A system and method for calibrating a stereo optical see-through HMD (head-mounted display). A preferred method integrates measurement for an optical see-through HMD and a six degrees of freedom tracker that is fixedly attached to the HMD to perform calibration. Calibration is based on the alignment of a stereoscopically fused marker image, which is perceived in depth, with a single 3D reference point in a world coordinate system from various viewpoints. The user interaction to perform the calibration is extremely easy compared to conventional methods and does not require keeping the head static during the calibration process. In one aspect, a method for calibrating a stereo HMD comprises the steps of displaying a 2-dimensional marker image on each eye display of the stereo HMD for view by a user, wherein the 2-dimensional marker images are displayed with an offset so as to induce a 3-dimensional marker that is perceived by the user as being at a distance away from the user; aligning the 3-dimensional marker image with a preselected reference point; collecting calibration data associated with the alignment; and computing a model of the HMD using the collected calibration data.

The present invention relates generally to camera calibration methods for optical see-through head-mounted display systems for augmented reality. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for calibrating a monocular optical see-through display (i.e., a display for one eye only) and method for calibrating a stereo optical see-through display in which the displays for both eyes are calibrated in a single procedure.
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology in which a user""s view of the real world is enhanced or augmented with additional information generated from a computer model. In a typical AR system, a view of a real scene is augmented by superimposing computer-generated graphics on the view such that the generated graphics are properly aligned with real world objects as needed by the application. The graphics are generated from geometric models of both non-existent (virtual) objects and real objects in the environment. In order for the graphics and the video to align properly, the pose and optical properties of the real and virtual cameras must be the same. The position and orientation of the real and virtual objects in some world coordinate system must also be known. The locations of the geometric models and virtual cameras within the augmented environment may be modified by moving its real counterpart. This is accomplished by tracking the location of physical objects and using this information to update the corresponding transformations within the virtual world. This tracking capability may also be used to manipulate purely virtual objects, ones with no real counterpart, and to locate real objects in the environment. Once these capabilities have been brought together, real objects and computer-generated graphics may be blended together, thus augmenting a dynamic real scene with information stored and processed on a computer.
In order to have a working AR system, the display system must be calibrated so that the graphics is properly rendered. More specifically, in order for augmented reality to be effective, the real and computer-generated objects must be accurately positioned relative to each other and properties of certain devices must be accurately specified. This implies that certain measurements or calibrations need to be made at the start of the system. These calibrations involve measuring the pose of various components such as trackers, pointers, cameras, etc. The calibration method in an AR system depends on the architecture of the particular system and the types of components used.
There are two primary modes of display in an AR system which determine the type of calibration needed: (i) video-see-through AR systems; and (ii) optical see-through AR systems. An xe2x80x9coptical see-through systemxe2x80x9d is defined herein as a combination of a see-through head-mounted display and a human eye. This display and eye combination will be referred to herein as a virtual camera of the AR display system.
One method for camera calibration for use with video see-through systems is described, for example, in the article by M. Tuceryan, et al, entitled xe2x80x9cCalibration requirements and procedures for a monitor-based augmented reality system,xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 1(3):255-273, September 1995. This calibration method is based on using the correspondence between known 3-D points and the 2-D positions of their projected images positions, from which camera parameters are estimated. This calibration protocol is for a video-see-through system in which it is assumed that there is access to the picture points (pixels) that can be selected and whose image coordinates could be obtained. This protocol can be used in a video-see-through display system because the image digitized by the video camera can be accessed and used to analyze the input images.
Calibration procedures for optical see-through systems present a challenge because, in contrast to video see-through systems, there is no direct access to the image data that is used for calibration. Indeed, with an optical see-through system, the images of the scene are formed on the retina of the human user""s eye and, consequently, there is no direct access to the image pixels. Accordingly, different approaches are needed for calibrating optical see-through systems. A difficult task of calibrating an optical see-through system is devising a proper user interaction paradigm for collecting the necessary data for performing the calibration. There have been previous attempts to devise such interaction methods with various degrees of success. One method uses multiple point configurations in the world in order to collect the calibration data (see, e.g., the article by A. Janin et al., entitled xe2x80x9cCalibration of head-mounted displays for augmented reality applications,xe2x80x9d In Proc. of VRAIS""93, pages 246-255, 1993.) Another interactive approach for calibrating an optical see-through AR system involves having the user interactively align a model of a 3D object with multiple configurations with the physical object in the display (see, e.g., Erin McGarrity and Mihran Tuceryan, xe2x80x9cA method for calibrating see-through head-mounted displays for AR,xe2x80x9d In 2nd International Workshop on Augmented Reality (IWAR ""99), pages 75-84, San Francisco, Calif., October 1999.) This approach allows the user to adjust camera parameters interactively until the user is satisfied that a 3D model of a calibration jig is aligned properly with the physical calibration jig itself.
Such interactive calibration schemes, which require multipoint configurations and the simultaneous alignment of multi-point configurations in order to perform the camera calibration, render the user-interaction during the calibration process very cumbersome and prone to errors. Further, the number of parameters to be estimated is large, and therefore, the interaction does not provide a very intuitive feedback to the user.
Accordingly, methods for calibrating optical see-through displays that are efficient and user-friendly are highly desirable.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for calibrating a stereo optical see-through HMD (head-mounted display). A preferred method integrates measurement for an optical see-through HMD and a six degrees of freedom tracker that is fixedly attached to the HMD to perform calibration. Calibration is based on the alignment of a stereoscopically fused marker image, which is perceived in depth, with a single 3D reference point in a world coordinate system from various viewpoints. The user interaction to perform the calibration is extremely easy compared to conventional methods and does not require keeping the head static during the calibration process.
In one aspect, a method for calibrating a stereo HMD comprises the steps of: displaying a 2-dimensional marker image on each eye display of the stereo HMD for view by a user, wherein the 2-dimensional marker images are displayed with an offset so as to induce a 3-dimensional marker that is perceived by the user as being at a distance away from the user; aligning the 3-dimensional marker image with a preselected reference point; collecting calibration data associated with the alignment; and computing a model of the HMD using the collected calibration data.
The distance at which the 3-dimensional marker is perceived by the user is proportional to the offset between the 2-dimensional marker images for both eyes.
The camera model is defined with respect to a coordinate system of a tracker sensor fixedly attached to the HMD. Preferably, the camera model comprises (i) a first projection matrix that defines a transformation between the tracker sensor and a first virtual camera and (ii) a second projection matrix that defines a transformation between tracker sensor and a second virtual camera, wherein the first virtual camera comprises a combination of the left eye of the individual and a left eye display of the HMD and wherein the second virtual camera comprises a combination of the right eye of the individual and a right eye display of the HMD.
In another aspect of the invention, the calibration data for a given alignment comprises 2-dimensional image coordinates of the image marker for each eye display of the stereo HMD and 3-dimensional coordinates of the preselected reference point in the coordinate system of the tracker sensor.
In yet another aspect, the 2-dimensional image marker comprises one or various shapes including, but not limited to, a crosshair, a solid disk, or a rhombus with a cross inside the rhombus.
In another aspect, the calibration data is preferably collected for at least six different viewpoints of the user with respect to the preselected reference location.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described or become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

