This application described methods and apparatus for distributed fibre optic sensing. A sensing apparatus has a modulator which modulates radiation from an optical source to interrogate a sensing optical fibre with a first interrogation pulse at a first frequency (F1) and a second interrogation pulse at a second, different, frequency (F2), both different in frequency from a local oscillator (LO). A mixer mixes backscatter from the sensing optical fibre with the local oscillator and supplies the mixed signal to a detector that provides a corresponding digital signal. A processor processes the digital signal (DX, DY) in a first and second processing channels to demodulate respective first and second phase signals based on the respective frequency difference between the first and second frequency and the local oscillator and determines a temporal difference between the first and second phase signals.

Distributed fibre optic sensing is a known type of sensing where an optical fibre is deployed as a sensing fibre and interrogated with electromagnetic radiation to provide sensing of environmental stimuli affecting the sensing fibre along its length. By analysing the radiation backscattered from within the sensing fibre, the sensing fibre can effectively be divided into a plurality of discrete sensing portions which may be (but do not have to be) contiguous.
One class of distributed fibre optic sensors is based on illuminating the sensing fibre with coherent illuminating radiation and detecting illuminating radiation which has been Rayleigh backscattered from inherent scattering sites within the sensing fibre, i.e. radiation which has been elastically backscattered at the same frequency as the interrogating radiation. Within each discrete sensing portion of the sensing fibre, mechanical disturbances of the fibre, for instance, dynamic strains due to incident acoustic waves, cause a variation in effective optical path length of that section, which results in a variation in the properties of the radiation which is backscattered. This variation can be detected and analysed and used to give an indication of disturbance of the fibre at that sensing portion. Such a fibre optic sensor effectively acts as a linear sensing array of sensing portions of optical fibre which are responsive to disturbances such as acoustic stimuli, and thus such sensing is often referred to as distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), although the same principles can be applied to detect any stimulus that results in a variation in effective optical path length of the sensing fibre, such as temperature variations.
In one form of a Rayleigh backscatter based DAS system, the sensing fibre is repeatedly interrogated, with each interrogation involving launching a single continuous pulse of interrogating radiation into a first end of the sensing fibre and detecting the backscatter from the pulse. As the pulse propagates along the sensing fibre, different portions of the fibre are effectively illuminated by the propagating pulse at different times and there will be at least some backscatter due to inherent scattering sites within the optical fibre. The received backscatter may be analysed in different times bins based on the time after launch of the pulse to provide the different channels of the distributed fibre optic sensor corresponding to sensing portions of the sensing fibre.
The backscatter arriving back at the first end of the sensing fibre at any time will include contributions of backscatter from various different scattering sites from a portion of fibre illuminated by the pulse. As the interrogating radiation is coherent, the backscatter from the different scattering sites will interfere to provide an overall interference signal. The intensity of this backscatter interference signal will depend upon the extent to which the various contributions from the different scattering sites constructively or destructively interfere, which depends on the distribution of the inherent scattering sites within the fibre, which will vary effectively randomly along the length of the fibre. Thus the backscatter intensity from any given interrogating pulse will exhibit a random variation from one sensing channel to the next but, in the absence of any environmental stimulus, the backscatter intensity from any given sensing channel should remain the same for each repeated interrogation (provided the characteristics of the interrogating pulse remains the same). However a stimulus acting on the relevant sensing portion of the fibre can result in an optical path length change for that section of fibre, e.g. through stretching/compression of the relevant section of fibre and/or a refractive index modulation. A change in optical path length will vary the distribution of the scattering sites within the sensing portion and hence vary the degree of interference of all the individual scatter signals and thus result in a change in backscatter intensity of the overall interference signal. This change in intensity can be detected and used as an indication of a disturbance acting on the fibre, such as an incident acoustic wave.
Such a DAS system based on detecting an intensity variation of the backscatter can thus be used to detect a stimulus or disturbance acting on a sensing portion of the sensing fibre and can provide information regarding the time evolution of the stimulus, e.g. the acoustic frequency of the stimulus. However, whilst a certain type of stimulus may be expected to give rise to a detectable variation in backscatter intensity from a sensing portion, the amount of variation in backscatter intensity from each sensing portion in response to a given stimulus may vary, as the distribution in scattering sites within each sensing portion is effectively random. Thus it is not generally possible to determine any quantitative information about the amplitude of the stimulus acting on the sensing portion.
Nevertheless such a DAS system can advantageously be used in a number of applications and provides reliable sensing of stimuli acting on the sensing fibre. A relatively long length of sensing fibre may be monitored, so such a sensor may be particularly suitable for applications where sensing range is important, e.g. monitoring of borders, linear assets such as pipelines or the like or monitoring of transport networks such as railways.
In another type of DAS system, each interrogation of the sensing fibre may involve launching a pair of spatially separated pulses into the sensing fibre where there is a frequency difference between the pulses of the pair. Backscatter from the first pulse at the first frequency interferes with backscatter from the second pulse at the second frequency. This generates an interference signal which has a signal component at the difference frequency. In effect this results in a signal at a carrier frequency defined by the frequency difference between the pulses. The phase of the signal at the carrier frequency depends on the optical path length between the two pulses of the pair and thus, a disturbance that results in a change in effective optical path length between the pulses, for a given sensing portion of fibre, can be detected as a change in phase at that sensing portion. In such a DAS system a signal at the carrier frequency, defined by the frequency difference between the pulses, may be demodulated and processed to determine any change in phase indicative of a disturbance acting on the sensing portion. The extent of the change in phase is directly related to change in effective optical path length which in turn depends on the amplitude of the disturbance and hence this type of DAS sensor can provide quantitative information about a stimulus acting on the fibre.
Whilst such DAS sensors can provide useful quantitative information about stimuli acting on the fibre, the range of such sensors is relatively limited. The amount of backscatter received from a sensing fibre is generally quite low and, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, drops with increasing distance into the fibre. A certain proportion of the radiation reaching a given sensing portion may expected to be backscattered but the intensity of the interrogating radiation will decrease with distance into the fibre due to upstream scattering/absorption etc. and the backscatter will have a longer return path so a greater change of re-scattering/absorption etc. In simplistic terms in general the more photons of interrogating radiation launched into the sensing fibre, the more photons will be received as backscatter from a given sensing portion. However there is a limit to the intensity of radiation that can be launched into the fibre without causing non-linear effects which would generally be undesirable for DAS. Increasing the duration of the interrogating pulses does result in more photons for backscattering, but for the dual-pulse quantitative phase system discussed above it is generally desired that each pulse of the pulse pair has a limited spatial extent in the sensing fibre so the signal of interest arises from optical path length changes between the pulses. These factors means that the backscatter expected from a dual-pulse quantitative phase system is generally very weak and there is a limited range of sensing fibre that can be satisfactorily interrogated before the backscatter signal is so weak so as to be below the noise floor of the system.


A semiconductor device includes a carrier transit layer including a first region and second and third regions having a density of a donor impurity element higher than that of the first region, an InXAlYGa(1-X-Y)N (0<X<1, 0<Y<1, 0<X+Y≤1) carrier supply layer provided over the carrier transit layer and having a density of a donor impurity element lower than that of the second and third regions, a source electrode provided over the second region, a drain electrode provided over the third region, and a gate electrode provided over the carrier supply layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

Since GaN is a material having a wide band gap, a high breakdown field intensity and a high saturation electron speed, GaN is very promising as a material capable of implementing a device (semiconductor device) of great current, a high voltage and low on-resistance operation.
Therefore, development of a GaN-based HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) in which GaN is used as an electron transit layer is being performed lively.
Conventionally, as a GaN-based HEMT (GaN-HEMT), development of an AlGaN/GaN-HEMT in which GaN and AlGaN are used for an electron transit layer and an electron supply layer, respectively, and an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction is utilized is being performed lively.

3-5 device with doped regions and method of fabricating


In order to shorten considerable time lag, which allows racing of an engine and lowers the transmission output torque peak, an accumulator back-up pressure acting on an accumulator for a start-up friction element is increased momentarily to quickly move a servo piston after a manual selector valve has been shifted from N range position to D range, for example, until the friction element is brought into the intial engagement stage. Subsequently, the accumulated back-up pressure is lowered to soften the frictional engagement.

