A multi-vision virtualization system includes a multi-vision virtualization server and two or more scene clients. The multi-vision virtualization server includes a multi-vision virtualization server configured to generate virtual machines for decoding processes based on image content segments, generate synchronous reproduction information for synchronization between two or more scene clients, transmit the generated synchronous reproduction information to a first scene client among the two or more scene clients, and decode the image content segments to generate decoded image segments; and the two or more scene clients including the first scene client that parses the received synchronous reproduction information, and shares the parsed synchronous reproduction information with remaining scene clients, and being configured to reproduce the decoded image segments on screens based on the parsed synchronous reproduction information.

1. Field
The following description relates to a multi-vision system and a method for providing a multi-vision service, and more particularly, to a multi-vision system and a method for providing a multi-vision service using virtualization.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multi-vision system describes a method of using multiple screens to create one image, or creating different images on multiple screens. The multi-vision system is widely used in advertisements, exhibitions, and promotions, which utilize the increasingly popular digital signage screens, and may also be used in association with various screen terminals, for such services involving, security surveillance screens in connection with closed circuit TVs (CCTVs) and N-screen services.
Presently, there are three general methods for implementing multi-vision. The first method is a central control method. In this method, a number of image displaying devices arranged in an array of m*n are connected to a single multi-vision control device. The central control method does not provide a controller to each of the image displaying devices. Thus, the size of the multi-vision control device should be increased with an increase in the size of the system. Accordingly, if installed in a small space, the multi-vision device cannot ensure efficient space utilization, its manufacturing cost increases, and advanced technical skills are required for operation. In addition, for example, when an image of high resolution (1920*1080) is projected on a large screen with a maximum resolution of 3840*2160, the image is enlarged to fit the screen. In this case, processing, such as, interpolation should be performed on the image, which may cause degradation of the quality and definition of the image.
The second method is an independent control method. Unlike the central control method, the independent control method allows individual image displaying device modules of a multi-vision system to independently extract assigned image segments from an input signal, and display the extracted image segments on their screens, which are composed into one single image. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0124006 discloses one example of an independent control multi-vision system.
According to the independent control method, two or more image displaying devices are arranged in a grid of m*n, and a multi-vision control device captures a predetermined image area by enlarging or reducing an image, and directly outputs the captured image area to the image displaying device through an embedded distributor. The independent control multi-vision system has a smaller multi-vision control device compared to the size of the multi-vision control device of the central control multi-vision system, and thus can be installed in a small space more easily than the central control multi-vision system. However, when an image is displayed on a display screen with a super high resolution, the independent control method also needs to enlarge the image to fit the screen, and thus, even when performing a process, such as interpolation, on the image, this method still has the same problems as the central control method regarding the degradation of the quality and definition of an image. Moreover, with the independent control method, a total valid screen size of the multi-vision system may be limited to about ten times the size of one image displaying device's screen due to the limited capabilities of an image signal generating device and a signal distributing hardware device. Further, the independent control method does not take into account image inconsistencies associated with time delays, and hence, such image inconsistencies may occur due to time delays in each terminal, and time delays in network communications between an image signal providing unit and a set-top box.
The third method is an image dividing/distributing method. The image dividing/distributing method combines the central control method with the independent control method, and adds a pre-processing step. According to the image dividing/distributing method, an image signal providing unit includes an image providing unit, a memory, a control unit, a switching unit, a plurality of multiple connection slots, and a plurality of multiple image transmission modules, so as to generate image signals by splitting an input image signal. An image signal that requires a decoding process is transmitted to a switching unit via the control unit, and an image signal that does not require a decoding process is transmitted directly to the switching unit. The switching unit transmits the received image signals to the respective image transmission modules equipped with an image signal processor through the connection slots. The image signal processor of each image transmission module extracts a predetermined image area, and generates and processes an image segment using the extracted image area. However, this method requires a wire cable connection arranged in a grid of m*n. Thus, if the size of the multi-vision system increases, it may be difficult to install the system in a limited space. In addition, this method does not take into consideration time delays in a set-top box or time delays in network communications between the image signal providing unit and the set-top box, so instantaneous image inconsistencies can occur.

Multi-vision virtualization system and method

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A prosthetic foot characterized by a forefoot portion having a heel portion demountably and interchangeably connected thereto. The forefoot portion and heel portion are fabricated from polymer impregnated and encapsulated laminates, including such laminates as carbon fibers and/or fiberglas or synthetic fibers such as Kevlar. The demountable connection of the heel portion permits interchangeability of heel and forefoot portions to match the weight, stride and activity schedule of the wearer utilizing the prosthetic foot.

This invention relates to a prosthetic foot and, more particularly to a prosthetic foot which is characterized by the fact that it consists of cooperative forefoot and heel portions which, respectively, incorporate attachment, spring, arch and toe sections and attachment and heel sections.
The prior art relating to prosthetic feet is characterized by a prolixity equal only to the severity of the problem which arises out of the loss of such essential portions of the human body.
The prior art is replete with various types of mechanical devices purporting to solve the foot prosthesis problem. Typical of early devices is Lange 2,075,583, which incorporates a rubber form mounted in operative relationship with a rigid metallic core. Exemplary of the latest developments in the field is Poggi 4,645,509, which teaches a prosthetic foot incorporating a monolithic keel or beam of relatively massive proportions intended to react to the load of an amputee's body during walking, running, jumping, and the like and to release the resultant stored energy to create foot lift and thrust complementing the amputee's natural stride.
However, none of the prior art devices has been completely succesful because of the fact that the component parts of the prosthesis, as in Lange, are too heavy and too rigid or, as in Poggi, are too massive and monolithic to respond properly to the nuances of stress-response gradients characteristic of the human foot.
One of the primary factors which has inhibited the creation of a successful prosthetic foot has been the fixation of the prior art with the duplication of the structural aspects of the skeletal and muscular components of an actual human foot. In many instances, as exemplified by Poggi '509, mentioned hereinabove, even the toes of the foot are attempted to be duplicated by providing simulacra thereof. It is this fixation upon the mechanical elements of the human foot which has restricted the art to an attempt to duplicate the human foot components, a tendency which is particularly exemplified in Gajdos 3,335,428.


A system and method provide ASR talkoff suppression in a prompt-and collect voice transaction system in which a prompt signal is sent and an input signal is received. A comparison is made of a characteristic of the prompt signal and the input signal. Processing of the input signal to reduce the likelihood of an ASR response thereto is performed if the result of the comparison satisfies a predetermined criterion.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) systems used to provide voice-automated services. More particularly, the inventions concerns an ASR talkoff suppressor and related method for an ASR-based xe2x80x9cprompt-and-collectxe2x80x9d voice transaction system, whereby spurious ASR responses due to high-energy prompt echoes are eliminated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In voice communication systems, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), ASR technology has been implemented to automate various network and (non-network) functions. So-called prompt-and-collect voice transaction systems, for example, play stored voice messages that prompt callers to make selections regarding service options that are available on the implementing system. For example, a network service provider may use prompt-and-collect interactions to provide automated operator assistance to callers. Similarly, a network subscriber may program prompt-and-collect features into its automated voice transaction processing equipment designed for supporting call center operations, voice-automated purchasing, and other services.
In the typical prompt-and-collect voice transaction scenario, the caller is given the option of making a selection by entering a number via a telephone handset or by providing a voice response. Often the voice response options are limited to a few one- or two-syllable menu command words and/or numbers, but the allowed responses can be longer in some cases. An ASR unit associated with the prompt-and-collect voice transaction system is programmed to detect, interpret and convert the caller""s voice response into a numeric selection output that triggers a particular action.
Problems can arise in the prompt-and-collect environment if line echoing is present. In that case, a loud prompt echo may be detected by the ASR unit""s end point detector and interpreted as incoming speech, such that a spurious ASR response is produced. Some prior art prompt-and-collect systems attempt to solve this problem by utilizing echo cancellation processing. The goal of such processing is to provide sufficient Echo Return Loss Enhancement (ERLE) to preclude the input signal from ever having enough energy to trigger the ASR unit""s end point detector. However, when the prompt echo is sufficiently loud, there can be sufficient energy in the incoming echo-canceled signal to trigger the end point detector and cause a misrecognition. Accordingly, a need exists for an improvement in a prompt-and-collect voice transaction system that prevents prompt echo-induced end point detector misfires.
The foregoing problems are solved and an advance in the art is obtained by a novel ASR talkoff suppressor and related method that greatly improves the operation of a prompt-and-collect voice transaction processing system. In accordance with the inventive subject matter, a prompt signal is sent and an input signal is received. A comparison is made of a characteristic of the prompt signal and a characteristic of the input signal. Following echo cancellation processing, additional processing of the input signal is performed to reduce the likelihood of a spurious ASR response thereto if the result of the prompt signal/input signal comparison satisfies a predetermined criterion.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the aforementioned signal characteristic of the prompt signal is signal energy and the signal characteristic of the input signal is signal energy following echo cancellation of the input signal. Thus, the comparison step may include sampling the prompt signal and the echo-cancelled input signal and determining the respective energies thereof This can be done using a xe2x80x9cleaky integratorxe2x80x9d that employs an effective window length of a predetermined number of samples of the prompt signal and the echo-cancelled input signal. The comparison step preferably also includes determining whether the difference between the respective energies of the prompt signal and the echo-cancelled input signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.
The processing of the echo-cancelled input signal to reduce the likelihood of a spurious ASR response can include randomizing the echo-cancelled input signal to make it more noise-like. The processing can also include attenuating the echo-cancelled input signal.
A determination can also be made as to whether the input signal corresponds to a person speaking, and if so, a different criterion is used for evaluating the prompt signal/input signal comparison than if the input signal does not correspond to a person speaking. This determination includes determining a peak energy of the prompt signal and a peak energy of the input signal. The peak energy of the prompt signal is determined as the square of the largest sample of a first predetermined number of samples of the prompt signal. The peak energy of the input signal is determined as the square of the largest sample of a second predetermined number of samples of the input signal. The determination also includes calculating whether the difference between the respective peak energies of the prompt signal and the input signal is less than a predetermined threshold.


