A diverter (60) is provided, which is of low cost and which is effective in more evenly distributing exhaust gasses passing from a small diameter upstream exhaust gas pipe section (42) into a much larger diameter catalytic converter assembly (20). The diverter includes a diverter element (70) and mounting brackets (72). The diverter element has a central hole (82) and has conical walls with an included angle of at least 70xc2x0, the conical walls having a plurality of holes (90). The large conical angle (G) of the diverter effectively directs exhaust gases to the periphery of the large diameter catalytic converter but blocks a radially intermediate portion of the catalyst, while the holes in the conical diverter walls allow sufficient exhaust gases to reach the radially intermediate portion of the catalyst.

The exhaust systems of vehicles generally include a small diameter exhaust pipe section extending from an exhaust manifold to a catalytic converter of much greater diameter, with a conical transition pipe section connecting the downstream end of the small diameter pipe to the upstream end of the catalytic converter. To better distribute exhaust gases over the larger diameter catalytic converter, a diverter may be placed in the conical transition pipe section. Several different diverter designs have been proposed, but they have generally been of more than minimal cost and have not effectively distributed exhaust gasses evenly throughout the cross-section of the catalyst. A low cost diverter that evenly distributed exhaust gasses from the small diameter upstream pipe section to the much larger diameter catalytic converter, would be value.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an engine and a diverter for the exhaust conduit assembly of the engine are provided, which enables a more uniform distribution of exhaust gasses over the cross-section of the catalytic converter, using a diverter of very low cost. The diverter lies in a conical outer transition pipe section that connects the small diameter upstream pipe section to the much large diameter catalytic converter-holding pipe section. The diverter has conical diverter walls with an included angle of at least 70xc2x0, to divert considerable exhaust gasses to the peripheral portion of the catalytic converter. The diverter has a central hole to allow some of the exhaust gasses to flow to the center portion of the catalytic converter. The conical diverter walls have holes that allow considerable exhaust gasses to flow to an intermediate portion of the converter which lies between the central portion and peripheral portion.


An imaging system for measuring water and blood lipid content in a tissue sample includes a light source configured to emit a plurality of sequential wavelengths of light within a predetermined range of wavelengths, a spatial modulation device configured to direct each of the plurality of sequential wavelengths of light onto a tissue sample plane to generate a first plurality of patterns on the issue sample plane at a first spatial frequency and a second plurality of patterns on the tissue sample plane at a second spatial frequency, an imaging device configured to generate first image data reproducible as images the first plurality of patterns and second image data reproducible as images the second plurality of patterns, and a controller configured to determine a first optical property and a second optical property for each location on the sample plane.

Between about 60% to 80% of the human body comprises water and lipids, which are important for proper cellular function. Alterations in the water and/or lipid content in tissue is associated with many adverse health conditions, such as, for example, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, diabetes, and many cancers. For example, lipid heterogeneity in a tumor is a relevant biomarker for cancer diagnosis. Clinical assessment of water and lipid levels in tissue often utilizes magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI"), which can generate tomographic images of water and lipids with T1 and T2 weighted scans. However, the use of MRIs to assess water and lipid levels in most clinical applications is often limited by the high costs of MRIs. Moreover, MRI images can only provide a semi-quantitative assessment of water and lipid levels. It would be advantageous to provide systems and methods capable of providing quantitative measurements of water and lipids in in-in vivo tissue to support the study and clinical assessment of a wide variety of health conditions. The present disclosure is directed to solving these and other problems.

Systems and methods for measuring water and lipid content in tissue samples


The present disclosure provides for methods of fabricating a semiconductor device and such a device. A method includes providing a substrate including at least two isolation features, forming a fin substrate above the substrate and between the at least two isolation features, forming a silicon liner over the fin substrate, and oxidizing the silicon liner to form a silicon oxide liner over the fin substrate.

Variations of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) structures have been explored for improvement in manufacturability and performance. One variation has been known as a "finFET", which includes a strip or "fin" of a material, such as silicon, and a gate formed to surround the fin on three exposed sides. The channel region of the device is located in the fin, and typically a gate dielectric is provided between the fin and the gate.
Conventional gate dielectrics for finFETS have been fabricated using high temperature wet or dry thermal oxidation. However, this method disadvantageously consumes large amounts of silicon, which is a challenge as finFETS have limited substrate space and product dimension shrinks to increasingly smaller nodes.

Taiwan Semconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


To provide a control device, control method, and surgical system that can further improve safety. Provided is the control device including: a driving control unit (146) configured to control driving of an arm unit (112) that supports a medical instrument (111); a region setting unit (142) configured to set an intrusion appropriateness region for which appropriateness of intrusion of the medical instrument or the arm unit is determined in a space on a basis of a peripheral image showing a peripheral state of the medical instrument or the arm unit; an intrusion determination unit (144) configured to determine presence/absence of intrusion of the medical instrument or the arm unit into the intrusion appropriateness region when the driving control unit controls driving of the arm unit in accordance with a non-contact operation by a user with respect to the arm unit; and an action instruction unit (145) configured to cause an intrusion hindering action for hindering intrusion of the medical instrument or the arm unit into the intrusion appropriateness region to be executed in accordance with a determination result of the intrusion determination unit.

In recent years, support arm devices for supporting inspection and surgery have been used in the medical field. For example, a method in which an arm unit of a support arm device supports an observation instrument such as an endoscope or a microscope for enlarging and observing an operating site and a doctor performs inspection or surgery while viewing an image photographed by the observation instrument has been proposed. Alternatively, another method in which a treatment instrument such as a forceps or a retractor is provided at a tip of an arm unit and a support arm device is caused to support or operate the treatment instrument, which was performed manually in the past, has also be proposed. Note that an observation instrument, a treatment instrument, and the like provided at a tip of an arm unit of a support arm device will be collectively referred to as medical instruments in the following description. In addition, the support arm device having the tip of the arm unit at which such an observation instrument is provided will also be referred to as an observation device in the following description.
In addition, support systems targeting surgery using such support arm devices have been developed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a support system for a surgical system which supports medical instruments with a manipulator to perform surgery by operating the manipulator. In the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a user sets a region or a route in an operating site within which a medical instrument is allowed to operate on the basis of three-dimensional information of the operating site of a patient photographed with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. In addition, during surgery, a position of the medical instrument is sensed and a warning is issued in a case in which the medical instrument deviates from the set region or route. According to this technology, it is expected that a situation in which the medical instrument inadvertently comes in contact with a part of the body of the patient can be avoided and thus safer surgery can be realized.
In the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 1, however, the region or route is set on the basis of the three-dimensional information of the operating site of the patient photographed with the MRI device beforehand. Since there are cases in which an actual situation inside the body cavity of a patient at the time of surgery does not necessarily match three-dimensional information thereof based on information acquired before the surgery, in such a case, there is concern of no warning effectively working and safety not being satisfactorily secured in the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 1. In addition, in the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 1, only prevention of contact of the medical instrument supported by the manipulator (i.e., an arm unit) with the body of the patient is considered. On the other hand, in the actual field of surgery, contact of an arm unit with a nearby object (e.g., a drape of a patient, a mayo instrument stand (a surgical instrument table), medical staff, a surgical device, etc.) may also occur when the arm unit is moved through a user operation. When such contact occurs, it obstructs movement of the arm unit, which makes surgery difficult to execute smoothly. Therefore, in order to realize safer surgery, it is necessary to also consider contact of the arm unit with a nearby object.
Meanwhile, with respect to industrial multi-articulated robot devices used in product assembly, welding work, painting work performed in factories and the like, for example, technologies for avoiding interference of nearby obstacles with arm units have been developed. Patent Literature 2, for example, discloses a method of a multi-articulated robot device with an arm unit having redundant degrees of freedom to control driving of the arm unit such that interference can be avoided with a position and a posture of an end effector provided at a tip of the arm unit fixed. By applying the interference avoiding technology for industrial multi-articulated robot devices, like the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 2, to driving control of a medical support arm device, there is a possibility of realization of safer surgery.

Control device, control method, and surgical system


A single-component composition for repairing, protecting or sealing teeth comprising a polymerizable resin, a flavoring agent, wherein the flavoring agent is a non-oil containing natural flavoring agent, or an artificial flavoring agent, an ultraviolet light absorber, a curing system, and optionally a filler.