The present invention relates to a system for alleviating a select shock in automatic transmission, and more particularly to a system for alleviating a select shock taking place during engagement of a friction element after a manual selector valve has been shifted from a neutral range position to any one of a plurality of drive range positions.
An automatic transmission is known wherein a driver manually shifts a manual selector valve from a neutral range position ("N" range) to a desired one of a plurality of drive range positions corresponding to a reverse range ("R" range), an automatic drive range ("D" range), a manual second range ("II" range), and a manual first range ("I" range). More specifically, all of the friction elements (clutches and brakes) are released when the neutral range position is selected, while a selected one of the friction elements is hydraulically activated when one of the drive ranges is selected.
When the driver shifts the manual selector valve from the neutral range position to one of the drive range positions under a condition where the motor vehicle is at a standstill, a predetermined friction element is engaged in response to a hydraulic fluid pressure build-up resulting from the hydraulic fluid supplied thereto from the manual selector valve. The motor vehicle is now ready for moving from a standstill. This friction element may be called as a start-up friction element.
If, during this shift of the manual selector valve, the hydraulic fluid pressure acting on the start-up friction element increases quickly, a shock taking place upon engagement of the start-up friction element becomes great since the vehicle is at a standstill. This shock is called as a selected shock.
An automatic transmission of the RE4R01A type is known. This known transmission is manufactured in Japan by NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED. In this known automatic transmission, a N-D accumulator is provided to control a rise in the servo activating hydraulic fluid pressure acting on a start-up friction element. A forward clutch serves as the start-up friction element in this transmission.
In controlling a back-up pressure acting on the accumulator, the magnitude of the select shock is reduced if the pressure level of the back-up pressure is kept at a sufficiently low level. However, if the pressure level is lowered enough to decrease the magnitude of the select shock to a sufficiently low level, a time lag between the instant when the manual selector valve is shifted from the neutral range position to one of the plurality of drive range positions and the subsequent instant when the start-up friction element is brought into engagement becomes long.
Explaining in detail referring to the fully drawn time charts shown in FIG. 6, when the manual selector valve is shifted from the neutral range position to the drive range position at the instant t.sub.1 under a condition where the accumulator back-up pressure P.sub.A is zero, the stroke of the accumulator piston, the hydraulic pressure P.sub.F supplied to the forward clutch for engagement of same, the transmission output torque, and the transmission input revolution speed N.sub.T vary with respect to time t after the above-mentioned instant t.sub.1 as shown by the fully drawn line curves in FIG. 6. As is readily understood from the variation of the transmission output torque, there is a great lag between the instant t.sub.1 and the completion of engagement of the forward clutch.
Thus, if the driver depresses the accelerator pedal immediately after the instant t.sub.1 for quick start of the vehicle from a standstill, the engine races during the above-mentioned time lag, inducing a substantially great shock.
An object of the present invention is to shorten the above-mentioned time lag, with the magnitude of a select shock suppressed to a sufficiently low level.

System for alleviating select shock in automatic transmission


A suction head (1) for a waste sorting system includes a main tubular body (2) having a connecting end (3) for connection to a suction system (S) and a suction end (4) for engagement with a waste item. An upper sleeve member (5) and a lower sleeve member (6) are arranged around the suction end (4), wherein the upper sleeve member (5) is longitudinally movable with respect to the main tubular body (2) and the lower sleeve member 6 is removable from the suction end (4). An annular gripper sheet (7) of flexible material is arranged between the upper and lower sleeve member (5, 6). A biasing member (8) is in longitudinal biasing engagement with the upper sleeve member (5) for biasing the upper sleeve member (5) toward the lower sleeve member (6), clamping the annular gripper sheet (7) between the upper and lower sleeve member (5, 6).

European patent application EP0706838A1 discloses a machine and method for fully automated sorting of various heterogeneous objects with at least one robotic arm. The machine utilises a robotic arm with a gripper formed by a pneumatic device operated by suction to grip an object and by blowing to release the object.


A method and system for wireless ECG monitoring is provided. An electrode connector, transmitter and receiver operate with existing electrodes and ECG monitors. The electrode connector includes connectors for attaching to disposable or reusable single electrodes. The transmitter transmits the signals from the electrodes to the receiver. The receiver passes the electrode signals to the ECG monitor for processing. ECG monitors used with an electrical conductor, for example wire connections to electrodes, are connected with the receiver, avoiding the purchase of a new monitor. Any legacy ECG monitor, including different ECG monitors, connects with the receiver using the ECG monitor's lead-wires. The ECG monitor operates as if directly connected to the electrodes without the problems discussed above associated with wires running from the ECG monitor to the patient.

This invention relates to medical monitoring systems and methods. In particular, a biomedical system and method for monitoring a patient is provided.
Biomedical monitoring systems include bedside, transportable, ambulatory and discrete vital sign monitors. In vital signs monitors, electrocardiograph (ECG), temperature, blood pressure or other characteristics of a patient are monitored.
ECG systems are used for monitoring activity of a patient's heart. For example, three electrodes are positioned on the patient. The signal from one electrode is used as a reference signal for a difference between the signals of two other electrodes (e.g. ECG vector). By using this reference signal, and a differential amplifier configuration, common mode interference can be essentially eliminated or reduced. As another example, nine electrodes are positioned on the patient for a "12-lead" analysis of electrical activity of the heart.
Wires are connected from the electrodes to an ECG monitor. The ECG monitor processes the signals and outputs ECG data, such as a plurality of traces representing activity of the heart by measuring electrical signals at different positions on the patient. However, the wires inhibit movement by and around the patient. The wires will stress the electrodes, resulting in malfunction or disconnection from the patient. A caregiver's time is then required to reconnect or replace the electrodes. Patients are often moved during a day, requiring disconnecting one ECG monitor and reconnecting another ECG monitor. Often the electrodes also need to be removed and replaced. If not replaced in exactly the same position, the patient's ECG will be different from ECG monitor to ECG monitor, creating an artifact in the ECG.
Wireless ECG systems connect the electrodes to a transmitter to avoid wires from the patient to a monitor. In the example described in WO 94/01039, a microchip is positioned proximate the electrodes on the patient. The microchip analyzes the signals from the electrodes and transmits the results (see page 42). The results are received and provided to a printer or monitor (see page 26). However, a complete system including a monitor, printer or recorder operable to receive the signals as processed by the microchip on the patient is required.
Holter monitors record a patient's vital signs over a time period. The patient carries the complete monitor and recorder. The information can be downloaded or otherwise obtained for subsequent analysis. However, many of these systems limit the bandwidth of signals to suppress artifacts associated with patient movement, so information can be lost. Special monitors or other devices may be required for obtaining the stored data for analysis, preventing maximum use of other equipment.
Wireless ECG systems often use patches or strips for positioning electrodes. The strip is fabricated with a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the transmitter. If one electrode fails, the entire strip is replaced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wireless electrocardiograph system and method


A method and system for establishing a secure over-the-air (OTA) connection between a connection owner and a server, the connection owner being associated with a wireless device connected to the server via a communications network. A secure session is instantiated on behalf of the connection owner, the secure session being maintained by the server and defining a context for the secure OTA connection. A registration key and a reset key are defined, and stored in association with the secure session on both the server and the wireless device. Access to the secure session is controlled using at least the registration key, and the secure session is maintained on the server only as long as the connection owner has a valid registration key.

Wireless communication devices often access Internet or intranet services through a proxy server rather than accessing such services directly. These services often communicate using a protocol different from that normally used by the wireless device. For example, services may use Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) to send and receive messages over hypertext transfer protocol/transmission control protocol (HTTP/TCP) which may be unsupported or cumbersome for the wireless device. Typically, if a wireless device needs to communicate with a server to access a service (e.g. web service), the wireless device does not construct/parse SOAP messages and send/receive SOAP messages over HTTP/TCP itself. Instead, the wireless device communicates structured data to a proxy server (such as a Blackberry Mobile Data System by RIM) that will construct/parse SOAP messages and send/receive SOAP messages over HTTP/TCP on behalf of the wireless device.
In order for the proxy server to communicate with services on behalf of the wireless device, it needs to have access to private information associated with the wireless device. Representative private information associated with the wireless device may, for example, include Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connections, HTTP cookies, Windows NT™ LAN Manager (NTLM)-authenticated connections and subscriptions. In order to protect privacy of the information, there is a requirement for a secure connection between the wireless device and the proxy server.
While corporate or enterprise networks that enable wireless access to proxy servers typically provide data encryption and privacy solutions for hosted wireless devices, such is generally not the case in retail implementations. For example Google Talk™ or Proxy-HTTPS services, both of which may involve an exchange of private information between a wireless device and the proxy server, provide little in the way of data encryption and privacy other than the standard, relatively weak encryption provided by the wireless networks.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

Destroying a secure session maintained by a server on behalf of a connection owner


An exhaust system for receiving exhaust gas of an engine is provided. The exhaust system comprises a cooler configured to cool at least a portion of exhaust gas, a pressure sensor configured to measure an exhaust pressure drop across the cooler, and a controller configured to determine exhaust flowrate as a function the measured pressure drop across the cooler. Also provided is a method for operating an engine. The method comprises the steps of combusting a fuel and air mixture, exhausting at least some of the combusted fuel and air mixture as exhaust gas to an exhaust system of an engine, cooling at least some of the combusted exhaust gas in a cooler, measuring pressure drop of the exhaust gas across the cooler, and determining a flowrate of the exhaust gas across the cooler as a function of pressure drop.