System and method for calibrating a stereo optical see-through head-mounted display system for augmented reality


Exemplary embodiments are provided of antenna modules for frequencies in the GHz range and that may be mountable on a motor vehicle. In various exemplary embodiments, an antenna module generally includes upper and low patch-antennas on respective upper and lower substrates. Each patch-antenna includes λ/2-antenna structure provided on the upper surface of the respective upper or lower substrate for reception of satellite-transmitted frequencies in the GHz range. A metallization is also provided on or in contact with the lower surfaces of the upper and lower substrates. A lower antenna connector runs from the lower λ/2-antenna structure through the lower substrate. An upper antenna connector, separate from the lower antenna connector, runs from the upper antenna structure through the upper substrate and the lower patch-antenna.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
An antenna module may be used for integrating various functions of vehicle roof antennas. There are known microstrip patch-antennas, which include a substrate having a lower surface with metallization of the entire area thereof and an upper surface with a suitable metallic structure or antenna structure thereon. Such microstrip-patch-antennas commonly have a very narrow frequency bandwidth, for example, one percent to two percent relative bandwidth, unless additional measures are taken. By employing parasitic elements, bandwidth may be increased or multiple frequency bands may be blocked. These parasitic elements are conduction or surface structures, which are present on the same or higher plane than that of the antenna structure. If the parasitic elements are on a higher antenna structure, then they are coupled to the lower antenna structure, wherein a common HF-connection cable on the lower antenna structure runs to an amplification unit. In the parasitic elements, high frequency currents are induced, which adapt to the shape and dimensions of the parasitic elements and thereby produce fields. As a result, the entire structure has the capacity to send and receive both neighboring as well as somewhat distantly spaced frequencies.
But antenna structures of the above-described type are only suitable if the entirely expanded frequency band is allocated for the same service. When multiple, independent services are intended, then antenna modules with separately built antenna elements arranged next to one another are then used. In this configuration, however, more space is required. Furthermore, sufficient isolation is required for the proper function of the individual antennas elements.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An electromagnetic clutch driven steerable drive axle system for a four-wheel drive vehicle, such as a front mount mower, including a rotary power source, a driven front axle, a mechanical rear axle converting power from the rotary power source into tractive power at a set of wheels attached thereto, a steering mechanism connected to the rear wheels, an electromagnetic clutch between the power source and mechanical rear axle, and a transducer which provides input representative of the turning and/or tractive power status of the mower to a microprocessor which may send current to the clutch. Having a plurality of frictional clutch disks, the clutch selectively transmits driving power to the secondary axle based on input current applied by the microprocessor. With the disks separated, the rotary power source and steerable axle are uncoupled. The rear wheels are allowed to freewheel, reducing skidding during turns in forward and reverse. Various embodiments are possible using known transducers for monitoring system parameters. The microprocessor compares these parameters to predetermine values and bases the input current to the clutch on them. The availability of four-wheel drive may be controlled by microprocessor logic and preloading of the clutch disks, either mechanically (with springs) or electromagnetically. Electrical preloading of the clutch enables vehicle torque to be intensified when additional tractive power is required.