Patient comfort is important to both the individual patient being treated and the dental professional performing the treatment. More particularly, when the patient is a child, a patient that is comfortable and relaxed is much less likely to move in a manner so as to make the treatment more difficult for the dental professional to perform. Additionally, a comfortable patient is more likely to take the direction of the dental professional during the treatment, and further, to adhere to any prescribed regimens post-treatment. However, although many new materials and/or procedures have been provided, or existing materials and procedures improved, that enhance patient comfort, i.e., such as improvements in anesthetic materials and the development of more comfortable tooth preparation procedures, there still exist areas within the field of dentistry in which patient comfort could be further enhanced or optimized.
Many of the materials used by the dental professional are not pleasing to the sensory palate. The materials are bitter tasting and smelling and leave an unpleasant aftertaste in the patient's mouth, which may be particularly problematic when the patient being treated is a child. Many children are treated with pit and fissure sealants having an offensive odor and flavor, creating discomfort to the child during the application of the sealant.
In order to enhance the patient's experience, and in keeping with the general trend of making dentistry more acceptable for patients, it would be desirable to at least reduce or eliminate the unpleasant flavor associated with sealant materials, and would be even more desirable to provide such materials with a pleasant flavor while also beneficially imparting such materials with a pleasing aroma. It would be beneficial to provide a one-component sealant for ease and simplicity of application.


Generally described, aspects of the disclosed subject matter are directed to managing the configuration of a vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of modifying the configuration of a vehicle based on the vehicle's location is provided. The method includes receiving, from a remote Satellite Positioning System (“SPS”) device, positioning data that identifies the location of the vehicle. Then, the positioning data is used to identify one or more regulations that are applicable, given the location of the vehicle. Based on collected vehicle readings, a determination is made regarding whether the configuration of the vehicle should be modified. In turn, the method may cause the configuration of the vehicle to be modified to comply with the one or more regulations.

Increasingly, electronic components are being relied upon to facilitate the operation of a vehicle. These electronic components aid in the development of sophisticated vehicle subsystems such as collision detection, automated cruise control, global positioning navigation, and the like. In this regard, systems have been developed that allow electronic components in a vehicle to communicate in accordance with standard protocols. For example, a controller which may have been developed by an engine manufacturer may encapsulate and transmit data in accordance with a standard protocol. A cab-mounted vehicle controller developed by a different entity may receive and process the transmitted engine data. Since standard communication protocols exist, components made by different manufacturers are able to communicate. As a result of these and other advancements, an increasing amount of information generated by various vehicle systems may be monitored by a vehicle operator.
The increased availability of information allows a vehicle operator to more readily monitor vehicle conditions while driving. For example, tire pressure sensors may report readings that are presented on a dashboard display, thereby preventing a vehicle operator from having to manually check tire pressure. However, the increased availability of information can make operating the vehicle more complex and potentially distracting. In this regard, a vehicle operator may need to monitor multiple vehicle systems in order to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (i.e., speed limits, weight restrictions, emission standards, lighting requirements, etc.). One deficiency of existing systems is the lack of automated assistance for configuring and operating a vehicle to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements that may vary depending on the vehicle's location.


A chip coil wherein the coil wound around the core is enclosed with a sleeve core. The upper surfaces of the core and the sleeve core are ground so as to adjust the inductance of the chip coil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chip coil, and more specifically to an improved chip coil so as to prevent electromagnetic interference from scattering.
2. Description of Related Art
With regard to a chip coil for an oscillation circuit of an oscillator, it is a well-known way of preventing electromagnetic interference from scattering to enclose the coil with a sleeve core made of a magnetic material. In this case, the inductance (L) becomes 3.5 to 4 times, that is, more than 0.5 .mu.H/mm.sup.3 T, and the quality factor (Q) becomes more than 100.
However, such chip coils varies in inductance (L) to about 30% depending on the accuracy on the sizes of the parts and the errors in putting the parts together, and consequently it is necessary to provide a variable type of condenser for an oscillation circuit in parallel to such a chip coil. Hence, here comes a problem that the costs of parts and adjustments increase.


A method of making a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) brake component may include the steps of applying a pressure to a mixture comprising ceramic powder and chopped fibers, pulsing an electrical discharge across the mixture to generate a pulsed plasma between particles of the ceramic powder, increasing a temperature applied to the mixture using direct heating to generate the CMC brake component, and reducing the temperature and the pressure applied to the CMC brake component. The ceramic powder may have a micrometer powder size or a nanometer powder size, and the chopped fibers may have an interphase coating.

Carbon/carbon (C/C) composites are used in the aerospace industry for aircraft brake heat sink materials. Silicon carbide (SiC) based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) have found use as brake materials in automotive and locomotive applications. These composites are typically produced using one or more of these three main methods: chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), melt infiltration (MI), and polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP). However, each of these CMC fabrication methods has limitations. The processing time for both CVI and PIP, for example, can extend well over 100 hours. MI generated CMCs tend to contain residual silicon, which limits upper use temperature. Thus, existing processes typically run too long and/or have imprecise stoichiometric control for aerospace.

Rapid ceramic matrix composite fabrication of aircraft brakes via field assisted sintering


A system for performing encryption and/or decryption may include a parent cryptographic device. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to receive a first cryptographic key. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to determine one or more session keys based on the first cryptographic key and/or internally generated random data bits. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to insert the one or more session keys onto one or more child cryptographic devices that are operably connected to the parent cryptographic device. The one or more child cryptographic devices may be configured to receive the one or more session keys from the parent cryptographic device, and perform one or more of encryption or decryption of communications exchanged with another child cryptographic device of the one or more child cryptographic devices. The one or more child cryptographic devices may perform encryption/decryption after separation from the parent cryptographic device.

Information systems that communicate sensitive information may require high levels of security. For example, when peers communicate data over a transmission medium and/or communication network (e.g., wireless communication, exchanging Internet Protocol (IP) packets over the Internet, etc.) there may be a risk that a third party (e.g., an adversary) could intercept the communication and obtain access to the data included in the message. If the data being communicated is highly sensitive in nature, such a breach or exploit may comprise valuable information and/or resources.
To prevent unauthorized snooping of communications sent over various types of communication networks, cryptographic techniques may be utilized in order to encode the information in such a manner that it is difficult for parties other than the intended recipient to understand the information being communicated. For example, cryptography may be used to in order to ensure the confidentiality of transmissions, maintain data integrity, authenticate message senders and/or recipients, and/or provide non-repudiation services. Examples of cryptographic applications include computer passwords (e.g., authentication), encryption/decryption techniques, data integrity checks, etc.
As an example, military aircraft may communicate with other aircraft, ground personnel, and/or other equipment. In order to prevent an adversary from intercepting the communications—which may include sensitive data regarding mission details, personnel locations, etc.—the communications may be encrypted prior to being sent over-the-air (OTA). With the emergence of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs), the size of some aircraft used to assist the warfighter have become relatively small (e.g., some as small as one kilogram or less). Further there are often power constraints that limit the power available to electronics on such aircraft. It can be difficult to use legacy encryption/decryption techniques under such size and power conditions.

Cryptographic device with detachable data planes


The present invention provides a macroporous hyperhydroxy polymer formed from a monomer mixture of substantially similar fractions of functional acrylic monomers which are combined to form a compound having a polymer skeleton which provides a high number of hydroxyl sites. The result is a material which, when hydrated, has a pore size relative to oxygen and water which provides a high ratio of free water to bound water. When formed into contact lenses, the material exhibits oxygen permeability approaching that of a static layer of tears of equal thickness and water contents of 95% or greater. The polymer is also suitable for use as burn dressings, bandages, soil hydratants, surface treatments, lubricants and coatings, absorbents, transport membranes and the like.

Hydrophilic polymers having suitable properties for soft contact lenses have been produced in the past by crosslinking major amounts of a single hydroxyethyl methacrylate with a diester crosslinking agent. Those polymers typically exhibit water contents of 50 to 80% by weight when fully hydrated.
It is preferred that hydrophilic contact lens materials have as high a water content as possible so that tear exchange is not limited and corneal respiration is maintained as close to uninterrupted as possible. At the same time, the lens material must have sufficient strength to resist tearing during manufacture and insertion as well as not dissolving under use.
Since oxygen permeability is dependent on the water content of the lens, a greater water content results in increased permeability and, thereby, greater respiration. However, increasing water content requires that the porosity and water holding quality of the hydrophilic polymer be increased which normally results in a decrease in the physical strength of the polymer.
The present invention has determined that a macroporous hyperhydroxy polymer exhibiting a significantly increased water holding capability can be produced from a monomer mixture comprising substantially similar fractions of functional acrylic monomers with a minimum amount of a polymerization initiator. The resulting polymer has a crosslinked skeleton with a pore size of at least 90 .ANG. and a high ratio of free water to solid when hydrated. Water contents of 95% to 99.75% are possible while maintaining sufficient integrity of structure to permit practical use as a material for contact lenses and other uses.