Internal combustion engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, natural gas engines, and other engines known in the art, may exhaust a complex mixture of chemical compounds. The chemical compounds may be composed of gaseous compounds, which may include nitrous oxides ("NOx"), and solid particulate matter, which may include unburned carbon particulates called soot.
Due to increased attention on the environment, exhaust emission standards have become more stringent, and the amount of gaseous compounds emitted to the atmosphere from an engine may be regulated depending on the type of engine, size of engine, and/or class of engine. One method that has been implemented by engine manufacturers to comply with the regulation of these engine emissions is exhaust gas recirculation ("EGR"). EGR systems recirculate some of the exhaust gas byproducts into the intake air supply of the internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas directed to the engine cylinder reduces the concentration of oxygen within the cylinder and increases the specific heat of the air/fuel mixture, thereby lowering the local combustion temperature within the cylinder. The lowered local combustion temperature and reduced oxygen concentration can slow the chemical reaction of the combustion process and decrease the formation of NOx.
Maintaining the proper ratio of EGR to intake air is important in lowering local combustion temperatures and, consequently, NOx formation. As such, a reliable and accurate EGR flow meter, in conjunction with other engine components, helps achieve stringent NOx emission limitations.
Some engines with external EGR loops, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,210 ("210"), have separate EGR meters for measuring EGR flow. '210 discloses a venturi measurement sensor for measuring flow disposed within the EGR passage. The presence of a separate airflow sensor within the airflow loop, as disclosed in '210, unfortunately, results in extra hardware to the EGR loop. The extra hardware may lead to increased costs and pressure loss. Furthermore, many engines are constrained by tight space limitations, as there may be limited space available "under the hood" of an automobile. In some of these engines, the extra hardware may present problems in meeting these space limitations.
The disclosed flow meter is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


Disclosed is a motorcycle fitted with a canister. A canister (55) is disposed along the body frame (20) at a position outside the body frame and closer to the body frame than the tip end of a tandem step (54R).

In order to prevent escape of fuel vapors from a fuel tank to the atmosphere during stopping or parking of a vehicle, a fuel vapor adsorption device, which is so-called "canister", is provided on the vehicle.
Conventionally, a motorcycle provided with a fuel vapor adsorption device is known as disclosed in Patent Document 1.
As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the conventional canister is accommodated in a body frame portion formed by a seat rail extending rearwards of the vehicle body and a diagonally extending sub-frame.
In the motorcycle, auxiliary devices are disposed closely with one another within the body frame portion, and additional installation of the canister into body frame portion will increase the entire volume of the body frame portion, which will necessarily increase the overall size of the body frame. The thus enlarged body frame hinders downsizing of the vehicle body.
There is a keen demand for a motorcycle provided with a canister and capable of downsizing a body frame.


A database system may receive a query and form a plan for executing the query using a hypothetical index selected based on columns referenced by the query. The database system may compare the hypothetical index to indexes on the computing nodes of the database system. Based on the comparison, the database system may form a new index, based on the hypothetical index, on one of the computing nodes. An additional computing node may be added to the database system for the purpose of maintaining the new index. Subsequent queries having commonality with the first query may be processed on a node maintaining the first index.

Database systems may scale read-oriented workloads by the addition of computing nodes that maintain replicas of some or all of a collection of data. Typically, each computing node may maintain a copy of the data and a set of corresponding indexes. Read-oriented workload may be distributed among the computing nodes by a load balancing mechanism that distributes query execution tasks among the computing nodes. Accordingly, each of the computing nodes may process queries using by retrieving an appropriate set of data from its replica of the collection of data. The execution of certain queries on a computing node may be improved by using one or more of the set of indexes.


A protective monitoring circuit includes a protective circuit to detect at least one of overcharging, overdischarging, and overcurrent of a chargeable secondary battery to control whether to turn on or off a control transistor to protect the secondary battery, and a secondary-battery monitoring circuit, having a reduced size and having a breakdown voltage lower than a battery voltage of the secondary battery, to detect a status of the secondary battery, wherein the protective circuit generates a voltage that is commensurate with an output voltage of the secondary battery and that is within a predetermined tolerance voltage range of the secondary-battery monitoring circuit, and the secondary-battery monitoring circuit generates a detection value responsive to the generated voltage supplied from the protective circuit, the detection value being indicative of the output voltage of the secondary battery.

In recent years, lithium ion batteries have been used as chargeable secondary batteries in portable apparatuses such as digital cameras and portable phones. A lithium ion battery is generally susceptible to overcharging, overcurrent, and overdischarging, and is thus used in a battery pack having a protective circuit to protect the lithium ion battery by detecting overcharging, overcurrent, and overdischarging. Such a battery pack may be provided with a secondary battery monitoring circuit that detects the status of a lithium ion battery such as a remaining battery level.
There is a battery pack provided with a secondary battery monitoring circuit to which the voltage of a secondary battery is directly applied for detection of the voltage of the secondary battery (Patent Document 1, for example).

Protective monitoring circuit and battery pack


a pattern evaluation system which receives image data of a pattern to be evaluated to evaluate the pattern includes an edge model producing part which produces a pattern edge model and an edge point coordinate detecting part which carries out an image matching processing to an image of the pattern with the pattern edge model to detect coordinates of an edge point of the pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pattern evaluation system, evaluation method and program for evaluating a pattern by measuring dimension and shape of the pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an example of a conventional pattern evaluation method, a method for evaluating a fine pattern of a semiconductor will be described below.
Evaluation of a pattern is important in a semiconductor fabricating process. This is particularly conspicuous with respect to a fine pattern formed in a lithography process and/or an etching process. Conventionally, there is generally adopted a method for measuring and evaluating the dimension of a pattern (e.g., a line width in the case of a line pattern, a hole diameter in the case of a hole pattern) by means of a CDSEM (Critical Dimension Scanning Electron Microscope) using electron beams. In a CDSEM, secondary electrons produced from a sample irradiated with primary electron beams are detected by a detector, and a SEM image of a pattern obtained as signal strength of the detected secondary electrons is processed to carry out a pattern evaluation, such as a dimension measurement. As a conventional pattern evaluation method using a CDSEM, a method for obtaining a line width of a line pattern will be described below.
First, a SEM image is acquired by scanning a sample with electron beams in a scanning line direction which is determined so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal directions of a line pattern formed on the sample. Then, the SEM image is cut out in accordance with a region of interest (ROI) described on a measuring recipe or an ROI assigned by an operator, and is stored in, e.g., an image memory of a computer capable of processing images. Subsequently, assuming that the scanning line direction of the SEM system is X direction, an intensity distribution curve (a line profile) is prepared for every line pixel of the cut image in X direction. From this profile, coordinates of edge points of the pattern are extracted by, e.g., the threshold method. In this case, right and left two edge points (X-coordinates) are extracted. Then, the distance between these edge points (the difference between the X-coordinates) is determined as the width of this line pixel of the line pattern, and the width of each line pixel is calculated. The mean value of the calculated values in the longitudinal directions of the ROI is finally outputted as the width of the line pattern. There are some cases where the calculated value fluctuates due to noises of the image. Therefore, in order to remove this fluctuation, for example, the mean value of the widths of three line pixels including upper and lower line pixels may be obtained to determine the mean value as the width of the line pixel, or the mean value of values of distance between the edge points in the longitudinal directions of the ROI may be finally outputted as the width of the line pattern. Furthermore, if the variation in width in the longitudinal directions of an ROI is small like a line pattern, the calculation time is generally shortened by thinning line pixels to calculate the width.
Then, the following two steps are required for carrying out an image processing when the dimension of a pattern is to be measured. That is, there are required a step of detecting the edge of the pattern using an edge detecting algorithm, and a step of calculating the dimension of the pattern by a CD measuring algorithm suitable for the object of measurement. There are some method for the CD measuring algorithm of these algorithms such as a method in which the mean value of distance between edge points is used like the above example and a simple method in which, e.g., the maximum or minimum distance between edge points is calculated as the maximum or minimum line width in the case that a line pattern does not have a constant width as well as a method requiring a complicated calculating procedure as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-171230. In either of these methods, the threshold method, the straight line approximation, the maximum gradient method or the like is used as the pattern edge detecting algorithm prior to the method. These methods in the prior art are described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-1 84714.
However, in the above described conventional method for detecting the edge points of the pattern, there are some cases where no edge can be detected or an incorrect edge is detected by mistake, in accordance with the shape and arrangement of the pattern. In the above described conventional method, there are also some cases where the measured value of the dimension of the pattern varies in accordance with the size of the ROI for cutting out the pattern. In addition, in the above described conventional method, it is necessary to assign the ROI. Therefore, if the shape of the pattern is complicated, it is required to carry out a complicated procedure of assigning the ROI, so that the burden on the operator increases and the reliability of automatic measurement decreases. In addition, in the above described conventional method, there are some cases where the measured value of the dimension of the pattern varies in accordance with the variation in contrast/brightness of the pattern or the variation in tapered angle of the side wall of the pattern. Moreover, in the above described conventional method, there is a problem in that the measured value or the like of the dimension of the pattern depends on the magnification in measurement.

Pattern evaluation system, pattern evaluation method and program


A system for automatically determining a thickness of a wall of an artery of a subject includes an ECG monitoring device that captures an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from the subject, and an ultrasound video imaging device, coupled to the ECG monitoring device, that receives the ECG signal from the ECG monitoring device, and captures a corresponding ultrasound video of the wall of the artery of the subject. The system produces a plurality of frames of video comprising the ultrasound video of the wall of the artery of the subject and an image of the ECG signal. A processor is configured to select a subset of the plurality of frames of the ultrasound video based on the image of the (ECG) signal, locate automatically a region of interest (ROI) in each frame of the subset of the plurality of frames of the video using a machine-based artificial neural network and measure automatically a thickness of the wall of the artery in each ROI using the machine-based artificial neural network.