A network is protected from e-mail viruses through the use of a sacrificial server. Any executable programs or other suspicious parts of incoming e-mail messages are forwarded to a sacrificial server, where they are converted to non-executable format such as Adobe Acrobat PDF and sent to the recipient. The sacrificial server is then checked for virus activity. After the execution is completed, the sacrificial server is rebooted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems and computer networks. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for detecting and nullifying the effects of computer viruses. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for detecting and nullifying the effects of computer viruses from messages and attachments delivered by electronic mail through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer viruses are a destructive aspect of the computer revolution that threatens its potential growth and usability. Significant time and money are lost annually combating the effects of this insidious, and seemingly endemic, problem. A computer virus is actually just an unauthorized block of executable computer code purporting to be harmless or is hidden in another valid computer program. Once the valid program is executed, the unauthorized virus code is also activated. The effect of such viruses can be simple pranks, such as causing messages to be displayed on the screen, or more serious activities, such as destroying programs and data. Once executed, they often spread quickly by attaching themselves to other programs in the system. Infected programs may in turn continue the cancerous replication by copying the virus code to still other programs. The proliferation of Internet E-mail has only accelerated the problem in that local viruses can now spread internationally in a matter of hours.
Prior art attempts to reduce the effects of viruses and prevent their proliferation by using various virus detection schemes have been only marginally successful. The reason for the limited success is that the prior art methods attempt to identify the existence of a virus before taking steps to protect a user. For example, many virus detection programs use a method known as "behavior interception," which monitors the computer or system for key system functions such as "write," "erase," "format disk," etc. When such operations occur, the virus detection program prompts the user for input as to whether such an operation is expected. If the suspect operation was not expected (e.g., the user was not operating any program that employed such a function), the user can abort the operation. Another virus detection method, known as "signature scanning," scans program code that is being copied onto the system. Again, the virus detector searches for recognizable patterns of program code, such as the program attempting to write into specific file or memory locations, that betray the possible existence of a virus. Yet another prior art approach to virus detection performs a checksum (mathematical signature) on critical programs stored on a system that are known to be free of viruses. If a virus later attaches itself to one of these programs, the checksum value—which is periodically recalculated—will be different and thus, the presence of a virus detected.
While all of these methods work to some degree, they tend to suffer from one critical drawback: They depend on recognizing the virus as a virus before instituting any protection for the user. All too often, new (unrecognized) viruses must first wreak havoc on a significant number of victims before the new virus' identifying characteristics are recognized and included in the (ever-lengthening) watch lists of the various virus protection programs available to government and industry.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

E-mail virus protection system and method


A closed loop extraction system for extracting desired components from raw plant matter and method of use is disclosed. The closed loop extraction system features a solvent source, a chill tank, a wash tank, a rinse tank, a centrifuge, and a feed tank all in fluid communication via a series of interconnected pump systems. The method of extracting the desired products from raw plant matter uses this system to perform the extraction with a reduced amount of solvent in an energy-efficient manner.

Throughout time, humans have sought to extract various components from plants, such as essence oils, terpenes, and other compounds that occur naturally in various plants. However, with ever-increasing demand for these components, there has become a need to extract these components rapidly, and at scale. While many people have created various solutions to this problem, these systems are often very energy-inefficient, very cost-inefficient, and/or are very time-inefficient.
As such, there is a need for an extraction system which can quickly and efficiently extract desired components from raw plant matter, in a way that is scalable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an extraction system that can remove desired components from raw plant matter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an extraction system that can remove desired components from raw plant matter in an energy- and cost-efficient manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of extracting desired components from raw plant matter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of extracting desired components from raw plant matter in a way that minimizes the cost of performing such a method, while optimizing the yield of said extraction.
The present invention and its embodiments meets and exceeds this objective.
The present disclosure addresses at least one of the foregoing disadvantages. However, it is contemplated that the present disclosure may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claims should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed hereinabove. To the accomplishment of the above, this disclosure may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the disclosure.


A spring system for applying a restoring force to a reciprocating member such as an exhaust or intake valve of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a helical spring having open ends and consisting of titanium or an alloy thereof; and a spring seat supporting one of the two ends of the helical spring. Since this helical spring is provided with open ends, mutual striking of the coil wire can be avoided and, thereby, the durability of the helical spring can be ensured in addition to the advantage obtained from the low-mass and high transverse elastic modulus of titanium or its alloy.

In a reciprocating internal combustion engine, intake and exhaust valves are urged towards their closed positions by valve springs consisting of helical compression springs, and are closed and opened by transmitting drive forces from cams which are rotated in synchronism with the rotation of the engine to the stem ends of the valves via rocker arms. Such helical springs are provided with closed and ground ends so that they may stand upright and no localized stress may be generated in the areas of contact between the helical compression springs and spring retainers supporting them.
The output of an engine can be increased by increasing its maximum rotational speed, but it is limited by the occurrence of leaping and surging of the valves due to the resonance of the valve spring system. Japanese patent publication No. 47-22363 discloses a technology for elevating the resonance point of a valve spring system by giving a non-linear property to the valve springs through uneven distribution of the winding pitch.
As an alternate approach to elevating the resonance point of the valve spring system, there is a possibility of manufacturing valve springs with such materials as titanium alloys which have high mechanical strengths for their weights and high modulii of transverse elasticity. According to the experiments conducted by the inventors, it was discovered that the resonance frequency of the valve spring system can be increased by using titanium alloys and increasing the spring constant of the spring while reducing its weight.
However, it was also discovered that after being used in an internal combustion engine which was operated at high speed over an extended time period, the valve springs, in particular, their end portions became excessively worn and through increase in the stress acting in those parts the valve springs tended to be prematurely and permanently deformed and, in some cases, actually broke. Presumably, such premature wears were caused by the mutual striking of different parts of the coil wire in the end portions of the helical springs.

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha NHK Spring Co., Ltd.