The present invention relates to a means for controlling the torque transmitted to a rigid steerable axle in a vehicle. More particularly, the invention controls the torque input to the steerable axle of a four-wheel drive (hereinafter, 4WD) front mount mower to minimize mismatched wheel speeds, skidding, and resulting damage to the turf. The advantages of this invention, however, are believed to be applicable to almost any vehicle driven by multiple axles.
A conventional vehicle drive train often includes a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine, powering one or two wheels through a transmission and final drive axle. On off-road vehicles, like tractors and mowers, the combination of a hydrostatic transmission (hereinafter HST) and transaxle final drive is an alternative drive train configuration which is known to give greater variability of torque and vehicle speed than geared mechanical transmissions.
In many applications gradeability is a concern. Gradeability is the ability of the vehicle to traverse a grade or hill. Since the gradeability of a vehicle is generally limited by the tractive capability of its drive wheels, some vehicle makers have sought to increase gradeability by powering additional drive wheels. As a result, 4WD vehicles have become commonplace.
In a 4WD vehicle, the steering axle serves as a second source of drive power to enhance tractive capability. Power driven steerable axles are known and widely used on farm tractors. These tractors typically have a hydraulically operated clutch in the main transmission which selectively engages an external drive shaft to power the steerable axle wheels through a bevel gear and differential in the axle. Unfortunately, when the clutch is disengaged, the external drive shaft is still connected to the axle and wheels. Thus, the inertia of the external drive shaft can interfere with free rotation of the wheels and can cause them to skid.
Many 4WD cars and trucks have clutches to selectively supply power to secondary steerable axle wheels. However, such steerable axles are typically not rigid. These vehicles typically have external drive shafts extending from a center differential to independently suspended front wheel assemblies. Depending on the location of the clutch, such vehicles may also experience wheel skidding problems.
Because of their particular applications, wheel skidding is a big concern in front mount mowers. These mowers are frequently used for turf care at golf courses, country clubs, estates and the like. Where the unblemished appearance of the turf or grass is such a high priority, wheel skidding must be minimized. When the wheels skid they cease to roll freely, instead they slide across the ground. The tires tend to tear up the turf as they slide across it.
Traditionally, front mount mowers were two wheel drive vehicles. The drive wheel(s) were powered by an engine though a hydrostatic transmission connected to a front or primary transaxle. As the name indicated, the mowing deck was mounted at the front of the vehicle. Seeking better gradeability, some manufacturers have attempted to incorporate 4WD into their front mount mowers. In one 4WD system the steerable rear wheels are powered at a fixed ratio by the power takeoff (hereinafter, PTO) shaft of the same HST that drives the front wheels. As illustrated in FIG. 3, this presents a problem during turning of the mower.
As the highly maneuverable mower swings around a theoretical point of rotation O, due to the relative curvatures or radii of wheel paths A, B, C, D, the speed required of the outer rear wheel 10 is greater than the inner rear wheel 12 and both rear wheels must be going faster than the corresponding front wheels 14 and 16 to prevent skidding. The larger the radius of curvature for the path, the greater speed the wheel must travel to maintain that path. If the wheel is driven at a relatively constant speed and more speed is demanded to negotiate a turn, the wheel cannot keep pace and will slip or drag on the turf causing damage to the grass. Higher turn angles or sharper turns cause greater proportional mismatches in wheel speeds. Using spider gears in the axle is known to reduce inner/outer wheel speed mismatches, but front/back mismatches remain a persistent problem. If 4WD is to be achieved by powering the rear wheels at a fixed ratio relative to the front drive wheels, the resulting mismatch in actual versus required wheel speed during a turn will cause the rear wheels to skid and damage the turf.
If a clutch in the main transmission were used, the inertia of the required external drive shaft would contribute to wheel skidding and turf damage. Placing a device known in the prior art as a freewheeling or overrunning clutch between the drive shaft and the bevel pinion shaft of the steerable axle could reduce the inertia and skidding problem in the forward direction. However, because of the way those clutches operate, loss of tractive capability may still occur in the reverse and braking modes of operation.
Therefore, it is the primary objective of this invention to provide an electromagnetic clutch driven rigid steerable axle for a 4WD system which reduces wheel skidding during turns.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a steerable drive axle system which provides some driving power to the steerable wheels automatically when other wheels are driven, yet allows the steerable wheels to overrun through turns, and as otherwise needed, to avoid wheel skidding and turf damage.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a steerable drive system which allows the steerable wheels to overrun in both the forward and reverse directions.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a steerable drive system for a 4WD front mount mower, tractor or the like which reduces wheel skidding.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a clutch for a steerable drive system which transmits additional power to the steerable axle when commanded.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a steerable drive system wherein a sensor sends a signal representing HST system pressure to an electronic control means which actuates an electromagnetic clutch to provide additional grade ascending power to the steerable axle when a predetermined HST system pressure is exceeded.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Electromagnetic clutch driven steerable axle