The subject matter described herein relates to systems and methods for determining carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT).
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer in the United States. Nevertheless, CVD is largely preventable. However, the key is to identify at-risk persons before coronary events occur, so that preventive care can be prescribed appropriately. A noninvasive ultrasonography method that has proven to be valuable for predicting individual CVD risk involves determining a person's carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT). Interpretation of CIMT ultrasonographic videos involves three manual operations: 1) selection of end-diastolic ultrasonographic frames (EUFs) in each video; 2) localization of a region of interest (ROI) in each selected EUF; and 3) identification of the intima-media boundaries within each ROI to measure CIMT. With reference to FIG. 1, which illustrates a longitudinal view of the common carotid artery of a human subject in an ultrasonographic B-scan image 100, CIMT is defined as the distance between the lumen-intima interface and the media-adventitia interface, measured approximately 1 cm from the carotid bulb on the far wall of the common carotid artery at the end of the diastole. Therefore, interpretation of a CIMT video involves 3 operations: 1) select 3 EUFs in each video (the cardiac cycle indicator shows to where in the cardiac cycle the current frame in the video corresponds); 2) localize an ROI approximately 1 cm distal from the carotid bulb in the selected EUF; and 3) measure the CIMT within the localized ROI.
These three operations, and in particular, the third step of CIMT measurement, are not only tedious and laborious but also subjective to large inter-operator variability if guidelines are not properly followed. These factors have hindered the widespread utilization of CIMT in clinical practice. To overcome this limitation, what is needed is a new system to accelerate CIMT video interpretation through automation of the operations in a novel, unified framework using machine-based artificial neural networks such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs).

Method and apparatus for video interpretation of carotid intima-media thickness

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY


A scrap collection system for collecting scraps produced when materials such as metals and plastics are processed by a processing machine such as a pressing machine and a lathe. A scrap receiver receives scraps from the processing machine and has at least one hopper positioned beneath the processing machine. A scrap collector box vertically below the hopper has at least one opening into which a conduit is directed for delivering scraps into the scrap collector box, and at least one opening having a filter for discharging air from the scrap collector box. A single unconstricted and unobstructed scrap conveying conduit extends in a straight vertical path from the hopper to the scrap collector box, and an air ejector is connected in the conduit at a position between the scrap receiver and scrap collector box and having an air passage opening into the periphery of the scrap passage at an angle to the scrap passage and toward the scrap collector box for ejecting high pressure air through the conduit in a direction toward the scrap collector box for creating a suction effect for moving scraps from the scrap receiver to the scrap collector box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for collecting scraps produced when various materials such as metals and plastics are processed by processing machines such as pressing machines and lathes and, more particularly, relates to a system which can efficiently collect scraps by the use of a suction force generated by a flow of high-pressure air.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Heretofore, two typical systems have been used to collect scraps produced from a pressing machine, i.e. a press, which is one example of a machine for processing materials, when punching is carried out thereby.
In the first system, scraps are collected by simply receiving them as they fall due to their own weight. In this case, a box for collecting scraps is placed below the punching tool of the pressing machine, and scraps produced by punching of sheets fall due to their own weight and are received in the box and collected.
The second system is a dust collector. One example of such a dust collector system is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-24157. This system is designed as a dust collector for a portable air grinder, and is characterized by having an air ejector fixedly provided on a lid member of a cylindrical tank, an air filter provided in the tank at the downstream end of a suction pipe leading to the air ejector, a compressed-air inlet passage in the ejector connected with an air supply pipe through a valve, said lid member being provided with a dust collection opening, and a dust suction duct for connecting an abrasive wheel cover of the grinder to the dust collection opening. The air supply line to the grinder is connected by a T-joint to the compressed air inlet passage.
However, such conventional scrap collection systems have the following disadvantages. A problem with the first system which simply collects falling scraps is that scraps are often prevented from falling because instead they are unintentionally deposited in a mold or the like, and are responsible for making dents in the products molded thereby, thus resulting in an increase in the number of defective products, a shortening in the service life of tools and a lowering of the efficiency of the system.
A problem with the second system, namely the dust collector, is that the size of the duct collector becomes very large, so that not only is there a need to provide a space sufficient for its installation, but the complicated equipment also leads to an increased cost. Another problem is that as the sharpness of the processing tools deteriorates, scraps are likely to ascend while sticking to the punches because of a lack of suction force of the dust collector, or holes or openings are clogged by scraps.


A desktop shield system having a panel with a top surface and a bottom surface, the panel is clear or transparent, wherein a user can write on the top surface of the panel with a non-permanent marker, and a plurality of magnets on the bottom surface of the panel, wherein a template can be placed in between the bottom surface of the panel and a desktop.

A vast amount of paper is used every day in schools. The present invention features a novel desktop shield system for placing on desktops, e.g., over templates or worksheets (e.g., reference charts, nametags, alphabets, etc.). A user can mark or write on the system, and the system can then be erased. This allows the templates or worksheets to be used over and over again, reducing the amount of paper wasted.
The system of the present invention is durable. In some embodiments, the system is removed from the desktop for display purposes or collaborative discussion purposes. The present invention is not limited to use in classrooms.


A method for generating phase signals includes triggering a phase register to output a binary number stored in the phase register, wherein the phase register is triggered based at least in part on a voltage signal provided by a voltage controlled oscillator. The method also includes providing an input signal to a decoder, wherein the input signal is based at least in part on the binary number output by the phase register and the decoder is operable to generate phase signals in response to the input signals. The method further includes incrementing the binary number stored in the phase register and repeating the triggering and providing steps after the binary number is incremented.

Mixers are the circuit blocks of a communication system that perform frequency translation of the carrier signals. Mixers are therefore used to frequency translate a desired radio frequency (RF) signal from a broadband signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. Ideally, a frequency translation receiver, such as a direct down-conversion receiver, using a mixer multiplies the RF signal of interest by a pure sine wave, known as the local oscillator (LO) signal. This ideal multiplication produces signals only at the sum and difference of the RF and LO frequencies. With low pass filtering of the multiplier output, the receiver responds only to the signals at the frequency of interest, i.e. RF signals in a small band centered about the LO frequency.
Unfortunately, ideal multipliers are not practical for a variety of reasons. Currently, standard integrated circuit (IC) practice is to implement the mixing process with a Gilbert cell. A Gilbert cell essentially multiplies the RF signal by a square wave rather than an ideal sine-wave. Because of the odd harmonics of a square wave, a receiver utilizing a Gilbert cell mixer responds to RF signals at each of the odd harmonics of the LO. Response to the first harmonic is strongest; higher harmonics have a weaker, but significant, response. For example, the third and fifth harmonic responses are 9.5 and 14 dB below the first harmonic, respectively. Prior approaches address the harmonic problem by placing a pre-selection filter before the mixer. For wide band applications, the filter must be tunable. The filter passes only the RF signal of interest and greatly attenuates its harmonics. Since harmonics of the RF signal never reach the mixer, the receiver responds only to the signal of interest. Unfortunately, a suitable pre-select filter is difficult or impossible to implement with current IC technology.

System and method for frequency translation with harmonic suppression using mixer stages


An antimicrobial composition that includes: an antimicrobial component having at least one quaternary ammonium compound; a cationic polysaccharide; an organic acid; and a surfactant selected from cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants and combinations thereof. This composition when applied to a surface provides robust long lasting disinfection.

It is often desirable to provide a biocidal surface on which microorganisms, many of which are potentially harmful, cannot survive at least for a given period of time. Most materials have surfaces that do not normally prevent microbial contamination. One useful way to improve the microorganism resistance of a surface is to treat the surface with a formulation that provides a biocidal effect and also prevents future growth until the next application.
One common method of treating a surface is to apply a layer of a liquid formulation to that surface and then dry the layer or allow the layer to dry. It is desirable that such liquid formulations are clear and remain stable during storage. It is also desirable that such liquid formulations spread evenly when applied to a hard, flat surface. It is desirable that such films, when dry, have one or more of the following desirable properties: clarity, non-tackiness; durability to repeated touching or wiping; no long term build-up; and ability to maintain biocidal efficacy under normal use for an extended period of time after application to a surface.
Antimicrobial compositions commercially available as disinfectants, or as cleaners with disinfecting activity, typically achieve microbial kill at 99.9% or greater. However, re-soiling or contamination of the surface requires additional treatments with such compositions. A need, therefore, exists for antimicrobial formulations that provide high microbial kill without the need for repeated applications. However, designing compositions that meet the above requirements is a difficult task in view of unpredictable and complicated interactions between ingredients.

Compositions and methods for long lasting disinfection


A method for Real Time Kinematic satellite positioning includes receiving navigation satellite carrier signals, receiving phase correction signals from a reference station, calculating a set of integer phase ambiguities from double-differenced measurements of pseudo-range and phase, and calculating a relative position of the mobile receiver from the set of integer phase ambiguities and the double-differenced measurements of pseudo-range and phase.