A ceramic bearing assembly includes a shaft (20), and a bearing sleeve (10) rotatably receiving the shaft. The bearing sleeve includes an inside wall. First and second bearing blocks (120, 140) are formed at the inside wall at first and second ends of the bearing sleeve respectively. The first bearing blocks are arranged in circular fashion, and the second bearing blocks are arranged in circular fashion complementarily offset from the first bearing blocks. Each of the first and second bearing members defines a concave bearing surface (122, 142), the bearing surfaces cooperatively supporting the shaft therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bearings, and more particularly to a sliding ceramic bearing which can be readily produced.
2. Prior Art
Sliding bearings and rolling bearings are popularly used in applications such as attaching a rotary axle to a machine frame, etc.
Common types of rolling bearings include ball bearings, roller bearings and needle bearings, in which rolling members such as balls, rollers, and needles are provided between an inner ring and an outer ring. The friction between the inner ring and the outer ring is known as "rolling friction," and is generally very small. Therefore, rolling bearings provide good high-speed operating capabilities. However, the roller members between the inner ring and the outer ring are prone to crack or deform under a heavy load. When this happens, the operating precision is dramatically decreased. In addition, the manufacturing costs of roller bearings are very high, especially roller bearings used in small devices such as computer fans.
Therefore, in small devices, sliding bearings are often used because of their relatively low manufacturing costs. A typical sliding bearing comprises an annular bearing sleeve having a circular bore, and a cylindrical shaft rotating in the bore. Most bearing sleeves used today are made of a copper-based alloy or stainless steel. The friction between the bearing sleeve and the shaft is known as "sliding friction," and is generally very large. To reduce the friction between the shaft and the bearing sleeve, a diameter of the bore of the bearing sleeve is configured slightly larger than a diameter of the shaft in order to provide an operating clearance, and an oil film is established in the operating clearance to act as a lubricant. Because of the operating clearance, the shaft is usually not located exactly along a central axis of the bearing sleeve. Instead, the shaft is displaced slightly from the central axis so that it rotates about an axis that is eccentric to the central axis. This leads to unsteady rotation of components mounted on the bearing sleeve. However, if the operating clearance is configured to have a reduced size, the lubricant therein may be forced out. When this happens, the bearing sleeve directly contacts the shaft, and the sliding bearing rapidly wears out. Therefore, sliding bearings usually have short lifetimes.
With the development of technology in fields where slide bearings are applied, modem slide bearings are being required to rotate at unprecedented high speeds. The problem of "sliding friction" is becoming commensurately more important. Traditional low abrasion, high hardness materials used for slide bearings are increasingly unable to provide satisfactory high-speed, long-life performance under harsh operating conditions. New materials for bearings are being eagerly sought. It has been found that certain ceramics have high compression strength, high friction resistance, and a small coefficient of friction. Ceramics are now widely considered to be a more serviceable material for slide bearings than traditional materials. Studies have shown that in ceramic slide bearings, it is feasible to reduce the contact area between the bearing sleeve and the shaft in order to reduce the friction therebetween, without diminishing the operating reliability of the slide bearing.
Taiwan Patent Publication No. 495118 discloses a sliding bearing made of ceramic material. In order to reduce the contact area between the bearing sleeve and the shaft, either an outer surface of the shaft or an inner surface of the bearing sleeve is configured to be non-cylindrical. When the bearing sleeve receives the shaft therein, at least a portion of the outer surface of the shaft does not contact the inner surface of the bearing sleeve, so that the contact area is reduced. However, the advantages of high compression strengthen and high abrasive resistance of the ceramic material also present novel problems in manufacturing the bearing sleeve, as detailed below.
Referring to FIG. 7, to attain a high degree of surface smoothness, a bore 4 of a bearing sleeve 1 needs to be ground with a grinding machine 2. The grinding machine 2 has a grinding bit 3 rotatingly machining the surface of the bearing sleeve 1 that defines the bore 4. During this process, the grinding bit 3 is subjected to a diametrical force by the bearing sleeve 1. This causes the grinding bit 3 to bend, especially when the grinding bit 3 is extended far into the bore 4. As a result, the ground bore 4 is irregular. That is, a diameter of the bore 4 nearest the grinding machine 2. One means of ameliorating this problem is to perform doubled-ended grinding. Referring to FIG. 8, two grinding machines 2 are provided to simultaneously grind the bore 4 at opposite ends thereof. Each grinding bit 3 has to penetrate only halfway into the bore 4. Accordingly, the grinding bits 3 are subjected to reduced diametrical forces, and the ground bore 4 is more uniform. However, it is generally not possible to completely eliminate irregularity of the bore 4. In addition, the two ground halves of the bore 4 may not be precisely coaxial, due to inherent manufacturing error.

Bearing assembly with bearing sleeve having end bearing members


Disclosed is a radiation image storage panel having on a support a stimulable phosphor layer comprising a binder and a stimulable phosphor dispersed therein and a light-reflecting layer comprising a binder and a light-reflecting material dispersed therein, said stimulable phosphor layer and said light-reflecting layer being combined via an adhesive layer, wherein any interfaces between the adhesive layer and the stimulable phosphor layer and between the adhesive layer and the light-reflecting layer are not substantially formed. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of the radiation image storage panel wherein a dispersion of a light-reflecting material in a binder solution, a coating solution for the formation of an adhesive layer and a dispersion of a stimulable phosphor in a binder solution are applied in a superposed form in the foregoing order onto a surface of a support or a sheet, to form a light-reflecting layer, an adhesive layer and a stimulable phosphor layer simultaneously.

For obtaining a radiation image, there has been recently proposed and practically used a radiation image recording and reproducing method utilizing a stimulable phosphor as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,968. In the method, a radiation image storage panel comprising a stimulable phosphor (i.e., stimulable phosphor sheet) is used, and the method involves the steps of causing the stimulable phosphor of the panel to absorb radiation energy having passed through an object or having radiated from an object; sequentially exciting the stimulable phosphor with an electromagnetic wave such as visible light or infrared rays (hereinafter referred to as "stimulating rays") to release the radiation energy stored in the phosphor as light emission (stimulated emission); photoelectrically detecting the emitted light to obtain electric signals; and reproducing the radiation image of the object as a visible image from the electric signals. After the reading procedure, a radiation image remaining in the radiation image storage panel is erased from the panel, and the panel is stored for the next radiographic process.
In the radiation image recording and reproducing method, a radiation image is obtainable with a sufficient amount of information by applying a radiation to an object at a considerably smaller dose, as compared with the conventional radiography using a combination of a radiographic film and a radiographic intensifying screen. Further, the method is very advantageous from the viewpoints of conservation of resources and economic efficiency because the radiation image storage panel can be repeatedly used in the method, while the radiographic film is consumed for each radiographic process in the conventional radiography.
In the method, as described above, a radiation image can be obtained with a sufficient amount of information by applying a radiation to an object at a small dose, so that this method is of great value especially when the method is used for medical diagnosis.
The radiation image storage panel employed in the above-described method has a basic structure comprising a support and a stimulable phosphor layer provided on one surface of the support. Further, a transparent film is generally provided on the free surface (surface not facing the support) of the phosphor layer to keep the phosphor layer from chemical deterioration or physical shock.
The stimulable phosphor layer comprises a binder and stimulable phosphor particles dispersed therein. The stimulable phosphor emits light (gives stimulated emission) when excited with stimulating rays such as visible light or infrared rays after having been exposed to a radiation such as X-rays. Accordingly, the radiation having passed through an object or having radiated from an object is absorbed by the phosphor layer of the panel in proportion to the applied radiation dose, and a radiation image of the object is produced in the panel in the form of a radiation energy-stored image. The radiation energy-stored image can be released as stimulated emission by sequentially irradiating (scanning) the panel with stimulating rays. The stimulated emission is then photoelectrically detected to give electric signals, so as to reproduce a visible image from the electric signals.
The radiation image recording and reproducing method is very useful for obtaining a radiation image as a visible image as described above, and it is desired for the radiation image storage panel used in the method to have a high sensitivity and provide an image of high quality (high sharpness, high graininess, etc.), as well as for a radiographic intensifying screen used in the conventional radiography. The radiation image storage panel is used repeatedly as mentioned before, so that the panel is also desired to be resistant to physical shock from the viewpoints of reliability of the resulting image data, economical efficiency and easy handling.
For enhancing the sensitivity of the radiation image storage panel, there has been known the art that a light-reflecting layer is provided between the support and the stimulable phosphor layer by depositing a metal such as aluminum on a surface of the support, laminating a metal foil such as an aluminum foil thereon, or applying a coating dispersion comprising a binder and a light-reflecting material thereonto. As for the light-reflecting material, titanium dioxide, white lead, zinc sulfide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide and alkaline earth metal fluorohalides are employed as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,380,702 and 4,621,196. A light emitted by the stimulable phosphor in the phosphor layer and advancing towards the support is reflected by said layer and released from the phosphor layer-side surface of the panel. Accordingly, the light advancing towards the support is also detected to further increase the sensitivity of the panel.
However, there is a problem that air bubbles are likely produced on the interface between the light-reflecting layer and the stimulable phosphor layer in the course of forming them by coating the support successively with a coating dispersion comprising a binder and a light-reflecting material and a coating dispersion comprising a binder and a stimulable phosphor (i.e., successive coating method), and the bubbles affect a resulting image to cause lowering of image quality (unevenness of image density). It is assumed that bubbles are produced by the fact that a solvent in a coating dispersion for the formation of a phosphor layer permeates the light-reflecting layer in the course of coating the dispersion on the previously formed light-reflecting layer, and air dispersively contained in the light-reflecting layer is raised and forms the bubbles on the surface of the light-reflecting layer.
For solving the above problem, U.S. Pat. No. 4,791, 196 proposes a process wherein a dispersion of a stimulable phosphor in a binder solution (i.e., coating solution for the formation of a stimulable phosphor) and a dispersion of a light-reflecting material in a binder solution (i.e., coating solution for the formation of a light-reflecting layer) are coated over a support in a superposed form, to form a stimulable phosphor layer and a light-reflecting layer simultaneously on the support. That is, the process utilizes a two-layer simultaneous superposition coating method. According to the two-layer simultaneous superposition coating method, a radiation image storage panel can be prepared by a simple process, and further a stimulable phosphor layer having a light-reflecting layer of high efficiency can be formed.
However, the radiation image storage panel is also de sired to be resistant to physical shock as well as to have a high sensitivity and give an image of high quality, as described hereinbefore.
The stimulable phosphor layer can be protected from chemical deterioration and physical shock by providing a transparent protective film as described above, but it is required to have increased adhesiveness (bonding strength) between the layers of the panel in order to prevent interfacial separation between these layers caused by the physical shock.
The radiation image storage panel prepared using the above-mentioned two-layer simultaneous superposition coating method is improved in the adhesion between the stimulable phosphor layer and the light-reflecting layer to a certain level, but the adhesion therebetween is required to be further increased in consideration of service conditions of the radiation image storage panel.