A photoelectric encoder is provided, which emits light from a light source to a main scale and an index scale that can relatively move with respect to each other and obtains a light-receiving signal by interaction between the main scale and the index scale. The photoelectric encoder uses as the light source an incoherent semiconductor light source (white LED) in which a full width at half maximum of an emission spectrum is wider than that of a monochromatic semiconductor light source. Thus, it is possible to reduce an effect of a gap change on an output signal of the encoder and make positional adjustment easier, thereby improving misalignment characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric encoder that emits light from a light source to a main scale and an index scale that can relatively move with respect to each other and obtains a light-receiving signal by interaction between the main scale and the index scale. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photoelectric encoder that has an output signal less affected by a gap change, allows for easy positional adjustment, and has good misalignment characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photoelectric encoder that emits light from a light source to a main scale and an index scale that can relatively move with respect to each other and obtains a light-receiving signal by interaction between the main scale and the index scale is conventionally used for precise measurement of linear displacement, angular displacement, and the like.
One type of the photoelectric encoder is a so-called two-grating type, shown in FIG. 1. The two-grating type photoelectric encoder uses a scale (optical) grating 21 provided on a main scale 20 and an index (optical) grating 31 provided on a light-transmitting index scale 30. In FIG. 1, a light-receiving element is denoted with 32 and a light-receiving portion is denoted with 34.
In the two-grating type photoelectric encoder, as a gap G between the scale grating 21 and the index grating 31 becomes smaller, effects of diffusion of light and the like become smaller and therefore resolution of the encoder is improved. When the gap G between the gratings is small (e.g., 10 to 50 μm), however, adjustment for positioning the main scale 20 and the index scale 30 is difficult (i.e., misalignment characteristics are not good). Therefore, assembly of the encoder takes a lot of efforts. Moreover, there is a limitation to reduce the gap G between the gratings.
On the other hand, in a so-called three-grating type photoelectric encoder disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-279383, another (optical) grating (called as a first grating) 11 is further arranged between a light source portion 4 including a light-emitting diode (LED) 6 and a collimator lens 8 and the main scale 20 (at a different location from the index grating 31 on the index scale 30 in this example), as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a reflective type as an example. Light from the light source portion 4 is diffracted by the first grating 11. The diffracted light from the first grating 11 is further diffracted by the scale grating (called as a second grating) 21 provided on the main scale 20. Interference fringes generated by diffraction at the scale grating 21 are received by the light-receiving element 32 of the light-receiving portion 34 through the index grating (called as a third grating) 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the light source portion 4, the index scale 30, and the light-receiving portion 34 are provided in a sensor head 2 that can relatively move with respect to the main scale 20.
It is known that an intensity distribution of the interference fringes observed at the light-receiving element 32 does not depend on the gap G between the gratings (i.e., a gap between the first grating 11 and the second grating 21 and a gap between the third grating 31 and the second grating 21). Thus, the gap G between the gratings can be made larger in the three-grating type, as compared with the two-grating type. Thus, adjustment for positioning the scales can be performed more easily in the three-grating type than in the two-grating type (i.e., the three-grating type has better misalignment characteristics than the two-grating type).
However, even if the gap G between the optical gratings can be made larger, adjustment for positioning the scales is still difficult (i.e., misalignment characteristics are not good), because an output signal is largely affected by a gap change and margin of an error of the gap from a designed value of the gap is small.
A photoelectric encoder using a light-receiving element array as the light-receiving portion, in which an index grating and a light-receiving element are integrated with each other and the light-receiving element is arranged in a form of a grating, as described in the description of Japanese Patent No. 2610624, also has the above same problem.

Photoelectric encoder using an incoherent semiconductor light source


A lancet assembly includes a reusable base unit that defines a handle for a lancet assembly and houses a biasing mechanism for driving a lancet into the finger of a user. The base unit includes a spring biased hammer that once cocked, can be released to drive a lancet. A lancet is included in a disposable end cap that may be releasible attached to one end of the base unit. The end cap includes integral resilience spring fingers that maintain the lancet completely within the end cap before and after use, and functions to return the lancet after engagement of the lancet and hammer. The end cap can be rotated to orient the end cap relative to a user's finger to control the depth of penetration of the lancet into the user's finger.