Being able to perform high precision satellite positioning is important for a wide variety of applications. Unfortunately, current GPS solutions are often either inaccurate or require processor power beyond the capabilities of inexpensive mobile hardware. Thus, there is the need in the satellite-based positioning field to create systems and methods for Real Time Kinematic (RTK) satellite positioning. This invention provides such new and useful systems and methods.

Systems and methods for real time kinematic satellite positioning


A safety brake device for moving machine elements to prevent injury to the extremities of the operator of a machine if the distance of said operator from the moving machine element is less than a defined safety area. The device is characterized by an arrangement for detecting the operator position, in order to permit operation of the machine only if the operator remains within the defined working area, an arrangement for detecting the position of the extremities of the operator within a predefined safety zone, which enables the required work activities to be performed, and a brake device, by means of which the moving machine element can be immediately stopped if the extremities of the operator go beyond the safety area.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a safety brake device for moving machine elements designed to prevent injuries to the extremities of the operator of a machine
2. Description of Related Art
A number of safety devices are already known which are intended to reduce the danger of accidents to the operator from moving machine elements such as tools, blades, presses, or similar where the workpieces are fed or removed manually.
These safety devices are in most cases very simple in design and do not offer full protection for the operator, since these only protect parts of the machine elements or tools, or the machine elements have a relatively long stopping time and it is thus still possible to reach into the hazardous area.
Most of the safety devices currently known consist of separating mechanical safety covers which partially cover the hazardous areas, or emergency stop devices which cut off the energy supply and are tripped manually or through contact with switching devices. Nonetheless, a considerable residual hazard remains since, due to their rotary or kinetic energy, the moving machine elements are not stopped immediately. Even though the drives of the machines are increasingly equipped with brakes, the stopping times in each case amount to several seconds, which means that injuries cannot be prevented.
A safety device is also already known in which the saw blade of a circular saw is brought to a standstill in the event of an emergency by means of an aluminum claw. However, a disadvantage here is that the aluminum claw needs to be replaced after each use.

Safety brake device for moving machine elements


An apparatus for processing a depth image using a relative angle between an image sensor and a target object includes an object image extractor to extract an object image from the depth image, a relative angle calculator to calculate a relative angle between an image sensor used to photograph the depth image and a target object corresponding to the object image, and an object image rotator to rotate the object image based on the relative angle and a reference angle.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an apparatus and method of processing a depth image, and more particularly, to a technology for processing a depth image using a relative angle between an image sensor and a target object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, interest in technology for estimating a motion of a target object in a real space, for example, a human body, and implementing the estimated motion in a three-dimensional (3D) space, in fields such as video games, virtual worlds, and computer graphics (CG) in movies, is increasing.
In particular, many devices, for example, smart TVs, smart phones, and healthcare equipment, may recognize a motion of a target object using a depth image. Here, the depth image refers to an image including a depth from a depth image camera to a target object.

Apparatus and method of processing depth image using relative angle between image sensor and target object


A cassette loading device for a cassette tape recorder capable of preventing damages of the drum or the cassette tape by guiding the tape during the loading of the cassette tape is disclosed. The device includes a housing shaft connected to links on the side walls of the housing, and mounted on the rear part of the front wall of the housing for revolving forward or backward during the loading or unloading of the cassette tape, a pivoting member for controlling the revolution of the housing shaft by rotating around a pin, and an elastic member mounted on the front wall of the housing for applying elastic force to the pivoting member, wherein the tape is accurately guided to the drum for loading thereto without any damage of the drum and the tape, and the constitution of the device is simplified at a low manufacturing cost.

Generally, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a cassette tape recorder such as an ultra miniature video camera places a tape cassette 10 to a deck 12. When the tape cassette 10 is inserted into a housing 11, the housing 11 is pushed toward the deck 12 for loading the tape cassette 10 to the deck 12 by lifting and lowering links 13a and 13b installed on a side of the housing 11.
A rack gear 13c located at one side of the link 13a is engaged with a connecting gear 14a of a housing shaft 14 which is laterally extended in the housing 11, so that the links 13a and 13b installed on a side of the housing 11 are driven simultaneously.
Thereafter, under play mode, the cassette tape moves toward a drum 101 on a main chassis 100 to load, so that information can be recorded to or regenerated from the cassette tape. The recorder also includes a capstan motor 102, a loading motor 103, and a sub-chassis 110 for sliding onto the main chassis 100.
However, during the loading of the cassette tape to the drum after as described above, it often happens that the cassette tape is grasped by an upper edge of the drum, thereby causing damage to the drum and the tape. Thus there is felt a need for a device for guiding the tape to the drum.
In order to solve this problem, there has been proposed a device, and this device is illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, a lever 15 is mounted on a side of the front wall of the housing 11 to be pivoted around a pin 15a. A slider 17 is mounted by means of a spring 16 approximately in parallel with the housing 11 and connected to one end of the lever 15 by a connecting pin 15b.
Meanwhile, pivoting means 18 is installed to the other end of the slider 17, and a securing pin 18a is provided on the top of the pivoting means 18 in such a manner as to be inserted into between engaging pieces 17a of the slider 17.
After the insertion of the tape cassette 10 into the housing 11 and during the loading of the tape cassette 10 to the deck 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the tape is guided by the pivoting means 18 before being placed on the drum.
When the lever 15 pivots clockwise around the pin 15a, the slider 17 moves to the right side by the action of the spring 16. Consequently, the pivoting means 18 pivots by 90 degrees around the pin 18b for loading the tape to the drum.
However, the above described conventional device is complicated in its structure, thereby lowering the productivity and reliability.

Cassette loading device for a cassette tape recorder


The object of the present invention is to provide an olfactory disturbance therapeutic agent that is effective in repairing or regenerating olfactory epithelium that suffered damages such as scratches and can be administered for a long time.

There are various causes for olfactory disturbance, depending on the site of disturbance. In many cases, these are olfactory epithelium-type olfactory disturbance that could happen when such things as swelling or abnormal secretion occur in olfactory epithelium tissues; or mixed-type olfactory disturbance that is attributed to olfactory epithelium and other factors.
The methods to treat such olfactory disturbance include oral therapies that use such drugs as Tsumura Kampo Toukisyakuyaku; and nasal therapies that use steroid drugs such as Nasonex (mometasone furoate hydrate) or Nasal Rinderon A solution (mixture of fradiomycin sulfate and betamethasone phosphate).
However, the use of high-titer steroids, such as Nasal Rinderon A solution, comes with the problems of side effects. For example, among troubles that could happen are moon face, obesity, arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, an increase in blood sugar level, effects on the balance of adrenocortical hormone, and virus re-activation for patients infected with Hepatitis B virus. They often become an issue at clinical level. In particular, attention needs to be paid to the use of such drugs for diabetic patients whose number is large. As one that has less side effects, an olfactory disturbance therapeutic agent whose active ingredient is prednisolone derivative is known (Refer to Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4,263,782

Medicament for treating olfaction disorder

Abstract: The object of the present invention is achieved by an olfactory disturbance therapeutic agent including at least one active ingredient that is selected from among a group consisting of insulin, insulin analogs, and insulin secretagogues. Preferably, the olfactory disturbance therapeutic agent is used for people with olfactory disturbance who have, or are at risk of having, impaired insulin secretion or insulin resistance, or for people who could suffer an iatrogenic increase in blood sugar level or a disturbance in a balance of adrenocortical hormone stemming from a long-term use of steroid as olfactory disturbance treatment.


The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for switching a data path in a wireless communication system supporting device-to-device (D2D) communication. The method for switching a path of a base station in a wireless communication system supporting device-to-device communication, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving, from a first terminal, a measurement report including a D2D identifier of a second terminal that performs a direct communication with the first terminal; sending a query to a D2D server for a network identifier corresponding to the D2D identifier of the second terminal; and determining whether to switch a direct path between the first terminal and the second terminal to a local path on the basis of the network identifier of the second terminal obtained from the D2D server.

With the evolution of mobile services, various types of service models for using smartphones have recently appeared. As an example, a service provided based on a user's proximity uses a cellular network; however, using a cellular network may cause data congestion as the number of users increases.
In order to resolve the problem, device-to-device (D2D) communication technology using proximity of communication devices has been attracting attention in recent years.
In cellular networks configured to support D2D communication, devices may perform D2D communication, i.e., communication via a direct path, in order to use efficient wireless resources, and this may increase the overall throughput of networks. However, when communication devices are relatively far apart from each other, the performance of a wireless channel is lowered and D2D communication may not be efficient. In this case, it is effective to communicate via a default path of a cellular network.
When devices communicate with the same eNB via the default path, transmission of data packets through a cellular network may increase unnecessary traffic in the network. In order to resolve the problem, there may be a need for communication via a local path on which an eNB serves as a relay for D2D communication without passing through a network.
Therefore, there is a need to adaptively switch a device-to-device communication path to either a direct communication path or a local communication path between devices.