Radiation image storage panel and process for the preparation of the same


A high voltage stable pulse power supply 10 which includes a first power supply 11, ; a first capacitor 12 ; connected in parallel with the first power supply, a first switch 13 mounted in parallel with the first capacitor 12. The switch 13 selectively connects the first capacitor 12 to a load 14 so that the first capacitor 12 may discharge therethrough. An anti-droop network 15 is connected in series with the first capacitor 12. The anti-droop network 15 cancels droop in the output of the first capacitor 12 as it discharges into the load 14.. In a specific embodiment, the anti-droop network 15 includes an inductive element 42 connected in series with the first capacitor 12 which is charged just prior to the activation of the first switch 13. The inductor 42 provides energy to compensate for the droop in the energy supplied by the first capacitor 12. In a more specific embodiment, the first switch 12 is implemented with a Crossatron switch 31 and a modulating anode electron gun 32 to minimize system control voltages.. The present invention achieves coherent emission in a free electron laser, for long pulses, allowing selection of single modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power supplies. More specifically, the present invention relates to high voltage power supplies for free electron lasers and other devices.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Certain devices require a stable high voltage power supply for proper operation. A free electron laser (FEL) is one such device. An FEL is a device in which a beam of electrons is passed through a spatially varying magnetic field. The magnetic field causes electrons in the beam to "wiggle" and radiate energy. In this device, the high voltage power supply performs the function of accelerating electrons to provide the high energy input electron beam. More specifically, FELs and certain other devices require accurate applied voltages on the order of one part in one thousand. Otherwise the frequency and power gain of these devices change with time and produce undesirable results. Thus, several techniques are known in the art for providing such a high voltage supply. These techniques include radio frequency (RF) linear accelerators, pulse linear accelerators, transformers, and Marx banks.
In RF linear accelerators, electrons in a beam are accelerated by an oscillatory field provided by standing electromagnetic waves (microwaves) in a series of cavities. This technique works best for the electrons which enter the cavity at precisely the right time. As a consequence, the accelerated beam is a series of pulses of short duration, i.e., shorter than a microwave period. Unfortunately, the FEL is typical of those applications in which a more steady state electron flow is required to produce free electron lasing interaction on more of a steady state basis.
Pulse linear accelerators have a transformer which steps up a voltage and applies this voltage to an electron beam accelerator. The voltage is often stepped up in series so pulses of electrons are accelerated by a series of structures. Unfortunately, these devices also do not generally supply constant pulses of long duration.
It is possible to operate certain devices at lower voltages using transformers. However, transformers operating at high voltages have difficulty with respect to the voltage time product. That is, the duration at which a high voltage is sustainable is limited by the nature of the transformer. Increases in sustainable pulse lengths come at a cost in terms of transformer size and weight. Output pulse length can not therefore be arbitrarily increased.
Nonetheless, transformers have several features which allow for some degree of trade off in design. Typically the tradeoff comes down to pulse rise time versus pulse flatness. Unfortunately, certain devices, such as the FEL, are designed to operate at a specific voltage. When the transformer is initially turned on, before reaching the operating range of the device, the voltage rises through some range in which the device may experience undesirable and perhaps damaging effects. Accordingly, in FEL and other applications, it is not desirable to initiate a pulse with a long rise time as the electron beam will not be properly focused during the rise of the pulse.
A Marx bank is a set of capacitors switched from a parallel configuration, in which the capacitors are charged, to a series configuration from which the stored voltage is discharged. Essentially, a capacitor is driving the device. While this may be the currently preferred approach, there is a significant problem associated therewith. That is, as the sustainability of the output pulse is defined by the resistive-capacitive (RC) time constant of the device, long steady pulses require long RC time constants. Thus, the extent to which the supply voltage can be sustained at the desired steady state level is dependent on the capacitance of the bank. Unfortunately, as the capacitance of the bank goes up, the hazards associated with the operation of the device go up due to the relationship between the energy stored and capacitance.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a safe, stable, constant voltage, constant current power supply or modulator for operating devices, such as free electron lasers, at voltages of 100 kilovolts or more with pulse durations of tens of micro-seconds.


Three flow paths within a single container are provided for the separation of contaminates, such as floating debris, heavy trash, lighter fluids and heavier fluids, from an effluent stream. A first flow path is provided for low flow conditions wherein the effluent stream pools in a first chamber within the container and the surface of the pooled fluid is drawn off, leaving heavy contaminates within the first chamber. The drawn fluid, with lighter and/or floating contaminates, enters a second chamber. The fluid is drawn from the second chamber below the surface level of the fluid, leaving the lighter and floating contaminates within the second chamber. In moderate flow conditions, a second flow path is established from the first chamber and out the container, bypassing the second chamber. Fluid for the second flow path is drawn from below the surface of the fluid in the first chamber to exclude light and floating contaminates. A third flow path is established when the first and second flow paths are insufficient to accommodate the effluent received by the container. The third flow path draws from the surface of the fluid in the first chamber and bypasses the second chamber in discharging from the container.

When it rains on a parking lot, a road, or other impervious surface, rain water will not permeate into the ground as it would if the surface were in its natural condition. The rain water will instead run off this surface often discharging directly into a stream or receiving body. Typically, some form of rain water collection and/or diversion is incorporated into the design of a paved surface of sufficient size to warrant storm water control. This results in an accumulation of the rain water prior to discharge into the watershed.
Because impervious surfaces typically have been paved for a purpose, they will have vehicles, activity and/or traffic on them, which will cause an accumulation of pollutants between rain events. The rain water runoff therefore will include a the accumulated pollutants as they are washed from the impervious surface during a rain storm. Treatment of rain water runoff is important to the preservation of watersheds. The pollutants are typically at their highest concentration in the rain water during the first portion of a storm, as most of the pollutants are typically washed off in the initial, and usually less intense, part of a storm. Consequently, the first runoff water is the most critical to treat. In an effort to minimize the impacts of pollutant contaminated runoff water, various systems have been developed to treat runoff water including removing the pollutants by separation and/or filtration.
Because precipitation occurs at variable rates, a system must be able to treat runoff during low rain flow as well as during high rain flow periods. The system must have the capacity to capture and treat polluted runoff while having the ability to properly handle large water flows which exceed the in line treatment capacity of a system, without release of pollutants or untreated contaminated water into the watershed during high rain flow events. Consequently, treating storm water creates additional difficulties because the system must be able to clean the water yet be able to pass very intense storms without flow slowdowns or backups that could cause flooding.

Apparatus to separate light fluids, heavy fluids, and/or sediment from a fluid stream


A cover has a breathable first portion arranged on a seating side of a seat structure member, a second portion that is laminated to the first portion and inhibits penetration of resin foam material, and a passage portion through which air passes that is provided on the second portion. A protruding portion is arranged face-to-face with the passage portion while the cover is arranged in a cavity, and the cushion is formed with an interposed member that is less rigid than the cover being interposed between the passage portion and the protruding portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a seat structure member provided with a blowing apparatus, a cushion capable of elastically supporting an occupant, and a flow path portion (i.e., a portion through which air from the blowing apparatus is able to pass) of the cushion, as well as to a vehicle seat.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-142244 (JP 2008-142244 A) describes one such known vehicle seat that has a seat cushion and a seat back. The seat cushion and the seat back (both seat structure members) each have a cushion and a cover. The cover is a bag-like member capable of covering the cushion, and is made of breathable cloth material (such as fabric). The cushion is an elastic member (made of resin foam) that forms the outer shape of the seat, and is formed by a molding apparatus (a first die, a second die, and a cavity). Here, the first die and the second die are mold members that are able to be closed together. Also, the cavity is a void that follows the shape of the cushion, and is formed between the first die and the second die. With this related art, the cover is arranged between the first die and the second die (i.e., in the cavity), and then resin foam material is expanded inside the cavity. As a result, the cushion is integrated with the cover while it is being formed. At this time, the cover is vacuum suctioned so that it is pressed against the inside surface of the first die (i.e., the cover is tightly compressed), which enables impregnation of the resin foam material to be inhibited as much as possible.
With the vehicle seat described above, a blowing apparatus is mounted to the seat structure member, such that air is able to be blown toward the occupant. At this time, a flow path portion (i.e., a portion that passes through the cushion in the thickness direction) is provided in the cushion, which enables air from the blowing apparatus to pass through. Arranging the blowing apparatus on the back surface side of the cushion while communicating it (i.e., the blowing apparatus) with the flow path portion enables air blown out from the blowing apparatus to be blown to the cover side (i.e., toward the occupant) through the flow path portion of the cushion.
Here, the flow path portion is formed at the same time that the cushion is formed, using the molding apparatus described above (see FIG. 8). For example, a protruding portion 64a (i.e., a portion that follows the outer shape of the flow path portion) is formed. Next, the protruding portion 64a is pressed against a cover Sa while being made to protrude toward the inside surface of the first die, by closing the first die and the second die together. In this state, the resin foam material is expanded, such that a cushion Pa is able to be formed while a flow path portion 20a (a void) is formed by the protruding portion 64a.
With the structure described above, there are cases in which the protruding portion 64a presses excessively on the cover Sa, such that a portion of the cover Sa deforms inward (i.e., becomes recessed) toward the first die (see the portion outlined by the circle in FIG. 8A). The resin foam material then enters the space (that has a generally triangular shape) between the recessed location of the cover Sa and the protruding portion 64a. As a result, a portion of the cushion Pa may be formed protruding toward the cover Sa side (i.e., a thorn-shaped protruding portion Px may be formed). Therefore, with this structure, the protruding portion Px (a portion that feels like a foreign body) is formed on the cushion Pa, and this protruding portion Px may cause the cover Sa to rise up (i.e., results in a structure with somewhat diminished seat performance). The invention integrates the cover and the cushion having a flow path portion with good performance.


