An electronic apparatus includes an operation receiving unit configured to receive a selection operation for selecting, in a case where index images for allowing selection of content to be reproduced are displayed in list form on a display unit, an index image from among the index images displayed in list form, an image processing unit configured to sequentially scale up an image related to content corresponding to the selected index image from a size of the selected index image to a certain size, and a control unit configured to cause the display unit to display the image that is being sequentially scaled up, with an arrangement position of the selected index image serving as a reference position, and cause the display unit to display the content corresponding to the selected index image when a size of the image that is being sequentially scaled up reaches the certain size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic apparatuses, and specifically relates to an electronic apparatus and a display control method for displaying in list form index images for allowing selection of content to be reproduced, and a program that causes a computer to execute the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, imaging apparatuses, such as digital still cameras, for generating images by capturing subjects such as people and recording the images have become widespread. Also, there is suggested a reproducing apparatus capable of causing a user operation to select each of the recorded images and reproducing the selected image.
For example, there is suggested a reproducing apparatus that displays in list form thumbnail images corresponding to moving images in a matrix pattern and that reproduces a desired moving image by allowing a user to select a desired thumbnail image from among the thumbnail images displayed in list form (e.g., see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-139846 (FIG. 1)).

Electronic apparatus, display control method, and program


Various examples are provided related to identification of anthropometric information for fitting of compression garments. In one example, a method of generating compression garment fit information includes acquiring images including a selected body part or body area in need of compression therapy; processing the acquired images along with a library of compression garment fit information; generating a 3D reconstruction of the selected body part/area; deriving anthropometric information for the selected body part/area from the 3D reconstruction; providing a compression value corresponding to a prescribed or intended amount of compression therapy applied to the selected body part/area; and generating compression garment fit information for the selected body part/area. In another example, a library of compression garment fit information includes anthropometric information generated for individuals in need of compression therapy; information associated with a health condition for the individuals; and compression garment fit instructions provided by a compression garment manufacturer.

"Functional garments" (or "functional clothing") are designed to fit the wearer's body so that the person can move, sit, and perform intended or desired work duties or athletic activities. Functional garments can be associated with a wearer' purpose, such as protecting the person wearing the item or imparting a medical treatment to a person in need thereof. The functionality can be imparted by way of garment design (e.g., shape, intended fit characteristics at a plurality of body part locations, fabric selection, sewing techniques, etc.). As would be appreciated, if a garment type is selected to impart an intended function to a person, that intended function may not be provided if the garment is not well-fitted to the person's body at one or more relevant locations. Thus, accurate measurements of anatomical elements of the person's body part or body area for which the subject functional garment is intended to impart the intended function will be required.
A category of functional garments comprises those that are designed to impart a therapeutic or medical benefit to a person in need thereof, of which medical compression garments are a well-known garment type that are engineered to treat edema or edema-like conditions. "Edema" is the accumulation of excess fluid in a fluid compartment. This accumulation can occur in the cells (i.e., cellular edema), in the intercellular spaces within tissue (i.e., interstitial edema), or in other spaces in the body. Edema can be caused by a variety of factors, including indications associated with osmotic pressure, such as hypotonic fluid overload, which allows the movement of water into the intracellular space, or hypoproteinemia, which decreases the concentration of plasma proteins and permits the passage of fluid out of the blood vessels into the tissue spaces. Edema may arise from a variety of illnesses and conditions, including venous valvular insufficiency, post-phlebotic syndrome, post-traumatic swelling, postoperative swelling, congestive heart failure-related swelling, hypoalbuminemia-related swelling, drug induced swelling, and lymphedema. Other factors can include poor lymphatic drainage (known as "lymphedema"), conditions associated with an increased capillary pressure (e.g., excessive retention of salt and/or water), heart failure, and conditions associated with increased capillary pressure, such as inflammation.
Referring specifically to "lymphedema" (which is a well-known and commonly occurring subset of the broader class of "edema-like conditions") at an early stage, a person will experience an increase in swelling in one or more extremities and/or in a body area. This swelling, in turn, exerts pressure on proximate cells, tissues and blood vessels. As these areas are squeezed from the increase of fluid and from the natural body response to increased inflammation (as a component of "first response" to an injury), more tissues will die, more fluids are released, and the amount of edema present in the person will increase. As edema increases, there is more potential for this "cascade effect" to continue, to result in even more damage. Such damage is often irreversible. Thus, early diagnosis and regular patient monitoring when a person is diagnosed at an early stage—or who is susceptible to the occurrence of (e.g., patients with surgery affecting lymph nodes, diabetics, etc.)—can be critical to identify swelling occurring prior to the start of the "edema cascade."
It should also be noted that lymphedema—or more broadly, edema-like conditions—have multi-dimensional health and societal effects. A woman in whom early-stage lymphedema symptoms is not accurately diagnosed is likely to experience negative health effects that greatly reduce her quality of life. A previously vibrant woman may no longer be able to work and she may no longer be able to be fully engaged with her family, community, and society at least because she may be in constant pain and her mobility will often be severely limited. Of course, the costs of treating a person with a chronic illness such as lymphedema are significant, and it often happens a patient with co-morbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) can begin a steep decline in overall health condition. It is therefore important to be able to proactively identify early stage—or "subclinical"—symptoms in patients who might be susceptible to lymphedema or edema-like conditions so that they can be treated with the most effective therapeutic methods indicated for their disease-state presentation. Also, and likely not surprisingly, effective treatment of early-stage lymphedema can typically be accomplished with minimally invasive and widely accessible methods such as massage and accurately fitted compression garments having the therapeutically appropriate amount of compression incorporated therein. To ensure not only early diagnosis, but also effective monitoring and treatment of a patient in need of treatment, best clinical practices for patients potentially susceptible to lymphedema diagnosis thus require observations of the patient that are not only regular, but also dependable. A patient in need of treatment for lymphedema must be fitted with a compression garment that is engineered to address her specific body part or body area shape and size and individual lymphedema presentation, as well as being monitored regularly and consistently to ensure that her condition is well-managed and does not worsen. Or, put more succinctly: if a compression garment is not functional to impart the intended or prescribed amount of compression therapy, the patient will not obtain the necessary therapeutic response.
Today, a primary impediment to providing the necessary functionality needed to populations of people who may be in need of compression therapy is the ability to generate accurate anthropometric measurements specific for that person. As would be appreciated, a prerequisite to generating a prescribed or intended amount of compression therapy is ensuring that the garment is well-fitting on the body part or body area. "Well-fitted" means not only that the garment is sized correctly, but also that the garment includes the appropriate compression level to be applied at the right location on the person when worn. For a lower leg medical/therapeutic compression garment, this means that the compression garment is sized correctly to apply the prescribed or indicated amount of compression therapy at the person's ankle, and that it will be sized appropriately above the calf so that it will not slip or ride down. Also, the garment should not be so loose as to reduce the compressive force applied at the ankle, nor should it be so tight as to pinch or bind when worn. A well-fitted compression garment should also include fit for locations along the person's leg.
Traditionally, medical/therapeutic compression garments have been fitted in person by a trained clinician who uses a standard tape measure to generate measurements at a collection of visually identified anatomic landmarks on a person's body part or body area.
Medical/therapeutic compression garments have been fitted using this method when a person is determined to be actually or potentially symptomatic of lymphedema. The tape measurement method is low cost and widely available if there is a trained clinician accessible to a patient. This is not always the case, however. Women who have undergone cancer treatments that can give rise to lymphedema may reside in locations where there is a dearth of trained clinicians, especially in areas where health care facilities are scarce, as is often the case in the US today, as well as other countries. Moreover, while accurate detection of subclinical lymphedema associated with the fitting of medical/therapeutic compression garments requires regular assessment of the patient, a patient who is recovering from or undergoing cancer treatment (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation) may not be able to make regular trips to a convenient location where a trained clinician is present. Even women who are located in areas where healthcare facilities are prevalent may find it difficult to obtain the regular and consistent monitoring necessary to identify lymphedema at a subclinical stage due to staffing, scheduling, and/or cost restraints.
Irrespective of the ability of a patient to obtain access to a clinician on a regular basis, the tape measurement method is often not adequate to allow early-stage lymphedema to be accurately detected and, as such, the person will not be identified as being in need of compression therapy. In application, the clinician will use her training and experience along with fit instructions provided by one or more medical/therapeutic compression garment manufacturers to identity the relevant anatomic landmarks via touching/palpation of the patient's body part or body area. Even with highly trained clinicians, there is the possibility for variability due to the human element of this measurement technique. There may also be variability in measurements between patient visits, especially when different clinicians measure the same patient.
As explained by Bragança et al. (Bragança, Sara, et al. "Current state of the art and enduring issues in anthropometric data collection." Dyna 83.197 (2016): 22-30) "wrongly identifying a body landmark is the main cause of observer error in the collection of anthropometric data" and that "in any anthropometry-study it is extremely important to agree on the body measurements to be recorded and the common points on the body to be identified." Bragança et al. conducted an extensive review of the anatomic landmark identification literature, including emerging methodologies using 3D imaging to generate anthropometric measurements that include landmark identification. The authors of this article reviewed a number of studies attempting to use a fully hands-free method to identify anatomic landmarks for the purpose of generating anthropometric information. It was stated in this review that "poor identification of landmark locations characteristic of 3D anthropometry has a significant effect on the derived data that I used to define participant body dimensions and to effect shape analysis." (Bragança et al. p 27). The authors further identified the landmarking process as the "most problematic" aspect of generating 3D anthropometric measurements. Although not specifically directed toward imaging for lymphedema, it is understood that this reference presents the state of the art of anatomic landmark identification techniques; no relevant updates of this article (as determined by citation analysis) have been published up to March 2021.
As demonstrated by Brangaca et al., and as confirmed by the inventors herein in extensive clinical investigations, landmark identification using current measurement methods, which include currently available 3D imaging techniques, will be greatly affected by the existence of wide variability in the nature and characteristics of patients who may present with an actual or potential diagnosis of lymphedema. In this regard, larger framed patients often show greater differences from measurement to measurement, which may be easier to identify differences between measurements taken at different times using the tape measurement method. However, lymphedema is not limited to larger framed patients; it follows that smaller framed patients who may be susceptible to lymphedema may not be adequately tracked using the tape measurement method. The tape measurement method can also require the patient to keep her arm elevated or her legs separated while standing for more time than is comfortable for a patient recovering from cancer treatment or who may have other physical impediments. Measurements made by different clinicians in different visits may also give rise to inconsistencies for an individual patient. Collectively, each of these variables associated with the tape measurement method means that there is a need for improvements in methods to detect lymphedema as well as in the fitting of compression garments engineered to treat the lymphedema, especially when the condition is in a subclinical state.
In addition to therapeutic effectiveness for the treatment of lymphedema or edema-like conditions, medical/therapeutic compression garments are an increasingly popular clothing item worn by athletes and active individuals with the goal of enhancing recovery from exercise. That is, they are "functional garments" in the context of sports. While the actual mechanism of action for compression clothing remains largely unknown today, it is generally hypothesized that when compression garments are used during recovery, muscle swelling is reduced. Improvements in the perception of recovery after exercise are seen by both men and women, who can be well-trained athletes or "weekend warriors." Generally, it seems likely that compression garments can be perceived to provide greater overall benefits following higher amounts of, or greater intensities of, exercise. Recent studies indicate that whether compression garments can provide actual therapeutic effects remains to be determined, and some of the current lack of certainty is possibly due to a dearth of reliable data on how such non-medical compression garments should be fit to an individual. Of course, if the proper fit for a sports-related compression garment is not known, the presence or absence of a therapeutic effect cannot be accurately determined, nor can the intended or prescribed function be generated.
A competitive swimming garment can be "functional" to improve a swimmer's form, such as by configuring features that can support her core to enhance firing of muscles while the swimmer is in the water. Different types of form-fitting can be incorporated in the swimming garment to provide different functionality vis a vis the muscles as, for example, set out in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,356, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
An orthopedic brace can be "functional" to apply appropriate support at a joint area for functional support of the joint. Exemplary functional features in medical appliances for the knee are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,285,840 and 9,220,622, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.
Functional garments can also be engineered to protect someone from injury or harm while undertaking an inherently dangerous activity. Examples of such garments are those worn by fire fighters, police officers, soldiers, those who work in hazardous environments (e.g., nuclear power, toxic chemicals, extreme cold or heat).
Functionality in garments is also found for aesthetic reasons in the "shapewear" realm. In order to impart the intended function for which the subject garment is worn, the garment must be properly fitted in the first order.
Specifically with reference to a hand, gloves or garments with glove-like features are increasing used for augmented reality (A/R) and virtual reality (V/R) applications. While such uses have in the past primarily been in the realm of gaming and the like, it is understood that in the future A/R and V/R will likely be associated with manufacturing, medical, educational, and business use cases. A person who is working in the "metaverse" to perform a task using their hands would need to be fitted with gloves that can accurately transfer motions to a computing device with which they are interacting. Such gloves will also need to suitably transmit haptic motions. In short, to provide an A/R or V/R experience that properly substitutes for an in-person experience, it can be expected that any gloves worn by a person in such applications will have to act as a "second skin" for the person. It follows that accurately fitted gloves are needed.
There remains a need for improvements in the generation of anthropometric measurements fitting of functional garments for a person in need thereof. The present disclosure provides this and other improvements.