Method and apparatus for switching data path in wireless communication system supporting device-to-device communication


A cryptographic method, including generating, using a meta-secret, a first plurality of cryptographic keys, each cryptographic key associated with a respective key identifier, creating, using the meta-secret, a second plurality of sets of secret-shares, which are capable, by combining all the secrets-shares in any one of the sets together with the respective key identifier, of generating the associated cryptographic key, and performing cryptographic operations using the cryptographic keys. Related methods and apparatus are also included.

Many digital content distribution systems use conditional access (CA), which requires the receiver to meet certain criteria before being able to decrypt and display a given content item, such as a video program or broadcast channel. The content is encrypted using a secret key, referred to as a control word (CW). (This sort of encryption is commonly referred to as "scrambling.") The CW itself is encrypted by entitlement control messages (ECMs), which are transmitted from the system head-end to receivers of the content item. The CA subsystem (such as a secure smart card) in each receiver decrypts the ECM to recover the CW for a given content channel, but only when the receiver is authorized to do so by an entitlement management message (EMM) for the given channel. EMMs are typically transmitted periodically (for example, once per month) to the CA subsystem, depending on the subscriber's service plan.
In secret sharing schemes, a secret (such as a cryptographic key) is shared among a group of participants, each of whom is allocated a share of the secret. The secret can be reconstructed only when a sufficient number of secret-shares are combined together, while individual shares are of no use on their own. A method for secret sharing based on polynomials, for example, was described by Shamir in "How to Share a Secret," Communications of the ACM 22:11 (1979), pages 612-613.

Key generation using multiple sets of secret shares


A system and method for multiplexing and remultiplexing whereby multiplexed programs from an input stream are only demultiplexed if they are to be copied or modified locally. Any multiplexed programs which are part of an input stream and which are intended to be part of the output stream are not demultiplexed but are simply passed along to be added to the transport stream with other multiplexed programs. A further inventive aspect comprises a multiplexer apparatus and process whereby dynamic bit rate adjustment is applied to eliminate the need to recalculate timebase information for altered streams.

When providing programs to requesting client locations (for example, viewer's television sets), an MPEG transport stream is created. An MPEG-2 transport stream, comprising packets of 188 bytes, combines one or more programs, with common or independent timebases, into a single stream. The input program streams, which may be combined into the transport stream, can have a constant bit rate (CBR) or a variable bit rate (VBR), wherein a CBR stream has a known bit rate associated with the stream, while a VBR stream has no specified bit rate. MPEG-2 transport streams can be delivered via cable, satellite or air from a program provider location to a viewer location.
A transport stream carrying more than one program is referred to as a Multi-Program Transport Stream (MPTS). A transport stream multiplexer is a device that combines multiple programs to form a single transport stream. In doing so, the multiplexer must guarantee the integrity and accuracy of the individual timebases of the programs, since the correct timebase is necessary for the decoding of each individual program at the receiving location. The process of extracting the individual program streams from the transport stream is done by a demultiplexer.
FIG. 1 provides a block diagram of an environment wherein the multiplexing and demultiplexing occurs. A requesting client, viewer location 100, "requests" a program, either by simply tuning to a designated program display channel on a set top box or by entering a so-called "pay per view" request which will be sent via its communications component 102 to server 1 at 110. Server 1 may be a cable provider's headend, or other comparable program servicing facility. If server 1 has a copy of the program in its storage location 118, the program will be accessed, multiplexed into a stream at multiplexer 116, and provided via communications component 112 to the client. Should more than one program be requested, and both be available at server 1, the created stream will be an MPTS that is provided to client location 100 for demultiplexing at demultiplexer 104 and then provided for viewing at display 103 (e.g., a computer or television set). If server 1 does not have a copy of a requested program in its storage 118, it will communicate with another server, shown as server 2 at 120, to obtain a copy. Upon receipt of a request at the communications component 122 of server 2, a copy of the requested program is retrieved from storage 128, multiplexed in multiplexer 126 into an MPEG-2 stream, and then provided to communications component 122 for transmission to server 1. Server 1 must then demultiplex the stream received from server 2 at its demultiplexer 114, followed by remultiplexing the stream, for example with a program accessed from local storage 118, to provide an MPTS for transmission from communications component 112 to the client 100.
A remultiplexer is a component, illustrated at 115 in FIG. 1, which performs both the demultiplexing and multiplexing functions. FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail a prior art remultiplexer 215 having both demultiplexing and multiplexing capabilities. Upon receipt of an input transport stream, at buffer 202, requested program or programs are extracted from the input stream, demultiplexed at demultiplexer (DEMUX) 204 and then provided to individual program buffers, 206, 216 and 226. A decision is made at the program buffers if the buffered program should be added to the output stream, copied into storage, or dropped. The decision is generally based on the contractual arrangement previously entered into by the viewer and the program provider. For those programs which are to be passed to the output stream, the demultiplexed programs, as well as any programs which are being inserted from local storage, are provided to the multiplexer (MUX) 208 which multiplexes the programs into the output transport stream and provides them to output buffer 210 for streaming in accordance with known techniques. A bypass switch 201 is provided to allow streams to pass through the provider location in the event of scheduled maintenance on or a failure of the remultiplexer.
Conducting both demultiplexing and multiplexing at the remultiplexer is costly in terms of time and program integrity. Both demultiplexing and multiplexing can introduce sources of error into the streams unless care is taken to ensure that timebase information is correctly applied. Program streams carry timebase information in packets having Program Clock Reference (PCR) timestamps, which are included at least every 100 mS. However, if the original program is changed, for example at buffer 202 or at program buffer 206, 216 or 226, by adding or removing packets before the multiplexing process, as further discussed below, the timebase information on the original program may become inaccurate and may compromise the decoding/demultiplexing process. The timebase information on the entire program would need to be adjusted before multiplexing it, which introduces both cost and delay in the remultiplexer.
Adding packets may be necessary if one wants to encrypt some elements of a program, to add watermarks, to insert tracking information before transmission, or to insert functions such as closed captioning, electronic program guides, or data for interactive services. Removal of packets may be done to remove partial information of a program (like an audio channel). Other packets which would frequently be added to a transport stream include packets not referenced in the PSI tables (unreferenced packets) such as packets containing DVB and ATSC information.
Every packet in a transport stream contains an ID (hereinafter referred to as "PTD"). A program is defined by a set of PIDs. A special PID (0x1fff) identifies the idle packet PID that is used as padding in a transport stream. However, in an MPTS transport stream there is no guaranteed way to determine if an idle packet belongs to a program or is a padding packet (which is the result of a multiplexing process). A transport stream includes tables (PSI tables), which identify the number of programs carried by the transport stream and which list the PIDs of each program. The transport stream may additionally include the aforementioned unreferenced packets, such as DVB and ATSC specific packets which are not referenced in the tables. During the demultiplexing process, the unreferenced packets are typically sent to a separate buffer, 226 of FIG. 2, and then reinserted into the output transport stream by the multiplexer MUX 208. However, the original bit rate of the unreferenced packets cannot be determined. This ambiguity, along with the idle packet problem, creates a potential, if not a likelihood, that timing information of the original stream will be compromised. Prior art systems, therefore, can transform an original CBR program before the multiplexing process into a VBR program after the demultiplexing. If the extracted program is to be further multiplexed (e.g., a program provided from server 2 which will be further multiplexed at server 1 for transmission to the client), it will potentially require a conversion from VBR to CBR stream. The demultiplexed program can, however, only be reconstructed to its original CBR form if the original bit rate is known. However, an MPTS does not carry information about the bit rates of the programs that it contains. That original bit rate information has to be supplied to a demultiplexer by another means (e.g., a software application).
One difficulty encountered in the remultiplexing of VBR streams is that there may not be sufficient instantaneous bandwidth to transmit all of the requested streams. The bandwidth profile of each stream can be adjusted to guarantee that they all fit in the output channel. However, this adjustment requires real-time processing of the streams before multiplexing, which is a very processing intensive task and can add significant delays.
What is needed, and what is an object of the present invention, is a system and method to allow remultiplexing of CBR and VBR streams without pre-processing or demultiplexing programs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that allows multiplexing of programs that have been partially changed, without the need for adjusting the timebase information.
Yet another object of the present invention is to insert a remultiplexer into an already active MPEG-2 transport stream path with minimal disruption.