Macroporous hyperhydroxy polymer and articles made therefrom


Proposed are a power factor correction device and its control method capable of obtaining a stable output as the output of a power supply unit while simplifying and miniaturizing the configuration. In the power factor correction device and the control method thereof including a coil and a switching element, and a control unit for controlling ON/OFF of the switching element, provided are an input voltage detection unit for detecting an input voltage of the power factor correction device, an output voltage detection unit for detecting an output voltage, and a coil current detection unit for detecting a coil current that is generated in the coil pursuant to the ON/OFF operation of the switching element. The control unit predicts an OFF time of the switching element of each switching cycle for controlling the switching element in a critical mode based on a voltage value of the input voltage detected with the input voltage detection unit, a voltage value of the output voltage detected with the output voltage detection unit, and a current value of the coil current detected with the coil current detection unit, and controls the ON/OFF of the switching element based on the prediction result.

The present invention relates to a power factor correction device and its control method and, for example, can be suitably applied to a switching power supply unit of an AC/DC converter or the like.
Conventionally, as a power supply unit, broadly used is a type with a power factor collection circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "PFC (Power Factor Correction) circuit") configured from a choke coil, a switching element and a capacitor disposed at the subsequent stage of a full wave rectification circuit for outputting an absolute value of a commercial AC (refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-288892).
This type of PFC circuit generates a triangle wavelike coil current in the choke coil by subjecting the switching element to ON/OFF operation at a high frequency, performs rectification smoothing to the coil current with a capacitor, corrects the input current to a sine wave of the same phase as the input voltage, and thereby outputs the same.

Power factor correction device and method with off time prediction for critical mode operation

Hitachi Information & Telecommunication Engineering, Ltd.


A cardiac pressure monitoring device includes a fixation member defining a central opening to facilitate slidably positioning the fixation device about a pacemaker lead wire. At least one sensor is coupled to the fixation member. The at least one sensor is configured to sense a physical, chemical, and/or physiological parameter within a cardiac chamber.

This disclosure relates generally to a cardiac pressure monitoring device for use with cardiac intervention systems including, without limitation, pacemakers and defibrillators and, more particularly, to a cardiac pressure monitoring device having at least one pressure sensor located at a predefined radial distance from a center of a lead wire for the cardiac intervention device.
The medical industry has been performing an increasing number of cardiac intervention system implants on patients, the first such case arising in 1958. Since that first initial pacemaker implant numerous other heart controlling and monitoring devices have been developed. These devices work on the principle of placing leads either in one ventricle or two ventricles of the heart. These leads are implanted into the tissue of the heart muscle and sense electrical pulses of the muscle or transmit electrical pulses to the muscle. Although these devices work well for their intended use, it may be desirable to utilize the devices to obtain diagnostic data including physical, chemical, and/or physiological parameter or variable measurements.


An improved forward error correction (FEC) technique for coding speech data provides an encoder module which primary-encodes an input speech signal using a primary synthesis model to produce primary-encoded data, and redundant-encodes the input speech signal using a redundant synthesis model to produce redundant-encoded data. A packetizer combines the primary-encoded data and the redundant-encoded data into a series of packets and transmits the packets over a packet-based network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. A decoding module primary-decodes the packets using the primary synthesis model, and redundant-decodes the packets using the redundant synthesis model. The technique provides interaction between the primary synthesis model and the redundant synthesis model during and after decoding to improve the quality of a synthesized output speech signal. Such xe2x80x9cinteraction,xe2x80x9d for instance, may take the form of updating states in one model using the other model.