Methods and systems for generating accurately fitting compression garments having glove or glove-like features for a person in need thereof


A printer tear bar and presenter system for printing on a strip of media and presenting a portion of the media to a user. The media comprises a plurality of perforations and a plurality of bridges of connecting material separating the perforations. The tear bar comprises first and second side portions and a center portion. The side portions and the center portions are adapted to abut the surface of the media so that friction creates stress on the bridges of connecting material. The first and second side portions are preferably tapered to concentrate tearing stress on corresponding bridges of connecting material. The printer and control circuitry are adapted to advance the media rapidly after the printer has finished printing to prevent users from pulling on the media prematurely.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a printer tear bar and presenter system for separating a portion of a media from a strip of media and presenting it to a user.
2. Description of Related Art
Printers are now widely used to print on strips of media. Once the printer has printed information on a leading portion of a strip, the leading portion is separated from the strip of media to form a page, ticket, voucher, coupon or other printed object. For example, many receipt machines print on a strip of rolled paper. Once the printer has printed on the leading portion of the paper, the strip is advanced to a position where a receipt can be torn from the strip of paper.
Various devices have been developed for assisting the separation of the leading portion of the media from the strip of media. These include various tear bars and presenter systems. However, prior art tear bars and presenter system have suffered from a number of problems and disadvantages. One of the problems associated with prior art tear bars is that the tear bars fail to cleanly separate the leading portion of the media from the strip of media. This is a problem even with perforated media that is intended to separate into predefined portions. If a leading portion does not separate cleanly from a media it may tear subsequent portions of the media.
A problem associated with prior art presenter systems is that users tend to pull on media before the printer has completed printing. If the printing is not completely done, the voucher may be pulled through the printer, thereby deforming any information being printed on the voucher. It may also cause the media to be aligned incorrectly in the printer so that subsequent printing jobs are also printed incorrectly. If the user pulls hard enough, the media may be ripped, leaving part of the voucher in the printing machine. Clearing or resetting the printer may require inconvenient and expensive delays to its operation.


To enhance the user experience for users of an application, such as a web browser, the application obtains statistics on shortened links that are displayed in an application or that are associated with displayed unshortened links. The statistics may include, for example, a number of times that content available via an unshortened link was viewed via its associated shortened link. The statistics are applied to enhance the ability of users of the application to locate relevant content. For example, the statistics may be shown in visual association with a link, or a set of links may be ordered at least in part based on the statistics associated with the links, or the links may be visually emphasized based on the statistics.

The present invention generally relates to the field of software systems, and more specifically, to techniques for using statistics on link usage within the user interface of an application. The links to which the statistics pertain may be shortened links produced by a link-shortening service, or may also be unshortened links for which a shortened form has been created on some link-shortening service, or unshortened links for which no shortened form is known to have been created.
Users of the Internet frequently share links (e.g., URLs) related to content of interest. For example, a user might share a web page of interest with the user's friends by typing or pasting the web page's URL into an email; into a text message of a social networking or microblogging service, such as TWITTER; or into a message posting to be placed on the user's page on a social networking site, such as FACEBOOK.
The length of links often proves inconvenient for sharing purposes. For example, a URL having a lengthy domain name and/or path may be inadvertently broken across multiple lines when processed by email systems, thus rendering it incapable of being used directly when clicked on by a recipient of the email. Also, message sharing services, social networking sites, and other online messaging systems may impose maximum character requirements on a user's messages, thereby restricting the use of long URLs in a message. Furthermore, long URLs can appear indecipherable and intimidating to users, leading to user reluctance to click on them.
For these reasons, URL shortening services have been created to facilitate the shortening of URLs and the subsequent use thereof. A typical URL shortening service saves a mapping between an original unshortened URL and a shortened version thereof. When a user clicks a shortened URL, the user's computer obtains a page from the URL shortening service, which then redirects the user's computer to the original version of the URL that was associated with the shortened version.
The URL shortening services used to shorten the URLs also typically track statistics about the use of content such as web pages through the associated shortened URLs. For example, a URL shortening service might track how many times a particular web page was viewed via clicks on a particular shortened URL associated with the web page, or an aggregate number of times the web page was accessed via clicks on any of its shortened links, or the number of distinct times that the URL was shortened as a proxy for the number of people who shared the URL.
Statistics may be obtained for URLs—including unshortened URLs—in other ways, as well. These statistics constitute valuable information about the URLs and associated content to which they correspond, but the information is not currently leveraged to provide viewers of content with insights about the relevance of the associated content.