System and method for providing multiplexing and remultiplexing of MPEG-2 streams

International Business Machines Corporation


An image forming apparatus stops the intermediate transfer belt so that a wrinkle is formed at a predetermined position of an intermediate transfer belt and, by detecting a reference mark during a preparation operation for forming an image when starting image formation, the toner image is not transferred onto the wrinkle formed in the intermediate transfer belt when formation of a toner image is started immediately after the preparation operation has been completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copier, printer, or facsimile, and, in particular, to an image forming apparatus including an intermediate transfer member onto which an image is transferred.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some existing image forming apparatuses include an intermediate transfer belt serving as an intermediate transfer member onto which a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred. In such image forming apparatuses, in order to control driving of an intermediate transfer belt, a reference mark formed of a light reflecting member is provided on the intermediate transfer belt. In addition, a detection sensor for optically detecting the reference mark is provided.
In order to form an image, such an image forming apparatus performs control so as to start an image forming process after a preset period of time has elapsed since the reference mark was detected by a detection sensor and transfer a toner image onto an intermediate transfer belt at a predetermined position. In addition, when the image forming process is completed, the image forming apparatus performs control so as to stop the intermediate transfer belt after a preset period of time has elapsed since the reference mark was detected by a detection sensor. Thus, the intermediate transfer belt stops at the same position. This is to make a first printout time (hereinafter also referred to as an "FPOT") constant.
Since the intermediate transfer belt is held tight around a plurality of support rollers, partial wrinkle of the intermediate transfer belt may occur at a position at which the intermediate transfer belt is in contact with the support roller if, as described above, the intermediate transfer belt stops at the same position. If a wrinkle occurs, a toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer member cannot be transferred onto a recording material at an accurate position. Accordingly, an image defect, such as white streaking, may occur. To address such an issue, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-201994 describes a technique for reducing the probability of the occurrence of such an image defect caused by a wrinkle of an intermediate transfer belt by performing control so that the intermediate transfer belt stops at least two different positions.
If, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-201994, the intermediate transfer belt is stopped at least two different positions, the occurrence of an image defect caused by a wrinkle can be reduced. However, the position at which the intermediate transfer belt is stopped is not determined in consideration of a first printout time. Therefore, in some cases, an optimum first printout time cannot be realized depending on a stop position.


The present invention provides an apparatus which stably provides highly concentrated oxygen to a patient, regardless of an environmental temperature and/or a highly concentrated oxygen gas flow rate. The present invention is an oxygen concentrator characterized in that an oxygen concentration sensor detecting a concentration of the oxygen gas produced by the oxygen concentrator, a temperature sensor measuring an environmental temperature and/or a flow rate sensor are provided, a control increasing/decreasing a supply airflow volume of the compressed air supply device based on a detected oxygen concentration detected value to maintain an oxygen concentration at a predetermined concentration is performed, and a control device is switched based on a value measured by the temperature sensor and/or flow rate sensor of the apparatus.

In recent years, the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases such as asthma, pulmonary emphysema, chronic bronchitis and the like has tended to increase. One of the most effective therapeutic methods for these diseases is oxygen inhalation therapy and oxygen concentrators which separate oxygen-concentrated gas directly from an oxygen tank or air have been developed and used as therapeutic apparatus for oxygen inhalation therapy.
As the oxygen concentrator, a pressure swing adsorption-type (hereinbelow refer to as PSA-type) oxygen concentrator, which produces a highly concentrated oxygen gas by introducing compressed air from a compressor into an adsorption cylinder filled with an adsorbent such as zeolites and the like selectively adsorbing a nitrogen gas to eliminate selectively a nitrogen gas in the air, has widely been used.
The PSA-type oxygen concentrator produces a highly concentrated oxygen gas from air through the steps described below. Firstly, compressed air is supplied by a compressor into an adsorption cylinder to adsorb a nitrogen gas contained in air by an adsorbent such as zeolites and the like. The oxygen concentration in air is increased by selective adsorption and elimination of a nitrogen gas. The highly concentrated oxygen gas thus obtained is transferred to a buffer (product tank) storing oxygen gas via a check valve which is installed to prevent the gas from flowing back and is stored therein.
At the same time, a nitrogen gas adsorbed by the adsorbent is desorbed from the adsorbent by reducing the inner pressure of the adsorption cylinder to recover the efficiency of the adsorbent. A small amount of concentrated oxygen gas may also be supplied into the adsorption cylinder to promote the desorption of nitrogen.
Thus, highly concentrated oxygen-enriched air having an oxygen concentration as high as 95% may be obtained from air by repeatedly pressurizing and depressurizing the adsorption cylinder using the PSA-type oxygen concentrator. In recent years, as such a PSA-type oxygen concentrator, a multiple cylinder-type oxygen concentrator has been used, which is equipped with multiple adsorption cylinders filled with an adsorbent selectively adsorbing a nitrogen gas and in which oxygen concentration efficiency is increased by successively switching these adsorption cylinders by a rotary valve.
It has been known that an oxygen concentration obtained largely depends on the pressure of air to be compressed by a compressor in the PSA-type oxygen concentrator. It is thus required, in order to obtain a highly concentrated oxygen gas, to increase the capacity of the compressor to meet an increase in the pressure of air to be supplied to the adsorption cylinder as far as possible. A problem arises, however, that power consumption of apparatus increases with the elevation of the capacity of the compressor to supply compressed air.
Various attempts had been made as measures for solving these problems of the PSA-type oxygen concentrator. Patent Document 2 discloses a PSA-type oxygen concentrator which realizes reduction in electric power consumption of the apparatus by changing the supply capacity of a compressed air supply device such as a compressor and the like based on a value detected by an oxygen concentration detector for oxygen gas to control oxygen concentrations at a constant value.                Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-141896        Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2007-000340        Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-253675


A filter including a body on which a waveguide groove, whose one surface is open, is formed in a U-shape and a plurarity of inductive resonant windows are provided along a longitudinal direction of the waveguide groove at a predetermined interval in the waveguide groove; and a cover being provided on a top surface of the body so as to cover the surface being open, wherein the plurality of inductive resonant windows are provided in such a manner that a cavity, which is enclosed by two of the plurality of inductive resonant windows being adjacent, the body and cover, resonates at a predetermined frequency and passes a electromagnetic wave in a predetermined frequency band and wherein one end of the U-shaped waveguide groove is an input terminal and other end is an output terminal, and the input terminal and output terminal are formed on a same surface.

The present invention relates to a filter for microwave and millimeter waves which passes desired frequency bands and interrupts unnecessary frequency bands. More particularly, the present invention relates to a filter which saves space when employed as a waveguide and which enables simplification when built into a microwave circuit.
As for a band-pass filter employing a cavity, there has been a known filter whose arrangement is shown in schematic view in FIG. 5. In this arrangement, an iris plate 32 is inserted into a rectangular waveguide 31, and the iris plate 32 acts as an inductive resonant window (reactance element) and a plurality of pairs of resonant windows are provided along the tube axis direction. A cavity resonator is formed in the space between two adjacent resonant windows in the longitudinal direction and the tube walls of the rectangular waveguide 31. The iris plate 32 is provided to obtain desired band characteristics through design choices, such as the distance between adjacent resonant windows in the longitudinal direction or the size of the resonant window opening (distance between a pair of iris plates). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the iris plate 32 is illustrated in a perspective view with three layers of cavity resonators being connected in series therein. By arranging a filter by connecting a plurality of cavity resonators, it is possible to arrange a filter which enables one to obtain a sharp attenuation of a rejection band, in other words, a filter which enables one to obtain large attenuation at a rejection frequency being close to the pass band, as compared with an arrangement of a filter employing one cavity resonator (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 230603/2001).
In order to improve filter characteristics, multiple layers of cavity resonators are required to be connected. However as shown in the above-mentioned arrangement, the cavity resonators are connected in a linear manner and it become longer with an increased number of layers, since one cavity resonator has to have ½ the inside tube wavelength. Accordingly, there has been a problem in that it becomes extremely difficult to insert the cavity resonators into a microwave circuit. In addition, it is impossible to build the multiple layers of iris plates into the waveguide, and the waveguide is required to be connected after being divided along a center line in an axis direction or separating the wider surface and connected with the iris plates.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a known filter arranged through forming multiple layers of cavity resonators being divided by iris 34 through forming a waveguide groove pattern 35 having iris 34 in a conductive casing 33 and covering the surface of the conductive casing 33 by a cover not shown in figures, and the filter also has a desired frequency characteristics in such a manner as the above-mentioned example (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 209406/2003). In an example shown in the last cited reference, there is described a filter being capable of passing only the desired frequency characteristics while bending the propagation direction of an electromagnetic wave at 90°. It is disclosed that corners of the cavity are formed in a special shape in order to bend the propagation direction of an electromagnetic wave at 90°.
As mentioned above, multiple layers of resonators are required to be connected through inductive resonant windows for improving the filter characteristics with respect to the conventional filters having a waveguide form. Therefore, the layout of the microwave circuit has to be modified, since multiple layers of resonators become longer and are difficult to be inserted into the existing circuit (microwave circuit). In addition, there have been problems of leakage of radio waves or characteristic deterioration in case there is a space between the filter and existing circuit, and there have been problems of characteristic deterioration in the case where there is a deformation of the microwave circuit by forcible fastening to avoid the space. The same problems are applied to the above-mentioned arrangement in FIG. 6 in which the propagation direction of the electromagnetic wave is bent at 90°. There is no problem in the case where the microwave circuit is assembled from the beginning or the microwave circuit includes one block. However, in the case where the microwave circuit is already built-in there is a problem in replacing filters in that a different filter cannot be built-in for improving the filter characteristics.
In order to obtain the sharp cut-off frequency characteristics of the filter or large attenuation of unnecessary frequency band as mentioned above, the number of cavity resonators is required to be increased to include multiple layers. However, there has been a problem that space efficiency is extremely reduced, since multiple layers of cavity resonators become extremely long in the case where they are connected in a straight line, and a large area is occupied even if the propagation direction is bent at 90°.
The present invention is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a filter with an arrangement of waveguide form, which can be simply replaced with a filter having high performance without changing the layout of an existing microwave circuit, and certainly connected to filters without causing deterioration of characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is, even if the waveguide is divided into a body and cover, to provide a filter, which enables prevention of leakage of electromagnetic waves at a connecting part through providing the connecting part where the electric field is weakest.