A method of producing a polycarbonate, the method comprising:

This disclosure generally relates to the stabilization of dihydric phenols. More particularly the disclosure relates to stabilizing the dihydric phenols, under the conditions prevailing in a polymerization reaction.
Polycarbonates are ranked among the most important of the world's engineering thermoplastics. Bisphenol A polycarbonate is currently the most widely used polycarbonate and its world wide annual production exceeds one billion pounds. Polycarbonates are used in hundreds of applications such as eyeglass lenses and optical media, where their transparency and tough physical properties are beneficial. Some dihydric phenols, for example methyl hydroquinone, are key monomers for preparing polycarbonates that are used in specialty applications, such as, for example, in packaging for cosmetic, perfume, or biochemical applications. In addition to being chemically resistant and transparent, the polycarbonates also need to have improved color (i.e., reduced yellowness index).
However, some dihydric phenols, such as, for example, hydroquinone and methyl hydroquinone, acquire color under oxygen, heat or storage, either due to oxidation and/or due to thermally activated processes. This discoloration is more intense in the presence of iron and/or other transition or non-transition metals, which are known to form colored metal complexes with the dihydric phenols. This discoloration may cause quality issues in the production of the dihydric phenols and in the production of polycarbonates made using these dihydric phenols. The discoloration also lowers the commercial value of the dihydric phenols and the polycarbonates made therefrom.
In order to prevent or minimize the discoloration of dihydric phenols, it is known to mix the dihydric phenol with a suitable stabilizer. However, the effective quantity and the compatibility of the stabilizer depends very much on the process conditions used for making the dihydric phenols and the corresponding polycarbonates, the level of trace metals already present in the dihydric phenols and whether the dihydric phenol is exposed to metal parts or containers during storage or during the preparation of the polycarbonates. Further, the stabilizers known in the art are low boilers or decompose at high temperatures and release corrosive chemicals causing discoloration of dihydric phenols either in contact with air or metal. It is not economically feasible in the process to have completely metal-free dihydric phenols. It is also not economically viable to use an all glass assembly to avoid contact with metal during storage or during the polymerization reactions.
Hence there is a need for suitable stabilizers that will prevent or minimize the discoloration of dihydric phenols, especially under the high temperature conditions in which the polymerization reactions are conducted.

Method of stabilization of dihydric phenols

Abstract: polymerizing a dihydric phenol and a carbonate precursor in the presence of oxalic acid to produce a polycarbonate with a yellowness index of less than or equal to 10 measured in accordance with ASTM E313 test method on molded samples having a thickness of about 2.5 millimeters;

Abstract: wherein the amount of oxalic acid ranges from about 20 parts per million to about 350 parts per million, relative to an amount of the dihydric phenol; wherein the dihydric phenol is represented by Formula (I):

Abstract: wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and n is an integer having a value of 1 to 4.


A computer-implemented method for modifying file backups in response to detecting potential ransomware may include (1) detecting, during a file backup process, an anomaly that is potentially indicative of ransomware on a computing device, (2) in response to detecting the anomaly that is potentially indicative of ransomware, storing a backup copy in a separate location from other backup copies, (3) confirming that the anomaly is indicative of ransomware on the computing device, (4) adjusting a backup policy in response to confirming that the anomaly is indicative of ransomware on the computing device, and (5) managing the backup copy based on the adjusted backup policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Ransomware is a specific form of malware that may hold a computing device hostage by preventing access to, or otherwise impeding the normal function of, the device unless a user pays to remove the malware. For example, cryptoviral extortion may accomplish this by encrypting a user's files (using, e.g., a session key) and demanding payment before decrypting the user's files and restoring the user's access to their files.
Security software traditionally attempts to remove malware after it has infected a device and/or attempts to minimize the damage caused during infection. However, due to the large size of keys used in the encryption process of cryptoviral extortion, this form of ransomware may be nearly impossible to overcome after an attack without possession of the encryption key used in the attack. Because of this, some security solutions may create backup copies of files (by, e.g., mirroring existing files on the device) and store them in a separate location in the case of an attack. However, if ransomware is not detected in time, these backup copies may simply mirror the encrypted files and leave the user without a recovery option. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems for detecting ransomware and managing files in order to prevent the complete loss of files and data due to cryptoviral extortion and other forms of ransomware attacks.

Systems and methods for modifying file backups in response to detecting potential ransomware


A method for operating an internal combustion engine of a drive system for a motor vehicle, the internal combustion engine being designed for operation using various types of fuel, has the following steps: querying operating parameters of fuel-relevant functions of the drive system by means of a central fuel coordination device of a central engine coordination device, determining possible types of fuel for operating the internal combustion engine, based on the queried operating parameters and predefined fuel release conditions, by means of the central fuel coordination device, selecting a type of fuel for operating the internal combustion engine, based on the determined possible types of fuel and at least one predefined selection criterion, by means of the central fuel coordination device, transmitting information identifying the selected type of fuel from the central fuel coordination device to a central engine control unit of the central engine coordination device, and operating the internal combustion engine with the selected type of fuel by means of the central engine control unit.

New drive concepts for motor vehicles are continuously being developed to meet increasingly stringent requirements, in particular with regard to fuel consumption, emissions, and economy. As an alternative to conventional internal combustion engines or electric motors, hybrid technology has been developed, according to which at least one internal combustion engine is combined with an electric motor. A fundamental distinction is made between microhybrid, mild hybrid, and full hybrid vehicles.
In addition, internal combustion engines are being developed which are designed to combust different types of fuel, for example natural gas (also known as CNG), and a liquid fuel, in particular a gasoline such as regular unleaded gasoline, premium unleaded gasoline, or the like. These types of internal combustion engines are also referred to as bivalent internal combustion engines, and have combustion chambers in which the various types of fuel may be burned. For introducing the fuels into the combustion chambers, the internal combustion engines usually have separate feed devices for the various types of fuel, for example injection valves for liquid fuel and gas valves for gaseous fuel. Generic internal combustion engines are disclosed in DE 10 2006 025 259 A1, DE 10 2008 023 306 A1, and DE 10 2011 075 223 A1, for example.
Furthermore, known internal combustion engines have a central engine control unit for controlling the supply of fuel to the combustion chambers as well as peripheral functions of the drive system. To be able to select a suitable fuel for an instantaneous operating situation of the drive system, the engine control unit must be linked to the individual fuel-relevant functions. The individual fuel-relevant functions report a fuel type requirement, individually determined by the fuel-relevant function, to the central engine control unit, which evaluates these fuel type requirements and subsequently operates the internal combustion engine with a type of fuel that is compatible with all fuel-relevant functions in this operating state. When the fuel type requirements for various functions conflict with one another, operation with a liquid fuel, in particular gasoline, is typically always possible.
Such drive systems have the disadvantage that the fuel type requirement is provided in a decentralized manner in the respective fuel-relevant functions. Accordingly, the fuel-relevant functions must have a specific software interface.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine of a drive system for a motor vehicle, drive system, and motor vehicle


An exposure device has a bar-like lamp with a filament having luminescent and non-luminescent members connected in alternating series. A filter is disposed in the vicinity of the lamp and is composed of a plurality of filter plates arranged in a longitudinal direction of the filament. Seams between the filter plates are positioned vis-a-vis with the non-luminescent members of the filament of the lamp to reduce disturbances by the seams to the light emerging from lamp.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an exposure device for use with a copying machine or the like, and more particularly, to an exposure device with a filter for absorbing rays of heat produced by a light source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical arrangement of a copying machine is that: an original is placed on an original board composed of transparent hard glass; the original undergoes an exposure via the original board by means of a light source such as a halogen tungsten lamp; and the light reflected therefrom is led again via the original board to an exposure point to expose a photosensitive material (a photosensitive/pressure-sensitive sheet, a photoconductive drum or the like), thus forming a latent image. Beams of light emitted from the light source, however, have wavelengths containing the heat rays (near infrared rays), and in some cases the original board may be heated up for a long stretch of exposure. To cope with this, preventing the heat-up of the original board hitherto involved the use of a filter, disposed in front of the light source, for absorbing or reflecting the heat rays (towards the light source).
The thus arranged exposure device, however, presents such problems that repetitions of exposing/stopping cause the filter to be heated up and cooled down repeatedly. The repetitions thereof lead to a fragility of the filter, resulting in cracks or warps thereof.
As a countermeasure against such problems, the filter is split into a plurality of blocks to lessen the distortions caused by the repetitions of heating/cooling process (the arrangement being disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 259635/1988).