Integrated link statistics within an application


A cooling garment cooling device includes: a water delivery hose with a cooling water supply portion and cooling water branch portion; a pump supplying cooling water from the cooling water supply portion toward the cooling water branch portion; and plural branched water hoses having a first end-side water supply portion and second end-side water supply portion coupled to the cooling water branch portion. A portion of the branched water hoses between the first end-side water supply portion and second end-side water supply portion serves as a water outlet portion. Each branched water hose diameter is smaller than the water delivery hose diameter. The outer peripheral portion of the water outlet portion of each branched water hose orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the branched water hose has plural water passage holes with opening areas smaller than those of the first end-side water supply portion and second end-side water supply portion.

There is proposed a cooling garment that can cool a body without the assumption that a wearer sweats.
Specifically, a water storage tank is mounted on a shoulder, and one end of a water delivery hose is connected to the water storage tank. Then, a middle portion of the water delivery hose meanders in the body portion, and the other end of the water delivery hose is connected to the water storage tank.
In addition, a pump is provided in the water delivery hose. The pump is driven to circulate cooling water in the water storage tank from the water storage tank, through the one end, the middle portion, and the other end of the water delivery hose, and back into the water storage tank (Patent Document 1 mentioned below describes a similar device).

Cooling garment cooling device and cooling garment having the same mounted thereto


Methods and systems are provided for managing a group of portable communication devices. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for managing a group of portable communication devices on an individual basis or an aggregate basis, the method comprising the steps of providing a list of the portable communication devices in the group, selecting a target portable communication device, determining the location of the target portable communication device, and presenting the location of the target portable communication device. The method may further comprise the step of determining whether the group has sufficient credit for acquiring the location of the portable communication devices in the group.

As mobile electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and pagers, have become more sophisticated, the range of applications that they may offer has become more extensive. Such devices are now often provided with full color, high resolution liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that enable users to view sophisticated graphics, pictures, and video content. Further, new network access protocols, such as the Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and i-Mode protocols, allow users to access Internet content through digital cellular networks. Such advances have considerably increased the volume and variety of content available to users of mobile devices. Today, such devices can access much of the same content that was once available only through use of a personal computer connected to the Internet via a land line.
Because mobile devices are easily transportable, and thus accessible by a user in any situation, availability to such a wealth of content on mobile devices benefits the user. The mobile device user may be a member of an organization or a group (e.g., family, company, team), and may carry and use mobile devices carried by other members. Each of the mobile devices may be carried and used by one of the group members, such as supervisory members (e.g., parent, employer, team leader) and supervised members (e.g., child, employee, team member).
A mobile device user now has mechanisms to access the same types of content on her mobile devices as on her personal computers. Furthermore, a mobile device user in a group may also communicate with other members of that group via associated mobile devices at a special rate. However, the traditional approach to connectivity management and group management and coordination is significantly deficient when applied to mobile devices, and conventional mobile device applications are not adapted to manage, coordinate, and monitor mobile devices that are associated in a group.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved mobile device applications and graphical user interfaces for enabling the management, coordination, and monitoring of associated electronic devices.

Group management and graphical user interface for associated electronic devices


A message is received that a mobile device is in proximity to a vehicle. For example, a cloud system may receive a message that the mobile device is in proximity to the car of a specific person. Based on the mobile device being in proximity to the vehicle, sensor information is received from one or more sensors on the vehicle. For example, an array of cameras on the vehicle may be used to detect a gesture. The received information from the one or more sensors on the vehicle is processed to identify one or more actions to implement on the vehicle. One or more commands are then sent to implement one or more actions on the vehicle. For example, the one or more commands may be to open a specific door on the vehicle and to turn on a specific heating system in the vehicle.

Currently, smartphone applications can be used to unlock a vehicle, such as a car. For example, a smartphone application can unlock a car based on the smartphone being in proximity to the car. In this instance, the smartphone is acting similar to a digital key that allows the person to unlock the car when the person approaches. Alternatively, some smartphone applications may unlock a car remotely. However, current smartphone applications fail to leverage contextual intelligence, which limits the types of features and services that can be provided to a person when approaching the car.

System and method for controlling a vehicle using secondary access methods


A marine jet drive having through-the-nozzle engine exhaust, thereby to avoid or minimize noxious odors, noise and heat problems. A method for improving marine jet drive engine performance, including producing suction to facilitate exhaust flow from the engine by discharging exhaust within the water outflow in the nozzle; exhaust is most preferably discharged at a position flush with the position of water discharge.

This invention is related generally to propulsion units for boats and, more particularly, to marine jet drives.
Marine jet drives which propel vessels by means of water jets have long been known and used, and have certain significant advantages over the traditional external propeller units. A typical marine jet drive includes an engine-driven impeller which rotates inside an impeller housing. The impeller pumps water from below the vessel through a water intake duct, and then pressurizes and expels the water through a diffusor housing and a nozzle behind the vessel.
A typical example of such a conventional marine jet drive is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,833, which shows a pump which may be driven vertically or horizontally and is positioned near the bottom and transom of a marine vessel. The conventional jet propulsion systems have certain general advantages that make them especially attractive under circumstances where a conventional ship""s propeller would be exposed to damage by contact with underwater objects. A jet drive has the further advantages that it does not produce appendage drag allowing more efficient operation and that it is safe for swimmers and animals that could be hurt by the rotating blades of an external propeller.
Despite these advantages, marine jet drives of the prior art have some problems and shortcomings, including as set forth below:
Among the problems with marine jet drives, as often with vessels having conventional propulsion means, are that the exhaust produces significant noxious odor, noise and heat signature behind and near the vessel, adversely affecting personnel on and near the vessel. In certain vessels with conventional propulsion means, exhaust can be released under water, which in theory can mitigate the problems to some extent. This in some cases can also be done with vessels having marine jet drives; however, as with conventional vessels, significant problems can remain.
Indeed, in marine jet drives, underwater exhausting is particularly problematic, because any exhaust gases in the water which is pumped into the jet drive unit from beneath the vessel will drastically interfere with operation of the jet drivexe2x80x94a very serious problem. Thus, the problems of noxious odors, noise and heat behind and near the vessel are particularly difficult to solve in vessels having marine jet drives.
In the past there have been some efforts to in some manner use the jet stream in connection with exhaust. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,876, which shows engine exhaust in combination with the jet stream; however, the exhaust is peripheral to the jet stream and is added behind the jet nozzle. The system of such patent does not significantly enhance efficiency or remove exhaust fumes and heat with the jet stream, nor does it serve to adequately suppress exhaust noise. U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,537 uses exhaust gases and engine-generated heat to decrease behind-the-jet nozzle frictional losses between a submerged jet stream and surrounding water in order to render the jet stream more effective.
In prior art marine jet drives, however, exhaust gases are not discharged with the jet stream. However, even if such an idea had been considered, difficult and highly significant problems would arise relating to a seeming inability to discharge the engine exhaust gas with the jet stream. The problem would be the matter of just how one would reasonably get the exhaust into the jet stream at the appropriate location.
In summary, substantial problems and shortcomings exist with respect to dealing with the engine exhaust of marine jet drives.
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a marine jet drive propulsion system that overcomes problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those set forth above.
Another object of this invention is to provide a marine jet drive propulsion system that overcomes disadvantages of the known jet drives.
Another object of this invention is to provide a marine jet drive which increases the comfort of people in the vessel by overcoming the problems of noxious odors, noise and heat behind and near the vessel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a marine jet drive which is quite and powerful in operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide a marine jet drive which avoids any release exhaust near the vessel.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a marine jet drive which successfully merges the engine exhaust stream into the jet stream of the jet drive at an appropriate location.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a marine jet drive with improved engine performance.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptions and from the drawings.
This invention is an improved marine jet drive which overcomes various problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those referred to above. The invention is a marine jet drive system which places the engine exhaust internal to the jet stream of water. This serves to improve engine efficiency because of suction created by the jet stream, and greatly improves the comfort of people on the vessel by releasing the exhaust and its attendant noxious odors, noise and heat to the atmosphere well behind the vessel. The invention also involves particular structures which serve to allow engine exhaust to exit through the jet drive water stream.
Marine jet drives are, of course, powered by engines having exhaust lines. Each marine jet drive has an impeller and an impeller housing, a diffusor having a diffusor housing and stator vanes, a nozzle having a rearward end, and a water intake duct in front of the impeller housing. The improvement of this invention involves an inner housing which (a) is disposed inside the diffusor housing, (b) forms an inner exhaust chamber, (c) has an exhaust discharge tube portion that extends rearwardly into the nozzle and terminates in a rearward opening, and (d) is attached to the diffusor housing by the stator vanes. The exhaust line extends to the diffusor housing, and at least one of the stator vanes is hollow and open at its opposite ends to allow exhaust to flow from the exhaust line to the inner exhaust chamber, such that the exhaust exits through the exhaust discharge tube portion into the jet water flow.
Preferred embodiments include a plenum on the outside of the diffusor housing, such plenum feeding exhaust to a plurality of hollow stator vanes.
The preferred embodiments also preferably include a valve on the plenum which serves to vent the plenum when pressure in the plenum is greater than ambient pressure. Such valve remains closed when pressure in the plenum is not greater than ambient pressure. Operation of this valve allows continued outflow of exhaust during other than forward jet drive operation.
It is highly preferred that the exhaust discharge tube portion be removably attached to the remainder of the inner housing. This allows easy replacement.
More broadly defined, this invention involves an exhaust discharge outlet disposed inside a marine jet drive nozzle, the discharge outlet being in fluid communication with the engine exhaust line. The fluid communication preferably is through at least one of the stator vanes which are part of the diffusor.
This invention is also a method for improving performance of an engine which drives a marine jet drive, the jet drive including, of course, a nozzle for water outflow. The inventive method involves producing suction to facilitate exhaust flow from the engine by discharging exhaust within the water outflow at the nozzle. The enhanced exhaust outflow serves to improve engine performance.
In the method of this invention, exhaust discharge is preferably from an exhaust discharge tube which is surrounded by water outflow from the jet drive nozzle. The exhaust discharge most preferably occurs at a position substantially flush with the position of water discharge, in order to obtain a maximum suction effect. The exhaust discharge tube and the jet drive nozzle preferably have discharge ends which are substantially flush with one another.