The present invention relates to a system and method for performing forward error correction in the transmission of audio information, and more particularly, to a system and method for performing forward error correction in packet-based transmission of speech-coded information.
The shortcomings of state-of-the-art forward error correction (FEC) techniques can best be appreciated by an introductory discussion of some conventional speech coding concepts.
1.1 Code-Excited Linear Predictive (CELP) Coding
FIG. 1 shows a conventional code-excited linear predictive (CELP) analysis-by-synthesis encoder 100. The encoder 100 includes functional units designated as framing module 104, linear prediction coding (LPC) analysis module 106, difference calculating module 118, error weighting module 114, error minimization module 116, and decoder module 102. The decoder module 102, in turn, includes a fixed codebook 112, a long-term predictor (LTP) filter 110, and a linear predictor coding (LPC) filter 108 connected together in cascaded relationship to produce a synthesized signal ŝ(n). The LPC filter 108 models the short-term correlation in the speech attributed to the vocal tracts, corresponding to the spectral envelope of the speech signal. It is be represented by:                                           1            /                          A                                            (                z                )                                              =                      1            /                          (                              1                -                                                      ∑                                          i                      =                      1                                        p                                                                          xe2x80x83                                                                                a                      i                                                                                z                                              -                        i                                                                                )                                      ,                            (                  Eq          .                      xe2x80x83                              1                )
where p denotes the filter order and ai denotes the filter coefficients. The LTP filter 110, on the other hand, models the long-term correlation of the speech attributed to the vocal cords, corresponding to the fine periodic-like spectral structure of the speech signal. For example, it can have the form given by:                                           1            /                          P                                            (                z                )                                              =                      1            /                          (                              1                -                                                      ∑                                          i                      =                                              -                        1                                                              1                                                                          xe2x80x83                                                                                b                      i                                                                                z                                              -                                                  (                                                      D                            +                            i                                                    )                                                                                )                                      ,                            (                  Eq          .                      xe2x80x83                              2                )
where D generally corresponds to the pitch period of the long-term correlation, and bi pertains to the filter""s long-term gain coefficients. The fixed codebook 112 stores a series of excitation input sequences. The sequences provide excitation signals to the LTP filter 110 and LPC filter 108, and are useful in modeling characteristics of the speech signal which cannot be predicted with deterministic methods using the LTP filter 110 and LPC filter 108, such as audio components within music, to some degree.
In operation, the framing module 104 receives an input speech signal and divides it into successive frames (e.g., 20 ms in duration). Then, the LPC analysis module 106 receives and analyzes a frame to generate a set of LPC coefficients. These coefficients are used by the LPC filter 108 to model the short-term characteristics of the speech signal corresponding to its spectral envelope. An LPC residual can then be formed by feeding the input speech signal through an inverse filter including the calculated LPC coefficients. This residual, shown in FIG. 2, represents a component of the original speech signal that remains after removal of the short-term redundancy by linear predictive analysis. The distance between two pitch pulses is denoted xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d and is called the lag. The encoder 100 can then use the residual to predict the long-term coefficients. These long-term coefficients are used by the LTP filter 110 to model the fine spectral structure of the speech signal (such as pitch delay and pitch gain). Taken together, the LTP filter 110 and the LPC filter 108 form a cascaded filter which models the long-term and short-term characteristics of the speech signal. When driven by an excitation sequence from the fixed codebook 112, the cascaded filter generates the synthetic speech signal ŝ(n) which represents a reconstructed version of the original speech signal s(n).
The encoder 100 selects an optimum excitation sequence by successively generating a series of synthetic speech signals ŝ(n), successively comparing the synthetic speech signals ŝ(n) with the original speech signals s(n), and successively adjusting the operational parameters of the decoder module 102 to minimize the difference between ŝ(n) and s(n). More specifically, the difference calculating module 118 forms the difference (i.e., the error signal e(n)) between the original speech signal s(n) and the synthetic speech signal ŝ(n). An error weighting module 114 receives the error signal e(n) and generates a weighted error signal ew(n) based on perceptual weighting factors. The error minimization module 116 uses a search procedure to adjust the operational parameters of the speech decoder 102 such that it produces a synthesized signal ŝ(n) which is closest to the original signal s(n) as possible.
Upon arriving at an optimum synthesized signal ŝ(n), relevant encoder parameters are transferred over a transmission medium (not shown) to a decoder site (not shown). A decoder at the decoder site includes an identical construction to the decoder module 102 of the encoder 100. The decoder uses the transferred parameters to reproduce the optimized synthesized signal ŝ(n) calculated in the encoder 100. For instance, the encoder 100 can transfer codebook indices representing the location of the optimal excitation signal in the fixed codebook 112, together with relevant filter parameters or coefficients (e.g., the LPC and LTP parameters). The transfer of the parameters in lieu of a more direct representation of the input speech signal provides notable reduction in the bandwidth required to transmit speech information.
FIG. 3 shows a modification of the analysis-by-synthesis encoder 100 shown in FIG. 1. The encoder 300 shown in FIG. 3 includes a framing module 304, LPC analysis module 306, LPC filter 308, difference calculating module 318, error weighting module 314, error minimization module 316, and fixed codebook 312. Each of these units generally corresponds to the like-named parts shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, however, the LTP filter 110 is replaced by the adaptive codebook 320. Further, an adder module 322 adds the excitation signals output from the adaptive codebook 320 and the fixed codebook 312.
The encoder 300 functions basically in the same manner as the encoder 100 of FIG. 1. In the encoder 300, however, the adaptive codebook 320 models the long-term characteristics of the speech signal. Further, the excitation signal applied to the LPC filter 308 represents a summation of an adaptive codebook 320 entry and a fixed codebook 312 entry.
1.2 GSM Enhanced Full Rate Coding (GSM-EFR)
The prior art provides numerous specific implementations of the above-described CELP design. One such implementation is the GSM Enhanced Full Rate (GSM-EFR) speech transcoding standard described in the European Telecommunication Standard Institute""s (ETSI) xe2x80x9cGlobal System for Mobile Communications: Digital Cellular Telecommunications Systems: Enhanced full Rate (EFR) Speech Transcoding (GSM 06.60),xe2x80x9d November 1996, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The GSM-EFR standard models the short-term properties of the speech signal using:                                           H                                      (              z              )                                =                                    1              /                                                A                  ^                                                                  (                  z                  )                                                      =                          1              /                              (                                  1                  +                                                            ∑                                              i                        =                        1                                            m                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                                a                          ^                                                i                                                                                z                                                  -                          i                                                                                )                                                    ,                            (                  Eq          .                      xe2x80x83                              3                )
where xc3xa2i represents the quantified linear prediction parameters. The standard models the long-term features of the speech signal with:
1/B(z)=1/(1xe2x88x92gpzxe2x88x92T)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 4),
where T pertains to the pitch delay and gp pertains to the pitch gain. An adaptive codebook implements the pitch synthesis. Further, the GSM-EFR standard uses a perceptual weighting filter defined by:
W(z)=(A(z/xcex31))/(A(z/xcex32))xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 5),
where A(z) defines the unquantized LPC filter, and xcex31 and xcex32 represent perceptual weighting factors. Finally, the GSM-EFR standard uses adaptive and fixed (innovative) codebooks to provide an excitation signal. In particular, the fixed codebook forms an algebraic codebook structured based on an interleaved single-pulse permutation (ISPP) design. The excitation vectors consist of a fixed number of mathematically calculated pulses different from zero. An excitation is specified by selected pulse positions and signs within the codebook.
In operation, the GSM-EFR encoder divides the input speech signal into 20 ms frames, which, in turn, are divided into four 5 ms subframes. The encoder then performs LPC analysis twice per frame. More specifically, the GSM-EFR encoder uses an auto-correlation approach with 30 ms asymmetric windows to calculate the short-term parameters. No look-ahead is employed in the LPC analysis. Look-ahead refers to the use of samples from a future frame in performing analysis.
Each LP coefficient is then converted to Linear Spectral Pair (LSP) representation for quantization and interpolation using an LSP predictor. LSP analysis maps the filter coefficients onto a unit circle in the range of xe2x88x92xcfx80 to xcfx80 to produce Line Spectral Frequency (LSF) values. The use of LSF values provides better robustness and stability against bit errors compared to the use of LPC values. Further, the use of LSF values enables a more efficient quantization of information compared to the use of LPC values. GSM-EFR specifically uses the following predictor equation to calculate a residual that is then quantized:
xe2x80x83LSFres=LSFxe2x88x92LSFmeanxe2x88x92predFactorxc2x7LSFprev,resxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 6).
The term LSFres refers to an LSF residual vector for a frame n. The quantity (LSFxe2x88x92LSFmean) defines a mean-removed LSF vector at frame n. The term (predFactorxc2x7LSFprev,res) refers to a predicted LSF vector at frame n, wherein predFactor refers to a prediction factor constant and LSFprev,res refers to a second residual vector from the past frame (i.e., frame nxe2x88x921). The decoder uses the inverse process, as per Eq. 7 below:
LSF=LSFres+LSFmean+predFactorxc2x7LSFprev,resxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 7).
To achieve the predicted result, the previous residual LSFprev,res in the decoder must have the correct value. After reconstruction, the coefficients are converted into direct filter form, and used when synthesizing the speech.
The encoder then executes so-called open-loop pitch analysis to estimate the pitch lag in each half of the frame (every 10 ms) based on the perceptually weighted speech signal. Thereafter, the encoder performs a number of operations on each subframe. More specifically, the encoder computes a target signal x(n) by subtracting the zero input response of the weighted synthesis filter W(z)H(z) from the weighted speech signal. Then the encoder computes an impulse response h(n) of the weighted synthesis filter. The encoder uses the impulse response h(n) to perform so-called closed-loop analysis to find pitch lag and gain. Closed-loop search analysis involves minimizing the mean-square weighted error between the original and synthesized speech. The closed-loop search uses the open-loop lag computation as an initial estimate. Thereafter, the encoder updates the target signal x(n) by removing adaptive codebook contribution, and the encoder uses the resultant target to find an optimum innovation vector within the algebraic codebook. The relevant parameters of the codebooks are then scalar quantified using a codebook predictor and the filter memories are updated using the determined excitation signal for finding the target signal in the next subframe.
The encoder transmits two sets of LSP coefficients (comprising 38 bits), pitch delay parameters (comprising 30 bits), pitch gain parameters (comprising 16 bits), algebraic code parameters (comprising 140 bits), and codebook gain parameters (comprising 20 bits). The decoder receives these parameters and reconstructs the synthesized speech by duplicating the encoder conditions represented by the transmitted parameters.
1.3 Error Concealment (EC) in GSM-EFR Coding
The European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) proposes error concealment for use in GSM-EFR in xe2x80x9cDigital Cellular Telecommunications System: Substitution and Muting of Lost Frames for Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) Speech Traffic Channels (GSM 06.61),xe2x80x9d version 5.1.2, April 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The referenced standard proposes an exemplary state machine having seven states, 0 through 6. A Bad Frame Indication (BFI) flag indicates whether the current speech frame contains an error (state=0 for no errors, and state=1 for errors). A Previous Bad Frame Indication (PrevBFI) flag indicates whether the previous speech frame contained errors (state=0 for no errors, and state=1 for errors). State 0 corresponds to a state in which both the current and past frames contain no errors (i.e., BFI=0, PrevBFI=0). The machine advances to state 1 when an error is detected in the current frame. (The error can be detected using an 8-bit cyclic redundancy check on the frame). The state machine successively advances to higher states (up to the maximum state of 6) upon the detection of further errors in subsequent frames. When a good (i.e., error-free) frame is detected, the state machine reverts back to state 0, unless the state machine is currently in state 6, in which case it reverts back to state 5.
The decoder performs different error concealment operations depending on the state and values of flags BFI and PrevBFI. The condition BFI=0 and PrevBFI=0 (within state 0) pertains to the receipt of two consecutive error-free frames. In this condition, the decoder processes speech parameters in the typical manner set forth in the GSM-EFR 6.60 standard. The decoder then saves the current frame of speech parameters.
The condition BFI=0 and PrevBFI=1 (within states 0 or 5) pertains to the receipt of an error-free frame after receiving a xe2x80x9cbadxe2x80x9d frame. In this condition, the decoder limits the LTP gain and fixed codebook gain to the values used for the last received good subframe. In other words, if the value of the current LTP gain (gp) is equal to or less than the last good LTP gain received, then the current LTP gain is used. However, if the value of the current LTP gain is larger than the last good LTP gain received, then the value of the last LTP gain is used in place of the current LTP gain. The value for the gain of the fixed codebook is adjusted in a similar manner.
The condition BFI=1 (within any states 1 to 6, and PrevBFI=either 0 or 1) indicates that an error has been detected in the current frame. In this condition, the current LTP gain is replaced by the following gain:
gP=xcex1state(n)xc2x7gP(xe2x88x921) if gP(xe2x88x921)xe2x89xa6median, else
gP=xcex1state(n)xc2x7median if gP(xe2x88x921) greater than median,xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 8)
where gp designates the gain of the LTP filter, xcex1state(n) designates an attenuation coefficient which has a successively greater attenuating effect with increase in state n (e.g., xcex1state(1)=0.98, whereas xcex1state(6)=0.20), xe2x80x9cmedianxe2x80x9d designates the median of the gp values for the last five subframes, and gp (xe2x88x921) designates the previous subframe. The value for the gain of the fixed codebook is adjusted in a similar manner.
In the above-described state (i.e., when BFI=1), the decoder also updates the codebook gain in memory by using the average value of the last four values in memory. Furthermore, the decoder shifts the past LSFs toward their mean, i.e.:
xe2x80x83LSFxe2x80x94q1(i)=LSFxe2x80x94q2(i)=xcex2xc2x7pastxe2x80x94LSFxe2x80x94q(i)+(1xe2x88x92xcex2)xc2x7meanxe2x80x94LSF(i)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Eq. 9),
where LSF_q1(i) and LSF_q2(i) are two vectors from the current frame, xcex2 is a constant (e.g., 0.95), past_LSF_q(i) is the value of LSF_q2 from the previous frame, and mean_LSF(i) is the average LSF value. Still further, the decoder replaces the LTP-lag values by the past lag value from the 4th subframe. And finally, the fixed codebook excitation pulses received by the decoder are used as such from the erroneous frame.
1.4 Vocoders
FIG. 4 shows another type of speech decoder, the LPC-based vocoder 400. In this decoder, the LPC residual is created from noise vector 404 (for unvoiced sounds) or a static pulse form 406 (for voiced speech). A gain module 406 scales the residual to a desired level. The output of the gain module is supplied to an LPC filter block including LPC filter 408, having an exemplary function defined by:                                                         A                                            (                z                )                                      =                                          ∑                                  i                  =                  1                                n                                                          xe2x80x83                                                                            a                  i                                                                  z                                      -                    i                                                                                )                ,                            (                  Eq          .                      xe2x80x83                              10                )
where ai designates the coefficients of the filter which can be computed by minimizing the mean square of the prediction error. One known vocoder is designated as xe2x80x9cLPC-10.xe2x80x9d This decoder was developed for the U.S. military to provide low bit-rate communication. The LPC-10 vocoder uses 22.5 ms frames, corresponding to 54 bits/frame equal and 2.4 kbits/s.
In operation, the LPC-10 encoder (not shown) makes a voicing decision to use either the pulse train or the noise signal. In the LPC-10, this can be performed by forming a low-pass filtered version of the sampled input signal. The decision is based on the energy of the signal, maximum-to-minimum ratio of the signal, and the number of zero crossings of the signal. Voicing decisions are made for each half of the current frame, and the final voicing decision is based on these two half-frame decisions and the decisions from the next two frames.
The pitch is determined from a low-pass and inverse-filtered signal. The pitch gain is determined from the root mean square value (RMS) of the signal. Relevant parameters characterizing the coding are quantized, sent to the decoder, and used to produce a synthesized signal in the decoder. More particularly, this coding technique provides coding with ten coefficients.
The vocoder 400 uses a simpler synthesis model than the GSM-EFR technique and accordingly uses less bits than the GSM-EFR technique to represent the speech, which, however, results in inferior quality. The low bit-rate makes vocoders suitable as redundant encoders for speech (to be described below). Vocoders work well modeling voiced and unvoiced speech, but do not accurately handle plosives (representing complete closure and subsequent release of a vocal tract obstruction) and non-speech information (e.g., music).
Further details on conventional speech coding can be gleaned from the book Digital Speech: Coding for Low Bit Rate Communication Systems, A. M. Kondoz, 1994, John Wiley and Sons, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Once coded, a communication system can transfer speech in a variety of formats. Packet-based networks transfer the audio data in a series of discrete packets.
Packet-based traffic can be subject to high packet loss ratios, jitter and reordering. Forward error correction (FEC) is one technique for addressing the problem of lost packets. Generally, FEC involves transmitting redundant information along with the coded speech. The decoder attempts to use the redundant information to reconstruct lost packets. Media-independent FEC techniques add redundant information based on the bits within the audio stream (independent of higher-level knowledge of the characteristics of the speech stream). On the other hand, media-dependent FEC techniques add redundant information based on the characteristics of the speech stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,412 to Schuster et al. describes one media-independent technique. This method appends a single forward error correction code to each of a series of payload packets. The error correction code is defined by taking the XOR sum of a preceding specified number of payload packets. A receiver can reconstruct a lost payload from the redundant error correction codes carried by succeeding packets, and can also correct for the loss of multiple packets in a row. This technique has the disadvantage of using a variable delay. Further, the XOR result must be of the same size as the largest payload used in the calculation.
FIG. 5 shows an overview of a media-based FEC technique. The encoder module 502 includes a primary encoder 508 and a redundant encoder 510. A packetizer 516 receives the output of the primary encoder 508 and the redundant encoder 510, and, in turn, sends its output over transmission medium 506. A decoder module 504 includes primary decoder 512 and redundant decoder 514. The output of the primary decoder 512 and redundant decoder 514 is controlled by control logic 518.
In operation, the primary encoder 508 generates primary-encoded data using a primary synthesis model. The redundant encoder 510 generates redundant-encoded data using a redundant synthesis model. The redundant synthesis model typically provides a more heavily-compressed version of the speech than the primary synthesis model (e.g., having a consequent lower bandwidth and lower quality). For instance, one known approach uses PCM-encoded data as primary-encoded speech, and LPC-encoded data as redundant-encoded speech (note, for instance, V. Hardman et al., xe2x80x9cReliable Audio for Use Over the Internet,xe2x80x9d Proc. INET""95, 1995). The LPC-encoded data has a much lower bit rate than the PCM-encoded data.
FIG. 6 shows how redundant data (represented by shaded blocks) may be appended to primary data (represented by non-shaded blocks). For instance, with reference to the topmost row of packets, the first packet contains primary data for frame n. Redundant data for the previous frame, i.e., frame nxe2x88x921, is appended to this primary data. In this manner, the redundant data within a packet always refers to previously transmitted primary data. The technique provides a single level of redundancy, but additional levels may be provided (by transmitting additional copies of the redundant data).
Specific formats have been proposed for appending the redundant data to the primary data payload. For instance, Perkins et al. proposes a specific format for appending LPC-encoded redundant data to primary payload data within the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) (e.g., note C. Perkins et al., xe2x80x9cRTP Payload for Redundant Audio Data,xe2x80x9d RFC 2198, September 1997). The packet header includes information pertaining to the primary data and information pertaining to the redundant data. For instance, the header includes a field for providing the timestamp of the primary encoding, which indicates the time of primary-encoding of the data. The header also includes an offset timestamp, which indicates the difference in time between the primary encoding and redundant encoding represented in the packet.
With reference to both FIGS. 5 and 6, the decoder module 504 receives the packets containing both primary and redundant data. The decoder module 504 includes logic (not shown) for separating the primary data from the redundant data. The primary decoder 512 decodes the primary data, while the redundant decoder 514 decodes the redundant data. More specifically, the decoder module 504 decodes primary-data frame n when the next packet containing the redundant data for frame n arrives. This delay is added on playback and is represented graphically in FIG. 6 by the legend xe2x80x9cExtra delay.xe2x80x9d In the prior art technique, the control logic 518 instructs the decoder module 504 to use-the synthesized speech generated by the primary decoder 512 when a packet is received containing primary-encoded data. On the other hand, the control logic 518 instructs the decoder module 504 to use synthesized speech generated by the redundant decoder 514 when the packet containing primary data is xe2x80x9clost.xe2x80x9d In such a case, the control logic 518 simply serves to fill in gaps in the received stream of primary-encoded frames with redundant-encoded frames. For example, in the above-referenced technique described in Hardman et al., the decoder will decode the LPC-encoded data in place of the PCM-encoded data upon detection of packet loss in the PCM-encoded stream.
The use of conventional FEC to improve the quality of packet-based audio transmission is not fully satisfactory. For instance, speech synthesis models use the parameters of past operational states to generate accurate speech synthesis in present operational states. In this sense, the models are xe2x80x9chistory-dependent.xe2x80x9d For example, an algebraic code-excited linear prediction (ACELP) speech model uses previously produced syntheses to update its adaptive codebook. The LPC filter, error concealment histories, and various quantization-predictors also use previous states to accurately generate speech in current states. Thus, even if a decoder can reconstruct missing frames using redundant data, the xe2x80x9cmemoryxe2x80x9d of the primary synthesis model is deficient due to the loss of primary data. This can create xe2x80x9clingeringxe2x80x9d problems in the quality of speech synthesis. For example, a poorly updated adaptive codebook can cause distorted waveforms for more than ten frames. Conventional FEC techniques do nothing to address these types of lingering problems.
Furthermore, FEC-based speech coding techniques may suffer from a host of other problems not heretofore addressed by FEC techniques. For instance, in analysis-by-synthesis techniques using linear predictors, phase discontinuities may be very audible. In techniques using an adaptive codebook, a phase error placed in the feedback loop may remain for numerous frames. Further, in speech encoders using LP coefficients that are predicted when encoded, a loss of the LPC parameter lowers the precision of predictor. This will introduce errors into the most important parameter in an LPC speech coding technique.
It is accordingly a general objective of the present invention to improve the quality of speech produced using the FEC technique.
This and other objectives are achieved by the present invention through an improved FEC technique for coding speech data. In the technique, an encoder module primary-encodes an input speech signal using a primary synthesis model to produce primary-encoded data, and redundant-encodes the input speech signal using a redundant synthesis model to produce redundant-encoded data. A packetizer combines the primary-encoded data and the redundant-encoded data into a series of packets and transmits the packets over a packet-based network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. A decoding module primary-decodes the packets using the primary synthesis model, and redundant-decodes the packets using the redundant synthesis model. The technique provides interaction between the primary synthesis model and the redundant synthesis model during and after decoding to improve the quality of the synthesized output speech signal. Such xe2x80x9cinteraction,xe2x80x9d for instance, may take the form of updating states in one model using the other model.
Further, the present technique takes advantage of the FEC-staggered coupling of primary and redundant frames (i.e., the coupling of primary data for frame n with redundant data for frame nxe2x88x921) to provide look-ahead processing at the encoder module and the decoder module. The look-ahead processing supplements the available information regarding the speech signal, and thus improves the quality of the output synthesized speech.
The interactive cooperation of both models to code speech signals greatly expands the use of redundant coding heretofore contemplated by conventional systems.