A. Field of the Invention
The device of the present invention generally relates to a new and improved lancet assembly for puncturing the skin of a user to obtain a blood sample; and, more particularly, to a new and improved lancet assembly including a disposable end cap containing a one piece lancet.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Sharp pointed lancets are employed to make a puncture or penetration of a patient's skin in order to provide a small outflow of blood. Various tests may be employed with only small amounts of blood so that blood flowing from a finger prick is normally sufficient for these tests. Tests on the blood sample often include contacting a paper strip or reagent pad on a strip carrying chemistry with blood from the wound or puncture.
Lancet assemblies now available include a driving member that grips a lancet. Loading and removing a lancet from the driving member of the assembly requires extra care by the user to avoid being punctured. The lancet must be carefully gripped to avoid contact with the sharp end of the lancet. Present day concerns about communicable diseases transmitted through body fluids such as blood increases the risks of handling these lancets.
Current devices require the user to remove a protective cover from the sharp end of a lancet, and load the exposed lancet into a lancet assembly. After use of the assembly, the point of the lancet is exposed. Users of these devices, such as nurses, are repeatedly handling these used, exposed lancets and have a high risk of puncture by a used lancet and resultant exposure to contamination through the blood on the lancet.
Some designs of lancets include a end cap with the sharp end of the lancet contained within the end cap after use, and the opposite end of the lancet sticking out of the end cap. Upon removal of the end cap after use, it is possible for the user to be stuck with an infected lancet simply by pressing on the exposed end of the lancet thereby moving the sharp end of the lancet out of the end cap. This risk is especially high for professional users such as nurses who place used lancets in their pockets. At the end of the day the nurses reach into their pockets and pull out used items including lancets. Upon reaching into his or her pocket, the nurse can press the back end of a lancet thereby exposing the contaminated sharp point.
One example of a known lancet is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,959. The lancet of this patent includes a spindle designed for housing a replaceable magazine containing a stock of needles. A feeding device for feeding a needle to be used is also disclosed. After a needle is used, it is maintained in the lancet until another needle from the magazine is loaded. As the new needle is advanced, the needle preceding it is ejected from the lancet. The lancet assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,959 ejects an unprotected, exposed and contaminated needle which increases the risk of puncture by the user of the lancet assembly.
A disposable needle probe package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,403. The needle package is frictionally held in the medical testing system by snapping, threading or similar procedures, and it is releasable by pushing the probe package out of the medical monitoring system. Once the probe package is released from the monitoring system, however, the needle is exposed and handling can result in puncturing the skin of the user thereby exposing the user to contaminated blood.
A lancet assembly intended to be disposable with no part of the assembly reused is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,815. Examples of other lancet assemblies intended to be totally disposable, as opposed to disposing only the lancet, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,388,925; 4,553,541; 4,449,529 and 4,535,769.
A disposable lancet defined by a plunger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,712,548 and 4,738,261. After this device has been used, the lancet is exposed with the risk that someone handling the used device could be punctured by the contaminated lancet.
Lancet assemblies in which used, exposed lancets must be removed with the risk of puncture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,279; 4,462,405; 4,442,836 and 4,469,110.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,376 discloses a one piece, plastic lancet consisting of a handle and a tip. Once a protective yoke is removed, the lancet tip is completely exposed and can accidentally puncture a user.
Lancet assemblies that are totally disposable with no reusable components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,624,253; 4,616,649 and 4,539,988.
A lancet assembly with a lancet exposed after use is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,243.
Some lancet assemblies provide for the depth of penetration of the lancet into the skin of a user or patient to be adjustable. Adjustability has been accomplished in some prior art lancet assemblies by using removable end caps. Typically, prior art lancet assemblies can be used with one of two end caps each having different size holes allowing different amounts of the skin of the finger to be contacted. With a greater amount of skin fitting into the hole, the lancet can pierce deeper into the skin of the finger. With a lesser amount of skin fitting into the end cap through the hole, a shallower piercing will occur.
There is a need for a lancet assembly in which the lancet is completely contained within a portion of the lancet assembly both before and after use such that the user can dispose of the lancet without risk of puncture. There also is a need for a lancet assembly that is easily and quickly adjustable to control the depth of penetration of the lancet into the finger of a user or patient. In addition, there is a need for a lancet which is as painless as possible.