An end overflow apparatus for a rain gutter is provided and consists of a structure at the end of the rain gutter for allowing rain water to overflow the end of the rain gutter when both the rain gutter and the leader are clogged with debris caused by a downpour of the rain water that is too much for the clogged rain gutter and the leader to normally handle.

The instant invention relates generally to rain gutters and more specifically it relates to an end overflow apparatus for a rain gutter when the rain gutter is clogged
Numerous rain gutters have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to include structures for facilitating the cleaning of debris out of the rain gutters. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,142,370 to Giordano; 4,407,097 to Allen and 4,669,232 to Wyatt all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present invention as hereafter described.

Anti-clog caps for rain gutters and the like


An image processing apparatus includes: a modeling unit, in video image data composed of frame images having an X direction and a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction, separating a motion from a standard image, which is one frame before a reference image subjected to a process, until the reference image into motions in the X and Y directions and representing the motions in the X and Y directions respectively as vector fields composed of a translation component composed of identical magnitude and direction regardless of positions in the X and Y directions, an X dependent component primarily changing with the position in the X direction, and a Y dependent component primarily changing with the position in the Y direction; and a calculation unit respectively calculating the translation component and the X and Y dependent components corresponding to the X and Y directions represented by the modeling unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a recording medium and is suitable for, for example, an application to an image processing apparatus that processes video image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, methods of detecting a motion vector representing a motion in the entire screen between frame images composing video image data (referred to below as a full screen motion vector) are proposed (for example, refer to IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 52, No. 2, May 2006).
Such a full screen motion vector is used mainly for image processing techniques using motions, such as time and spatial resolution creation processing, camera shake correction processing, object extraction processing, and tracking processing, for example.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium


A hand washing device and method encouraging hand washing includes a display panel, a message “WASH UP with Soap and Water. Get rid of germs in only 15 seconds.” and may have one of a variety of timing means to time the wash cycle or the user may use an ordinary clock. Germ illustrations indicate consequences. The panel is on personal and public use soap dispensers and return springs are used as the timing device.

There is a high incidence of communicable diseases in the U.S. as well as throughout the entire world. The American Society of Microbiologists has indicated that adequate hand washing will greatly reduce the incidence of communicable diseases. There is special concern for such contacts as person to person, person to pets, persons to children, persons to home food, persons to public food, persons to money, persons coughing and sneezing, persons use of home bathrooms and persons use of public restrooms. Recent surveys have revealed that nearly 95 percent of the people claim to have washed their hands after use of public restrooms but actual observations reveal that this figure does not exceed 66 percent.
There is also a tendency to hurry up the hand washing process and do a cursory job for only several seconds and this is believed inadequate. Failure to wash hands adequately may result in the spreading of colds, diarrhea, and other infectious diseases such as meningitis, flu and other viruses.
Several prior patents relate to hand washing.
Gorra U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,910 discloses method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting hand washing. Allen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,942 discloses wash stations and method of operation which monitors hand washing and assists in hand washing. Stone U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,487 discloses a tooth brush holder and a timer for encouraging tooth brushing.


A skin preparation such as skin lotion or cream which is resistant to being removed when the skin is washed includes a skin-preparation base and a plurality of wash-off-resistance substantivity agents. The wash-off-resistance substantivity agents include a polymeric skin-feel-modifying compound, a quanternary ammonium compound, a hydrophobic modified starch, a substantive silicone and a substantive emollient.

Skin lotions are widely available for relieving dry skin and imparting a soft and smooth feel to the skin. However, conventional skin lotions readily wash off when the skin is washed with soap and water. Consequently each time after washing hands or bathing, a user must reapply the skin lotion to retain the benefits of the lotion.
Tarangul U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,475 discloses a composition for topical application which contains solid petrolatum and a hydrophobic starch such as an aluminum salt of a low substituted starch octenyl succinic half ester. According to the patent, the starch-containing petrolatum composition feels and appears less greasy when applied to the skin than conventional petrolatum jelly. In addition, the patent discloses that the combination of the hydrophobic starch and petrolatum is less resistant to washing with cold soap and detergent solutions than petrolatum alone.
Scala U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,694 is directed to certain benzoic acid esters useful in skin care compositions. Mineral oil, silicone oil, aluminum starch octenyl succinate and dimethicone are disclosed to be among many cosmetic ingredients which can be combined with the benzoic acid esters. Example 30 of the patent discloses an after-bath lemon body lotion which includes aluminum starch octenyl succinate.
Fourman U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,225 discloses a water-proof sunscreen composition which includes a film-forming cellulosic polymer, a solvent, an emollient, and a sunscreening agent. According to the patent, when spread on the skin, the composition leaves a non-greasy film with a superior resistance to removal by water. A preferred film-forming cellulosic polymer is disclosed at column 2, lines 21 throuqh 27 to be a cellulose ether. Dimethicones are disclosed at column 2, lines 64 through 66 of the patent to be suitable plasticizers for the composition. An example of the sunscreen composition of the patent is set forth in column 3 and includes dimethicone and cellulose ethyl ether.
Small et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,525 is directed to a skin cleansing composition. According to the patent, a polymeric ingredient sold under the tradename "Polymer JR" may be included in the cleansing compositions as a polymeric skin feel and mildness aid. See column 7, line 45 through column 8, line 2 of the patent.
British patent No. 2,076,290 to Mackles and Leone is directed to an antiperspirant stick composition. According to page 1, lines 13 through 15 of the patent, incorporating a starch into an antiperspirant stick along with other ingredients eliminates a greasy, oily feel. A suitable starch is disclosed to be the aluminum salt of the reaction product of octenyl succinate anhydride and starch, sold under the trade name of "DRY FLO." Silicone oils are also disclosed to be suitable for incorporation in antiperspirant sticks. Two examples of antiperspirant stick compositions on page 3 of the patent include "DRY FLO" starch and a silicone.


An object positioned in an examination volume of a magnetic resonance (MR) device (1) is T2-weighted MR imaged such that the MR image is essentially free from interfering contributions from MR signals without T2 weighting. The object (10) is subject to a first T2 preparation sequence (T2PREP1) including an excitation RF pulse (21), one or more refocusing RF pulses (22), and a tip-up RF pulse (23). The object (10) is subject to a first readout sequence (RO1) including at least one excitation RF pulse and switched magnetic field gradients for acquiring a first set of MR signals. The object (10) is subject to a second T2 preparation sequence (T2PREP2) including an excitation RF pulse (21′), one or more refocusing RF pulses (22′), and a tip-up RF pulse (23′). At least one of the RF pulses (21′, 22′, 23′) of the second T2 preparation sequence (T2PREP2) has a different phase than the corresponding RF pulse (21, 22, 23) of the first T2 preparation sequence (T2PREP1). The object (10) is subject to a second readout sequence (RO2) including at least one excitation RF pulse and switched magnetic field gradients for acquiring a second set of MR signals. The MR image is reconstructed from the first and second sets of MR signals.