Forward error correction in speech coding


A system for circulating water between a container and an external system in such a way as to maintain a desired water level in the container may include, an overflow assembly and a return assembly. The overflow and return assemblies are generally tubular structures, each of which includes a pair of concentric tubes. The overflow assembly typically includes a skimmer and a silent overflow device towards its upper portion, as well as a strainer towards its lower portion, wherein water is taken out of the container through the skimmer and/or the strainer. The return assembly typically comprises an upper capped diffuser and a lower diffuser, wherein the former allows for water to exit into an tipper portion of the container and the latter provides for water inflow at a lower portion of the container. Both assemblies are installed inside the container by attaching to a lower wall of the container.

The present invention is directed to systems for controlling water circulation between a container and an external system and, more particularly, to devices for removing and transferring water from the container to the external system, and returning water from the external system to the container so as to maintain a desired water level in the container.
Overflow/water level control systems are typically used for controlling the circulation of water through, as well as the level of water in, a container, such as an aquarium, to which water is added continuously or periodically. In general, means are provided for continually removing water from the container, routing the removed water to an external filter assembly, and then returning the filtered water to the container, while regulating the rates of water removal and return as a means of controlling water level in the container.
Traditionally, this has been achieved by using a hanging-type skimmer box assembly whereby water is skimmed from the surface of the body of water in the container. The basic structure of a skimmer box assembly typically includes an inlet tank, a siphon tube, and an outlet tank, normally with the inlet tank attached to the outlet tank with some means. The skimmer box assembly is mounted on the frame of the container, with the inlet tank partly immersed in the body of water within the container.
In the case of an aquarium, water is pumped into the aquarium from a filtration system located below or behind the aquarium. The water level in the aquarium rises and water from the aquarium flows into the inlet tank. The water level in the inlet tank rises, creating a differential pressure between the inlet tank and outlet tank and forcing water through the siphon tube into the outlet tank on the outside of the aquarium. The outlet tank typically has some means of maintaining a selected water level combined with a means for draining water out of the outlet tank and into the filtration system.
Systems of the type described above usually prove to be quite inflexible. For example, the hang-on tanks or similar devices often prevent placement of the aquarium close to walls. As such, installation of the entire aquarium system is not a simple matter of choice, but is hampered by physical limitations. In addition, users generally find the hang-on devices to be objectionable in appearance, as well as difficult to service. Moreover, depending on the size of the tank, traditional overflow/water level control systems can be quite large. As such, they obstruct a considerable portion of the inner space of the aquarium. Therefore, water circulation and water level control systems are needed that address these shortcomings.

Water overflow device and water return device


A power transmission is provided. The power transmission includes a housing including a continuous channel following a three-dimensional path. A plurality of beads is located within the continuous channel and movable therein. A first sprocket is rotateably connected to the housing and forms a first portion of the continuous channel in movable contact with the plurality of beads. A second sprocket is rotateably connected to the housing and forms a second portion of the continuous channel in movable contact with the plurality of beads, the second sprocket having an axis of rotation angled with respect to an axis of rotation of the first sprocket. A milling tool and a method of removing material from a work piece are also provided.

Milling processes are an indispensable part of machine fabrication, woodworking, artistic sculpture, and production endeavors of varied vocation. While there have been many advancements in milling processes over the years, including the advent of computer numerical control (CNC) milling, the basic process of rotating a milling bit to remove material from a work piece is unchanged. Milling bits such as end mills are typically attached to an arm of a milling machine which makes one or more passes on a work piece to create a desired form. Often times, it is difficult or impossible to position a work piece in a manner in which the milling machine arm can remove material from a work piece. Further, certain designs require several cutting passes making it impractical and time consuming to obtain a desired form from a work piece.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a device which allows a user more freedom to position a work piece in a preferred manner for milling. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a device which allows a milling machine to create a desired form on a work piece with a minimum number of passes.


Provided is a mobile terminal test device that tests a mobile communication terminal by simulating a mobile communication base station, the mobile terminal test device including: an acquisition unit that acquires terminal capability information, which is information related to a capability of the mobile communication terminal, by communicating with the mobile communication terminal; a generation unit that generates a test case as a combination of parameter setting values set in test parameters based on the terminal capability information; an execution unit that sequentially executes the test cases; an identification unit that identifies a parameter condition in which an error occurs, from a set of test cases in which the error occurred among the executed test cases; and a management unit that excludes unexecuted test cases that meet the identified parameter condition from subsequent execution targets.

When a mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone, a data communication terminal, or an in-vehicle communication terminal is developed, it is necessary to test whether or not the developed mobile communication terminal can communicate normally. Therefore, such a test is performed in which a mobile communication terminal to be tested is connected to a test device that operates as a pseudo base station that imitates the function of an actual base station, and communication is performed between the test device and the mobile communication terminal, and confirm the content of the communication.
In addition, in the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), which establishes communication standards for wireless communication, carrier aggregation (Carrier Aggregation) technology and MIMO (Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) technology and the like are introduced among the communication standards of LTE (Long Term Evolution) and 5G NR (New Radio). For example, this carrier aggregation aims to improve the transmission speed by simultaneously using a plurality of carriers of LTE and 5G for communication.
In carrier aggregation, communication is performed using a plurality of LTE and 5G NR carriers called component carriers (hereinafter, also referred to as CC). In carrier aggregation, communication is performed by one primary component carrier, which is the CC required for the mobile communication terminal to maintain the connection with the base station, and one or more secondary component carriers that are CCs used to improve the transmission speed between the mobile communication terminal and the base station.
Patent Document 1 disclose a mobile terminal test device that obtains UE EUTRA Capability from the mobile communication terminal and carries out all the test patterns that the mobile communication terminal can carry out, when testing a mobile communication terminal compatible with LTE.

Mobile terminal test device and mobile terminal test method


Systems and methods for determining an arrhythmia type are provided. A method may include: obtaining an electrocardiogram signal, obtaining a feature vector of the electrocardiogram signal, obtaining a trained prediction model, and determining an arrhythmia type of the electrocardiogram signal based on the trained prediction model and the feature vector. The feature vector includes a threshold crossing sample (TCSC) percent feature, an L-Z complexity feature, an empirical mode decomposition (EMD) complex number feature, a sample entropy feature, and a set of wavelet transform energy features.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF), Ventricular Tachycardia (VT), Ventricular Flutter (VFL), and Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) are four types of arrhythmia. VF is a heart rhythm problem due to disorganized electrical activity in the ventricles. The ventricular muscle twitches randomly, so the ventricles fail to pump blood around the body. VF is one of the common causes of sudden cardiac death. VT is a heart rhythm disorder characterized by a wide malformation of the QRS complexes three or more times in succession, with a frequency exceeding 100 beats/min. VFL is a transitional heart rate between the VT and VF. VFL often lasts a short period. Most patients develop into VF in a few minutes, and some VF patients may VT. SVT is defined as an abnormally fast heartbeat. P waves of Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) may be difficult to identify, and QRS complexes are the same as those of a patient with sinus. The frequency of SVT is 150 to 240 times per minute, and the rhythm is uniform.
In some cases, when a patient has VT, he or she should seek medical attention immediately; otherwise, it is very likely to develop into VF. The faster the detection of VF, the higher the success rate of saving the patient. The existing methods of classifying different types of arrhythmia (e.g., VT, VF, SVT, VFL) are to extract from arrhythmia electrocardiograph (ECG) signals certain characteristics, such as P wave, QRS complex, T wave, RR period (a time period between two R wave in two QRS complexes), ST segment (the period of a flat line from the end of the QRS complex to the start of T wave), etc., and classify the types of arrhythmia based on such characteristics. However, some waves of the arrhythmia electrocardiograph (ECG) become deformed, it is difficult to classify arrhythmia types. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for detecting and classify different types of arrhythmia quickly and accurately.