Marine jet drive with through-the-nozzle exhausting


The present invention relates to the compression of color image data. A combination of hard decision pixel mapping and soft decision pixel mapping is used to jointly address both quantization distortion and compression rate while maintaining low computational complexity and compatibility with standard decoders, such as, for example, the GIF/PNG decoder.

In recent years, the volume of color image data on the Internet has been explosively increasing. In particular, due to the increasing popularity of web sites, digital cameras, and online games, color image data have become a significant portion of the Internet traffic. On the other hand, access to color images through wireless channels or via low power, small devices is still time-consuming and inconvenient, which is mainly due to the limitations of image display device, storage, and transmission bandwidth has become a bottleneck for many multimedia applications—see, for example, J. Barrilleaux, R. Hinkle, and S. Wells, "Efficient vector quantization for color image encoding," Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, IEEE International Conference on ICASSP ′87, vol. 12, pp. 740-743, April 1987 (hereinafter "reference [1]"), M. T. Orchard and C. A. Bouman, "Color quantization of images," Signal Processing, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 39, no. 12, pp. 2677-2690, December 1991 (hereinafter "reference [2]"), I. Ashdown, "Octree color quantization," C/C++ Users Journal, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 31-43, 1995 (hereinafter "reference [3]"), X. Wu, "Yiq vector quantization in a new color palette architecture," IEEE Trans. on Image Processing, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 321-329, 1996 (hereinafter "reference [4]"), L. Velho, J. Gomes, and M. V. R. Sobreiro, "Color image quantization by pairwise clustering," Proc. Tenth Brazilian Symp. Comput. Graph. Image Process., L. H de Figueiredo and M L. Netto, Eds. Campos do Jordao, Spain, pp. 203-210, 1997 (hereinafter "reference [5]") and S. Wan, P. Prusinkiewicz, and S. Wong, "Variance-based color Image quantization for frame buffer display," Color Research and Application, vol. 15, pp. 52-58, 1990 (hereinafter "reference [6]").
One way to alleviate the above limitations is to apply efficient color image encoding schemes which compress, optimize, or re-encode color images. A typical color image encoding scheme consists of a color palette, pixel mapping, and lossless code. The color palette acts as a vector quantization codebook, and is used to represent all colors in the original color image. The pixel mapping then maps each pixel in the image into an index corresponding to a color in the color palette. The pixel mapping could be either a hard decision pixel mapping for which the quantization of a RGB color vector into a color of the color palette is fixed and independent of the pixel location of the RGB color vector in the image once the color palette is given, or a soft decision pixel mapping for which a RGB color vector may be quantized into different colors of the color palette at different pixel locations. The index sequence resulting from the pixel mapping is finally encoded by a lossless code.
Previously, color palette design, pixel mapping, and coding were investigated separately. In the design of color palette and pixel mapping, the coding part is often ignored and the main objective is to reduce the quantization distortion, improve visual quality of quantized images, and decrease computational complexity. Several tree-structured splitting and merging color image quantization methods are proposed in the literature—see, for example, references [1] to [6]—to achieve, more or less, this objective.
On the other hand, when coding is concerned, the color palette and pixel mapping are often assumed to be given, and the objective is to design efficient codes for the index sequence so as to reduce the compression rate. For instance, an algorithm for lossy compression in the LUV color space of color-quantized images was given in A. Zaccarin and B. Liu, "A novel approach for coding color quantized image," Image Processing, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 442-453, October 1993 (hereinafter "reference [7]"). Two heuristic solutions were proposed in N. D. Memon and A. Venkateswaran, "On ordering color maps for lossless predictive coding," IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, vol. 5, no. 11, pp. 1522-1527, 1996 (hereinafter "reference [8]"), to reorder color maps prior to encoding the image by lossless predictive coding techniques. Based on a binary-tree structure and context-based entropy coding, a compression algorithm was proposed in X. Chen, S. Kwong, and J. fu Feng, "A new compression scheme for color-quantized images," Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 904-908, October 2002 (hereinafter "reference [9]"). to provide progressive coding of color-quantized images. In these algorithms, the compression efficiency is achieved at the expense of compressed bit streams incompatible with standard decoders such as the GIF/PNG decoder.

Method, system and software product for color image encoding


A directional drilling tool comprising an orientation spear point having a spear axis. The orientation spear point comprises an end shaft with a threadable extension disposed along the spear axis and a support pin having a support pin axis perpendicular to and intersecting the spear axis. An orienting pin having an orienting pin axis perpendicular to the support pin axis and spear axis and intersecting the spear axis also extends through the end shaft. A latch rod with a latching edge is connected to the end shaft, and a nose is connected to the latching rod. The directional drilling tool also comprises a crossover sub comprising a first threaded section for engaging the threadable extension, and a second threaded extension for receiving a plurality of pin dimensions, an end of a tool, or a box.

A need exists for a directional drilling tool that enables steering of mud motors and similar drilling devices by enabling use of a measurement while drilling device that is both retrievable and replaceable.
A further need exists for a directional drilling tool that enables use of a gyroscopic tool simultaneous with drilling, allowing the directional drilling tool to be steered continuously during drilling operations.
A need also exists for a directional drilling tool that enables measurement while drilling devices and gyroscopic tools to be retrieved when drilling tools fail, or replaced when the measurement while drilling devices fail, without requiring removal of the entire drill string or drilling tubular form a well.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.


A display element containing an electrolyte (containing a metal salt compound) disposed between counter electrodes, wherein a compound represented by the following Formula (A) is immobilized on at least one of the counter electrodes:

In recent years, along with enhancement of the operation rate of personal computers, and popularization of network infrastructure, as well as an increase in capacity of data storage and a decrease in its cost, occasions have increasingly occurred in which information such as documents and images, which have been provided in the form of paper printed matter, are received as simpler electronic information and viewed as received electronic information.
As viewing means for such electronic information, mainly employed are those of light emitting types such as conventional liquid crystal displays and CRTs or recent organic electroluminescence displays. Specifically, when electronic information includes document information, it is required to watch any of the above viewing means for a relatively long time. However, it is hardly stated that the above viewing means are human friendly. It is common knowledge that light emitting type displays result in problems such as eye fatigue due to flicker, inconvenient portability, limitations in reading posture, necessity to look at still images, or an increase in power consumption.
As means to overcome the above drawbacks, are known reflection type displays (having memory function) which utilize outside light and consume no power to maintain images. However, it is difficult to state that due to the following reasons, they exhibit sufficient performance.
Namely, a system employing polarizing plates, such as a reflection type liquid crystal, results in a problem for a white display due to a low reflectance of approximately 40%. In addition, it is difficulty to state that most methods to produce structuring members are simple and easy. Further, polymer dispersion type liquid crystals require high voltage and the contrast of the resulting images is insufficient due to utilizing the difference in refractive indices between organic compounds. Still further, polymer network type liquid crystals result in problems such as application of high voltage and requirement of complicated TFT circuitry to enhance memory capability. Yet further, display elements employing electrophoresis require high voltage of at least 10 V and tend to suffer insufficient durability due to aggregation of electrophoretic particles. Tin their principle, a bright white hue cannot be obtained due to coloring of filter by the former, and a dark black color cannot been obtained due to pattern color.
As one of the methods which enable a full color display, an electrochromic method has been know, which can be driven with a voltage of 3V or less. When a display exhibiting a bright white color, a high white-black contrast and a color display is prepared using an electrochromic method, it is necessary to laminate three layers each exhibiting a different color, resulting in a high cost due to the complicated element constitution. A full color electrochromic display having a flat color mixing structure has been known (for example, refer to Patent document 1). In this method, no fully sufficient white-black contrast has been obtained, since a dark black color cannot been obtained due to the flat color mixing structure. Also, a method to use a poly pyridine compound in an electrochromic display has been known (for example, refer to Patent document 2), however, in this method, only two colors can be displayed and, specifically, a black display cannot be obtained.
Patent Document 1: JP-A No. 2003-270670
Patent Document 2: Japanese patent No. 2930860

Abstract: wherein R22 represents an aryl group, R23 and R24 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; X represents >N—R25, an oxygen atom or sulfur atom; and R25 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, a ratio of a region on which the compound of Formula (A) is immobilized to a region on which the compound is not immobilized is 1:4 to 4:1. A black display, a white display and a color display having a color other than black are achieved by the operation of the counter electrodes.