An optical communication link with correction of non-linear effects comprises an optical fiber transmission line subject to chromatic dispersion and non-linear effects and correction means for limiting the disadvantageous consequences of this dispersion and/or these non-linear effects. The correction means comprise at the output of the transmission line a dispersion compensator adapted to apply dispersion in the opposite direction to and of lower absolute value than the dispersion due to the transmission line.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns implementing an optical communication link when transmission of information over the link is subject to non-linear effects to the degree that correction of such effects is necessary. A link of this kind is typically a long-haul link such as an intercontinental link which can be from around 3 000 to 10 000 km long or even longer.
However, the present invention may be relevant to shorter links if they have a high mean optical power rating. To be more precise the invention applies when the integral of the power over the length of the line: .intg.P.dl, has high values producing non-linear effects capable of producing unacceptable transmission errors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known link of this kind comprises elements which are common to it and to a link in accordance with the present invention: these firstly comprise a transmission line in the form of an optical fiber having a normal direction chromatic dispersion less than 1 and preferably less than 0.5 ps/nm.km so that the dispersion of the line as a whole distorts a transmitted signal. This line is provided with optical amplifiers distributed over its length so that an optical signal guided by the fiber has locally increased amplitudes producing non-linear effects which further distort the signal.
These common elements secondly comprise means for correcting the optical signal which receive the line output signal and correct it to obtain a corrected optical signal closer to the line input signal. These signal correction means comprise an output filter adapted to filter optical frequencies. The bandwidth of this filter constitutes a corrective filtering bandwidth.
These common elements finally comprise optical signal processing means for receiving the corrected signal and for extracting therefrom the information to be transmitted which was conveyed by the input signal. The extracted information is inevitably affected by errors. The corrective filtering bandwidth is chosen to minimize the error rate.
In a first known long-haul link the corrective filtering bandwidth is very narrow. The aim is to eliminate as much as possible of the spectral components due to the non-linear effects. This bandwidth is 20 GHz, for example, that is to say 0.16 nm.
This first known long-haul link is described in the Journal of lightwave technology, vol 9, No 3, March 1991, (D. Marcuse).
A second known long-haul link is described in an article by N. Henmi et al "Dispersion compensation by prechirp technique in multigigabit optical amplifier repeater systems" "Topical Meeting on Optical Amplifiers and Their Applications", August 1990).
A particular object of the present invention is to enable simple implementation of a link of this kind having a reduced error rate and/or an increased bit rate.

Optical communication link with correction of non-linear effects and optical signal processing method


A valve rod guide is adapted to be coupled to the barrel of a subsurface pump or the like. The guide has head, neck, body, and base regions. A plurality of angled flutes are provided on the body, tapering downwardly for preventing solids from reentering the pump barrel after pump operations are ceased and thereby damaging pump components once pump operations are resumed. The interior diameter of the neck includes lower and upper grooves and a plurality of spiral radial grooves extending therebetween. The spiral radial grooves terminate at exit ports. During pump operations, solids are wiped from the valve rod, drawn into the spiral radial grooves, and accumulate in the lower or upper groove during downstroke or upstroke, respectively. During upstroke, the solids are expelled through the exit ports. A hardened insert may be positioned in the head region, providing a durable wear area for the valve rod as well as a tight fit, thereby preventing solids from escaping through a northern end of the guide.

Oil well pumping systems are well known in the art. Such systems are used to mechanically remove oil or other fluid from beneath the earth's surface, particularly when the natural pressure in an oil well has diminished. As shown in FIG. 22, an oil well pumping system begins with an above-ground pumping unit 102, which may commonly be referred to as a "pumpjack," "nodding donkey," "horsehead pump," "beam pump," "sucker rod pump," and the like. The pumping unit 102 creates a reciprocating (up and down) pumping action that moves the oil (or other substance being pumped) out of the ground 100 and into a flow line, from which the oil is then taken to a storage tank or other such structure.
Below the ground 100, a shaft is lined with piping 104 known as "tubing." Into the tubing 104 is inserted a string of sucker rods 106, which ultimately is indirectly coupled at its north end to the above-ground pumping unit 102. The string of sucker rods 106 is ultimately indirectly coupled at its south end to a subsurface pump 108 that is located at or near the fluid in the oil well. As shown in FIG. 23, the subsurface pump 108 has a number of basic components, including a barrel 110 and a plunger 112. The plunger 112 operates within the barrel 110, and the barrel 110, in turn, is positioned within the tubing 104. It is common for the barrel 110 to include a standing valve 114 and the plunger 112 to include a traveling valve 116. The north end of the plunger 112 is typically connected to a valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube, which moves up and down to actuate the pump plunger 112. The valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube passes through a guide 120 positioned at the north end of the barrel 110, which assists in centering the valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube, and thereby, the plunger 112. In addition, the guide 120 includes openings through which the oil (or other substance being pumped) may exit the pump barrel 110 and travel into the tubing 104.
There are a number of problems that may occur during oil pumping operations. Fluid that is pumped from the ground 100 is generally impure, and includes solid impurities such as sand, pebbles, limestone, and other sediment and debris. Certain kinds of pumped fluids, such as heavy crude, tend to contain a relatively large amount of solids. Because of this, several disadvantages exist with prior art guides 120 for valve rods 118, hollow valve rods 118, and pull tubes. For example, the orientation of the side openings in such prior art guides 120 permits fluid, and any solid impurities entrained therein, to shoot straight out in the direction of the pump barrel 110 when it is expelled from the guide 120. This causes damage to the barrel 110 due to the high velocity of the fluid during pumping operations. Further, after the solids have been exhausted from the pump barrel 110 and the pump 102 has temporarily discontinued pumping operations, the solids will naturally begin to settle due to gravity. With prior art guides 120 for valve rods 118, hollow valve rods 118, and pull tubes, the solids are able to reenter the pump barrel 110 at this time, via the openings in the guide 120. This often results in excessive barrel 110 wear upon restarting of the pump 102. Further, it is possible that with the solids reentering the pump barrel 110, they may cause sticking of the pump 102—i.e., seizing the plunger 112 in the barrel 110.
As another example, solids often cling to valve rods 118, hollow valve rods 118, and pull tubes during pumping operations. Typically, with prior art guides 120 for valve rods 118, hollow valve rods 118, and pull tubes, this can result in the binding or seizing of the guide 120 to the valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube that is moving up and down actuating the pump plunger 112. This seizing can cause the pump 102 to stop functioning, by preventing the valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube from being actuated, thereby damaging the sucker rod 106 and guide 120.
As another example, the north ends of prior art guides 120 for valve rods 118, hollow valve rods 118, and pull tubes are frequently subjected to excessive wear and damage by virtue of the sucker rod 106 activity. In this regard, the sucker rod 106 is attached proximate the north end of the valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube (whichever is being employed). The sucker rod 106 sometimes carries side loads when the pump 102 is in a downward stroke. The side loads can impart excessive wear and damage on the side of the guide 120 for the valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, or pull tube, rendering the guide 120 useless.
A need therefore exists for a guide 120 for a valve rod 118, hollow valve rod 118, and pull tube that provides for improved debris removal capability and wear resistance.
The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.