Image-forming MR methods which utilize the interaction between magnetic fields and nuclear spins in order to form two-dimensional or three-dimensional images are widely used nowadays, notably in the field of medical diagnostics, because for the imaging of soft tissue they are superior to other imaging methods in many respects, do not require ionizing radiation and are usually not invasive.
According to the MR method in general, the body of the patient to be examined is arranged in a strong, uniform magnetic field (B0 field) whose direction at the same time defines an axis (normally the z-axis) of the co-ordinate system on which the measurement is based. The magnetic field produces different energy levels for the individual nuclear spins in dependence on the magnetic field strength which can be excited (spin resonance) by application of an electromagnetic alternating field (RF field, also referred to as B1 field) of defined frequency (so-called Larmor frequency, or MR frequency). From a macroscopic point of view the distribution of the individual nuclear spins produces an overall magnetization which can be deflected out of the state of equilibrium by application of an electromagnetic pulse of appropriate frequency (RF pulse), so that the magnetization performs a precessional motion about the z-axis. The precessional motion describes a surface of a cone whose angle of aperture is referred to as flip angle. The magnitude of the flip angle is dependent on the strength and the duration of the applied electromagnetic pulse. In the case of a so-called 90° pulse, the spins are deflected from the z axis to the transverse plane (flip angle 90°).
After termination of the RF pulse, the magnetization relaxes back to the original state of equilibrium, in which the magnetization in the z direction is built up again with a first time constant T1 (spin lattice or longitudinal relaxation time), and the magnetization in the direction perpendicular to the z direction relaxes with a second time constant T2 (spin-spin or transverse relaxation time). The variation of the magnetization can be detected by means of one or more receiving RF coils which are arranged and oriented within an examination volume of the MR device in such a manner that the variation of the magnetization is measured in the direction perpendicular to the z-axis. The decay of the transverse magnetization is accompanied, after application of, for example, a 90° pulse, by a transition of the nuclear spins (induced by local magnetic field inhomogeneity) from an ordered state with the same phase to a state in which all phase angles are uniformly distributed (dephasing). The dephasing can be compensated by means of a refocusing pulse (for example a 180° pulse). This produces an echo signal (spin echo) in the receiving coils.
In order to realize spatial resolution in the body, linear magnetic field gradients extending along the three main axes are superposed on the uniform magnetic field, leading to a linear spatial dependency of the spin resonance frequency. The signal picked up in the receiving coils then contains components of different frequencies which can be associated with different locations in the body. The MR signal data obtained via the RF coils corresponds to the spatial frequency domain and is called k-space data. The k-space data usually includes multiple lines acquired with different phase encoding. Each line is digitized by collecting a number of samples. A set of k-space data is converted to a MR image by means of Fourier transformation or other appropriate reconstruction algorithms.
A T2-weighted contrast is often required to characterize tissue lesions detected in MR images (for example in myocardial MR imaging), as the tissue, depending of the type of lesion, has a short T2 relaxation time and thus appears dark in the T2-weighted MR images.
T2-weighted MR images are conventionally acquired using spin echo (SE) or turbo spin echo (TSE) imaging sequences. An alternative would principally be a magnetization prepared turbo field echo (TFE) technique in which a magnetization preparation sequence brings the nuclear magnetization into the transverse plane by an excitation RF pulse, refocuses this transverse magnetization by one or several refocusing RF pulses and finally brings the refocused transverse magnetization back to the z-axis by a corresponding tip-up RF pulse. T2-decay during the period of transverse magnetization, i.e. between the initial excitation RF pulse and the final tip-up RF pulse of the T2 preparation sequence, provides the desired T2 weighting, stored in the z-direction by the tip-up RF pulse. Such a T2 preparation in combination with TFE readout can be designated as T2prep-TFE. T2prep-TFE is known in the art for some special applications, like cardiac/coronary MRI, in which spin echo sequences are less favourable.
However, a problem of the known T2 preparation scheme are interfering signal contributions without T2-weighting. These result from an increasing longitudinal magnetization due to T1 relaxation after the T2 preparation sequence. This non-T2-weighted contamination of the acquired MR signals results in a poor T2 contrast of the reconstructed MR images. The paper 'Motion and flow insensitive adiabatic T2 preparation modula for cardiac MR imaging at 3 Tesla' by E. R. Jensita et al. in MRM 70(2013)1360-68 mentions a T2-preparation module that leaves the longitudinal magnetisation in a state that is dependent on its T2.

T2-weighted MR imaging with elimination of non-T2-weighted signal contributions


The present invention relates to a high-density disk that is structured to prevent a collision of an optical pickup's objective lens with the high-density disk if the disk is placed upside down in a disk device that is able to record and reproduce signals to/from the high-density disk. A high-density disk recording medium according to the present invention is structured such that, wherein a recording layer having high-density pit patterns is offset from a center plane of disk thickness, a center hole of the disk recording medium is asymmetric in shape with respect to the center plane where, for example, both entrances of the center hole have mutually different diameters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a high-density disk structure and the manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, a high-density disk structure that prevents the collision of an optical pickup's objective lens with a high-density disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
A compact disk (CD) is 1.2 mm in thickness and 120 mm in diameter as shown in FIG. 1. A CD has a center hole of 15 mm diameter and a clamping zone of 44 mm, which encircles the center hole. The clamping zone is an area where the CD is clamped by a damper on a spindle or a turntable installed in a disk device.
When a CD is normally placed into a disk device equipped with an optical pickup, its recording layer, which has pit patterns, is approximately 1.2 mm from an objective lens of the optical pickup. The objective lens for a CD has a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.45, which is relatively small.
A digital versatile disk (DVD) is, similar to a CD, 1.2 mm in thickness and 120 mm in diameter, as shown in FIG. 2. A DVD also has a center hole of 15 mm diameter and a clamping zone of 44 mm encircling the center hole.
When a DVD is normally placed into a disk device, its recording layer, which has pit patterns, is approximately 0.6 mm from an objective lens of an optical pickup that a disk device is equipped with. The objective lens for a DVD has a NA of 0.6, which is relatively large.
A high density-DVD (HD-DVD), which is currently being commercialized, is 1.2 mm in thickness and 120 mm in diameter and is shown in FIG. 3. A HD-DVD also has a center hole of 15 mm diameter and a clamping zone of 44 mm encircling the center hole. If a HD-DVD is normally placed into a disk device, there will be a 0.1 mm gap between its recording layer, which has pit patterns, and the objective lens of an optical pickup for a HD-DVD device. The objective lens of the optical pickup of an HD-DVD device has the largest NA of 0.85 with respect to the two other disk type devices. The optical pickup for a HD-DVD uses a laser beam of shorter wavelength than for a CD or a DVD to record or reproduce signals in high density.
Therefore, in comparison with a CD or a DVD, a HD-DVD uses an objective lens that is situated closer to the recording layer, that uses a laser beam of shorter wavelength, and that has a greater NA. According to these conditions, it is possible to concentrate a stronger intensity of light on a smaller beam spot formed on the high-density pit patterns of the recording layer of the HD-DVD. Consequently, the transmitting distance of a laser beam of shorter wavelength is shortened, and the variation of the laser beam and its spherical aberration are minimized.
Referring to FIG. 4, if a HD-DVD 10 is normally placed onto a spindle 11 of a turntable installed in a disk device, a conventional servo-controlling operation for a spindle motor 12 by a motor driving unit 13 and a servo controller 15 is conducted to rotate the placed HD-DVD 10 at a constant and high speed. While the HD-DVD 10 is rotating, a focusing-servo operation is conducted to focus a laser beam for an optical pickup 14 exactly onto the recording layer. This operation is performed by moving the objective lens OL of the optical pickup 14 in an up and down direction within an operating distance OD. If a laser beam is exactly in focus, then reproduction (or recording) of high-density pit patterns can be accomplished.
However, when the HD-DVD 10 is misplaced onto the spindle 11 by, for example, being placed upside down as shown in FIG. 5, the HD-DVD 10 will still be rotated at a constant and high speed by the combined servo-controlling operation by the turntable motor 12, the motor driving unit 13, and the servo controller 15. However, if the HD-DVD 10 has been placed upside down, the gap between the recording layer and the objective lens OL of the optical pickup 14 is 1.1 mm greater in comparison with a normally-placed HD-DVD.
In this misplacement, a laser beam cannot be focused within the conventional operating distance of the objective lens OL of the pickup 14. Therefore, the servo controller 15 supervising the focusing-servo operation continues to move the objective lens OL upward to the maximum movable distance "OD_Max" until the laser beam is correctly focused. However, in this case, the objective lens OL will collide with the misplaced HD-DVD 10. Consequently, the HD-DVD 10, the objective lens OL, and/or the servo-mechanism could be irreparably damaged.