A low cost image intensifier tube is provided which has an improved vacuum sealing mechanism and improved optical transmission. Glass windows on both the input and output of the tube are vacuum sealed within the housing by a ring of indium that contacts the interface between each of the windows and the housing. A pair of raised pointed flanges each positioned along the inner housing surface interfacing the windows protrude into the adjacent ring of indium for improving the vacuum seal of both input and output windows and for controlling the spacing of the elements within the tube. Sealing the photocathode from the rest of the tube is a ceramic cathode cork. The cathode cork is a solid sealing ring press fit within the tube housing and colocated between the input window at the outer edge of the photocathode and the microchannel plate.

The present invention relates generally to optical imaging devices, and more particularly to a novel optical image intensifier tube.
Image intensifier tubes (also called image enhancement tubes or simply image tubes) were first developed in the mid to late 1930's for military night vision applications. The early electro-optical low-light amplifiers were image converter infra-red tubes, also known as Gen O and Gen I night amplifier tubes. These were used successfully for many years. A successor to these tubes was the microchannel intensifier. It was a great improvement in size, cost and performance. A microchannel intensifier tube basically consists of a photo-sensitive cathode, a microchannel plate (MCP), and a phosphor output screen. The photocathode converts incoming photons representing an image to a corresponding stream of electrons. The electrons are accelerated to an MCP which intensifies the flow of electrons. At the output of the MCP the intensified electrons are accelerated again by another strong electric field to strike the luminescent phosphor screen whereat an enhanced visible image is created. The MCP consists of a two-dimensional array of miniature microchannel multipliers. A good background description of the microchannel image intensifier and the fabrication of microchannel plates can be found in "The Microchannel Image Intensifier," The Scientific American, Vol. 245 (November 1981) pp. 46-55 by Michael Lampton.
Microchannel image intensifiers are frequently employed today in applications requiring high amplification of extremely low-light levels. One obvious advantage of the current generation of microchannel image intensifiers is their light sensitivity obviating the need for auxiliary irradiation either in the visible or near-infrared spectrum. They are particularly suited to night-time surveillance in military or police applications since they have high luminous gain, high image resolution and excellent low light sensitivity. In addition the Gen III tubes are particularly sensitive in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum, which makes them useful in surveillance since night sky radiation is particularly high in the non-visible NIR region.
This invention is directed to an intensifier tube design that reduces costs for such tubes and improves lifetime and reliability.
Another general object of the invention is to provide a low cost image intensifier tube design that greatly reduces major sources of gas leaks in prior art tubes and greatly extends the shelf life of the intensifier tube resulting in lower system maintenance costs in connection with systems employing such tubes.

Microchannel image intensifier tube with novel sealing feature


A method is provided for making nanoparticles, including the steps of: combining a hydrocarbon solvent and an aprotic, polar co-solvent, a mono-vinyl aromatic monomer, polymerization initiator, a solution stabilizer, and a first charge of a cross-linking agent. Subsequently, a second charge of cross-linking agent is added. The nanoparticles have an average diameter of 5 nanometers to about 10,000 nanometers. Spherical nanoparticles are also provided that include a cross-linking agent comprising 30% to 60% by weight of the combined weight of a mono-vinyl aromatic species and the cross-linking agent. The spherical nanoparticles also meet the following equation:0.90≦(D1/D2)≦1.1                wherein D1 is a first diameter of a nanoparticle and D2 is a second diameter of the nanoparticle, and D1 and D2 intersect at right angles.

Polymer nanoparticles have attracted increased attention over the past several years in a variety of fields including catalysis, combinatorial chemistry, protein supports, magnets, and photonic crystals. Nanoparticles have been used in rubber compositions to improve physical properties of rubber moldability and tenacity. In some instances the inclusion of polymer compositions with certain functional groups or heteroatomic monomers can produce beneficial and unexpected improvements in rubber compositions.
Charged nanoparticles may have a number of possible applications, such as in electronic devices, or in rubber or other polymer matrices. In some electronic display applications, such as QR-LPD, charged particles may be used to present a pictorial or textual display. It is a challenge, however, to provide particles that have a durable constitution and a stable charge. It is also a challenge to produce durable nanoparticles that are very hard and have highly spherical surfaces.
Herein, a method is provided for making nanoparticles, including the steps of: combining a hydrocarbon solvent and an aprotic, polar co-solvent, a mono-vinyl aromatic monomer, polymerization initiator, a solution stabilizer, and a first charge of a cross-linking agent. Subsequently, a second charge of cross-linking agent is added. The nanoparticles have an average diameter of 5 nanometers to about 10,000 nanometers.
Furthermore, spherical cross-linked nanoparticles are also provided. The spherical nanoparticles have a core formed from a polymeric seed that includes a mono-vinyl aromatic core species cross-linked with a cross-linking agent. The core has an average diameter of 5 nanometers to 10,000 nanometers. The mono-vinyl aromatic core species comprises polymeric chains radiating from a center of the core. Furthermore, the nanoparticles meet the following equation:0.90≦(D1/D2)≦1.1wherein D1 is a first diameter of a nanoparticle and D2 is a second diameter of the nanoparticle, and D1 and D2 intersect at right angles.
Furthermore, spherical cross-linked nanoparticles are also provided. The spherical nanoparticles have a core formed from a polymeric seed that includes a mono-vinyl aromatic core species cross-linked with a cross-linking agent. The core has an average diameter of 5 nanometers to 10,000 nanometers, and the cross-linking agent comprises 30% to 60% by weight of the combined weight of the mono-vinyl aromatic species and the cross-linking agent. The mono-vinyl aromatic core species comprises polymeric chains radiating from a center of the core. Furthermore, the nanoparticles meet the following equation:0.90≦(D1/D2)≦1.1wherein D1 is a first diameter of a nanoparticle and D2 is a second diameter of the nanoparticle, and D1 and D2 intersect at right angles.
Herein throughout, unless specifically stated otherwise: "vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon" and "alkenylbenzene" are used interchangeably. Furthermore, the terms "a" and "the," as used herein, mean "one or more."

Well defined, highly crosslinked nanoparticles and method for making same


Arrow rest arrangements according to certain embodiments include an elongate arm mounted to extend into and rotate in the plane of an arrow aligned with an archery bow and riser. The arm can rotate from an open position, for example where the arm is substantially perpendicular to the arrow shaft, to a closed position where the arm engages and may be substantially aligned with the arrow shaft. The arm preferably includes two opposing end portions to engage, constrain and align the arrow shaft in the closed position, yet which drop or rotate away from the shaft upon release of the arrow to allow the arrow to freely leave the bow.

Arrow rests can be used with archery bows, including compound or recurve bows, to support and preferably stabilize an arrow shaft in position to allow the shaft to be drawn and released from an archery bow, preferably without substantial deviation from the desired flight path. The arrow rest preferably aligns an elongate axis of the arrow shaft in a desired path which the arrow follows during release from the bow and at least initially towards the target. Various types of arrow rests are known. An example of a vertical drop away arrow rest is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,099.


A gun for firing pellets using compressed gas having a breech, a hammer mechanism slidably mounted in the breech, which mechanism includes a hammer and a spring mounted to drive the hammer forwards when the gun is fired, and a trigger pivotally connected to the breech. A sear device having a front and a rear end is mounted on a sear pin in the breech. A sear spring biases the sear device so that the front end thereof pivots downwardly after the hammer is released. This sear device includes a sear detent slidably mounted in the front end. A small spring biases the sear detent to move to a forward position in order to be engageable by the trigger. The valve mechanism of the gun is mounted by a pin about which extends an elastomeric bumper. This bumper reduces shock loading on a top frame of the gun.