Valve rod guide with cyclonic debris removal


A method of providing a purchaser of a product with a replica portraying the product includes the steps of receiving product information relating to a visible feature of the product, and causing a replica including the visible feature of the product to be transferred to the purchaser. The method may also include obtaining information related to the owner of the purchased product and creating a certificate of ownership associating the product, the replica, and the owner of the product. Also, a registrar may be provided to maintain records associating the product, the replica, and the owner. The registrar may obtain information from a merchant of the product, and transfer the information to a replica manufacturer to obtain a replica.

Many individuals and Americans in particular have a special fondness for automobiles and other vehicles. For memorial and nostalgia reasons, they often maintain a picture collection of all the vehicles they have owned. The present invention addresses this desire of individuals to memorialize purchases of manufactured products and in particular to memorialize the purchase of vehicles by providing individuals with replicas of the purchased vehicles.
Pursuant to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of providing a purchaser of a product with a replica portraying the product. The method includes the steps receiving information from which visible features of the product purchased by the purchaser may be obtained, and causing a replica which portrays the product and at least a portion of the visible features of the product to be transferred to the purchaser.
Pursuant to another embodiment, there is provided a method of providing purchasers of vehicles with replicas portraying the vehicles purchased. The method includes the step of receiving make, model, and at least one other visible feature of a vehicle purchased by a purchaser and receiving information about an owner of the vehicle purchased. Another step of the method includes generating, based upon the make of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, and the information of the owner, a certificate of ownership that links the owner with a replica portraying the make, the model, and the at least one other visible feature of the vehicle purchased by the purchaser. The method also includes the step of causing the replica and the certificate of ownership to be transferred to the owner.
Pursuant to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a registrar computing device that receives make, model, and at least one other visible feature of a vehicle purchased by a purchaser and information about an owner of the vehicle purchased. The registrar computing device also causes a certificate of ownership to be generated that links the owner with a replica portraying the make, the model, and the at least one other visible feature of the vehicle purchased by the purchaser. The registrar computing device also causes the replica and the certificate of ownership to be transferred to the owner.


A paging message transmission method and apparatus are described. The method can include sending, by an access network device, a first paging message to a terminal device on a first paging occasion, where the first paging message comprises a first identifier and a preset time point for sending a second paging message, the first identifier indicates the first paging message is a short message, and the second paging message is a message for terminal paging. The method can also include sending, by the access network device to the terminal device at the preset time point, scheduling information corresponding to the second paging message, and sending the second paging message on a time-frequency resource corresponding to the scheduling information.

In a mobile communications system, an access network sends paging messages to a terminal based on different service requirements. The paging messages sent by the access network are classified into two types. One type of paging message is a short message paging message, such as a system information update message or an earthquake and tsunami warning system (ETWS) message. A short message needs to be received by both a terminal device in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode and a terminal device in an RRC connected mode. The other type of paging message is a paging message for terminal paging. Only the terminal device in an RRC idle mode needs to receive the paging message for terminal paging, and the terminal device in an RRC connected mode does not need to receive the paging message for terminal paging.
The access network needs to periodically send a paging message. One paging cycle may include a plurality of paging occasions (PO). Each terminal device can receive the paging message on only one paging occasion in one paging cycle. The access network sends the paging message on the PO. In a fifth generation (5G) system, an access network can transmit only one type of paging message on one PO. In this case, if the access network needs to send only a short message paging message, the access network sends the short message paging message on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the PO. A terminal device blindly detects the PDCCH on the PO, to obtain the short message paging message. If the access network needs to send only a paging message for terminal paging, the access network sends, on the PDCCH on the PO, downlink control information (DCI) corresponding to the paging message for terminal paging; and sends, on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the DCI, the paging message for terminal paging. The terminal blindly detects the PDCCH on the PO. After the DCI is obtained through blind detection, if the terminal device is in an RRC idle mode, the terminal demodulates the PDSCH corresponding to the DCI, to obtain the paging message for terminal paging. In this way, the terminal device in an RRC connected mode may receive only the short message paging message. Therefore, demodulation complexity of the terminal device in an RRC connected mode is reduced.
However, if the access network needs to send both the paging message for terminal paging and the short message paging message on a PO, the access network sends one of the two paging messages on the PO and sends the other message on the PO in a subsequent paging cycle. If the paging message that is to be sent on the PO in the subsequent paging cycle is a message for terminal paging, the paging message for terminal paging may not be sent in time. Consequently, user experience is relatively poor. If the paging message that is to be sent on the PO in the subsequent paging cycle is a short message, the paging message may not be sent for a long time in case of a critical emergency, for example, a tsunami or an earthquake during which paging messages need to be frequently sent.

