display devices, because they do not need a backlight. Organic EL devices have other desirable characteristics, such as low power consumption, superior brightness and fast response time. When driving the organic EL devices, only a low direct current (DC) voltage is required. Moreover, a fast response time can be obtained. Unlike LCD devices, organic EL devices are entirely formed in a solid phase arrangement. Thus, organic EL devices are sufficiently strong to withstand external impacts and also have a greater operational temperature range. Moreover, organic EL devices are fabricated in a relatively simple process involving few processing steps. Thus, it is much cheaper to produce an organic EL device in comparison to an LCD device or a plasma display panel (PDP). In particular, only deposition and encapsulation processes are necessary for manufacturing organic EL devices.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a related art organic electroluminescent device. Referring to FIG. 1, first and second substrates 10 and 60, which have inner surfaces facing each other and are spaced apart from each other, have a plurality of pixel regions "P." An array layer "AL" is formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 10. The array layer "AL" includes a driving thin film transistor (TFT) "Td" in each pixel region "P." A first electrode 48 connected to the driving TFT "Td" is formed on the array layer "AL" in each pixel region "P." Red, green and blue organic electroluminescent (EL) layers 54 are alternately formed on the first electrode 48. A second electrode 56 is formed on the organic EL layer 54. The first and second electrodes 48 and 56, and the organic EL layer 54 interposed therebetween constitute an organic EL diode "DEL." The organic EL device is a bottom type device where light is emitted from the organic EL layer 54 through the first electrode 48 and out of the first substrate 10.
The second substrate 60 is used as an encapsulation substrate. The second substrate 60 has a concave portion 62 at its inner center. The concave portion 62 is filled with a moisture absorbent desiccant 64 that removes moisture and oxygen to protect the organic EL diode "DEL." The inner surface of the second substrate 60 is spaced apart from the second electrode 56. The first and second substrates 10 and 60 are attached with a sealant 70 at a peripheral portion of the first and second substrates 10 and 60.
FIG. 2A is a plan view of an organic electroluminescent device according to the related art. Referring to FIG. 2A, a gate line 22 crosses a data line 42 and a power line 28. The data line 42 and the power line 28 are spaced apart from each other. A pixel region "P" is defined by the gate line 22, the data line 42 and the power line 28. A switching thin film transistor (TFT) "Ts" is disposed adjacent to the crossing of the gate line 22 and the data line 42. A driving TFT "Td" is connected to the switching TFT "Ts" and the power line 28. A storage capacitor "Cst" uses a power electrode 26 extending from the power line 28 as a first capacitor electrode and an active pattern 16 extending from a switching semiconductor layer 31 of the switching TFT "Ts" as a second capacitor electrode.
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line "IIb-IIb" of FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2B, a buffer layer 12 is formed on a first substrate 10. A driving semiconductor layer 14 and an active pattern 16 separated from each other are formed on the buffer layer 12. A gate insulating layer 18 and a gate electrode 20 are sequentially formed on the driving semiconductor layer 14. The driving semiconductor layer 14 includes an active region "IIc" corresponding to the gate electrode 20, and drain and source regions "IId" and "IIe" at both sides of the active region "IIc."
A first passivation layer 24 is formed on the gate electrode 20 and the active pattern 16. A power electrode 26 corresponding to the active pattern 16 is formed on the first passivation layer 24.
A second passivation layer 30 is formed on the power electrode 26. The first and second passivation layers 24 and 30 have first and second contact holes exposing portions of the drain and source regions "IId" and "IIe," respectively. Moreover, the second passivation layer 30 has a third contact hole 36 exposing a portion of the power electrode 26.
Drain and source electrodes 40 and 38 are formed on the second passivation layer 30. The drain electrode 40 is connected to the drain region "IId" of the driving semiconductor layer 14 through the first contact hole 32. The source electrode 38 is connected to the source region "IIe" of the driving semiconductor layer 14 through the second contact hole 34 and connected to the power electrode 26 through the third contact hole 36.
A third passivation layer 44 is formed on the drain and source electrodes 40 and 38. The third passivation layer 44 has a drain contact hole 46 exposing a portion of the drain electrode 40. The driving semiconductor layer 14, the gate electrode 20, the drain electrode 40 and the source electrode 38 constitute the driving thin film transistor (TFT) "Td."
A first electrode 48 connected to the drain electrode 40 through the drain contact hole 46 is formed on the third passivation layer 44. An insulating interlayer 50 having an open portion exposing the first electrode 48 is formed on the first electrode 48. An organic electroluminescent (EL) layer 54 is formed on the insulating interlayer 50. A second electrode 56 is formed on the organic EL layer 54. The organic EL layer 54 contacts the first electrode 48 through the open portion of the insulating interlayer 50. The first and second electrodes 48 and 56 and the organic EL layer 54 interposed therebetween constitute an organic EL diode "DEL."
In an organic EL device according to the related art, an array layer and an organic EL diode are formed on a first substrate, and an additional second substrate is attached with the first substrate for encapsulation. However, when the array layer and the organic EL diode are formed on one substrate in such a manner, production yield of the organic EL device is determined by multiplying the TFT's yield with the organic EL diode's yield. Since the organic EL diode's yield is relatively low, the production yield of the overall EL device is limited by the organic EL diode's yield. For example, even when a TFT is well fabricated, an organic EL device using a thin film of about 1000 Å thickness can be judged as bad due to defects in an organic EL layer. This results in loss of material and increased production cost.
In general, organic EL devices are classified into bottom emission types and top emission types according to an emission direction of light used for displaying images through the organic EL devices. Bottom emission type organic EL devices have the advantages of high encapsulation stability and high process flexibility. However, the bottom emission type organic EL devices are ineffective for high resolution devices because they have poor aperture ratios. In contrast, top emission type organic EL devices have a higher expected life span because they are more easily designed and they have a high aperture ratio. However, in top emission type organic EL devices, the cathode is generally formed on an organic EL layer. As a result, transmittance and optical efficiency of top emission type organic EL devices are reduced because a limited number of materials may be selected. If a thin film-type passivation layer is formed to prevent a reduction of the light transmittance, the thin film-type passivation layer may fail to prevent infiltration of exterior air into the device.

Dual panel type organic electroluminescent device and method of fabricating the same


An exemplary housing of a cooling fan includes a metallic base plate and a plastic bear seat. Clasps extend upwardly from the base plate. The bear seat is formed on the base plate via injection process. A bottom end of the bear seat directly contacts the base plate. The clasps are embedded in the bear seat.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to cooling fans, and more particularly to a housing of a cooling fan having stable and reliable performance and suitable for a thin electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventionally cooling fan includes a housing, a cover covering the housing, and a blade assembly received in housing. The housing includes a base plate and a bear seat mounted on the base plate. The blade assembly is mounted on the bear seat via a bearing. Generally, the bear seat and the base plate are integrated formed by molten plastic received in an injection mold. A thickness of the base plate and the bear seat formed by the injection process can not controlled to be too thin, thus thin and smaller bear seat and base plate can not obtained via the injection process. Therefore, a size of the cooling fan for a thin electronic device is affected by the housing. Furthermore, a strength of the housing formed by plastic is weak. Thus, the housing is easy to be destroyed when the housing is pressed.
What is needed, therefore, is a housing to overcome the above described shortcomings.

Housing of cooling fan and method manufacturing of the same


An apparatus for inspecting cylindrically-shaped articles includes the transporting and aligning of cylindrical objects from a random stacked order, carrying them vertically through three visual inspection stations wherein each of the visual inspection stations visually inspects 120.degree. of the circumference of each of the cylindrical objects. Between adjacent visual inspection stations are a pair of belts which intercept the cylindrical objects flowing from one inspection station to another, wherein one of the belts moves at a slower speed than the other of the belts and is maintained at a speed so that the cylindrical objects are rotated 120.degree. during the time they are captured between the two belts.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting visual defects in a cigarette during cigarette manufacture.
Cigarette rods coming from a cigarette making machine are generally inspected by visual means along their length and around their circumference to determine visually if the cigarette rods meet certain preselected requirements. Presently, inspection of cigarettes occur by the use of cylindrically shaped drums which transfer the cigarette rods from a maker wherein 180.degree. of the circumferential surface of the cigarette rod is inspected at a time by different types of scanning means as the cigarette rods move from drum to drum. There are a number of apparatuses noted in the prior art which utilize drum to drum inspection, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,249 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,462. However, this inspection of 180.degree. of the circumference is compromised by the curvature of the cigarette so that a true, accurate inspection takes place from only about 120.degree. to 130.degree. of the inspection plane. That is, each half is visual or scannable only along 120.degree. of each 180.degree.. Thus, approximately one-third of each visual or scannable half of a cigarette is not inspected by present methods.

Apparatus for and method of automatically detecting and eliminating cigarettes with visual defects during cigarette manufacture


An approach is disclosed for implementing failover and resume when using ordered sequences in a multi-instance database environment. The approach commences by instantiating a first database instance initially to serve as an active instance, then instantiating a second database instance to serve as an instance of one or more passive instances. The active database establishes mastership over a sequence and then processes requests for the ‘next’ symbol by accessing a shared sequence cache only after accessing a first instance semaphore. The active instance and the passive instance perform a protocol such that upon passive database detection of a failure of the active database, one of the passive database instances takes over mastership of the sequence cache, and then proceeds to satisfy sequence value requests. The particular order is observed in spite of the failure.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an improved approach for implementing failover and resume when using ordered sequences in a multi-instance database environment. More particularly, disclosed herein according to some embodiments are a method and system for implementing failover and resume when using ordered sequences in a multi-instance database environment.
Overview of Ordered Sequences
In a modern database system for processing transactions (e.g., commercial transactions such as purchase orders, debits, credits, etc.) many users can use the system at the same time, and many users may have the same sorts of operations to perform. For example, if a user, say User A, desires to process a batch of purchase orders, he or she might want to assign each one of those purchase orders in the batch a unique number. And, it might be desired to assign those purchase orders a unique number within a contiguous sequence (e.g., PO-0001, PO-0002, PO-0003, etc.).
One technique is to assign a large range of contiguous values for all users to access and 'check-out' a contiguous sequence. For example, if User A desired to process a batch of say, 20 purchase orders, he or she might request a sequence comprising 20 contiguous values (e.g., 0001, 0002, 0003, . . . 0020). However a different user, say User B, might at the same time also desire to process a batch of purchase orders, and could at the same time request a sequence comprising 20 contiguous values. One legacy technique for ensuring that User A and User B do not receive the same sequence comprising 20 contiguous values is to force all requests to be serialized. There are various techniques for serialization of requests, often involving serialization of requests using a flag or latch (or any implementation of a semaphore). In such a case for using a flag or latch, a first user (say User A) is granted access to the list of contiguous sequences, while any next users must wait. Then the first user is given the requested sequence (in this example, numbers 0001-0020), and the next waiting user's request is then processed. Given that the first user's request was satisfied (thus, the next available would be 0021) the first waiting user's request (e.g., a sequence of 20 contiguous values) can be satisfied by returning the sequence 0021, 0022, 0023 through 0040, and so on.
Many application environments operate on mission-critical data that might need the aforementioned ordered sequences, and resilience and redundancy are provided by implementing database environments comprising multiple instances of a database, each of which instance might share at least some of the same components provided in the environment. When a failure does occur, some mission-critical applications need a "graceful" failover from one database instance to another database instance. Similarly, after a failed component has been repaired or replaced, the mission-critical applications need a "graceful" resume. The sense of "graceful" here includes the sense of a satisfactory restoration after failure/resume and the sense of satisfactory performance before, during, and after a failure.
Some techniques have been tried where entire checkpoints are taken periodically and saved in order to be resumed after a failure, however, such techniques do not have the capabilities to perform "gracefully" in general, nor do the aforementioned techniques have the capability to implement "graceful" failover and resume operations.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved approach for implementing failover and resume when using ordered sequences in a multi-instance database environment.

Failover and resume when using ordered sequences in a multi-instance database environment


System for providing CATV subscribers an access to a UMS (Unified Messaging System) and/or VMS (Voice Mail System), wherein each subscriber is provided with a TV set connected to the CATV network directly-or-through a set-top box. The system comprises a connection between subscribers of the CATV network and the UMS and/or VMS and an interface for permitting exchange of information between the subscribers and the UTMS and/or VMS and a client software for the UMS and/or VMS, which when the connection is through the set-top box resides on, or is coupled to, the set-top box. The interface may comprise a UMS and/or VMS handler and a CATV network handler for providing data connection between the UMS and/or VMS and the subscribers. The interface may also comprise a multimedia message management interposed between the UMS and/or VMS handler and the CATV network handler.

The present invention relates to the field of communication. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing unified messaging services over CATV infrastructure, to a user connected to a data network through his TV set.
The increase in the use of mail services has caused a great deal of inconvenience, since for each mail service one needs a different type of terminalxe2x80x94telephone for voice mail, fax for hard copy and PC for e-mail. This resulted in enormous effort expended in collecting and sending mail. Due to this problem, an approach called xe2x80x9cUnified Messagingxe2x80x9d was born. xe2x80x9cUnified messagingxe2x80x9d is the integration of several different communications media, which enables users to retrieve voice, fax, and e-mail messages from a single terminal, such as telephone (mobile or fixed) or Internet-connected PC. Collecting and sending mail from a single source using a single interface saves a great deal of time and labor.
CATV (Cable TV) networks are widespread and intensively used for offering and broadcasting a variety of video services, including off-air channels, distant channels and satellite-delivered programs, to most homes in United States. These extra channels significantly enrich the capability of each subscriber to find and watch attractive programs, which would not be received by a conventional antenna. Moreover, several information services were added to the video channels, using the relatively wide bandwidth that can be exploited by (coaxial) cable infrastructure.
With time, supplementary services have been provided to CATV subscribers, which use the existing infrastructure to deliver digital data. These services include interactive TV sets, which comprise a keyboard and a digital converter, through which a subscriber can add textual objects to the displayed video images, and also can receive and transit messages to other subscribers. Moreover, several devices (sometimes called xe2x80x9cset-top boxesxe2x80x9d) have been developed, which enable TV sets to be utilized as a user interface to the Internet. These devices contain a Web browser and operate in accordance with the common Internet protocols (TCP/IP).
The current technology does not employ extant CATV infrastructures for providing advanced telecommunication services. Rather, several VMS (Voice Mail System) and UMS and/or VMS (Unified Messaging System) providers of advanced telecommunication services offer their services by using cellular and/or wireline telephone handsets to interact with the subscriber. Alternatively, the subscriber can interact with these services over the Internet, using his PC as an interface. However, these services lack security and privacy, since they share a common communication channel (the data network) between multiple subscribers, or use wireless transmission, which can be received and demodulated by unauthorized eavesdroppers.
Peach Technologies"" (www.peach-network.com) Access Channel offers a range of Microsoft""s Windows 95/98(trademark) based applications, using dedicated software and associated servers that operate in combination with digital set-top boxes, such as interactive network boxes and Explorer 2000(trademark).
WebTV provides an integrated Internet browsing solution and content service for cable operators.
WorldGate Communications provides Internet TV services including full Web access, e-mail and Channel Hyperlink (SM) using an analog or digital cable terminal. Worldgate provides the service operator with additional revenues through subscription fees, advertising, and transactions on their network.
All the methods described above have not yet provided solutions to the problem of using a TV set of a CATV subscriber as a terminal for Unified Messaging systems.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for using TV set of CATV subscriber as a terminal for Unified Messaging systems, including Voice Mail.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method and a system for providing all VMS (Voice Mail System) and UMS (Unified Messaging System) services, using TV sets as the subscriber""s terminal.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and system for VMS and/or UMS, services with improved security, improved privacy and high-speed transmission.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and system for providing VMS and/or UMS services, which is compatible with the existing messaging services.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a new type of terminal for accessing Unified Messaging systems, which exploits existing infrastructure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide new channel for browsing multimedia messages, including video-mail.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.
The present invention is directed to a system for providing CATV subscribers an access to a UMS (Unified Messaging System) and/or VMS (Voice Mail System), wherein each subscriber is provided with a TV set connected to the CATV network directly or through a set-top box, comprising:
a) A connection between subscribers of the CATV network and the UMS and/or VMS and an interface for permitting exchange of information between said subscribers and said UMS and/or VMS;
b) A client software for the UMS and/or VMS which resides on said set-top box;
The said interface comprises a UMS and/or VMS handler and a CATV network handler for providing data connection between the UMS and/or VMS and the subscribers. Preferably, the interface further comprises one or more of the following components: a multimedia (such as text, voice and video) message management for handling the message flow and getting messages from said UMS and/or VMS; a database for storing subscriber""s preferences and other parameters; a format server for formatting the display of the information that will appear on the subscriber""s TV set.
Preferably, the system according to the invention further comprises multimedia-input devices for inputting information into the UMS and/or VMS. Said devices may be chosen from among keyboard means, microphones and touch-screen inputs.
Another aspect of the invention, is a method for providing CATV subscribers an access to a UMS (Unified Messaging System) and/or VMS (Voice Mail System), wherein each subscriber is provided with a TV set connected to the CATV network directly or through a set top box, comprising:
a) Providing connecting means for establishing a connection for transmitting digital information from a set-top box residing at the subscriber""s part to UMS and/or VMS and vice-versa;
b) Requesting information on the subscriber""s part from UMS and/or VMS through said connecting means by inputting a request for information into said connecting means;
c) Processing said request at the UMS and/or VMS and transmitting the requested information through said connecting means.
Preferably, the method of the invention further comprises inputting information into said connecting means, and/or converting any information to be transmitted into a form adequate for transmission, and/or displaying the list of the received messages on the subscriber""s TV, and/or forwarding messages from one subscriber to another. The method may also comprise initiating a message at the subscriber""s part, recording said message by using multimedia means, and transmitting said message to the UMS and/or VMS.
The subscriber may ask for displaying the list of the received messages, displaying some or all the messages one by one, delete a message, forward a message to other user and so forth; and may also initiate a message, record it using multimedia means, and transmit it to the UMS and/or VMS.

Method and apparatus for providing voice/unified messaging services using CATV terminals


A manufacturing method of a solid state light emitting element is provided. A plurality of protrusion structures separated to each other are formed on a first substrate. A buffer layer is formed on the protrusion structures and fills the gaps between protrusion structures. An epitaxial growth layer is formed on the buffer layer to form a first semiconductor stacking structure. The first semiconductor stacking structure is inverted to a second substrate, so that the first semiconductor epitaxial layer and the second substrate are connected to form a second semiconductor stacking structure. The buffer layer is etched by a first etchant solution to form a third semiconductor stacking structure. A second etchant solution is used to permeate through the gaps between the protrusion structures, so that the protrusion structures are etched completely. The first substrate is removed from the third semiconductor stacking structure to form a fourth semiconductor stacking structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a light emitting element, and more particularly to a manufacturing method of a solid state light emitting element.
2. Description of the Related Art
The light-emitting diode (LED) emits a light by converting electric energy into photo energy. The LED is mainly composed of semiconductors. Of the semiconductors, those having a larger ratio of holes carrying positive electricity are referred as P type semiconductors, and those having a larger ratio of electrons carrying negative electricity are referred as N type semiconductors. The junction connecting a P type semiconductor and an N type semiconductor forms a PN junction. When a voltage is applied to the positive polarity and negative polarity of an LED chip, the electrons and the holes will be combined and emit energy in the form of a light.
In the manufacturing method of a light emitting diode formed by gallium nitride (GaN), sapphire is used as an epitaxy carrier, a buffer layer is formed on the sapphire substrate first, and then GaN is formed on the buffer layer. By doing so, the quality GaN epitaxial growth layer may thus be obtained. However, the sapphire substrate has poor performance in conductivity and heat-dissipation. To improve the heat-dissipation efficiency of the light emitting diode, the GaN epitaxial growth layer must be transferred to a substrate with better performance in conductivity and heat-dissipation. According to the conventional manufacturing method, the sapphire substrate disposed underneath the GaN epitaxy layer is removed by the excimer pulse laser beam process, that is, the generally used laser lift-off process. However, the laser lift-off process is highly complicated and the laser light may easily damage the GaN epitaxy. Therefore, how to improve the existing manufacturing process such that the GaN epitaxy may be separated from the sapphire substrate without causing any damage to the epitaxial growth layer has become a prominent task for the industries.

Manufacturing method of solid state light emitting element


A method and system manage synchronization of data streams in a multi-tenant system. The method includes tracking by a flow control mechanism a recent flow rate of at least one data stream, determining by the flow control mechanism whether the flow rate of the at least one data stream varies from at least one related data stream, and adjusting by the flow control mechanism a throughput of the at least one data stream to correlate with the at least one related data stream, in response to determining that the at least one data stream has varied from the at least one related data stream.

Web applications that serve and manage millions of Internet users, such as Facebook™, Instagram™, Twitter™, banking websites, as well as online retail shops, such as Amazon.com™ or eBay™ are faced with the challenge of ingesting high volumes of data as fast as possible so that the end users can be provided with a real-time experience. The "Internet of Things" (IoT) is another major contributor to big data, supplying huge volumes of data. IoT has become a pervasive presence in the environment, with a variety of things/objects that communicate via wireless and wired connections to interact with each other and cooperate with other things/objects to create new applications/services. These applications/services exist in smart cities (regions), smart cars and mobility, smart homes and assisted living, smart industries, public safety, energy and environmental protection, agriculture and tourism. A massive quantity of data gets persisted from the millions of IoT devices and web applications.
Event management systems can be utilized to manage data distribution in these types of systems. In current event management systems, a high volume of events is published by multiple event producers and then delivered to multiple consumers. The event management system is a large scale, asynchronous, distributed system where failures are inevitable due to network failures, equipment failures and similar issues. Events are organized into different streams. Publishing events as part of event streams is asynchronous.
The engagement of users that interact with software such as webpages, email programs, word processing, and similar applications and interfaces is also an important type of activity that is tracked to determine metrics that assist developers and administrators in improving and administering the software and interfaces. These engagements can be monitored by activity tracking software and collected as a set of events. This activity tracking also generates a large amount of traffic in the form of data streams that report the various types of tracked activities. In complex multi-tenant and cloud computing environments collecting and corelating the events and then generating useful metrics is resource intensive. In particular, where real-time tracking of metrics is desired even minor inefficiencies can cause significant issues and use of resources.
These and other contexts are contexts where a large number of data streams with varying levels of relationships between the data streams are handled. The data streams feed a continuous flow of data into downstream processes and applications. Data from different sources and of different types generally are output as separate data streams. In some cases, data from a source is divided into 'sub-streams' to accommodate system requirements or characteristics such as geographic distribution, tenant privacy protection, or processing rate optimization. The variety and differences between streams and sub-streams can complicate the downstream processing of the data in these streams.

Mechanism to synchronize, control, and merge data streams of disparate flow characteristics


Described is pentamycin in a purity exceeding 95%, certain polymorphs and solvates of pentamycin, processes for their manufacture, and a method for decreasing the rate of degradation of pentamycin.

Pentamycin, like Amphotericin B and Nystatin A1, belongs to the class of polyene macrolide antibiotics having antifungal activity. Pentamycin is obtainable from natural sources, e.g. it may be isolated from certain Streptomyces strains, like the mycelium of the actinomyces Streptomyces penticus as described by S. Umezawa and Y. Tanaka in J. Antibiotics, Ser. A, vol. XI, no. 1, pages 26 to 29 (1958), or from Streptomyces roseo luteus (NRRL 2776, NCIB 8984) as described in British patent 884711 to Glaxo. Said patent is directed to the production of the antibiotic lagosin which has been shown in the below-mentioned Pandey et al. article in J. Antibiotics vol. XXXV no. 8, pages 988-996 (1982) to be identical to fungichromin and cogomycin. Lagosin, both as a solid and in solution is stated in said British patent, page 2, right column, lines 48-49, to be sensitive to light.
The absolute configuration of pentamycin (=fungichromin) was determined by spectral comparison of the degradation products and partial synthesis by T. Oishi, Pure & Appl. Chem., vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 427-430 (1989). According to an X-ray analysis published by Y. Igarashi et al. in J. Antibiot. vol. 58, no. 8, pp. 523-525 (2005) pentamycin has the following formula

As stated e.g. on page 478, left column, of an article by David R. Worthen et al., Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, vol. 27(4), 277-286 (2001) "the production and purification of polyene antifungals are confounded by their inherent chemical instability. The polyenes typically possess one or several potentially unstable structural functionalities, including hydrolyzable esters, acetals, and hemiacetals, as well as conjugated polyene systems vulnerable to oxidation (19). Thus, all of the polyene antifungals, to a certain extent, are subject to inactivation or frank degradation by conditions routinely encountered during their production in and recovery from mass culture. Most notable of these potentially degradative conditions include moisture, elevated temperature, atmospheric oxygen, polyvalent metals, and exposure to light (19, 20)." The references 19 and 20 mentioned in said article are (19) I. M. Teresin, Polyene Antibiotics—Present and Future; University of Tokyo Press: Tokyo, 1976; 122-123, and (20) K. Thoma and N. Kubler, Photostability of antifungal agents. 2. Photostability of polyene antibiotics. Pharmazie vol. 52,294-302 (1997).
The above-mentioned Worthen article goes on by stating on page 478, left column, that "further complicating polyene purification is the fact that virtually all crude polyene isolates from Streptomyces contain several distinct, although physicochemically similar, isoforms, only one of which may be desirable for clinical use."
In view of the above, it is not surprising that pentamycin was also given three other names, i.e. lagosin, fungichromin, and cogomycin because they were initially thought to be different substances. As stated by R. C. Pandey et al., J. Antibiotics vol. XXXV no. 8, pages 988-996 (1982) in the abstract "The three polyene macrolide antibiotics, fungichromin, lagosin, and cogomycin, previously described as having some stereochemical differences at one or more centers, are shown by . . . to be identical in all respects, including stereochemical aspects. The differences observed earlier in their properties have now been ascribed to varying amounts of impurities which are separable by high-performance liquid chromatography. All three antibiotics contain one major and several minor components" (emphasis added). In table I on page 988 of said Pandey article the melting points, reported from literature given for fungichromin, lagosin, and cogomycin range from 190 to 240° C.
The Merck Index (12th edition) in entry no. 4312 on page 727 mentions the melting point of fungichromin to be 157-162° C. (decomposition).
The subject of the Pandey article is the physicochemical and biological comparison of said three macrolide antibiotics, not the provision of more than 95% pure pentamycin. As stated on page 995 thereof at the beginning of the "Discussion" it was not possible to remove all the minor components even after repeated CCD (countercurrent distribution) purification. The melting points of the thus purified fungichromin, lagosin, and cogomycin are given in Table 2 on page 990 to range from 157-165° C. Nowhere in the Pandey article it is stated that pentamycin has been isolated or crystallized. The only melting points (ranging from 157 to 240° C.!) given in the Pandey article are those stemming from literature sources in Table 1 and those stemming from countercurrent distribution in Table 2. There is, hence, no indication in the Pandey article that more than 95% pure pentamycin has been obtained.
It should be noted that pentamycin is a comparatively large and structurally complicated molecule containing 12 asymmetric centres so that there are 212 (=4096) stereoisomers. In addition, pentamycin contains 5 double bonds which could be subjected to cis-trans-isomerisation. The total chemical synthesis of the right one of the possible 4096 stereoisomers would take years, be an invention on its own, and, from an economic perspective, would be much too costly as compared to the biosynthesis by the Streptomyces strains mentioned above, keeping in mind that the stability of pentamycin is very delicate.
The delicate stability of pentamycin is e.g. evident from R. W. Rickards et al., J. Antibiotics vol. XXIII, no. 12, pages 603-611, describing the aerial autooxidation of lagosin in methanol solution by a radical addition process which can be inhibited by antioxidants. According to Rickards et al. the major primary autooxidation products of lagosin are certain epoxides, while extended autooxidation leads to higher oxidation products and ultimately to polymeric materials. In full accordance with the statements in the above-mentioned Worthen article, Rickards et al. state on page 603 that members of the polyene subgroup of macrolide antibiotics "as a whole are unstable, and exposure to acids, alkalis, heat, air or light is accompanied by decomposition and loss of biological activity. In particular, this sensitivity to air and light, which is primarily associated with the polyene chromophore, creates problems in storage prior to clinical use."
The above mentioned British patent 884711 states in Example 1 on page 8, line 41, that "pure lagosin" was obtained. Said Example 1 describes the recovery of lagosin from the fermentation broth comprising the steps of extracting the fermentation broth cuttings with butanol, concentrating the extract, adding water, washing with diethyl ether, filtering, extracting with methanol in a soxhlet and filtering whereupon according to page 8, lines 33 and 35, of the British patent lagosin in a purity of "approximately 75%" is obtained. In order to allegedly remove impurities, the 75% pure lagosin is, as described on page 8, lines 34 to 42, extracted in a soxhlet with chloroform, air dried, extracted with ethyl ether, air dried and reextracted with methanol. On cooling the methanol overnight allegedly "pure lagosin" is obtained, but no melting point is provided.
For a person skilled in the art reading the above passage in the British patent it is extremely doubtful that by the proceedings described above the 75% pure lagosin could, in fact be further purified. This is because the treatment with diethyl ether and methanol has already been effected before without increasing the purity of lagosin above 75%. Hence, why should a repetition of said treatment increase purity substantially? In addition, the steps of drying lagosin in the air would be expected to lead to oxidation as described by Rickards et al. (cf. above). Finally, crystallization of crude pentamycin from methanol does not yield more than 95% pure pentamycin (even three times repetitive crystallisations) as evidenced by Example 8 of the present application. This is because, as was found by the present inventors, certain impurities crystallize together with pentamycin and, hence, cannot be removed by crystallization, but only by other means as described in the present invention. It should be kept in mind that pentamycin is a comparatively large molecule so that the impurities may be distinguished from pentamycin just by a tiny little difference, e.g. epoxidation of one of the five double bonds. Certainly, the separation of compounds which are structurally so close to each other poses enormous problems. Although it could already be expected from the above that no "pure" lagosin can be obtained by the procedure of Example 1 of the British patent 884,711, the applicants of the present invention ordered an outside institute to repeat the process described in said Example as closely as possible. The result is described in Example 10 of the present application. As expected, while the purity of "approximately 75%" for the intermediate material could be roughly confirmed (found: 67.3%), the further purification steps did not yield "pure" pentamycin, but only pentamycin in a purity of 70.1%.
Pentamycin was the active ingredient in a drug registered in the 1980s under the trade name Pentacin® in Switzerland, but, due to difficulties in meeting the registered product specifications for purity and stability (even though the marketed formulation contained an antioxidant), was withdrawn from the market. According to the specification in the Swiss registration documents the purity of pentamycin was 95%. However, when using the modern means of analysis available today, it now turned out that a number of impurities present in pentamycin as registered in the past had not been detected and that, hence, the actual purity of pentamycin in the past was much lower than 95%.
Pentamycin itself has a lipophilic and a very hydrophilic part and thus behaves similar to a surfactant. Furthermore it is relatively insoluble in water and tends to form gels, which are almost unfilterable.
Despite intensive efforts, the present inventors were not able to increase the purity of pentamycin above 93% for a long time. In fact, the purity threshold of 93% appeared to be unsurmountable until the present invention.
The problem to be solved by the present inventors was to increase the purity of pentamycin above 93%, especially above 95%, and to bring pentamycin into a form stable enough to enable its reintroduction into the pharmaceutical market in Switzerland and its registration as a drug in other countries.


An image registration method for registering a first image taken from a first viewpoint and a second image taken from a second viewpoint is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a first reference image by photographing a reference target from a first viewpoint; obtaining a second reference image by photographing the reference target from a second viewpoint; obtaining reference coordinate-difference values that indicate difference in coordinates of corresponding pixels between the first reference image and the second reference image; obtaining parallax registration-error values based on a distance of a photographing target from the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint; obtaining a registration result of a first image of the photographing target taken from the first viewpoint and the second image of the photographing target taken from the second viewpoint based on the reference coordinate-difference values; and correcting the registration result based on the parallax registration-error values.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an image registration method, and more particularly, to an image registration method of a camera system for registering a second image from a second camera to a first image from a first camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, registration and fusion are necessary to change two images of the same photographing target into one image. The registration is a process for matching the positions of the same photographing target of two images with each other. The fusion is a process for adjusting the gradation of two original images with respect to a registration result.
A related art image registration method of a stereo camera system is summarized as follows.
A first reference image is obtained by photographing a reference photographing target at a reference distance by a first camera. Also, a second reference image is obtained by photographing the reference photographing target by a second camera.
Next, reference coordinate-difference values are obtained, which indicate difference of coordinates of corresponding pixels between the first reference image and the second reference image.
Then, the reference coordinate-difference values are used to obtain a registration result with respect to a photographing target. For example, the reference coordinate-difference values are used to set a two-dimensional (2D) homography matrix as a reference registration algorithm, and the 2D homography matrix is used to obtain a registration result with respect to a photographing target.
However, the conventional image registration method has a problem that an image registration accuracy is degraded depending on panning, tilting, and zooming states of a stereo camera.
Information disclosed in this Background section is known to the inventors before or during conception of the exemplary embodiments. Therefore, it may contain information that was not known to the public in this country at the time of conception.