This invention relates to guns and in particular guns suitable for firing pellets using compressed gas.
A variety of air and compressed gas guns are known at this time and they are capable of firing a variety of projectiles including BB's, lead pellets and paint balls. One common type of gun uses small cylinders containing compressed CO.sub.2. These metal cylinders have an end that can be punctured in order to release the CO.sub.2 gas. Guns of this type have been used for quite some time to fire lead pellets for purposes of game shooting and target shooting and more recently they have been developed and adapted to fire paint pellets. These pellets are in the form of spherical gelatin capsules filled with a marking solution or paint. Guns that fire paint pellets are used in mock "war games" where the users of the guns attempt to hit other game participants with a paint pellet. Protective wear is worn to prevent injury during such games.
Recently issued Canadian patent No. 1,264,128 dated Jan. 2, 1990, and entitled "AIR GUN", describes a gun for firing paint pellets wherein a hammer mechanism is mounted in a rear end of the pellet-firing barrel. The gas cylinder for this gun is mounted in an upper barrel directly above and parallel to the pellet-firing barrel. This known gun has a gas valve system arranged in the lower barrel in front of the hammer. The gun is fired by a trigger mechanism that includes a trigger and a pivoting trigger operated lever, the rear end of which is lowered by pressing the trigger. The lever rear end is returned to its original position by a spring after release of the trigger. The lever has an upstanding projection on its rear end which engages in an annular groove that extends about the hammer.
Another paint ball firing gun that employs compressed gas is shown in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,118 dated Jan. 7, 1992. In this air gun, there is a housing or "donkey" mounted at the rear end of the breech, which housing is used to attach the standard gas cylinder to the rear end of the breech. This housing includes a gas passageway for delivering compressed gas from the cylinder to a small passageway extending along the top of the breech. A barrel is attached to the front end of the breech by a standard thread connection.
One difficulty with many known guns is that they must be made from relatively expensive, metal parts in order that the gun will have the necessary strength to withstand the loads thereon, including shock loads. Also, some pares must be machined to fairly close tolerances in order to work properly and in a reliable fashion. It will be appreciated that machined metal parts can increase the cost of a gun substantially and it is therefore desirable to avoid the need for such parts where possible. It is also desirable to reduce the number of parts required for the operation of an air gun, again in order to reduce costs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gun which is self-cocking and which employs a relatively simple and reliable sear mechanism capable of releasing the hammer with each pull of the trigger.
It is a further object to provide a unique pin connection for mounting the valve mechanism of an air gun in its breech. The pin connection includes an elastomeric bumper which reduces shock loading on the frame of the gun, thus permitting the frame to be made from an inexpensive material such as plastics.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a gun for firing pellets that has a unique housing or "donkey" for holding a source of compressed gas detachably connected to the rear portion of an exterior frame that forms the breech. This housing is connected by means of pins which enable the housing to be easily connected and disconnected from the rest of the gun.
There is disclosed herein an inexpensive gun wherein the breech is made from top and bottom frames which are detachably connected together by retaining pins. This frame construction can quickly and readily be disassembled.


An output clock signal is synchronized with predetermined phase accuracy relative to an internal stable frequency reference clock signal upon the application of a transition of an asynchronous event signal. A plurality of phase shifted versions of the reference clock signal are derived. Upon the occurrence of the asynchronous signal, the states of the phase shifted versions are sampled, and that information is utilized as a code to select one of the phase shifted versions from which the output clock signal is derived. Synchronization occurs rapidly within the metastable settling time of the flip-flops of a register which sample or decode the states of the phase shifted versions, or by logical gating arrangements which avoid the necessity for considering the metastable signal. Synchronization is typically obtainable in less than the period of one reference clock signal.

The present invention relates to synchronizers, and more particularly to a new and improved technique, capable of all-digital implementation, of rapidly synchronizing a clock signal with an asynchronous event defined by a signal transition (e.g. edge) of an external asynchronous signal.
Synchronizers find widespread applicability in a variety of interface environments where complete time base synchronization cannot be maintained throughout the whole system. A typical example is in a computer system which must receive a data stream of known frequency from an external device which operates from its own, independent timebase To properly recover the data, an I/O interface of the computer system must be able to sample the incoming signals in phase with the signal transitions generated by the external device. Properly sampling the signals requires that the I/O interface synchronize a sampling clock signal to be in phase with the received data stream for the duration of the transmission from the external device to the I/O interface.
Examples of I/O interfaces which usually employ clock synchronizers include magnetic media read channels (disk drives, diskette drives, tape drives, etc.), local area network receivers, wide area network serial receivers including satellite and microwave communication links and broadband and fiber optic cable links, and mechanical scanner interfaces (card readers, bar code readers, badge readers, optical recognition scanners, etc.). In some cases clock synchronizers are called "clock recovery circuits". In magnetic media read channels, the circuits referred to as "data separators" generally include a clock synchronizer.
Clock synchronizers are needed in physically distributed synchronized communication systems, such as synchronous modems communicating over a telephone network or token ring local area networks. In such physically distributed environments it is not possible to use a physically common clock among all points and components of the communication system. The transmitters and receivers are maintained in synchronism by signals communicated over the communication medium. The traditional techniques for implementing this synchronization involve using phase-locked loops, self-clocking codes, and/or resynchable oscillators.
Phase-locked loops recover the transmission clock signal from the received data stream. However, most phase-locked loop synchronizers require a number of cycles of the received signal before the proper frequency and phase characteristics can be established. A somewhat lengthy preamble must be inserted at the beginning of each data block or signal stream, in order to supply the necessary signals to achieve synchronization before the presentation of the data. Since the preamble does not contain useful data, the time required to transfer the preamble reduces the efficiency of communication. An example of this situation is a well known local area network, which uses a phase-locked loop for clock recovery and requires a 64-bit preamble at the beginning of every frame of data communicated in order to establish synchronization.
The fundamental characteristic of a phase-locked loop is that it can be optimized for capture range, that is, the amount of error in the input frequency which can be tolerated, or it can be optimized for phase accuracy, but it cannot be optimized for both simultaneously. Where very accurate data clocking is required, a direct and unavoidable side effect of using a phase-locked loop is the need for the relatively lengthy preamble and/or some means to limit the possible input frequency variation. Where rapid synchronization or loop lock-on is required, extreme accuracy cannot be achieved In addition, most synchronizers employing phase-locked loops require calibration, at least during manufacture and often during use, due to the use of tuned analog components in the phase locked loop. Digital phase-locked loops are known, but digital phase locked loops generally require reference clocks of many times the frequency of the signal stream in order to work effectively. High speed reference clocks can make synchronizers using digital phase locked loops prohibitively expensive for data communication rates over approximately 1 MHz.
Most self-clocking codes are actually codes which have a frequency component which can be used as an input signal to a phase-locked loop for clock recovery. Such codes, including the widely used Manchester code, suffer from the disadvantages associated with phase locked loops discussed above. Some self-clocking codes, including biphase and pulse width modulation, can be decoded in certain cases without using phase-locked loops but are restricted to lower data communication rates and much poorer data throughput efficiencies.
In resynchable oscillator systems, an oscillator is started in phase with the beginning of an incoming signal stream. It is expected that the oscillator starts at a selected point with, and remains in phase while, the incoming signal stream is received. The oscillator is then resynchronized for each subsequent signal stream or data block. In cases where accurate timing tolerances are not required this approach is acceptable, but the cost, manufacturability difficulties, and limited accuracy of this approach makes it undesirable when high data rates, or high clock accuracy, are required. Because stable frequency reference clocks, such as crystal oscillator circuits, cannot be arbitrarily resynchronized, resynchable oscillators cannot employ a stable frequency reference. As a result, the fundamental output frequency of a resynchable oscillator tends to drift as a result of variations in temperature and voltage, which requires periodic recalibration during system operation.
A form of a synchronizer is also employed in systems where it is desired to derive a synchronized clock output signal from an asynchronous event signal, but it is unnecessary or not required to establish or preserve the relative phase information between the synchronized clock output signal and the asynchronous event signal. The primary application for such a synchronizer is to eliminate the possibility of creating a metastable condition in the sampled output signal employed by the synchronous system and thereby avoid a situation where data sampling will be unreliable due to the metastability.
Dual rank flip-flop synchronizers are typically used to avoid metastability when it is unnecessary to preserve the phase accuracy. Dual rank flip-flop synchronizers suffer from a number of disadvantages, in addition to the inability to preserve the phase accuracy or information. The output signal from a dual rank synchronizer is available only after a time period greater than one clock period has transpired after the asynchronous event. Actually, the availability of the output signal is within a variable, non-deterministic delay period, which ranges from one clock period plus the setup time of a flip-flop to two clock periods This variable, non-deterministic delay range depends on the relative phase of the clock signal and the asynchronous event signal. The variability of the delay and the requirement for the passage of more than one clock period create substantial difficulties in digital system design, because it is desirable, in many circumstances, to have the synchronized clock output signal available sooner than the expiration of one clock period and/or at a constant time delay after the asynchronous event occurs.

Metastable-free digital synchronizer with low phase error


Systems and apparatus for dispensing edible granular material for a beverage include a hopper. The hopper includes at least a floor defining a bottom of the hopper. An auger includes an auger shaft, is positioned at the bottom of the hopper, and extends horizontally from the hopper. A tube is connected to the hopper and surrounds at least a portion of the auger. The tube extends away from the hopper. An outlet through the tube is located at an end of the tube distal from the hopper.

As restaurants, concessions, and vending services move towards increased customized product offerings and consumers look for a more personalized culinary experience in a quick service food and beverage setting, food service providers menus and order customization options have greatly expanded. This increases complexity in assembling the customers order and increases the time required for food service workers to prepare and assemble the order for delivery to the customer. Improved solutions for the preparation of customer orders by food service workers or for customers to customize orders themselves are thus desired in the field. Coffee and other somewhat hot or cold beverages (e.g. tea, iced coffee, iced tea) have become common staples of quick service food and beverage offerings. With a wide variety of additives, for example creamers sweeteners, or flavorings, such a beverage can be tailored to the tastes of an individual customer.
However, this variety of beverages and customization options increase the complexity of order preparation by a worker and therefore systems that provide improved completion of these beverage orders are desirable. One existing challenge in this area is the repeatable and accurate mechanical and/or automated dispense of granulated or powdered additives. Attempts have been made to provide such dispensing systems, yet the present disclosure improves upon those attempts. Examples of these previous attempts are provided below, the disclosures of which are each incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,725 discloses a device for metering powdery, flaky, or fine-grained material. The device provides the material into a metering chamber to meter a portion at an outlet and the portion is discharged through the outlet by an air current generated by a blower.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,441,495 discloses a beverage machine in which a portion of a particulate material to be used in a beverage is moved using a conveyance system to a dispense chute.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,444,012 discloses a single piece device for storing, metering, and mixing a powder with a diluent. The device stores and meters a powder and mixes the powder with a diluent to prepare a food product. The device provides a powder dosing system and a powder duct with an integrated air system. The powder dosing system and the powder duct carries air and the powder to a mixing chamber in which the powder mixes with the diluent.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,622,257 discloses an auger-driven powder dispenser for dispensing granulated powder, such as a fine sugar or sweetener. The dispenser has an inclined base and an auger member abutting the base of the storage bin and a dispensing chute. The base of the storage bin is inclined positively toward to the orifice of the dispensing chute.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,915,406 discloses a dosing unit for a powder dispenser. The dosing unit includes two dosing chambers, each with an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. Means are provided to open and close the respective upstream inlets and downstream outlets, and those means are operated reciprocally to simultaneously fill one dosing chamber while dispensing from the other dosing chamber.


A method for making an OLED device, including: providing a plurality of subpixels of different colors, including at least three gamut-defining subpixels, each subpixel requiring an operating voltage which is based on the maximum current density required by that subpixel; selecting the display operating voltage to be equal to or greater than the maximum required subpixel operating voltage; and selecting the area of the subpixels to reduce the maximum required subpixel operating voltage, thereby reducing the display operating voltage so as to reduce power consumption in the device.

In the simplest form, an organic electroluminescent (EL) device is comprised of an organic electroluminescent media disposed between first and second electrodes serving as an anode for hole injection and a cathode for electron injection. The organic electroluminescent media supports recombination of holes and electrons to cause light emission. These devices are also commonly referred to as organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. A basic organic EL element is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,429. In order to construct a pixelated OLED display that is useful as a display such as, for example, a television, computer monitor, cell phone display, or digital camera display, individual organic EL elements can be arranged as pixels in a matrix pattern. These pixels can all be made to emit the same color, thereby producing a monochromatic display, or they can be made to produce multiple colors such as a red, green, blue (RGB) display. For purposes of this disclosure, a pixel is considered the smallest individual unit capable of producing the full range of colors of the display. In a full color display, a pixel comprises several subpixels, which are the smallest individual units that can be independently stimulated to produce light. In the above RGB example, a single pixel will comprise a red subpixel, a green subpixel, and a blue subpixel.
Color OLED displays have also recently been described that are constructed as to have four different colored subpixels. One type of OLED display, known as an RGBW design, has four different colored subpixels that are red, green, blue, and white in color. Examples of such four-subpixel displays are shown in U.S. Pat. 6,771,028, U.S. Patent Application Publications 2002/0186214 A1, 2004/0113875 A1, and 2004/0201558 A1. Such RGBW displays can be constructed using a white organic EL emitting layer with red, green, and blue color filters for the red, green, and blue subpixels, respectively. The white subpixel area is left unfiltered. This design has the advantage that the organic electroluminescent media does not require patterning between the different colored subpixels, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the white subpixel allows reduced power consumption to display less-than-fully-saturated colors, when compared to displays having a white organic EL emitting layer with only red, green, and blue subpixels.
OLED displays driven with active matrix circuitry have also been shown. Active matrix circuitry typically includes active circuit components such as multiple transistors and one or more capacitors per subpixel, as well as signal lines such as data, scan, and power lines, which are shared by the subpixels of a row or column. Each subpixel in an active matrix OLED display is provided with at least one power transistor, which regulates current flow to the organic EL element in response to a data signal. The power transistor draws current from a power line, which is electrically connected to a voltage source. This current is passed to the first electrode and the organic EL media of the subpixel's organic EL element. The second electrode, which is disposed above the organic EL media and the active matrix circuitry, is electrically connected to a second voltage source, which completes the current path. Examples of organic EL displays driven by active matrix circuitry are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,066; 6,281,634, and 6,456,013.
In active-matrix OLED displays, the voltage difference between the voltage source connected to the power line and that connected to the second electrode is sufficient to power all the connected subpixels at their greatest luminance. This voltage difference, or drop, is split between the organic EL element and the power transistor. Therefore, when subpixels are operated at lower intensity, the supplied voltage is in excess and the percentage voltage drop across the power transistors increases. Since power consumption is the product of current flow and voltage drop, this extra voltage drop results in reduced power efficiency.
Active matrix OLED displays have been shown where different colored subpixels are connected to the same power line, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,013. Also, active matrix OLED displays have been shown where adjacent columns of subpixels share the same power line in U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,079. Similarly, examples where the same power line is shared by subpixels of differing colors or subpixels in adjacent rows for an RGBW type active matrix display are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,028. However, such different colored subpixels frequently have different maximum voltage levels. In such displays, the voltage is commonly set at a level to drive the most demanding subpixels, resulting in poor power efficiency.

OLED device with improved power consumption


Methods for scheduling downlink (DL) data on a downlink subframe from a base station directed to at least one wireless terminal in a wireless network are provided. The methods include selecting a control channel element (CCE) region for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) carried in a control region of the downlink subframe; determining whether a DL assignment corresponding to the DL data can be allocated on the selected CCE region based on a load imposed on a corresponding physical resource block (PRB) of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) of a future uplink subframe that will carry an ACK/NACK response corresponding to the DL assignment; and allocating the DL assignment on the selected CCE region when it is determined that the DL assignment can be allocated.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a radio access technology (RAT) being standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). In LTE, all services are supported through a packet switched (PS) domain. Downlink and uplink transmission in LTE use multiple access technologies—orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) for the downlink, and single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) for the uplink.
In both OFDMA and SC-FDMA, a large number of closely spaced orthogonal subcarriers are transmitted in parallel for signaling. Thus, the signaling is defined by both frequency and time components. In LTE, radio communication between a user equipment (UE) and an eNodeB is performed through defined radio frames. Each frame is 10 ms long and is divided into 10 subframes, each 1 ms long. Each subframe is subdivided into two slots each with 0.5 ms duration. Thus, a transmitted signal in each slot or subframe is defined by a resource grid of a number of subcarriers in the frequency domain and a number of symbols in the time domain.
In LTE, the radio resources for each UE is allocated in one or more physical resource blocks (PRB). Depending on the configuration, each PRB spans 12 or 24 subcarriers (also referred to as "tones") in the frequency domain and spans one slot (0.5 ms) in the time domain (6 or 7 OFDM or SC-FDMA symbols). One OFDM (or SC-FDMA) symbol on one subcarrier is referred to as a resource element (RE).
FIG. 1 which graphically represents an example uplink/downlink radio signaling. In this example, there are 12 consecutive subcarriers per PRB in the frequency domain. With a normal spacing of 15 kHz between adjacent subcarriers, the frequency bandwidth of the PRB is 180 kHz. The PRB also spans 7 symbols (OFDM or SC-FDMA) in the time domain. The PRB is the smallest unit of radio resource assigned by the eNodeB for any UE.
No dedicated data channels are used in LTE. Instead shared transport channel resources are used in both the downlink and the uplink communications between the eNodeB and the UEs. These shared transport channel resources—the downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) and the uplink shared channel (UL-SCH)—are each controlled by a scheduler on the eNodeB that assigns different parts of the downlink and uplink shared channels to different UEs for reception and transmission, respectively.
These shared transport channels DL-SCH and UL-SCH are respectively mapped to the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) on the downlink OFDM subframe and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the uplink SC-FDMA subframe. Both the PDSCH and the PUSCH are used primarily for data transport, and therefore, are designed to achieve high data rates.
The OFDM and the SC-FDMA subframes also respectively include the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). The PDCCH is used to convey UE-specific downlink control information (DCI) from the eNodeB to the UEs. Similarly, the PUCCH is used to carry uplink control information (UCI) from the UEs to the eNodeB such as channel quality indication (CQI) reports, ACK/NACK responses, and scheduling requests (SR).
In addition to the physical channels PDSCH and PDCCH, the OFDM subframe also carries other physical channels including the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), the physical multicast channel (PMCH), the physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH), and the physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH). The physical channels carry data from higher layers.
The OFDM subframe further carries physical signals, which are generated in layer 1 for use in system synchronization, cell identification, and radio channel estimation. The physical signals include the primary synchronization signal (P-SCH), the secondary synchronization signal (S-SCH), and the reference signal (RS). Unlike the physical channels, the physical signals are not used to carry data originating from higher layers.
In general, the physical channels PDCCH and the PDSCH occupy a significant majority of the OFDM subframe. Thus, for simplicity, the OFDM subframe in FIG. 2 is illustrated as being shared by the PDCCH and the PDSCH.
The PDCCHs are transmitted in a control region of every OFDM subframe. The control region comprises a first few (1, 2, 3 or 4) OFDM symbols of the downlink subframe, and is divided into one or more control channel elements (CCE). The number of CCEs available for PDCCHs depends on configuration parameters such as bandwidth and the number of OFDM symbols for the control region. Each PDCCH is sent on an aggregation of 1, 2, 4 or 8 CCEs. The downlink subframe not used for PDCCH can be used for PDSCH to carry data.
On the uplink, physical channels and signals are carried on the SC-FDMA frame. The roles of the uplink physical channels and signals are similar to the downlink counterparts in that the physical channels are used to carry data originating from the higher layers and the physical signals are used for layer 1 purposes. In addition to the PUSCH and the PUCCH, the uplink physical channels include the physical random access channel (PRACH). The uplink physical signal includes the reference signal (RS).
FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified view of the SC-FDMA subframe. The view is simplified in that only the PUSCH and PUCCH resources are illustrated. That is, the SC-FDMA subframe is viewed as being shared primarily between the PUCCH and PUSCH. The PUSCH resource occupies the middle subcarriers of the SC-FDMA frequency spectrum. On the spectrum band edges, a control region is located on which the PUCCH is transmitted. The PUCCH carries uplink control information including CQI reports, SR, and ACK/NACK (also referred to as HARQ-ACK).
To enable efficient resource utilization on the PUCCH, the SR, CQI, and ACK/NACK responses of several UEs are multiplexed on the PUCCH through code division multiplexing (CDM). This allows several UEs to share one PUCCH PRB. As an example, for an SC-FDMA subframe with normal cyclic prefix (CP), up to 12 different UEs may share one PUCCH PRB for CQI reporting. For the extended CP, 8 UEs may share one PRB also for CQI reporting. For SR and ACK/NACK responses, up to 36 different UEs may share one PRB for the normal CP, and 24 for the extended CP.
There are problems related to the use of CDM on the PUCCH. The planned deployment for the LTE is a reuse-one network in which the same frequency band is reused for each cell in the network. In a reuse-one network, inter-cell interference is typically a limiting factor. Moreover, time dispersion may lead to intra-cell interference. Both interference types grow with the number of utilized resources, i.e., CDM codes, per PRB. If not controlled, the interference may lead to seriously degraded overall system performance.
The 3GPP standardized solution provides only one option to reduce the load per PUCCH PRB for SRs and ACK/NACK feedback reports. The option is to make only one half or one third of the resources available for use. In other words, PUCCH is allocated, but not all of the allocated resource is used for PUCCH transmission.
One disadvantage of the existing standardized load control is that the throughput on the PUSCH is reduced. Since the SC-FDMA subframe is essentially a fixed resource, more of the subframe resource dedicated to PUCCH means that there is less resource available for PUSCH. Configuring the PUCCH with this option effectively increases the bandwidth reserved for PUCCH by a factor of two or three, which can significantly reduce the bandwidth for the PUSCH. In addition, the standardized load control is unlikely to reduce the interference level sufficiently.

Methods and apparatus for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) load control by physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) restrictions


A magnet device that includes upper and lower disk-shaped return yokes, a pair of upper magnetic pole and lower magnetic pole respectively fixed to a disk-shaped surface of the upper return yoke and a disk-shaped surface of the lower return yoke, in which a space to circulate and accelerate an ion beam is formed between the upper magnetic pole and the lower magnetic pole. The upper magnetic pole and the lower magnetic pole have a plurality of concave and convex parts along a track along which the ion beam circulates, are plane-symmetrical with respect to a horizontal symmetry plane formed by the track along which an ion beam circulates, and are plane-symmetrical to one of the vertical planes vertical to the horizontal symmetry plane. Also, the magnetic pole intervals between the concave parts of the upper magnetic pole and the lower magnetic pole are different from each other.

As a background technique of the invention, there is a technique described in PTL 1. PTL 1 describes an accelerator, as an accelerator capable of efficiently emitting ion beams having different energies, including a return yoke and a vacuum container, in which an incidence electrode is disposed closer to an incidence side of a beam emitting path in the return yoke than a central axis of the vacuum container, magnetic poles are radially disposed from the incidence electrode around the incidence electrode in the return yoke, and concave parts are alternately disposed with the magnetic poles in a circumferential direction of the return yoke; and in the vacuum container, a track concentric region is formed in which a plurality of beam circulating tracks are centered on the incidence electrode, and around the track concentric region, a track eccentric region is formed in which a plurality of beam circulating tracks are decentered from the incidence electrode, the beam circulating tracks are dense between the incidence electrode and an incidence of the beam emitting path in the track eccentric region, and an interval between the beam circulating tracks is wider on a 180° opposite side of the incidence of the beam emitting path with the incidence electrode as a base point.

Particle beam accelerator and particle beam therapy apparatus


Disclosed is a crop yield prediction method and device. The method includes: transmitting an image acquisition instruction to a preset aircraft terminal to acquire a ground image; transmitting a driving instruction at the same time, wherein a distance between a first rail vehicle and a second rail vehicle is inversely proportional to the driving time, a plurality of light channels are embedded between a first rail and a second rail, and a light transmittance of the light channels is able to be affected by the external environment to change; transmitting a light emitting instruction and recording initial data when multiple beams of light are emitted; transmitting a light receiving instruction and recording final data when the multiple beams of light are received; and inputting the ground image, the initial data and the final data into a crop yield prediction model for processing.

Rapid and accurate crop yield prediction is of great significance. At present, the traditional crop yield prediction is generally implemented by performing high-altitude image acquisition on the ground where crops are planted and then analyzing the acquired image so as to predict the crop yield. However, the traditional crop yield prediction method is actually performed only based on the growth state of the crops on the surface, so the prediction accuracy is low.

Crop yield prediction method and device based on multi-level variable analysis


A layout and fabrication technique for EPROMs and similar devices includes a preferred technique for partially self-aligning bit line contacts. In addition, a self-aligned, buried Vss line is provided which is in contact with the substrate for its entire length. This provides a highly conductive Vss line, allowing the size of such line to be diminished. The use of a buried Vss contact line and a partially self-aligned bit line contact contributes to a device layout having minimum cell sizes for a given feature size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit devices; and more specifically to a technique for aligning contact openings in erasable/programmable read only memory devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As feature sizes and device sizes shrink for integrated circuits, relative alignment between interconnect layers becomes of critical importance. Misalignment can severely impact the functionality of a device. Misalignment beyond certain minimum tolerances can render a device partly or wholly non-operative.
To insure that contacts between interconnect layers are made properly even if a slight misalignment occurs during masking steps, extra space is usually included in a design around contacts and other conductive features. This extra retained space is known as enclosure. Enclosure sizes of up to a few tenths of a micron are typical for 0.5 to 1.0 micron feature sizes.
Enclosure requirements are not consistent with the continued shrinkage of devices. Enclosure is not related to device functionality, but is used only to ensure that misalignment errors don't cause problems with the device. When designing devices having minimum feature and device sizes, minimizing enclosure requirements can significantly impact the overall device size.
Self-alignment techniques are generally known in the art, and it is known that their use helps minimize enclosure requirements. However, the use of self-alignment techniques has been somewhat limited by device designs in current use. It would be desirable to provide a technique for fabricating integrated circuit devices which increases the number of self-aligned fabrication steps, thereby reducing enclosure requirements for the device.
High density EPROMs have regular layouts which allow for relatively small device sizes. Minimum cell sizes are important to the design of very high density EPROMs, such as one megabit devices and larger. The area penalty caused by enclosure requirements can affect overall chip size, since the individual cell sizes are so small.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a cell layout and fabrication technique for high density EPROMs which is as small as possible. Such a fabrication technique preferably includes self-aligned structures whenever possible to minimize total cell area. It is also desirable for such a technique to be compatible with current process flows in standard use.
High density EPROM designs often include a buried Vss line. This line is formed as an active region within the substrate, so that conductivity is not as high as is the case for a metal line. As device sizes shrink, shrinking the width of the Vss line can lead to high resistivities which can adversely device performance.
It is therefore further desirable to provide a device layout and fabrication technique which provides a low resistivity Vss line. It is further desirable for such a technique to be consistent with the layout of small device sizes on a high density device, and to be compatible with current cell designs and fabrication techniques.

Method of making contact alignment for nonvolatile memory devices