An image forming apparatus for a printer forms images by injecting inks on a printing paper being fed on a feeding path. The image forming apparatus comprises a head holder surface provided on the feeding path with being opposed to a surface of the feeding path and a plurality of ink heads for injecting inks from injection ports thereof. Here, the injection ports of the plurality of ink heads are projected outward from the head holder surface. The image forming apparatus can achieve further downsizing and multifunctional capability and improve quality of higher pixelated printed images. In addition, the image forming apparatus can prevent negative effects such as ink injection failures or defacement of printed matters due to ink mists made on injecting ink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, which is applied to a printing machine, such as an inkjet printer, and forms images by injecting ink drops onto a printing paper fed on a feeding path.
2. Description of Related Art
Among conventional inkjet printers, there is a full-line type inkjet printer by which printing is done only with a secondary sweeping in which a printing paper is fed along a feeding direction (Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-154196). In such a full-line type inkjet printer, printing of one entire line of text onto the paper is successively executed.
Recently, various requirements are made to a printer, such as handling of higher pixelated printing images, further multifunctional capability, further downsizing and so on. To meet the requirements, it is needed to locate highly condensed ink heads closely each other. If unnecessary ink drops (mists) are made other than main ink drops injected from an ink head, the mists can't reach to a printing sheet because of their relatively small mass and low speed. Then the mists float in the air and then may directly attach on other ink heads or a head holder. As a result, injection ports on the ink heads are occluded and then injection failures may occur, such as absence of injected ink and lack of injected ink amount. In addition, if the inks attaching and then growing within the printer drop off onto a fed paper or a feeding belt due to self-weight thereof, printed matters may become tainted.
To solve the above problems, a technique is proposed in the Patent Document 1. According to the technique, the mists are prevented from attaching onto the other ink heads or the head holder by securing a predetermined distance or more between the ink heads adjacent in a feeding direction.
However, according to the technique in the Patent Document 1, the printer must ensure length in the feeding direction and then the printer itself may become large. In addition, the mists may infiltrate into the inside of the printer and attach onto other functional components due to the distance secured between the highly condensed ink heads and thereby unexpected negative effects may occur.


Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, program products, and systems for locating an unknown location by searching known geographical indicators. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to receive a search query for an unknown location. The search query can comprise one or more symbols denoting geographical indicators representative of the unknown location. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to locate unknown locations by searching for a location that matches the one or more symbols representative of the unknown location and returning results that match the received search query.

The present invention relates generally to the field of navigation systems, and more particularly to geographical indicators used navigation systems.
In general, navigation systems can determine the position of a user from radio signals of satellites. Typically, navigation systems receive radio signals, calculate a user's position, and route a user to an intended destination. In some instances, navigation systems have features that allow a user to sort route preferences by shortest route and fastest route. In other instances, navigation systems have features to avoid certain locations (e.g., toll roads).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A non-bottom block heat sink includes a radiation module formed of a rack of radiation fins, each radiation fin having a plurality of locating notches located on one peripheral edge thereof and a supporting rib disposed between each two adjacent locating notches, and a plurality of heat pipes each having heat receiving end press-fitted into the locating notches of the radiation fins and engaged with the supporting ribs and peripherally abutted against one another in flush the associating peripheral edge of each radiation fin and a heat discharging end extended from the heat receiving end and fastenable to the radiation fins or an external radiation fin module.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat sink and more particularly, to a non-base block heat sink, which comprises a stack of radiation fins and a plurality of heat pipes press-fitted into a series of locating notches at one peripheral edge of each of the radiation fins and peripherally abutted against one another in flush with the associating peripheral edge of each of the radiation fins.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional heat pipe attached heat sink generally comprises a radiation fin module, a plurality of heat pipes and a metal bottom block. The metal bottom block is adapted for direct contact with a heat source for enabling absorbed heat energy to be transferred by the heat pipe to the radiation fin modules for quick dissipating into the outside open air. The heat pipes are bonded to the metal bottom block with a solder paste. Because the metal bottom block and the heat pipes are respectively made of different metal materials, an electroplating procedure is necessary before bonding the heat pipes to the metal bottom block. This installation procedure complicates the fabrication and greatly increases the cost. Further, it is not environmentally friendly to bond the heat pipes and the metal bottom block by means of a soldering technique. Further, because the metal bottom block is a solid block member, it consumes much metal material and greatly increases the material cost and the weight of the heat sink.
Further, the metal bottom block is processed to provide locating grooves for accommodating the heat pipes. These locating grooves are spaced from one another at a distance, i.e., the heat pipes cannot be closely arranged together at the bottom side of the metal bottom block, lowering the performance. The heat pipes at the two opposite lateral sides may be kept away from the heat source at a distance, lowering the heat transfer efficiency. Because the heat pipes are spaced from one another at a distance, they cannot transfer heat energy directly from one another.


A method for fabricating a transistor having a variable threshold voltage is disclosed. Energy levels of a transistor can be represented by a valance band, a conduction band, and a Fermi level. In order to fabricate a transistor with a variable threshold voltage, a region of the transistor is initially doped with a first dopant having a first energy level below the Fermi level. The region of the transistor is subsequently doped with a second dopant having a second energy level above the Fermi level. Alternatively, the region of the transistor can be initially doped with a first dopant having a first energy level above the Fermi level, and then the region of the transistor can be subsequently doped with a second dopant having a second energy level below the Fermi level.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to integrated circuits in general, and in particular to a method for fabricating transistors within an integrated circuit. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating transistors having an variable threshold voltage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or MOS transistor has two regions in a silicon substrate, namely, a source and a drain, which are disposed at a certain distance from each other. The MOS transistor also has an insulated gate disposed between the source and the drain. The gate is characterized by a threshold voltage (V.sub.TH) that determines the boundary between an ON state and an OFF state in the drain current.
It is well-known in the art that the threshold voltage of a MOS transistor changes as a function of temperature due to the availability of mobile electrons and other factors. Generally speaking, the threshold voltage decreases as temperature increases, or alternately, the threshold voltage increases as the temperature decreases. Because of the temperature dependence of the threshold voltage, the design of an integrated circuit having millions of MOS transistors that are capable of operating over a wide temperature range is a challenging task.
Many attempts have been made to adjust the threshold voltage of a MOS transistor such that the operating temperature range of the MOS transistor can be extended. One such attempt is to bias the body of the MOS transistor at a higher voltage level. However, biasing requires a biasing source to contact the body of the MOS transistor, which results in a much larger circuit than normally desired. The threshold voltage of a MOS transistor can also be adjusted by changing the doping concentrations within the substrate and wells in which the MOS transistor is located. However, this alteration can only accommodate for temperature changes within a small range. Therefore, it should be appreciated that there is a need to control the threshold voltage of MOS transistors within an integrated circuit in order to compensate for a wide operating temperature range.

Method for fabricating a transistor having a variable threshold voltage

International Business Machines Corporation


A multi-use applicator and methods for dispensing compounds. The applicator is configured for use with a compressible tubular container. The applicator has a holding member, where the holding member incorporates a fastening mechanism to secure the compressible tubular container. Once the compressible tubular container is secured to the holding member, a cover may be placed over the container and connected to the holding member. The cover may include at least one compressible side which when pressed would facilitate the extraction of the materials out of the compressible tubular container.

Dispensing liquids and/or viscous fluids from a compressible container oftentimes is challenging. In one example, a toothpaste container having a closed end and a dispensing outlet may be compressed to dispel the toothpaste from an open end. The practice of extracting materials from these types of containers become difficult as less material resides in the container. Furthermore, controlling the flow of the material from the dispensing outlet becomes problematic as the remaining materials within the container become unevenly distributed. This may result in loss of material within the container that cannot be extracted.
Difficulty also arises because the compressible containers are short in length and are held and pressed between the thumb and forefinger, whereby precision dispensing is wholly contingent upon the individual firmly holding the compressible container between the fingers while compressing the container body. The present disclosure provides for a multi-use applicator for dispensing liquid or viscous fluid from a compressible container and methods for its use that address the above-identified concerns. Other benefits and advantages will become clear from the disclosure provided herein and those advantages provided are for illustration. The statements in this section merely provide the background related to the present disclosure and do not constitute prior art.

Multi-use applicator and methods for its use


A controller of the type used in process control includes a plurality of modular I/O units. The I/O units includes I/O circuits which may be of four basic types: digital input circuits, digital output circuit, analog input circuits and analog output circuits. The controller is microprocessor-controlled and has an operating system that controls the performance of a number of tasks relating to the control of a plurality of I/O devices to which the controller is connected. Each of the tasks is allocated to one of a plurality of successive time slots, and each task is performed during its associated time slot. The controller includes a priority routine for determining which of the tasks should be performed in each of the time slots. If a task is not completely performed during the time slot to which the task is allocated, the current status of the task is saved to memory so that the task can be completed during a subsequent time slot. If a task is completely performed during its allocated time slot, then one or more unfinished tasks can be performed during that time slot.