U-shaped microwave and millimeter wave resonator filter


A liquid-cooled LED bulb including a base and a shell connected to the base forming an enclosed volume. The liquid-cooled LED bulb also includes a plurality of LEDs attached to the base and disposed within the shell. The LED bulb also includes a thermally-conductive liquid held within the enclosed volume and a quantum dot material for adjusting the wavelength of light emitted from LED bulb.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, and more particularly, to an LED bulb that uses quantum dots to produce a tightly controlled color distribution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, lighting has been generated using fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. While both types of light bulbs have been reliably used, each suffers from certain drawbacks. For instance, incandescent bulbs tend to be inefficient, using only 2-3% of their power to produce light, while the remaining 97-98% of their power is lost as heat. Fluorescent bulbs, while more efficient than incandescent bulbs, do not produce the same warm light as that generated by incandescent bulbs. Additionally, there are health and environmental concerns regarding the mercury contained in fluorescent bulbs.
Thus, an alternative light source is desired. One such alternative is a bulb utilizing an LED. An LED comprises a semiconductor junction that emits light due to an electrical current flowing through the junction. Compared to a traditional incandescent bulb, an LED bulb is capable of producing more light using the same amount of power. Additionally, the operational life of an LED bulb is orders of magnitude longer than that of an incandescent bulb, for example, 10,000-100,000 hours as opposed to 1,000-2,000 hours.
While there are many advantages to using an LED bulb rather than an incandescent or fluorescent bulb, LEDs have a number of drawbacks that have prevented them from being as widely adopted as incandescent and fluorescent replacements. One drawback is that an LED, being a semiconductor, generally cannot be allowed to get hotter than approximately 120° C. As an example, A-type LED bulbs have been limited to very low power (i.e., less than approximately 8 W), producing insufficient illumination for incandescent or fluorescent replacements.
One approach to alleviating the heat problem of LED bulbs is to fill an LED bulb with a thermally-conductive liquid, to transfer heat from the LEDs to the bulb's shell. The heat may then be transferred from the shell out into the air surrounding the bulb.
Another drawback to an LED bulb is that LEDs tend to produce light that has a narrow emission band that may be centered at one end of the visible color spectrum. For example, one type of LED, based on gallium nitride (GaN), efficiently emits light over a relatively narrow emission profile centered at a peak wavelength in the blue region of the spectrum (approximately 450 nm). Gallium nitride LEDs are typically used because they can provide significantly brighter output light than other types of LEDs. However, the relatively narrow emission band, having a primarily blue color, may not produce the desired illumination qualities. For example, in some cases, it may be desirable that the LED provide a broader light emission spectrum that more closely resembles natural light. In other cases, it may be desirable that the LED provide a light emission that is precisely controlled to produce a tailored light emission spectrum.
Thus, it may be advantageous for an LED bulb to convert the narrow band of emitted wavelengths from an LED into a broader or specifically tailored light emission spectrum. To facilitate high-power operation, the light conversion technique should also be compatible with liquid-filled LED bulbs that use passive convection to maintain the temperature of the LED.

LED light bulb with controlled color distribution using quantum dots


The present invention provides a system and method for combining a leaded package IC and a semiconductor die using a flex circuitry to reduce footprint for the combination. A leaded IC package is disposed along the obverse side of a flex circuit. In a preferred embodiment, leads of the leaded IC package are configured to allow the lower surface of the body of the leaded IC package to contact the surface of the flex circuitry either directly or indirectly through an adhesive. A semiconductor die is connected to the reverse side of the flex circuit. In one embodiment, the semiconductor die is disposed on the reverse side of the flex while, in an alternative embodiment, the semiconductor die is disposed into a window in the flex circuit to rest directly or indirectly upon the body of the leaded IC package. Module contacts are provided in a variety of configurations. In a preferred embodiment, the leaded IC package is a flash memory and the semiconductor die is a controller.

A variety of systems and techniques are known for combining integrated circuits in compact modules. Some techniques are suitable for combining packaged integrated circuits while other techniques are suitable for combining semiconductor die. Many systems and techniques employ flex circuitry as a connector between packaged integrated circuits in, for example, stacks of packaged leaded or chip-scale integrated circuits. Other techniques employ flex circuitry to "package" semiconductor die and function as a substitute for packaging.
Within the group of technologies that stack packaged integrated circuits, some techniques are devised for stacking chip-scale packaged devices (CSPs) while other systems and methods are better directed to leaded packages such as those that exhibit a set of leads extending from at least one lateral side of a typically rectangular package.
Integrated circuit devices (ICs) are packaged in both chip-scale (CSP) and leaded packages. However, techniques for stacking CSP devices are typically not optimum for stacking leaded devices, just as techniques for leaded device stacking are typically not suitable for CSP devices. Few technologies are, however, directed toward combining packaged integrated circuits with semiconductor die.
Although CSP devices are gaining market share, in many areas, integrated circuits continue to be packaged in high volumes in leaded packages. For example, the well-known flash memory integrated circuit is typically packaged in a leaded package with fine-pitched leads emergent from one or both sides of the package. A common package for flash memory is the thin small outline package commonly known as the TSOP typified by leads emergent from one or more (typically a pair of opposite sides) lateral sides of the package.
Flash memory devices are gaining wide use in a variety of applications. Typically employed with a controller for protocol adaption, flash memory is employed in solid state memory storage applications that are supplanting disk drive technologies. However, when flash memory is employed with controller logic, the application footprint typically expands to accommodate the multiple devices required to provide a module that is readily compatible with most memory subsystem interface requirements. Consequently, what is needed is a memory module that includes a controller logic and flash memory storage without substantial increases in footprint or thickness.


A duckbill assembly of a wrapper for an agricultural baler. The duckbill assembly includes a frame, at least one roller movably connected to the frame and configured for spreading a wrapping material, an upper baffle connected to the frame, and a lower baffle connected to the frame and located underneath the upper baffle. The lower baffle has a width, a first set of grippers, and a second set of grippers. The first and second set of grippers are configured for spreading the wrapping material across the width of the lower baffle.

The present invention pertains to agricultural balers and, more specifically, to a duckbill assembly of a wrapper of an agricultural baler.
Agricultural harvesting machines, such as balers, are used to consolidate and package crop material so as to facilitate the storage and handling of the crop material for later use. In the case of hay or silage, a mower-conditioner is typically used to cut and condition the crop material. In the case of straw, an agricultural combine discharges non-grain crop material from the rear of the combine defining the straw (such as wheat or oat straw) which is to be picked up by the baler. The cut crop material is typically raked into a windrow, and a baler, such as a large square baler or round baler, straddles the windrows and travels along the windrows to pick up the crop material and form it into bales.
A round baler may generally include a frame, supported by wheels, a pickup unit to engage and lift the crop material into the baler, a cutting unit, a main bale chamber for forming a bale, and a wrapping mechanism, i.e., wrapper, for wrapping or tying a material around the bale after it has been formed in the main bale chamber. As the baler is towed over a windrow, the pickup unit lifts the crop material into the baler. Then, the crop material may be cut into smaller pieces by the cutting unit. As the crop material enters the main bale chamber, multiple carrier elements, e.g. rollers, chains and slats, and/or belts, will begin to roll a bale of hay within the chamber. These carrier elements are movable so that the chamber can initially contract and subsequently expand to maintain an appropriate amount of pressure on the periphery of the bale. After the bale is formed and wrapped by the wrapper, the rear of the baler is configured to open for allowing the bale to be discharged onto the field.
A typical wrapper generally includes a net or twine wrapping material, one or more rollers, actuators, linkages, and a duck bill assembly. The duck bill assembly may include a frame, spreader rollers, upper and lower baffles, and a knife for cutting the wrapping material. The lower baffle typically has baffle tabs or protrusions that are located in a line across the width of the baffle. These baffle tabs contact and keep the wrapping material taught or stretched across the width of the baffle so that the wrapping material evenly wraps around the width of the bale. When a sufficient amount of wrapping material has been applied to the bale, the duck bill assembly will rotate so that the knife will cut the wrapping material, ending the wrapping process. Sometimes the wrapping material will become jammed, bunched, or pulled inwardly toward the center of the lower baffle, which then causes the wrapping material to insufficiently spread across the width of the lower baffle. In such circumstances, the bale will be unevenly and/or incompletely wrapped such that the lateral ends of the bale may not be covered by wrapping material. As can be appreciated, poorly wrapped bales may lead to hay loss and transport or storage issues.
What is needed in the art is a cost-effective and improved duckbill assembly for applying wrapping material onto the bale.

Double-tab baffle for an agricultural baler