High-density disk recording medium having an asymmetrically-shaped center hole and manufacturing method thereof


A method for estimating a channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel is described. The mobile radio channel is accessed over a wide bandwidth by a code division multiplex method. A second mobile radio channel continuously transmits sequences to a multiplicity of mobile radio receivers, and the sequences are known to each of the multiplicity of mobile radio receivers. The delay parameters of the mobile radio channel are estimated using the sequences transmitted via the second mobile radio channel. The mobile radio receiver is adjusted in accordance with the delay parameters estimated and weighting factors of the mobile radio channel are determined.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for estimating the channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel. To achieve good transmission quality in mobile radio systems, knowledge of the channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel is of particular significance. It is only by this knowledge that a signal transmitted via the mobile radio channel can be sufficiently equalized for subsequent evaluation in a receiver. The more precisely the channel impulse response of the mobile radio channel is known to the receiver, the better a received signal can be equalized and evaluated.
To estimate the channel impulse response, the maximum likelihood method is used, for example, in narrow-band systems such as the global system for mobile communications (GSM) and Qualcomm code division multiple access (CDMA) according to the IS-95 standard. In particular, the maximum likelihood method is suitable for narrow-band systems having few users per frequency resource.
For example, in GSM systems, a narrow-band frequency slot of 200 kHz is always used only by one user at a particular time. Within the time slot available to a user, a base station transmits a test signal that is known to the mobile radio receiver of the user. Using the test signal, the mobile radio receiver estimates the channel impulse response of the mobile radio channel in accordance with the maximum likelihood method. The estimate supplies both the delay parameters and the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel that are necessary for efficient equalization.
In Qualcomm CDMA systems according to IS-95 standard, up to 63 users can simultaneously transmit and receive in a frequency band of 1.25 MHz. On average, 20 to 25 users are simultaneously transmitting and receiving in such a system. The channel impulse response of the mobile radio channel is estimated via a separate pilot channel that consists of a pseudo random binary sequence characteristic of the channel with a chip rate of 1.2288 Mchip/s and does not have any channel coding.
In mobile radio systems having a greater bandwidth available for transmission, particularly CDMA mobile radio systems, however, the number of samples within a predetermined time frame that are necessary for decoding in a mobile radio receiver is increased so that the calculating effort for a decoding method based on the maximum likelihood method is greatly increased.
In broadband mobile radio systems such as, for example, wide band CDMA (W-CDMA), the number of users that are simultaneously transmitting and receiving is also greater than in narrowband systems. Theoretically, W-CDMA allows more than 250 users in a 5 MHz frequency band. This further increases the calculating effort for a maximum likelihood method.
In Published, European Patent Application EP 0 876 002 A, representing the nearest prior art, a method for channel estimation is described in which the delay parameters are estimated by use of pilot sequences and the RAKE fingers are adjusted in accordance with the delay times thus determined. With regard to the determination of the channel or weighting parameters, the document shows that these are calculated from the pilot symbols.
In Published, European Patent Application EP 0 704 987 A2, a method is described in which the predetermined PN-offset of a base station, and thus the time difference between a system time and a time of emission of the pilot signal by the base station is determined in a receiver by evaluating a synchronization sequence transmitted via a synchronization channel.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for estimating the channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art methods of this general type, in which the calculating requirement of the method is less than the calculating effort of a maximum likelihood method. Furthermore, it should be possible to determine the transmission quality to be achieved.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for estimating a channel impulse response of a first mobile radio channel accessed over a wide bandwidth by use of a code division multiplex method. The method includes transmitting continuously sequences for synchronizing a mobile radio receiver to a multiplicity of mobile radio receivers via a second mobile radio channel functioning as a synchronization channel and in which the sequences are known to each of the multiplicity of mobile radio receivers. The sequences transmitted via the synchronization channel are used for estimating delay parameters of the first mobile radio channel caused by multipath propagation. The mobile radio receiver is adjusted in accordance with the delay parameters derived, and weighting factors are estimated for the first mobile radio channel.
In the method, the delay parameters of the mobile radio channel are estimated by use of the sequences transmitted via the synchronization channel.
The multi-stage method exhibits as essential steps the estimating of the delay parameters of the mobile radio channel followed by the estimating of the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel. The two-stage estimating of the mobile radio channel parameters requires less calculating effort than, for example, the maximum likelihood method. Furthermore, the calculating effort for estimating the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel can be correspondingly adapted to the transmission quality to be achieved by the two-stage estimating.
The synchronization channel used for estimating the delay times in accordance with the invention is always present in mobile radio systems with the code division multiplex method. Since known sequences are transmitted via the synchronization channel, the channel is suitable for estimating the delay parameters. At the same time, a mobile radio receiver can be synchronized.
Estimating the delay parameters of the mobile radio channel is preferably carried out by a correlation method which utilizes the correlation characteristics of the sequences transmitted via the synchronization channel.
In particular, the transmitted sequences correspond to gold sequences. The gold sequences advantageously exhibit particularly good cross-correlation characteristics and are, therefore, well suited to mobile radio systems using the code division multiplex method. In such mobile radio systems, uncorrelated noise sequences that, however, cannot be technically achieved, should be available for optimum decoding in a mobile radio receiver. The gold sequences advantageously closely approximate the uncorrelated noise sequences.
The estimating of the delay parameters of the mobile radio channel is ideally carried out after an initial synchronization of a mobile radio receiver. In this configuration, the result of the estimating can be even more accurate since the mobile radio receiver is already adjusted to the transmission frequency and is receiving signals more effectively.
The estimating of the delay parameters of the mobile radio channel is preferably carried out by evaluating the strongest signals among the received signals. In this configuration, the frequency diversity of the transmission signals is utilized. The transmitted signals have such a bandwidth that they spread over a number of transmission paths in the mobile radio channel due to the frequency diversity. Each of the transmission paths has a different transfer function. By taking into consideration only the strongest among the received signals, the calculating effort is advantageously reduced compared with a consideration of all received signals.
In particular, the estimating of the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel is carried out by pilot sequences which are transmitted via a third mobile radio channel and a fourth mobile radio channel. In W-CDMA mobile radio systems, the broadcast control channel (BCCH) can be used as a third mobile radio channel and the dedicated physical channel (DPCH) can be used as the fourth mobile radio channel.
The estimating of the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel is preferably carried out during an acquisition. In this configuration, in particular, a spread-spectrum code previously used for synchronization is used.
As an alternative, the estimating of the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel is carried out in accordance with a method of pilot integration. Furthermore, the estimating of the weighting factors of the mobile radio channel can be carried out by a phase tracking algorithm.
To carry out the method, a RAKE receiver with adaptive fingers is provided in a mobile radio receiver, the RAKE receiver being adjusted via the determined weighting factors of the mobile radio channel.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method for estimating the channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Method for estimating the channel impulse response of a mobile radio channel


An electron beam microwave device having an evacuated interaction chamber to which are coupled a resonant cavity which has an opening between the resonant cavity and the evacuated interaction chamber and an electron gun which causes a narrow beam of electrons to traverse the evacuated interaction chamber. The device also contains a mechanism for feeding back a microwave electromagnetic field from the resonant cavity to the evacuated interaction chamber in such a way as to modulate the direction of propagation of the electron beam, thereby further amplifying the microwave electromagnetic field. Furthermore, provision is made for coupling the electromagnetic field out of the electron beam microwave device.

One class of prior art devices for generating and amplifying microwave radiation employs the interaction of a beam of electrons with an electromagnetic field inside an electron tube which is configured in a manner so as to provide for extraction of energy from rapidly streaming electrons in order to enhance the strength of an electromagnetic field. Such devices include klystrons, magnetrons, and travelling wave tubes, all capable of varied embodiments, but sharing the properties of a mechanism for accelerating the electrons into a stream which is initially uniform in velocity and direction, and a wave-supporting structure which allows for the resonant containment of an electromagnetic field. The interaction of the field with the beam of electrons allows the energy in the beam, which is initially in the form of direct current, to be transformed into alternating current at the frequency of the electromagnetic field. The energy in the electromagnetic field is then coupled out of the device and used for purposes as diverse as radar and microwave cooking. While there is no lower limit to the frequency at which such an oscillator can operate, there are high-frequency limitations imposed by losses of magnetic energy within the wave-supporting structure. The characteristic dimensions of the wave support structure are of the order of the wavelength of radiation to be generated. Surface roughness of the structure causes additional losses of electromagnetic energy in addition to losses due to interaction of the fields with the walls of the structure which increase as the square root of the frequency. The losses due to geometrical imperfections of fabrication grow more rapidly with frequency when the scale of the roughness is comparable to the wavelength of the radiation. To overcome these losses, higher electron densities are required within the region of interaction with the field, but these, in turn, are also limited by the natural tendency of charged particles to repel one another. Generation of power levels useful for communications by devices of this class is limited, in practice, to frequencies below approximately 100 GHz.
All klystrons currently operating may be referred to as operating in a longitudinal mode, in that their operation entails the bunching of electrons in a beam and the interaction of the bunched electrons with an electromagnetic field directed parallel to the motion of the electrons in the beam. Klystron devices of this sort are used to generate and to amplify microwave radiation.
In a klystron, the electron beam must interact in proper phase with the extracted electromagnetic field in order to amplify it. Operation of klystrons is thus sensitive to the time of flight between electron bunching and energy extraction, and thus to the voltage applied to accelerate the beam. This is true both in the linear and reflex configurations.

Transverse mode electron beam microwave generator

The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration