The coding method to which the present invention relates takes into account at least one selection criterion related to a transmission of binary symbols representing a physical quantity, for selecting at least one transmission parameter.

The present invention concerns a method and a device for adapting turbocoders and the associated decoders to sequences of variable length and systems using them.
It applies equally well to the coding of data representing a physical quantity, to the coding of data in the form of codes capable of modulating a physical quantity, to the decoding of data modulated signals, and to the decoding of data representing physical quantities. These data can, for example, represent images, sounds, computer data, electrical quantities or stored data.
The invention finds an application in the field of convolutional codes. When the latter are used for implementing an iterative decoding, these codes are greatly improved when their coders contain a permutation device. In this case, they are usually referred to as xe2x80x9cturbocodesxe2x80x9d and the corresponding iterative decoder is referred to as a xe2x80x9cturbodecoderxe2x80x9d.
On these subjects, documents which serve as references are, on the one hand, the article by Messrs. C. BERROU, A. GLAVIEUX and P. THITIMAJSHIMA entitled xe2x80x9cNear Shannon limit error-correcting coding and decoding: turbocodesxe2x80x9d published with the reports of the xe2x80x9cICC""93xe2x80x9d conference, 1993, pages 1064 to 1070, and, on the other hand, the article by Messrs. C. BERROU and A. GLAVIEUX entitled xe2x80x9cNear Optimum error-correcting coding and decoding: turbo-codesxe2x80x9d published by IEEE Transactions on Communication, Volume COM-44, pages 1261 to 1271, in October 1996.
However, the formation of the permutation devices is far from being completely mastered. In general, this device uses square or rectangular matrices which are written into one row after another and read from one column after another. These matrices are generally very large, for example 256xc3x97256 in size.
According to another method, in an article entitled xe2x80x9cWeight distributions for turbo-codes using random and nonrandom permutationsxe2x80x9d published by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with xe2x80x9cTDA Progress Reportxe2x80x9d, number 42-122, on 15 Aug. 1995, Messrs. DOLINAR and DIVSALAR consider the permutations which, numbering the k information item positions between 0 and kxe2x88x921, move the binary information items placed in a position i to a position e i+f, for xe2x80x9cwell-chosenxe2x80x9d values of e and f.
In this document, they give only one example where k is a power of 2. Moreover, they do not discuss the possible mutual effect of the choice of the permutation device and that of the elementary convolutional coders (2,1) to be used for generating the coded sequences produced by the turbocoder (3,1).
The evaluation of the corresponding turbocode consists of simulating its use on a transmission channel with different values of signal/noise ratio and of measuring the minimum value of this ratio for which a predetermined value of error probability on the binary values is reached.
However, the use of simulations as an evaluation tool can lead to a few problems.
Let, for example, the permutation device with k=65536=256xc3x97256, mentioned above, be considered, and let a predetermined error probability equal to 10xe2x88x925 be chosen for simulating the performance of a turbocode using this device. Consequently, the mean number of errors on the binary values per 256xc3x97256 block will be close to 1, but it will not be known whether each item of binary information has the same error probability. This error probability could be quite high for binary values having an xe2x80x9cunfortunatexe2x80x9d position in the permutation device and this probability could be much lower for more xe2x80x9cfortunatexe2x80x9d positions.
One possible way for remedying this situation is to carry out a harmonious and joint design of the permutation device and the two convolutional coders in order to guarantee a reasonable uniformity of the error rate on the binary values after decoding, according to the position of the binary information in the permutation device.
Another problem concerns the lack of algebraic tools for specifying the permutation devices. It would be useful to have available means making it possible to specify a selection of permutation devices having performances representative of the set of all the permutation devices.
The invention principally concerns the transmission of information represented by sequences of binary symbols:
u=(u0,u1, . . . ,ukxe2x88x921),
referred to as xe2x80x9cinformation sequencesxe2x80x9d, which will be coded into a triplet of binary sequences,
v=(a,b,c),
each of these sequences a, b and c being, on its own, representative of the sequence u.
In the remainder of the description, for representing a sequence u, the form u=(u0, u1, . . . , ukxe2x88x921), and the associated polynomial form:
u(x)=u0x0+u1x1+ . . . +ukxe2x88x921xkxe2x88x921
are used indiscriminately.
Equivalent notations will be used for the sequences a, b and c. Using this second representation, the following is known for determining the triplet v=(a, b, c):
choosing a(x)=u(x);
choosing b(x)=u(x).h1(x)/g(x),
where g(x) is a polynomial, for example g(x)=1+x+x3, corresponding, according to the sequential representation, to the sequence (1, 1, 0, 1); and h1(x) is a polynomial, for example h1(x)=1+x+x2+x3, corresponding to the sequence (1, 1, 1, 1); and
referring to as a*, a sequence formed by permutation of the binary data items of the sequence a, choosing c(x)=a*(x).h2(x)/g(x)
where h2(x) is a polynomial, for example h2(x)=(1+x2+x3) corresponding to the sequence (1, 0, 1, 1).
Any choice of the polynomials g(x), h1(x), h2(x) and of the permutation specifying the interleaver which associates the permuted sequence a* with the sequence a, specifies a coder which will be referred to as a xe2x80x9cturbocoderxe2x80x9d. The set of sequences which can be produced by a specified turbocoder will be referred to as a xe2x80x9cturbocodexe2x80x9d.
In the remainder of the description, the elementary recursive convolutional coder which produces the sequence b is referred to as the xe2x80x9cfirst coderxe2x80x9d, and the one which produces the sequence c is referred to as the xe2x80x9csecond coderxe2x80x9d.
The polynomial divisions used are of the division according to ascending powers type, well known to persons skilled in the art. They use modulo 2 arithmetic. The sequences a, b and c are binary sequences and in the general case the divisions which define b and c have a remainder.
This type of coding method has the advantage of lending itself to an effective iterative decoding which is not very complex and not very expensive.
For implementing it, a number of questions arise:
I/ How are the polynomials g(x), h1(x) and h2(x) chosen?
II/ How is the permutation of the terms of the sequence a which produces the sequence a* chosen ? Among the choices proposed, three examples of interleavers, that is to say operators which permute the terms of the sequence a, in order to form the sequence a*, are given below:
A) in the first example, after having arranged the terms of a in a rectangular table, successively row by row and, for each row, from left to right, the sequence a* is formed by successively taking, from this table, the terms column after column and, for each column, from top to bottom. For example, in the case of sequences of six terms and the use of a table of two rows of three columns, the interleaver transforms the sequence a=(a0, a1, a2, a3, a4, a5) into the sequence a*=(a0, a3, a1, a4, a2, a5).
B) in a second example, the i-th term (i=0, 1, 2, . . . ) a*i of the sequence a* is chosen as being the term aj of the sequence a, with j=s.i+t calculated modulo the number of terms in the sequence a, s and t being integers. For example, if the number of terms in the sequence a is six and if s=5 and t=3, the interleaver transforms the sequence a=(a0, a1, a2, a3, a4, a5) into the sequence a*=(a3, a2, a1, a0, a5, a4).
C) in the third example, the permutation chosen is random.
III/ How can it be avoided that the division defining b(x) has a remainder ? and
IV/ How can it be avoided that the division defining c(x) has a remainder ?
Answering these last two questions amounts to solving a problem frequently mentioned in the literature on turbocodes which is that of the xe2x80x9creturn to the zero statexe2x80x9d of the elementary convolutional coders defining b and c. Since the turbocoders have two elementary recursive coders, the second of which uses a permutation a* of the sequence a, it is desired to guarantee that the polynomials a(x) and a*(x) representing the information sequence u(x) are simultaneously divisible by g(x). Ensuring this condition of divisibility of a(x) is simple since it is sufficient to construct a(x) from u(x) by supplementing u(x) with stuffing symbols, equal in number to the degree of g(x) and the sole function of which is to guarantee the absence of a remainder in the division used to produce b(x) from a(x).
Choosing a permutation producing a*(x) from a(x) which guarantees both the divisibility of a*(x) by g(x) and good error correction performance for the turbocode thus specified is, on the other hand, more difficult.
This problem can bring about disparities between the error probabilities after decoding of the different bits constituting u(x).
In an article which appeared in Volume 31, No. 1 of the journal xe2x80x9cElectronics Lettersxe2x80x9d on Jan. 5, 1995, Messrs. BARBULESCU and PIETROBON explain that an interleaver can be described by successively and cyclically arranging the terms of the sequence a in a number of sequences equal to the degree of the polynomial g(x) incremented by one, and that, in this case, permutations internal to each of the sequences thus formed bring about an equality between the remainder of the division defining the sequence b and that of the division defining the sequence c.
However, and contrary to what is said in this article, this assertion is true only if the polynomial g(x) is of the form xcexa3i=0 to m xi.
In an article entitled xe2x80x9cTurbo-block-codesxe2x80x9d and published with the reports of the xe2x80x9cturbocodingxe2x80x9d seminar organised by the Institute of Technology in Lund (Sweden) (Department of Applied Electronics) in August 1996, Messrs. C. BERROU, S. EVANO and G. BATTAIL explain that, by arranging the terms of the sequence u, cyclically, in a number of columns equal to a multiple of the degree N0 of the polynomial of type xnxe2x88x921 of smallest strictly positive degree which is divisible by g(x), permutations internal to each of the columns thus formed bring about the situation that the sum of the remainder of the division defining the sequence b and that of the division defining the sequence c is null, with the result that the concatenation of the sequences is divisible by g.
This document, just like the previous one, therefore restricts the choice of interleavers to particular forms working independently on subsets of the terms of the sequence a, applying internal permutations to them. It does not however guarantee that individually a(x) and a*(x) are divisible by g(x). The only thing guaranteed is the divisibility by g(x) of the polynomial representing the concatenation (a, a*), consisting of putting the two sequences a and a* end to end.
The consequence is a possible loss of efficiency of the decoder since the latter is not informed about the state the coder had at the instant marking the end of the calculation of b and the start of the calculation of c.
None of the articles cited propose an effective choice of interleaver.
With a view to overcoming these drawbacks, in a first instance, the inventors perfected a solution guaranteeing the return to zero not only of the sequence to be coded but also of each of the redundant sequences. This solution is explained in the following paragraphs:
A turbocoder of 1/3 efficiency can be considered as a pair of convolutional systematic coders (see FIG. 1) with divisor polynomials such that the first coder produces a check sequence from the sequence of symbols to be coded u and the second coder produces a check sequence from an interleaved sequence u* obtained by interleaving the sequence u. In this context, the simultaneous return to zero of the two coders is a classic problem. One way of solving it has been found by the inventors and is summarized below.
Let g(x) be the divisor polynomial of a turbocoder. Let m be the degree of the polynomial g(x) and N0 the smallest integer such that g(x) is a divisor of the polynomial xN0+1. This number N0 will be referred to as the xe2x80x9cperiodxe2x80x9d of g(x). For reasons described below, g(x) is considered to be a xe2x80x9cpolynomial without squarexe2x80x9d and this means that N0 is an odd number.
Let also n be an odd multiple of N0: n=M N0.
A sequence of symbols, u, then has a polynomial representation, u(x), of degree nxe2x88x92mxe2x88x921, with binary coefficients, and this polynomial u(x) is pre-encoded into:
a(x)=u(x)+xcexa3i=nxe2x88x92m to nxe2x88x921aixi
where the m binary symbols ai are chosen in such a way that a(x) is a multiple of g(x). In consequence of this precoding, and the chosen values of the parameters, if a(x) is a multiple of g(x), then a*(x)=a(xe) modulo xn+1 is also a multiple of g(x) for any value of e which is a power of 2.
In the remainder of the description, this type of permutation and interleaver is referred to as an xe2x80x9cx to xe typexe2x80x9d.
Here, it is necessary to consider that g(x) has no multiple factors since, in general, a*(x) has the guarantee of being divisible only by the irreducible factors of g(x).
The coded version of u is then given by v=[a, ah1/g, a*h2/g] where all the components are polynomials, and where, in particular, a*h2/g is also a polynomial, by virtue of the definition of a* and the choice of e as a power of 2.
More generally, the inventors discovered that the interleavers guaranteeing the return to zero, not only of the check sequence coming from the first coder but also of that originating from the second coder, had to meet the following condition:
each xe2x80x9cpermutedxe2x80x9d sequence, aij*, (i=1, . . . ,K; j=1, . . . ,M1), is obtained by a permutation of the corresponding sequence ai, the said permutation being, in a representation where the binary data items of each sequence ai are written, row by row, into a table with N0 columns and M rows, N0 being the smallest integer such that each divisor polynomial gi(x) divides xN0+1, the result of any number of so-called elementary permutations, each of which:
either has the property of transforming the cyclic code of length N0 and with generator polynomial gi(x) into an equivalent cyclic code with generator polynomial gij(x) which may be equal to gi(x), and acts by permutation on the N0 columns of the table representing ai,
or is any permutation of the symbols of a column of the said table.
This method applies to blocks of a given length allowing each of the elementary coders to be suitably reset to zero. However, the input sequence must have a certain length depending solely on the divisor polynomial or polynomials used. This must be a multiple of a number N0.
It should be noted here that, in this particular embodiment of the teaching mentioned above with an xe2x80x9cx to xexe2x80x9d type interleaver, the length of the sequences to be coded must be odd whereas, in the general case, it can be even.
When the sequence of symbols to be coded does not correspond to this number (that is to say when the sequence of symbols to be coded, to which have been added so-called xe2x80x9cpaddingxe2x80x9d symbols which guarantee the divisibility of the polynomial representation of the resulting sequence, by a predetermined polynomial, has a length which is not a multiple of N0 and, in the preferential embodiment, an odd multiple of N0), the initial teaching of the inventors cannot be used directly. The same applies when the length of the sequences varies from one sequence to another.
Furthermore, the transmission conditions, the desired efficiency, the type of data, the type of transmission channel, or the signal/noise ratio of the channel are not taken into account, in the first instance of the invention produced by the inventors, this first instance not forming part of the art prior to the present invention, but, on the contrary, providing essential characteristics.
Moreover, in a turbocoder, the dimensioning of the memory cannot easily be adapted to transmission modes taking into account different block lengths.
If the pseudo-random interleavers of the prior art are considered, it is necessary to store all the interleavers capable of being used and the memory size required can be large.
The present invention intends to remedy these drawbacks.
To that end, the present invention, according to a first aspect, relates to a coding method, characterised in that:
1/ it takes into account at least one selection criterion related to a transmission of binary symbols representing a physical quantity,
2/ it has an operation of selecting transmission parameters, according to at least one selection criterion, each said selected transmission parameter being in the set of parameters comprising:
a number K, greater than or equal to 1, of sequences ai (i=1, . . . , K) of binary symbols, to be coded,
an integer M1, equal to or greater than 2,
a divisor polynomial gi(x),
an integer M,
an interleaver, and
a multiplier polynomial fij(x),
3/ it has an operation of inputting the number K of sequences ai (j=1, . . . , K) of binary data, each sequence ai having:
a polynomial representation ai(x) which is a multiple of a polynomial gi(x), and
a number of binary data items equal to the product of the integer number M and the integer N0, the smallest integer such that the polynomial xN0+1 is divisible by each divisor polynomial gi(x);
4/ it has a first production operation for a number K*M1 of so-called xe2x80x9cpermutedxe2x80x9d sequencesxe2x80x9d, aij*, (i=1, . . . ,K;j=1, . . . ,M1), each sequence aij*
being obtained by a permutation of the corresponding sequence ai, the said permutation being, in a representation where the binary data items of each sequence ai are written, row by row, into a table with N0 columns and M rows, the result of any number of so-called elementary permutations, each of which:
either has the property of transforming the cyclic code of length N0 and with generator polynomial gi(x) into an equivalent cyclic code with generator polynomial gij(x) which may be equal to gi(x), and acts by permutation on the N0 columns of the table representing ai,
or is any permutation of the symbols of a column of the said table; and
having, in consequence, a polynomial representation aij*(x) which is equal to a polynomial product cij(x)gij(x),
at least one permuted sequence aij* being different from the corresponding sequence ai,
5/ it has a second production operation for M1 redundant sequences, the polynomial representation of which is equal to xcexa3 fij(x) cij(x), for j=1, . . . ,M1, each polynomial fij(x) being a polynomial of degree at most equal to the degree of the polynomial gij(x) with the same indices i and j.
By virtue of these provisions, the parameters for implementation of the turbocoder can be adapted to the transmission of symbols, to their number or to the transmission conditions. Thus, a compromise between ease of coding and/or of decoding, speed of decoding, passband, in terms of number of symbols or of frames correctly transmitted per second, and transmission time of each symbol, can be optimized according to the selection criteria considered.
For a better understanding of the invention, a very particular example embodiment is given below: in an example where the selection criterion is the length of the sequence of symbols to be coded, for given coding polynomials, of which notably a polynomial g(x) of xe2x80x9cperiod N0xe2x80x9d and with no multiple roots is used in both elementary coders (it is assumed in order to simplify the explanation that the same feedback polynomial g(x), known to persons skilled in the art also by the name xe2x80x9cdivisorxe2x80x9d polynomial, is used in the elementary coders before and after interleaving), the implementation of the method of the invention has the following steps:
1/ The length of the sequence is first analyzed and a value n, a multiple of N0 and greater than this length, is determined.
2/ In the transmission device, so-called xe2x80x9cpaddingxe2x80x9d bits are added to the input sequence so that the polynomial representation of the resulting sequence is divisible by the feedback or xe2x80x9cdivisorxe2x80x9d polynomial g(x).
3/ Null stuffing bits are then added at the end of this sequence so that the resulting sequence has a length n.
4/ An interleaver is generated with parameters chosen as a function of n.
5/ The sequence is xe2x80x9cturbocodedxe2x80x9d.
6/ The stuffing bits are removed from the sequence identical to the sequence to be coded.
7/ The sequence is encapsulated in a radio frame which is, itself, modulated and then transmitted on the transmission channel which connects the transmission device to the receiving device.
8/ The receiving device demodulates the received signal, extracts the encapsulated signal from the radio frame, analyzes the length n of this sequence and from it deduces the number of stuffing bits and the turbodecoder parameters.
9/ An interleaver and a de-interleaver are generated with parameters chosen as a function of n.
10/ The received sequence to which the stuffing bits have been added is decoded.
11/ The stuffing and padding bits are removed and an estimate of the input sequence is delivered to its destination.
The reader who wishes to know the stuffing method better can refer to the following article:
xe2x80x9cA new scheme to terminate all trellis of turbo decoder for variable block lengthxe2x80x9d, the authors of which are Koora and Finger (Dresden Univ. Germany), International Symposium on Turbo codes, Brest, France, 1997.
The present invention therefore allows a dynamic adaptation of the turbocoder and of the decoder to each selection criterion, such as the length of the input sequence.
According to particular characteristics, during an addition operation, there are added, to the sequence a resulting from the padding bits addition operation, so-called xe2x80x9cpaddingxe2x80x9d additional data items, the number of which is equal to the degree of the divisor polynomial g(x) and which guarantee the divisibility of the polynomial representation of the sequence resulting from the addition operation by the divisor polynomial g(x).
Thus, the padding operation guarantees the return to zero of each of the coders. The consequence is an optimization of the turbocoder performance.
According to particular characteristics, an addition operation includes a stuffing operation during which are added, to the sequence a resulting from the padding bits addition operation, so-called xe2x80x9cstuffingxe2x80x9d additional data items, of predetermined value, which guarantee that the number n of symbols of the binary sequence resulting from the stuffing operation meets the conditions of being:
greater than or equal to (nxe2x80x2+m),
a multiple of N0, the smallest integer such that xN0+1 is divisible by g(x), and
odd.
By virtue of these provisions, the method to which the present invention relates provides an adaptation to all the values of symbol sequence length since the number of elements of the interleaver must here be an odd multiple of N0 whereas the length of the sequence of symbols to be coded might not be a multiple of N0, nor an odd number.
According to particular characteristics, at least one of the sequences resulting from the coding operation has not been subject to any interleaving and in that it has an operation of removing data items from at least one sequence resulting from the coding operation not having been subject to any interleaving.
Thus, the number of symbols to be transmitted on the transmission channel is reduced.
According to particular characteristics, during the first production operation for a number K*M1 of so-called xe2x80x9cpermutedxe2x80x9d sequences, aij*, (i=1, . . . ,K; j=1, . . . ,M1), each sequence aij* has a polynomial representation equal to aij*(x)=ai*(xeij), modulo (xn+1), where
n is the product of the number M and the integer N0,
eij is a number relatively prime with n,
the polynomial gij(x) is the generator polynomial of the smallest cyclic code of length N0 containing the polynomial gi(xeij) modulo (xN0+1),
The advantages of these provisions are those of the so-called xe2x80x9cx to xexe2x80x9d interleavers which are easily adapted to an xe2x80x9con the flyxe2x80x9d generation, by the use of simple algorithms. Furthermore, since these algorithms are capable of being carried out by simple logic circuits or by a microprocessor, the implementation of the present invention is advantageously combined with this type of turbocoder.
The present invention allows, furthermore, a saving in the amount of memory used since the xe2x80x9cx to xexe2x80x9d type interleaver is fully defined, and simple to generate from values of e and n.
By virtue of these provisions, the present invention is simple to implement and has very good performance in terms of bit and frame error rates as a function of the signal/noise ratio.
According to particular characteristics, during the transmission parameter selection operation, a value of the exponent e is selected, as a function of at least one selection criterion. By virtue of these provisions, the particular parameters of the xe2x80x9cx to xexe2x80x9d type interleavers are adapted to the selection criteria mentioned above in order to optimize the turbocoder performance.
According to particular characteristics, the coding method to which the present invention relates, as briefly described above, has an interleaver generation operation, the said interleaver defining the permutations performed during the first production operation, and in that, during the said generation operation, the interleaver is constituted by the iterative implementation of an addition operation, modulo a predetermined number.
Thus, a simple addition, modulo n, allows the generation of the interleaver, which simplifies this generation and can considerably reduce its duration.
According to particular characteristics, the method to which the invention relates, as briefly described above
1/ takes into account:
a value of K equal to 1,
a xe2x80x9cpolynomial without squarexe2x80x9d g1(x),
N0, the smallest integer such that g1(x) is a divisor of the polynomial xN0+1;
n, an odd multiple of N0;
a sequence u of n symbols ui to be coded; and
e, a power of 2, for which the residue of e modulo N0 is equal to 1,
2/ has:
an operation of composing a so-called xe2x80x9cconcatenatedxe2x80x9d sequence uu* composed successively, on the one hand, of the sequence of symbols u, having n symbols, and, on the other hand, of a sequence of symbols u* defined by its polynomial representation, u*(x)=u(xe) modulo xn+1,
a coding operation including at least one division of the concatenated sequence uu* by the polynomial g1(x) in order to form a so-called xe2x80x9ccheckxe2x80x9d sequence.
By virtue of these provisions, the addition of padding bits is unnecessary. The efficiency is therefore better and the implementation of the invention is simplified.
According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a decoding method, characterised in that:
1/ it takes into account at least one selection criterion related to a transmission of binary symbols representing a physical quantity,
2/ it has an operation of selecting transmission parameters, according to at least one selection criterion, each said selected transmission parameter being in the set of parameters comprising:
an integer M1, equal to 2,
a number K, greater than or equal to 1, of sequences vi(i=1, . . . , K+M1) of symbols to be decoded,
a divisor polynomial gi(x),
an integer M,
an interleaver/de-interleaver pair, and
a multiplier polynomial fij(x),
3/ it has an operation of inputting the number K+M1 of sequences vxe2x80x2i(i=1, . . . ,K+M1) of symbols to be decoded,
4/ it has an operation of decoding K sequences of symbols using the divisor polynomials gij(x), the said decoding operation providing K so-called xe2x80x9cdecodedxe2x80x9d sequences.
5/ it has a permutation operation, the said permutation being, in a representation where the binary data items of each sequence vi are written, row by row, into a table with N0 columns and M rows, the result of any number of so-called elementary permutations, each of which:
either has the property of transforming the cyclic code of length N0 and with generator polynomial gi(x) into an equivalent cyclic code with generator polynomial gij(x) which may be equal to gi(x), and acts by permutation on the N0 columns of the table representing ai,
or is any permutation of the symbols of a column of the said table,
at least one permuted sequence aij* being different from the corresponding sequence ai.
The invention also relates to:
an information storage means readable by a computer or a microprocessor storing instructions of a computer program, characterised in that it allows the implementation of the method of the invention as briefly described above, and
an information storage means which is removable, partially or totally, and readable by a computer or a microprocessor storing instructions of a computer program, characterised in that it allows the implementation of the method of the invention as briefly described above.
The invention also relates to:
a device for processing signals representing speech, which has a device as briefly described above,
a data transmission device having a transmitter adapted to implement a packet transmission protocol, which has a device as briefly described above,
a data transmission device having a transmitter adapted to implement the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) packet transmission protocol, which has a device as briefly described above,
a data transmission device having a transmitter adapted to implement the packet transmission protocol, on an ETHERNET (registered trade mark) type network,
a network station, which has a device as briefly described above,
a data transmission device having a transmitter transmitting on a wireless channel, which has a device as briefly described above, and
a device for processing sequences of signals representing at most one thousand binary data items, which has a device as briefly described above.
The invention also relates to an information processing device comprising:
first coding means for inputting a first sequence represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal and producing a second sequence;
permuting means for producing a permuted sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal by permuting said first sequence;
second coding means for inputting said permuted sequence and producing a third sequence; and
controlling means for controlling said permuting means in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, the data length of said first sequence varies in accordance with said predetermined polynominal.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling means modifies the permutation operation performed by said permuting means in accordance with the data length of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling means further modifies the permutation operation performed by said permuting means in accordance with the type of information included in said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling means further modifies the permutation operation performed by said permuting means in accordance with the condition of transmission.
According to a particular characteristic, said first sequence includes at least either one of audio information, character information or image information.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device performs turbocoding of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device is a data communication device.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device is a wireless communication device.
The invention also relates to an information processing method comprising:
first coding step of inputting a first sequence represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal and producing a second sequence;
permuting step of producing a permuted sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal by permuting said first sequence;
second coding step of inputting said permuted sequence and producing a third sequence; and
controlling step of controlling said permuting step in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
The invention also relates to a storage medium readable by a computer, storing a program for performing:
first coding process for inputting a first sequence represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal and producing a second sequence;
permuting process for producing a permuted sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal by permuting said first sequence;
second coding process for inputting said permuted sequence and producing a third sequence; and
controlling process for controlling said permuting process in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
The invention also relates to an information processing device comprising:
first decoding means for inputting a first sequence and a second sequence which is represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal;
first permuting means for permuting an output of said first decoding;
second decoding means for inputting the output of said second decoding means and a third sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal;
second permuting means for permuting the output of said second decoding means and supplying the result of said permutation to said first decoding means; and
controlling means for controlling said first permuting means and said second permuting means in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, the data length of said first sequence varies in accordance with said predetermined polynominal.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling means modifies the permutation operation performed by said first permuting means and the permutation operation performed by said second permuting means in accordance with the data length of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling means further modifies the permutation operation performed by said first permuting means and the permutation operation performed by said second permuting means in accordance with the type of information included in said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, said controlling method further modifies the permutation operation performed by said first permuting means and the permutation operation performed by said second permuting means in accordance with the condition of transmission.
According to a particular characteristic, said first sequence includes at least either one of audio information, character information and image information.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device performs turbodecoding of said first sequence.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device is a data communication device.
According to a particular characteristic, this information processing device is a wireless communication device.
The invention also relates to an image processing method comprising:
first decoding step of inputting a first sequence and a second sequence which is represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal;
first permuting step of permuting an output of said first decoding step;
second decoding step of inputting an output of said first permuting step and a third sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal;
second permuting step of permuting an output of said second decoding step and supplying the result of said permutation to said first decoding means; and
controlling step of controlling said first permuting step and said second permuting step in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
The invention also relates to a storage medium readable by a computer, storing a program for performing:
first decoding process for inputting a first sequence and a second sequence which is represented by a multiple of a predetermined polynominal;
first permuting process for permuting an output of said first decoding process;
second decoding process for inputting an output of said permuting process and a third sequence represented by said multiple of said predetermined polynominal;
second permuting process for permuting and output of said second decoding process and supplying the result of said permutation to said first decoding process; and
controlling process for controlling said first permuting process and said second permuting process in accordance with a data length of said first sequence.
These coding and decoding devices, these coding and decoding methods and these signal processing, data transmission and sequence processing devices, this network, these information processing devices and methods, these storage media and this image processing method having the same particular characteristics and the same advantages as the coding method as briefly described above, these particular characteristics and these advantages are not repeated here.

Device and method of adapting turbocoders and the associated decoders to sequences of variable length

Abstract: Each said selected transmission parameter is in the set of parameters comprising:

Abstract: a divisor polynomial gi(x),

Abstract: an integer M,

Abstract: an interleaver, and

Abstract: a multiplier polynomial fij(x).

Abstract: It uses an interleaver which maintains the divisibility by a polynomial gi(x).


A method and system to enhance yield in multi-process manufacturing. The method comprising the translation of a performance parameter of a product into input variables to operate tools carrying our cooperating processes which built a structural element which determines the performance parameter, wherein the individual tools are process controlled. The method further comprising the integration of process control of individual separate processes or of stages in a process, into a combined and comprehensive (modular) process control in which the process parameters of a process are enslaved to accomplish the target output of the final process. Hence target output values of intermediate processes are dynamically reassigned during the manufacturing with respect to their initially designed values, in accordance with the output of their cooperating processes.

The invention relates to quality control in general, more particularly, to a system and method for automated process control of stages in articles manufacturing and most specifically to the integration of process control of separate manufacturing stages into a modular structure to yield a comprehensive automated process control of the complete production line. This invention is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/633,824 by Goldman, et al. entitled xe2x80x9cStrategic Methods for Process Controlxe2x80x9d filed Aug. 7, 2000, to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/689,884 by Goldman, et al entitled xe2x80x9cSystem and Methods for Monitoring Process Quality Controlxe2x80x9d filed Oct. 13, 2000; and to U.S. patent application by Goldman, et al, entitled xe2x80x9cA method and Tool for Data Mining in Automatic Decision Making Systemsxe2x80x9d filed Dec. 8, 2000, all of which are incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
Process control plays a fundamental role in attaining high yield of quality products. Among various process control methods, statistical process control (SPC) is well known. SPC relies on the observation of the deviation of a measurable process output parameter in the process from their statistically predicted distribution (e.g. by more than three standard deviations). SPC reveals trends towards a deterioration of a process as well as temporarily irregularities of parameters of a process.
Prior attempts have been made to automate SPC.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,468 to Chen et al describes a system and method for concurrently recording and displaying system performance data by a computing system. In this invention a method is described in which a user interacts with the data being displayed to create various analysis of that data with the intentions of improving system performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,340 to Fox et al. describes a multivariate analysis of components of an ongoing semiconductor process for real time in-situ control. In this invention the algorithm calculates the T2 value from lotteling T2 statistical analysis which in turn creates a feedback signal if the T2 value is out of range and stops the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,478 to Fisher et al. describes a method and system for controlling a manufacturing process using statistical indicators of performance from the production process and specification data. The data is entered into a computer and displayed in tables and bar graphs to enable the production control manager to see unfavorable trends and processes out of control to allow adjustment of the manufacturing process before the process run is completed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,054 to Li describes a system for real time statistical process control having the capability to monitor multiple process machines at the same time with a mix of different types of machines. The specific implementation of that invention is in connection with semiconductor wafer fabrication process machinery such as for ion replantation. It is also applicable to other processes and process equipment where it is necessary for automatic collection of process parameter data for SPC and the subsequent usage of the data to show trends and the goodness of the operating machinery.
All the aforementioned techniques suffer from inherent limitations resulting from the fact that their focus is the controlled variable, without linking the parameters, which influence the controlled variable. Thus, these techniques lack the ability to identify the combination of factors in a multi factorial process which is responsible for an observed deviation of an output of a process. Consequently, the process controlled by these methods can""t be rectified on the fly, but rather can only be halted until the process engineer finds out the related problem.
To overcome this drawback, Goldman, et al in their patent application Ser. No. 09/689,894 entitled: xe2x80x9cSystem and Method for Monitoring Process Quality Controlxe2x80x9d (hereinafter the POEM Application), described a method for an advanced process control (APC) which is essentially an on line monitoring and control of process parameters aimed to yield a robust process output having optimum statistical attributes (such as Cp and Ck).
A modern production line comprises a great number of process stages performed in series by a diversity of manufacturing tools, thus a work piece which consist of an output of a first manufacturing tool is delivered as an input entity to a second manufacturing tool and so on until the product is finally shaped.
Furthermore, the term xe2x80x9cmanufacturing toolxe2x80x9d represents a plurality of units performing the same process on various article in parallel, e.g. a line of polishing machines in a microelectronic facility, each polishing one wafer at its time in accordance with the peculiar conditions of the machine, or a tool which can handle a plurality of items at once e.g. a diffision oven which handle tenth of wafers in a single run.
Until now, no quality control method did try to cope with the challenge that due to the xe2x80x9cfact of lifexe2x80x9d that a production tool is not always tuned and therefore the designed nominal values of a process output carried out by this tool may vary within its tolerances in such a way that the final target will not be achieved. The present invention suggests a corrective action to be taken to xe2x80x9csavexe2x80x9d final target quality. This is achieved by a trade off mechanism which is based on a judicious combination of the deviating output with one or more other outputs which are deliberately diverted from their initially set target value.
Until now process control methods have been devised to control and optimize an output of a single stage in a multistage manufacturing process, and no attention was paid as to how the controlled parameters of a controlled first process affect an output of a subsequent second controlled process that follows (and functionally relies on the output of) the first stage. In addition, no attention was paid to the impact of subsequent stages output on previous stages outputs, with regard to the optimal values to be set as output targets.
As a result it is nowadays impossible to have a global process control, which integrally combines all the various steps in a processes.
The present invention fulfills this gap and provides other related advantages as is detailed below.
The present invention describes a method and system of a global process control, which integrally controls all the steps and stages in a process that lead a production item (e.g. a wafer in the semiconductor industry) through its voyage from raw material (a wafer) to the final product (a device).
The present invention leads to a totally different paradigm to run a production facility, where the intermediate targets for the individual machines are set dynamically during the process, in accordance with the final target for the finished product.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for controlling a product quality during product manufacturing, the manufacturing includes a plurality of processes, each process among said plurality of processes has an assigned value of the process target output the method comprising the step of:
reassigning the value of the target output of a first process among said plurality of processes in accordance to an output of at least one second process.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for controlling a product quality comprising the steps of: (a) assigning the product a predetermined criteria with respect to a performance of the product; (b) linking the performance to a feature of at least one structural element of the product and, (c) associating the feature of at least one structural element with at least one stage in a process which terms that at least one structural element, wherein at least two process stages are modular process controlled.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a system for controlling a product quality in production, that includes a plurality of processes, each process among the plurality of processes has an assigned value of target output, wherein the assigned value of target output of a first process among the plurality of processes is reassigned during the occurrence of the production in accordance to an output value of a second process among the plurality of processes, the system comprising: (a) a mechanism for monitoring of the output value of the second process; (b) a mechanism for the evaluating the output value of the second process; (c) a mechanism for reassignment a value to target output of the first process according to the evaluation of the output value of the second process and; (d) a modeller to predict a feed forward input which results with the reassigned target value having best statistical goodness.

Method for global automated process control


A gas detector includes a receiver configured to receive light from a light source through gas, the light source having a bandwidth on the order of an absorption linewidth of the gas, the receiver including at least a first etalon having a transmission bandwidth on the order of the absorption linewidth of the gas, the transmission bandwidth of the first etalon being substantially smaller than the bandwidth of the light source. The gas detector further includes a first detector for detecting light transmitted through the first etalon, a second detector for detecting light reflected from the first etalon, and a processor that determines the quantity of gas based on the detected transmitted and reflected light. The gas detector can further include a second etalon with a transmission bandwidth approximately equal and adjacent to the transmission bandwidth of the first etalon. Alternatively, the gas detector can include a beam separator that separates the light from the light source into a first beam and a second beam, with a small deflection angle between the first beam and the second beam, thereby modifying the effective thickness of a single optical element for each beam and forming the first and second etalon in the optical element.

Measuring the concentration of a target gas within the atmosphere at long ranges requires a highly precise, quantitative spectrometer. A low noise detector and method are also needed in order to detect extremely low concentrations. The problem becomes even more challenging when coupled with the effects of atmospheric scintillation and the complicated absorption spectrum of the atmosphere.
One approach to quantitative measurements of trace gases in the atmosphere is pulsed differential absorption lidar (DIAL). In this method, a laser source with a narrow linewidth first produces a pulse tuned on-resonance with a particular gas absorption, then a second pulse tuned slightly off-resonance, and the atmospheric transmission of the two successive pulses is compared. Neglecting the effect of the change in atmospheric absorption over the change in frequency, the ratio of the two pulse intensities corresponds to absorption by the trace gas of interest, because the static atmospheric absorption drops out of the ratio. Beer's law then allows the calculation of a concentration between the source and detector.
Unfortunately, this simple picture is complicated by the technical requirements placed on the laser transmitter (i.e., source). Nominally, the laser must have sufficient power to overcome the average atmospheric absorption in the operating wavelength range (about 0.2-2 dB/km, typically), be as narrow-band as possible to maximize sensitivity to the trace gas, have a stable frequency to reduce the effects of atmospheric slope, and have a high repetition rate providing the benefits of averaging. These are aggressive requirements to meet in a single laser system.
Therefore, there is a need for a gas detector that reduces or eliminates the above mentioned transmitter requirements.

Gas detector for atmospheric species detection


An example context-based computing framework includes methods to configure a computer device. Some example methods include generating a request for access to computing resources available at a first location in response to determining the computer device has moved from a second location to the first location. Some example methods also include, based on context data contained in a response to the request, configuring an interface of an application of the computer device is configured to allow interaction with a subset of a set of features of a first computing resource of the computing resources. The context data is identified in the context profile and the context profile is associated with the first location. Some example methods further include interacting, via the interface of the application, with a first feature of the subset of the set of features of the first computing resource.

People often adapt their behavior to a particular social context. For example, context and context cues are learned over time and can serve as a frame of reference for human interactions when a person arrives in a new, and possibly unfamiliar, setting. In contrast, computing devices are often limited to performing a set of predefined tasks regardless of the context of the environment in which they are operating. Furthermore, because existing computing devices are typically unaware of the context of their operating environments, reconfiguring such a computing device after being placed in or moved to a different environment having a different context may involve significant manual intervention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Context-based computing framework for obtaining computing resource context information associated with a location


An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional article by additive manufacturing includes a processor and an information storage device storing software instructions. In response to execution by the processor, the software instructions cause the apparatus to: receive initial data defining the three-dimensional article having an outer surface, define a shell having the outer surface of the three-dimensional article and an opposing inner surface that defines an inner cavity, define a transition zone between the inner surface of the shell and a boundary that is inside the inner cavity and generally follows the inner surface of the shell, define a lattice of arrayed unit cells that fill the inside of the boundary, the lattice is defined by connected lattice segments, and define transition segments that couple the lattice to the inner surface of the shell.

Three-dimensional manufacturing systems are in widespread use. Examples of three dimensional printer technologies includes stereolithography, selective laser sintering, and fused deposition modeling to name a few. Some of these printer technologies are used for a precursor for investment casting and involve the manufacturing of a "sacrificial" article. Challenges with this include providing good support to maintain accurate geometries while minimizing unsolidified material that may adversely removal of the sacrificial material.

Defining a transition zone between a shell and lattice cell array in a three-dimensional printing system


To perform Recovery Point Objective (RPO) driven backup scheduling, the illustrative data storage management system is enhanced in several dimensions, including an illustrative enhanced data agent and an illustrative enhanced storage manager. Illustrative enhancements include: streamlining the user interface to take in fewer parameters; backup job scheduling is largely automated based on several factors, and includes automatic backup level conversion for legacy systems; backup job priorities are dynamically adjusted to re-submit failed data objects with an “aggressive” schedule in time to meet the RPO; only failed items are resubmitted for failed backup jobs.

Businesses recognize the commercial value of their data and seek reliable and cost-effective ways to protect the information stored on their computer networks while minimizing impact on productivity. A company might back up critical computing systems such as databases, file servers, web servers, virtual machines, and so on using maintenance schedules. Given the rapidly expanding volume of data under management, companies also continue to seek innovative techniques for managing data growth and data protection.

Recovery point objective (RPO) driven backup scheduling in a data storage management system using an enhanced data agent


To properly transmit uplink control information (UCI) in future radio communication systems, a user terminal of the present invention is provided with a transmitting section that transmits uplink control information (UCI) in at least one of a plurality of slots with different time lengths of UL duration, and a control section that controls transmission of the UCI, where based on an explicit instruction from a radio base station or an implicit determination by the user terminal, the control section controls an uplink (UL) control channel used in transmission of the UCI.

In UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) networks, for the purpose of higher data rates, low delay and the like, Long Term Evolution (LTE) has been specified (Non-patent Document 1). Further, for the purpose of wider bands and higher speed than LTE, successor systems (e.g., also referred to as LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), FRA (Future Radio Access), 4G, 5G, 5G+ (plus), NR (New RAT), LTE Rel. 14, 15˜, etc.) to LTE have also been studied.
In the existing LTE system (e.g., LTE Rel.10 onward), in order to widen the band, introduced is Carrier Aggregation (CA) for aggregating a plurality of carriers (Component Carrier: CC, cell). Each carrier is configured with a system band of LTE Rel.8 as one unit. Further, in CA, a plurality of CCs of the same radio base station (eNB: eNodeB)) is configured for a user terminal (UE: User Equipment).
Further, in the existing LTE system (e.g., LTE Rel.12 onward), Dual Connectivity (DC) is also introduced where a plurality of cell groups (CG: Cell Group) of different radio base stations is configured for a user terminal. Each cell group is comprised of at least a single carrier (CC, cell). Since a plurality of carriers of different radio base stations is aggregated, DC is also called inter-base station CA (Inter-eNB CA) and the like.
Furthermore, in the existing LTE system (e.g., LTE Rel.8-13), using a transmission time interval (TTI) (also referred to as subframe) of 1 ms, communication is performed on downlink (DL) and/or uplink (UL). The TTI of 1 ms is a transmission time unit of one data packet subjected to channel coding, and is a processing unit of scheduling, link adaptation, retransmission control (HARQ: Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest) and the like.
Still furthermore, in the existing LTE system (e.g., LTE Rel.8-13), a user terminal transmits uplink control information (UCI), for example, using a UL control channel (e.g., PUCCH: Physical Uplink Control Channel) or a UL data channel (e.g., PUSCH: Physical Uplink Shared Channel). The UCI includes at least one of a scheduling request (RS), retransmission control information (HARQ-ACK (Acknowledge), ACK or NACK (Negative ACk)) to DL data, and channel state information (CSI).

User terminal and radio communication method


The present invention relates to an offset apparatus for an NC machine tool, that can achieve high accuracy machining by offsetting the amount of operation of a motion mechanism in accordance with the analysis result of the behavior of the NC machine tool. The offset apparatus 1 comprises: a model analyzing data base 12 in which three dimensional model data of the motion mechanism 2 and condition data for performance analysis are stored; a model analyzing section 13 which analyzes the performance of the motion mechanism 2; a data accumulating section 14 which stores analyzed performance analysis data; an offset amount computing section 15 which computes an offset amount to be applied to a commanded operation amount on the basis of the performance analysis data; and an offset executing section 17 which offsets the amount of operation of the motion mechanism 2 on the basis of the offset amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an offset apparatus for an NC machine tool, and more particularly to an offset apparatus for offsetting the amount of operation of a motion mechanism in accordance with the result of performance analysis of the NC machine tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Operation of an NC machine tool is controlled by a numerical controller provided for the NC machine tool. More specifically, the numerical controller sequentially analyzes an NC program and generates operation command signals for spindle motor, servo motor of feed system, etc. and, based on the thus generated operation command signals, the spindle motor, feed system servo motor, etc. are controlled for operation.
Here, the condition of the NC machine tool is not constant at all times but varies from moment to moment according to its operation condition. For example, the cutting edge of the tool wears due to machining, and the machining accuracy gradually degrades. Therefore, to ensure proper machining accuracy, it is commonly practiced to offset the amount of operation of the feed system servo motor by the amount of wear.
Further, the bearing for supporting the spindle generates heat during its rotation due to the friction between the rolling element and bearing ring, and the generated frictional heat is transmitted to the spindle, causing the temperature of the spindle to rise and deforming the spindle due to the thermal expansion caused by the temperature rise. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the tool and work changes, resulting in a machining error. In view of this, it is commonly practiced to measure the spindle temperature by a temperature sensor, estimate the amount of thermal deformation of the spindle from the measured spindle temperature and, based on the estimated amount of thermal deformation, offset the amount of operation of the feed system servo motor so as to compensate for the thermal deformation.
Likewise, the bearing for supporting the feed screw in the feed system also generates heat during its rotation due to the friction between the rolling element and bearing ring, and the generated frictional heat is transmitted to the feed screw, causing the temperature of the feed screw to rise and deforming the feed screw due to the thermal expansion caused by the temperature rise. As a result, the positioning accuracy of the feed system degrades, resulting in a machining error. In view of this, it is commonly practiced to detect the thermal deformation of the feed screw by a displacement sensor and, based on the detected amount of thermal deformation, offset the amount of operation of the feed system servo motor so as to compensate for the thermal deformation.
However, the heat generated at the above bearings is transmitted not only to the spindle and the feed screw but, via these parts, to the entire structure such as the bed, headstock, spindle head, saddle, and column that constitute the machine tool, and thus the entire structure suffers thermal deformation, causing the relative positional relationship between the tool and work to change and resulting in a machining error. Therefore, to achieve high accuracy machining, not only must offsets be applied for the deformations of the spindle and the feed screw caused by the temperature rise of the bearings, but the thermal deformation of the entire structure must also be analyzed so that offset appropriate to the thermal deformation can be applied. In the prior art, however, such advanced offset has not been performed.
Further, the machine tool generates vibrations during machining, and if the frequency is close to the natural frequency of the machine tool, the machine tool resonates, and the effects of the vibrations are transferred to the machined surfaces, degrading the machining accuracy and the quality of the machined surfaces. Accordingly, to achieve high accuracy, high quality machining, it is preferable that both the frequency during machining and the natural frequency of the machine tool be analyzed and the rotational speed and/or feed speed of the tool and work be offset so as to prevent the above frequencies from coming close to each other.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above situation, and it is an object of the invention to provide an offset apparatus for an NC machine tool, that can achieve high accuracy, high quality machining by analyzing the behavior of the NC machine tool (the performance of the machine tool motion mechanism) and by offsetting the amount of operation of the motion mechanism in accordance with the result of the analysis.
The present invention which achieves the above object concerns an NC machine tool offset apparatus that is provided for an NC machine tool equipped with a numerical controller for controlling operation of a motion mechanism in accordance with an operation command signal, and that offsets the amount of operation of the motion mechanism which is driven and controlled in accordance with the operation command signal, comprising:
analysis data storing means for storing three dimensional model data of the motion mechanism and condition data for performance analysis;
analyzing means for analyzing the performance of the motion mechanism, based on the operation command signal in the numerical controller and on the three dimensional model data of the motion mechanism and the condition data for performance analysis stored in the analysis data storing means;
data accumulating means for storing performance analysis data analyzed by the analyzing means;
offset amount computing means for computing, from the performance analysis data stored in the data accumulating means, the amount of offset to be applied to a commanded operation amount directed by the operation command signal; and
offset executing means for offsetting the amount of operation of the motion mechanism, based on the amount of offset computed by the offset amount computing means.
The motion mechanism in the present invention collectively refers to the mechanisms constituting the machine tool excluding the controller, and includes: structures such as a bed, table, spindle, headstock or spindle head, saddle, and column; a feed mechanism comprising a feed screw, nut, feed motor, etc.; a spindle motor; and peripheral devices such as a tool changer and a pallet changer.
According to this offset apparatus, first the analyzing means analyzes the performance of the motion mechanism, based on the operation command signal in the numerical controller and on the three dimensional model data of the motion mechanism and the condition data for performance analysis stored in the analysis data storing means, and the analyzed performance analysis data is stored in the data accumulating means. Next, the offset amount computing means computes, from the performance analysis data stored in the data accumulating means, the amount of offset to be applied to the commanded operation amount directed by the operation command signal; then, based on the amount of offset computed by the offset amount computing means, the offset executing means offsets the amount of operation of the motion mechanism. Here, a technique such as a finite element method or boundary element method is used as the technique for analysis.
Examples of the performance of the motion mechanism include, besides the deformation of the motion mechanism due to load, the natural frequency of the motion mechanism itself and vibrations caused by machining, but the performance is not limited to these factors. Examples of the load include, besides the thermal load from a heat generating source such as a bearing and the machining load due to machining, a varying load the acting point of whose own weight varies due to the movement of a movable body such as a saddle, table, or column.
In this way, when offsetting for the deformation of the motion mechanism due to thermal load, for example, first the amount of heat generated by heat generating sources, such as the spindle supporting bearing and the feed screw supporting bearing, is computed by the analyzing means, based on the operation command signals for the spindle motor and the feed motor (signals relating to rotational speed) received from the numerical controller; then, based on the amount of generated heat thus computed and the data stored in the analysis data storing means, the amount of deformation of the entire motion mechanism is computed by the analyzing means by using the above analysis technique. Next, based on the amount of deformation thus computed, the amount of displacement, for example, in the relative positional relationship between the work and tool is computed by the offset amount computing means, and the amount of operation offset that compensates for the amount of displacement is computed for each feed mechanism. Then, the offset is executed by the offset executing means in accordance with the thus computed amount of offset.
Further, when offsetting for the deformation of the motion mechanism due to machining load, first the machining load is computed by the analyzing means, based on the operation command signals, etc. for the spindle motor and the feed motor (signals relating to spindle rotational speed, feed speed, or electric current value of each motor) received from the numerical controller; then, based on the machining load thus computed and the data stored in the analysis data storing means, the amount of deformation of the entire motion mechanism is computed by the analyzing means by using the above analysis technique. Next, based on the amount of deformation thus computed, the amount of deformation in the relative positional relationship between the work and tool is computed by the offset amount computing means, and the amount of operation offset that compensates for the amount of deformation is computed for each feed mechanism by the offset amount computing means. Then, the offset is executed by the offset executing means in accordance with the thus computed amount of offset.
On the other hand, when making an offset by analyzing the vibrations of the motion mechanism, first the analyzing means, based on the data stored in the analysis data storing means, analyzes the natural frequency of the motion mechanism by using the above analysis technique and, at the same time, analyzes the vibrations being caused by machining, based on the operation command signals for the spindle motor and the feed motor (signals relating to spindle rotational speed, feed speed, or electric current value of each motor) received from the numerical controller and on the data stored in the analysis data storing means. Then, the offset amount computing means compares the frequency due to machining with the natural frequency thus analyzed, and if the frequency due to machining is within a predetermined range relative to the natural frequency, the amount of offset (the amount of decrease or increase in speed) to be applied to the feed speed of the feed mechanism and/or the rotational speed of the spindle is computed. Then, the offset is executed by the offset executing means in accordance with the thus computed amount of offset.
In this way, according to the above offset apparatus, since the deformation of the entire motion mechanism caused by thermal load, machining load, etc. is analyzed, and the amount of operation of the feed mechanism is offset based on the amount of deformation thus analyzed, accurate offset can be achieved compared with the prior art. Such accurate offset contributes to further enhancing the accuracy of machining.
Furthermore, since the motion mechanism can be prevented from resonating due to machining vibrations by offsetting the feed speed of the feed mechanism and/or the rotational speed of the spindle, chattering vibrations can be prevented from occurring in the machining process, and the surface accuracy of machined surfaces can thus be enhanced.

Intelligent Manufacturing Systems International


9-aminonoscapine, prodrugs thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions including 9-aminonoscapine, and methods of preparation and use thereof are disclosed. 9-aminonoscapine is a noscapine analog that can be used to treat and/or prevent a wide variety of cancers, including drug resistant cancers, by binding tubulin and inducing apoptosis selectively in tumor cells (ovarian and T-cell lymphoma) resistant to paclitaxel, vinblastine and teniposide. 9-aminonoscapine can perturb the progression of cell cycle by mitotic arrest, followed by apoptotic cell death associated with increased caspase-3 activation and appearance of TUNEL-positive cells. Thus, 9-aminonoscapine is a novel therapeutic agents for a variety of cancers, including ovarian and T-cell lymphoma cancers, even those that have become drug-resistant to currently available chemotherapeutic drugs.

Microtubules are major cytoskeletal structures responsible for maintaining genetic stability during cell division (Sammak and Borisy, 1987; McIntosh, 1994; Desai and Mitchinson, 1997). The dynamics of these polymers is absolutely crucial for this function that can be described as their growth rate at the plus ends, catastrophic shortening, frequency of transition between the two phases, pause between the two phases, their release from the microtubule organizing center and treadmilling (Margolis and Wilson, 1981; Mitchison and Kirschner, 1984; Kirschner and Mitchison, 1986; Margolis and Wilson, 1998; Jordan and Wilson, 2004). Microtubule lattice also serves as tracks for the axonal transport of organelles driven by anteriograde and retrograde molecular motors to generate and maintain axonal integrity (Joshi, 1998; Nogales, 2000). Interference with microtubule dynamics often leads to programmed cell death and thus microtubule-binding drugs are currently used to treat various malignancies in the clinic (Jordan and Wilson, 2004). Although useful, currently used microtubule drugs such as vincas and taxanes are limited due to the emergence of drug resistance. There have been multiple mechanisms for antimicrotubule drug resistance including overexpression of drug-efflux pumps, misexpression of tubulin isotypes, and perhaps mutational lesions in tubulin itself (Ranganathan et al., 1996; Giannakakou et al., 1997; Monzo et al., 1999; Dumontet et al., 2005).
The pharmacological profile of microtubule-binding agents, however, has not been ideal. Most of them need to be infused over long periods of time in the clinic because they are not water-soluble, and can cause hypersensitive reactions due to the vehicle solution (Rowinsky, 1997). Furthermore, normally dividing cells within the healthy tissues such as intestinal crypts, hair follicles, and the bone marrow are also vulnerable to these agents, leading to toxicities (Rowinsky, 1997). In addition, nerve cells dependent on molecular traffic over long distances undergo degenerative changes causing peripheral neuropathies (Pace et al., 1996; Crown and O'Leary, 2000; Theiss and Meller, 2000; Topp et al., 2000).
Noscapine ((S)-6,7-dimethoxy-3-((R)-4-methoxy-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1,3]-dioxolo-[4,5-g]isoquinolin-5-yl) isobenzo-furan-1(3H)-one), a safe antitussive agent for over 40 years, binds tubulin, arrests dividing cells in mitosis and induces apoptosis (Ye et al., 1998). It is well-tolerated in humans and has been shown to be non-toxic in healthy volunteers, including pregnant mothers (Dahlstrom et al., 1982; Karlsson et al., 1990; Jensen et al., 1992).
Unlike the other microtubule-targeting drugs, noscapine does not significantly change the microtubule polymer mass even at high concentrations. Instead, it suppresses microtubule dynamics by increasing the time that microtubules spend in an attenuated (pause) state when neither microtubule growth nor shortening is detectable (Landen et al., 2002). Thus, noscapine-induced suppression of microtubule dynamics, even though subtle, is sufficient to interfere with the proper attachment of chromosomes to kinetochore microtubules and to suppress the tension across paired kinetochores (Zhou et al., 2002a). This represents an improvement over the taxanes, the microtubule-bundling agents or overpolymerizers, and vincas, the depolymerizers, that cause toxicities in mitotic and post mitotic neurons at elevated doses.
Noscapine thus effectively inhibits the progression of various cancer types both in cultured cells and in animal models with no obvious side effects (Ye et al., 1998; Landen et al., 2002; Zhou et al., 2002b; 2003; Landen et al., 2004). Surprisingly, the apoptosis is much more pronounced in cancer cells compared with normal healthy cells (Landen et al., 2002).
It would be desirable to have compounds, compositions and methods for preventing and/or treating various types of cancer, without significant associated side effects, that provide increased anti-cancer properties to that of noscapine. The present invention provides such a compound, compositions and methods.

9-aminonoscapine and its use in treating cancers, including drug-resistant cancers


A packet quarantine device receives a data packet over a secure connection having a connection-specific set of security parameters such as an IPsec connection in a virtual private network (VPN) using security associations. The packet quarantine device tests the data packet and if the data packet fails to validate, the packet quarantine device saves the data packet to a storage area along with the set of security parameters used to transmit the data packet. The stored information of the failed packet along with the set of security parameters enables later analysis of the failed packet in order to determine the network condition that produced the failed data packet. The packet quarantine device also generates alerts in response to receiving data packets that fail to validate. The alerts include information obtained from packet analysis.

In a secure connection, such as a connection in a virtual private network (VPN), transmitted packets are secured by a set of security parameters. One standard used to secure packets in a secure connection is Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). IPsec is a suite of protocols that supports the secure exchange of packets at the Internet Protocol network layer (Layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network model).
IPsec secures data in a connection through the use of security associations (SAs). An SA is a combination of a policy and keys used to establish a simplex (i.e., one-way) secure connection that provides security services to the packets carried on the secure connection. Typically, two SAs are negotiated for an IPsec connection between two computing devices, one for inbound communications and one for outbound communications. Each SA includes values such as a destination address, data exchange policies, security keys for encryption of IPsec packets, and additional attributes such as SA lifespan. Each SA further includes a security parameters index (SPI) which is a unique, identifying value carried by each SA and is used to distinguish multiple SAs that may coexist at a computing device.
To build an IPsec connection between the two computing devices, the IETF has established a standard method of security association and key exchange resolution, which combines the Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) and the Oakley key generation protocol. ISAKMP centralizes security association management, reducing connection time. Oakley generates and manages authenticated keys used to secure the information.
To ensure successful, secure communication, the ISAKMP/Oakley method involves a two-phase operation. The first phase is a first key exchange phase during which the two computing devices establish a secure exchange of first policies and first keys for exchanging SA data securely in the second phase. The second phase is a data protection phase during which the SA policies and SA keys are exchanged using the secure exchange established during the first phase. In the second phase, a pair of SAs are negotiated, one SA for each data transmission direction. The security negotiation process during the second phase includes policy negotiation which determines the IPsec protocol (e.g., Authentication Header protocol (AH) or Encapsulation Security Protocol (ESP)), an integrity algorithm (e.g., Message Digest algorithm (MD5), or Secure Hash algorithm (SHA)), and an encryption algorithm (e.g., Data Encryption Standard (DES), Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES), or 40-bit Data Encryption Standard (40 bitDES)). In sum, each SA includes a number of policies and keys governing the transmission of packets over the secure connection. The two computing devices come to a common agreement about the policies and keys and, thus, establish the SAs for an IPsec connection.
Each SA has a lifespan, that is, a time period after which the two computing devices need to renegotiate the SA. The renegotiation involves renegotiating policies and keys. The computing device typically deletes old SA policies and keys after negotiating new SAs.
Packets sent through a VPN tunnel created by an IPsec connection are typically forwarded through an intermediate device which partially decrypts the packet in order to determine a packet destination. The intermediate device also typically validates the packet. Packets failing to validate are typically dropped with no further processing and, accordingly, provide little data for later analysis of the network condition that produced the failed packets.

Method and apparatus for packet quarantine processing over a secure connection


A vehicle seating system may include a seat part having a trim material positioned over a base material. A method for producing the seating system may include configuring an attachment arrangement to have an adhesive material and a non-adhesive material bonded to the adhesive material. The method may also include molding the base material onto the non-adhesive material such that a surface of the adhesive material faces outward away from the base material. The trim material may be disposed over the base material such that a back side of the trim material is adhered to the adhesive material.

Vehicle seating systems often include a base or cushion material, such as a polyurethane foam, and a trim cover material, which may be leather, cloth, or some other material meeting the functional and aesthetic requirements of the application. Attaching the trim cover material to the base material presents a variety of challenges, particularly with seats that have a complex geometry with various contours, including concave and convex portions. Mechanical attachment devices such as hog rings may be used, but may not be effective to maintain a desired level of contact between the trim cover material and the base material, especially in areas away from the attachment devices. It would therefore be desirable to have a seating system, and method for producing such a seating system, that provides a desired level of contact between the trim cover material and a base material over a variety of contours.


The Apparatus for determining the color stimulus specification of a translucent object, for example of a tooth, comprises an illumination device as well as an image capture device. For illuminating the object under test with light in different wave length portions, the illumination device comprises an LED array with a plurality of sequentially energizable light emitting diodes. Several different types of light emitting diodes are provided, each emitting light in a different wave length portion.

The present invention refers to an apparatus for determining the color stimulus specification of objects, particularly of translucent objects, comprising an illumination assembly for illuminating the object under test, a detection assembly for capturing the light emitted by the illumination assembly and reflected by the object under test, and an analyzer assembly adapted for evaluating the calorimetric data of the object under test. The detection assembly includes a lens assembly and at least one image sensor, and it is adapted to deliver output signal data in response to the captured light.
Moreover, the present invention also refers to a method for determining the color stimulus specification of translucent objects, in which the object under test is illuminated and the light emitted by the object under test is captured by at least one image sensor, and in which the calorimetric data of the object under test are arithmetically evaluated by means of a suitable analyzer.

Apparatus and a method for determining the color stimulus specification of translucent objects


This apparatus acts to fold over along a crease line an edge portion of a thin sheet of material, such as aluminum foil. On opposite sides of the crease line, the sheet includes a body portion and an edge portion, which edge portion is in-line with the body portion when the sheet is unfolded and is doubled back on the body portion when the sheet is fully folded.. A pair of support rolls have spaced-apart axes and peripheries over which the sheet is caused to pass so that a region of the sheet extends between the peripheries. During the folding process the sheet is caused to travel in a direction extending from a first to a second one of the support rolls. An air film roll is positioned between the support rolls and exerts on the region of the traveling sheet between the support rolls a force that causes the body portion of the sheet in this region to be deflected toward the zone between the support roll axes.. The air film roll has an outer end located at the crease line so that the edge portion folds along the crease line from the in-line position at the first support roll to a position perpendicular to the body portion at the outer end of the air film roll and then to the doubled-back position at the second support roll.

One prior-art method of affecting such folding of a sheet of foil involves running the sheet over the end of a roll in such a way that an edge portion of the sheet projects beyond the end of the roll. This initiates a fold in the foil at the end of the roll, causing the edge portion of the sheet to partially fold over toward the body portion of the sheet. Thereafter, a finger or roller is forced against the partially-folded edge portion of the foil sheet, thereby forcing the edge portion into a substantially fully-folded position with respect the body portion. The fold is set as the folded portion of the sheet goes over another roller. This technique is not as reliable as often required, does not always leave a clean fold, and has a tendency to pucker the edge of the foil sheet.
Another prior-art method of folding involves use of an appropriately shaped shoe which rubs against the edge portion of the moving foil sheet and forces the edge portion to fold up and over as the foil sheet moves ahead. A disadvantage of this method is that the rubbing relationship of the shoe on the foil sheet produces objectionable drag on the moving sheet and also generates dirt particles.

Apparatus and method for folding over an edge portion of thin sheet


A pattern forming method which uses a positive resist composition comprises: (A) a fluorine-free resin capable of increasing its solubility in an alkaline developer under action of an acid; (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation; (C) a fluorine-containing resin having at least one group selected from the group consisting of (X) an alkali-soluble group, (XI) a group capable of decomposing under action of an alkali developer and increasing solubility of the resin (C) in an alkaline developer and (XII) a group capable of decomposing under action of an acid and increasing solubility of the resin (C) in an alkaline developer; and (D) a solvent, the method comprising: (i) a step of applying the positive resist composition to a substrate to form a resist coating; (ii) a step of exposing the resist coating to light via an immersion liquid; (iii) a step of removing the immersion liquid remaining on the resist coating; (iv) a step of heating the resist coating; and (v) a step of developing the resist coating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern forming method utilizing a positive resist composition usable in a lithography process for manufacturing semiconductors, such as ICs, and circuit boards for LCDs and thermal heads, and other photofabrication processes. More specifically, the invention is concerned with a pattern forming method utilizing a positive resist composition suitable for exposure performed with a projection exposure apparatus for immersion lithography using as a light source far ultraviolet rays with wavelengths of 300 nm or below.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the growing need for finer semiconductor devices, it has been advanced to adopt exposure light sources having shorter wavelengths and projection lenses having higher numerical apertures (higher NAs). Up to now, steppers using as light sources ArF excimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm and having NA of 0.84 have been developed. As generally well known, the resolution and the focal depth of these machines can be given by the following expressions;(Resolution)=k1·(λ/NA)(Focal depth)=±k2·λ/NA2 where λ is the wavelength of a exposure light source, NA is the numerical aperture of a projection lens, and k1 and k2 are coefficients concerning a process.
Although steppers using as light sources F2 excimer laser with a wavelength of 157 nm are under study with an eye toward achieving higher-resolution by further shortening of the wavelengths of exposure light sources, it is very difficult to stabilize production costs and qualities of apparatus and materials since lens materials used in exposure apparatus and materials used for resist in order to ensure shorter wavelengths are confined within very narrow limits, and fears are arising for completion of exposure apparatus and resist having sufficient performance and stability within a required period.
As an art of heightening the resolution in an optical microscope, the method of filling the space between a projection lens and a test specimen with a liquid having a high refractive index (hereinafter referred to as an immersion liquid), or the so-called immersion method, has hitherto been known.
This "immersion effect" can be explained as follows. In immersion lithography, the foregoing resolution and focal depth can be given by the following expressions;(Resolution)=k1·(λ0/n)/NA0 (Focal depth)=±k2·(λ0/n)/NA02 where λ0 is the wavelength of a exposure light source in the air, n is the refractive index of an immersion liquid relative to the air and NA0 is equal to sin θ when the convergent half angle of incident rays is represented by θ. That is to say, the effect of immersion is equivalent to the use of exposure light with a 1/n wavelength. In other words, application of the immersion method to a projection optical system having the same NA value can multiply the focal depth by a factor of n.
This art is effective on all shapes of patterns, and besides, it can be used in combination with super-resolution techniques under study at present, such as a phase-shift method and an off-axis illumination method.
Examples of apparatus utilizing this effect for transfer of fine circuit patterns in semiconductor devices are disclosed in JP-A-57-153433 and JP-A-7-220990, but these documents have no description of resist suitable for immersion lithography.
Recent progress of immersion lithography is reported in Proceedings of International Society for Optical Engineering (Proc. SPIE), vol. 4688, p. 11 (2002), J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 17 (1999), Proceedings of International Society for Optical Engineering (Proc. SPIE), vol. 3999, p. 2 (2000), and WO 2004/077158.
In order to supplement the sensitivity drop by light absorption from the resist for KrF excimer laser (248 nm) onward, the image forming method referred to as a chemical amplification method has been adopted as a method of patterning resist. To illustrate an image forming method utilizing chemical amplification by a positive-working case, images are formed in a process that exposure is performed to cause decomposition of an acid generator in the exposed areas, thereby generating an acid, and conversion of alkali-insoluble groups (groups insoluble in an alkaline developer) into an alkali-soluble groups (groups soluble in an alkaline developer) by utilizing the acid generated as a reaction catalyst is caused by bake after exposure (PEB: Post Exposure Bake) to enable the exposed areas to be removed by an alkaline developer.
In a general resist process used for formation of resist patterns, a resist composition is coated evenly on a substrate by use of a spin coat method, the substrate is heated in order to evaporate a resist solvent, the substrate is cooled to room temperature; the resist coating is exposed to light via a mask bearing the desired patterns, PEB is carried out immediately after the exposure, the resist coating thus treated is immersed in a developer after cooling to room temperature, the developer is rinsed out with water, and then the thus patterned resist coating is dried by a spin dry method.
Application of immersion lithography to chemical amplification resist according to the foregoing general resist process requires further improvements in development defects appearing after development.