The present invention relates to a unique operating system for a process controller.
Process controllers are used to perform a variety of functions including process control functions and data-gathering functions. Process control functions include the monitoring of various conditions, such as liquid and gas pressures, flows, temperatures, etc., and responding to the state of the conditions by selectively activating pumps, valves, etc. to control the monitored conditions. The process control functions relate to such applications as oil and natural gas production and distribution, industrial plant control, etc. The data-gathering functions of process controllers allow a historical record of data relating to such variables as pressures or flows to be made over an extended period of time, such as several weeks or months, for example.
Typically, a number of process controllers are used in a computer system or network having a central host computer. For example, a single host computer may communicate with as few as 10 to more than 100 process controllers.
A process controller typically has a number of input/output (I/O) circuits which may be of four basic types: a digital input circuit, a digital output circuit, an analog input circuit, and an analog output circuit. The digital I/O circuits are used to monitor and control conditions and/or devices having only two states, on and off for example. The analog I/O circuits are used where the condition or device has many states. For example, an analog input circuit may be used to input the temperature of a liquid in a tank to the process controller, and an analog output circuit may be used to control the position of a valve having many positions.
The operating system of a conventional process controller may be a multi-tasking system that performs a number of different tasks at one or more desired rates or intervals. A flowchart of a prior art operating system for a process controller is shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the operating system performs a number of tasks, which may be implemented as one or more computer program routines executed by a microprocessor. These tasks include a system task 1 that performs various conventional system functions such as a watchdog timer function, etc. A database task 2 is executed to update the database stored in the process controller. A process task 3 is performed to periodically make calculations relating to the control one or more processes under the control of the process controller. This control may be conventional PID control, for example.
The tasks 4-7 relate to the communication between the microprocessor of the process controller and the I/O circuits inside the process controller. A read digital inputs (DIS) task 4 causes the process controller to read the digital value input to each of its DI circuits. A read analog inputs (AIS) task 5 causes the process controller to read the analog value input to each of its AI circuits. A write digital outputs (DOS) task 6 causes the process controller to write a digital output value to each of its DO circuits. Finally, a write analog outputs (AOS) task 7 causes the I/O controller to write an analog output value to each of its AO circuits.
A communication task 8 is executed to perform communication between the process controller and the host computer. Communication may also be performed with other devices. A compute flow task 9 may be performed to make flow calculations for particular applications.
The tasks generally described above are probably performed by most conventional process controllers since they define the basic operation of such a controller. However, all of the tasks must be performed in such a manner as to minimize the period of time between each successive execution of each of the tasks.
The operating system of FIG. 1 functions in the following manner. Each of the tasks 1-9 is broken up into a sequence of "micro-tasks." For example, the system task 1 might be subdivided into 20 such micro-tasks. The operating system performs one micro-task in each of the tasks 1-9 at a time. Thus, the operating system begins by performing the first micro-task of each of the tasks 1-9 in that order, and then the second micro-task in each of the tasks 1-9, and so on.
The detailed operation of the system of FIG. 1 begins at step 10, where the value of a flag TICK is tested to determine whether it is 1. The TICK flag is set to 1 by a software counter every 10 milliseconds (ms). If TICK is 1, the program branches to step 11 where a TASK variable is set to 1. The TASK variable stores the number of the current task, for example one of the numbers 1-9 for the tasks 1-9 shown, for which a micro-task is to be performed. At step 12, the value of the TASK variable is tested to determine whether the micro-task for the last task (TASK=9) has been performed. If that micro-task has been performed, the program branches to step 13 where the value of the TICK flag is set to 0. The program then branches to step 10 where it waits until the software counter sets the TICK flag to 1 at the next 10 ms interval.
If the micro-task for the last task has not yet been performed as determined by step 12, the program branches to step 14 where a timer for the current task is tested to determine whether it is 0. Each of the nine tasks has such a timer. The timer controls how often each of the tasks is to be performed. Upon the completion of each task, its associated timer is initialized to a predetermined value depending upon how often that task should be performed. The value stored in the timer is decremented by 1 each time the software counter sets the TICK flag to 1. Thus, to perform a task most frequently, the timer associated with that task would be initialized to one, whereas to perform a task infrequently, its timer would be set to a relatively large number, such as 200.
If the timer associated with the current task is zero, indicating that it is time to perform a micro-task for that task, the program branches to the current task, as determined by the value of the TASK variable. After performing a micro-task for that task, the program branches to step 15, where the current value of the TASK variable is incremented by one. Steps 12 and 14 are then repeated until a micro-task has been performed for each of the tasks 1-9. At that point, the program branches step 10. The program continues to repeat in the manner described above to perform successive micro-tasks for each of the tasks 1-9.
As should be appreciated from the above description, the operating system executes all of tasks "in parallel," since portions of all of the tasks are performed each time the TICK flag is set to 1.
Although the operating system described generally above is satisfactory, it has a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that an undue amount of time is wasted during the waiting step 10. In particular, the operating system was designed so that the combined execution time of nine micro-tasks, one micro-task for each of the tasks 1-9, would be slightly less than 10 ms, 9.5 ms for example. Thus, the program would only wait at step 10 for 0.5 ms since the TICK flag is set to 1 every 10 ms. However, the execution time of the micro-tasks of the main tasks 1-9 is somewhat unpredictable. As a result, in some cases the total execution time is greater than 10 ms, 10.5 ms for example. In this case, the program would have to wait at step 10 for 9.5 ms before the TICK flag was set to 1 by the next tick of the 10 ms software counter. This waiting period would represent nearly 50% of the total execution time, a significant waste of time.
Another disadvantage of the above operating system is that a large amount of overhead and system housekeeping are required to execute each task due to the nature of the execution. In particular, the execution of each of the tasks by intermittently performing a number of micro-tasks requires an unduly complicated computer program which takes longer to execute and requires more memory for storage. Another disadvantage of the above system is that it lacks flexibility in assigning priority to each of the tasks.

Operating system for a process controller


The present disclosure generally relates to end-to-end testing of applications using simulated data. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods that test applications in a production environment by dynamically generating and tracking the simulated data in real time. In some implementations, an expected number of simulated user profiles (e.g., based on a protocol for generating simulated user profiles) can be compared against an actual number of simulated user profiles stored in a state machine to identify issues within the end-to-end environment of the application being tested.

In a typical software application, testing is generally performed by quality assurance teams. A quality assurance team may create a functional equivalent system that represents a copy of the software application. The quality assurance team may then test the functional equivalent system by executing a suit of test cases on the functional equivalent system in a testing environment. For example, the suit of test cases may include black box or white box testing methodologies. Further, the testing environment is designed to mimic a real-world production environment in which the software application runs on a day-to-day basis. However, functional equivalent systems are generally not scalable for today's real-world big-data environments. Traditional testing environments and test cases do not accurately replicate the large scale and highly variable characteristics of today's Internet traffic. For instance, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application processes massive amounts of dynamically-changing data that flows in and out of the environment at a very fast rate. The typical suit of test cases executing on functional equivalent systems does not realistically simulate this uncertain nature of the massive amounts of data. Thus, testing functional equivalent systems in big-data environments does not accurately provide insight on the health of the application or potential issues that may arise in the production environment.

Systems and methods for end-to-end testing of applications using dynamically simulated data


The image display system forms an image by scanning with light from a light source of a luminaire. The image display system includes: an input unit configured to receive an image signal indicative of an instruction value of luminance of the light source; and a control unit configured to determine a target value of luminance of the light source based on the instruction value indicated by the image signal received by the input unit. The control unit is configured to perform an adjusting process of setting the target value to an adjusted value different from the instruction value when allowing the light source to emit light based on the image signal.

JP 2017-78811 A discloses a laser projection display device (image display system). The laser projection display device of JP 2017-78811 A includes a laser light source, a laser driver for driving the laser light source, and an image processor for supplying an image signal for display to the laser driver.
In JP 2017-78811 A, the laser light source is used. However, different laser light sources tend to have different periods of time necessary for luminance to reach a target value from start of a flow of a drive current (properties of an initial rise of light).
An object would be to propose an image display system, an image display method, and a movable object capable of reducing influence due to initial rise properties of light of a light source.

Image display system, image display method, and movable object

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A composite semiconductor memory device, comprising: a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices; and an interface device connected to the plurality of nonvolatile memory devices and for connection to a memory controller, the interface device comprising an error correction coding (ECC) engine. Also, a memory system, comprising: a memory controller; and at least one composite semiconductor memory device configured for being written to and read from by the memory controller and comprising a built-in error correction coding (ECC) engine. Also, a memory system, comprising: a composite semiconductor memory device comprising a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices; and a memory controller connected to the at least one composite semiconductor memory device, for issuing read and write commands to the composite semiconductor memory device to cause data to be written to or read from individual ones of the nonvolatile memory devices; the composite semiconductor memory device providing error-free writing and reading of the data.

There has been a significant increase in the data storage requirements of consumer electronic devices such as digital audio/video players, cell phones, portable universal serial bus (USB) drives and solid state drives (SSDs). This density requirement can be satisfied at relatively low cost by nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices incorporating flash memory, commonly known as flash devices. At present, there are two main types of flash memory, namely NOR flash and NAND flash, and of the two, NAND flash has proven to be especially popular.
However, as flash devices become denser and cheaper, the amount of storage they are expected to provide increases even further. This expectation, in turn, exerts further pressure to render these devices even more dense at an even lower cost costly.

Composite semiconductor memory device with error correction

Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.