Paging message transmission method and apparatus


The present invention concerns a tape magazine especially for a hand-held device for analyzing a body fluid with a test tape that can be unwound from a storage unit and wound onto a waste unit where the waste unit can be driven in order to wind forward the test tape. The invention provides that a lock which keeps the test tape under tension is integrated in the tape magazine at least on the storage unit. The present invention also concerns a hand-held device with such a tape magazine. The present invention also concerns a hand-held device with a mechanical drive for the test tape and a disposable hand-held device with polymer-based electronic components.

In such tape magazines an unused section of test tape is pulled from a supply reel and guided over a receiving device where it takes up a sample of body fluid. Afterwards the section of test tape which is now used is wound onto a waste reel. A detection device which measures the sample and transfers the result of the measurement to an evaluation device is attached to the receiving unit.
Such tape magazines are preferably used in blood sugar measuring instruments for diabetics who depend on a continuous monitoring of their blood sugar values. The test tape allows a blood sugar test to be carried out inside the instrument after applying capillary blood for example from a finger pad. For this purpose a plurality of test sections or test fields are arranged consecutively on the test tape. An unused section of tape is moved into an active position by advancing the tape. Then the capillary blood is applied and analyzed. In order to simply dose very small amounts of blood and to position the test tape as exactly as possible relative to the detection device, the test tape is guided over a deflecting head inside the instrument. In this process there is a risk of erroneous measurements if the test tape slips off the deflecting head. For a successful measurement the test tape must remain at a well-defined position and rest against it evenly while maintaining a predetermined distance to the detection unit. This is necessary for at least as long as it takes to complete the measurement. Another challenge is that the test tape is very sensitive to contamination. Hence the unused area of the test tape should be spatially separated from the used area and also be screened from external influences which could impair the function of the test tape. Hence a direct drive coupling between the storage unit and the waste unit is very difficult.
Furthermore the hand-held devices of the prior art are designed for continuous use whereas the tape magazine is replaced. The hand-held devices are therefore relatively large and quite laborious to manufacture not least due to the complicated instrument technology.


Long delays in bidirectional multiplex section-switched self-healing ring transmission systems are avoided by eliminating looping of communications signals when restoring them in response to a failure in the ring and by distributing switching of paths to be protected to ring nodes other than those immediately adjacent the failure. This is realized by provisioning each node in the bidirectional multiplex section-switched ring transmission system with a map of its traffic pattern (all active tributaries) and the relative position of each ring node in the ring transmission system, and allowing the ring node, if it has communications traffic affected by the failure, to bridge and switch to and from the protection path.

In prior known bidirectional multiplex section-switched self-healing ring transmission systems, bridging and switching, in the presence of a fault, was restricted to switching ring nodes immediately adjacent to the fault. A problem with such an arrangement, in long distance networks, is that the restoration path is extremely long. The extremely long restoration path is a consequence of the fact that only the ring nodes adjacent to the fault are allowed to bridge, switch and loop the restored traffic. In certain applications, for examples, transoceanic bidirectional multiplex section-switched ring transmission systems, the length of the restoration path would be extremely long, causing long delays and degraded system performance. The extremely long length of the restoration path results from the looping which causes it to traverse the ocean three times for particular fault conditions. It is the looping aspect of the restored path that causes the system impairment. The long delays and degraded service is extremely undesirable.

Distributed switching in bidirectional multiplex section-switched ringtransmission systems


An integrity monitoring system for a first image sensor includes an electronic processor configured to receive sensor data for the provision of image data associated with an environment of the avionic sensor. The electronic processor is configured to monitor the avionic sensor for integrity. The electronic processor is configured to perform at least one of: determining a presence of an optical feature associated with optics of the first image sensor, comparing overlap information derived from the sensor data and other sensor data, comparing characteristics of a digital output stream of the sensor data to expected characteristics, or comparing a first motion derived from the image data and a second motion derived from avionic position equipment.

Embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein relate generally to the field of sensors. Embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein more specifically relate to integrity monitoring of image sensors, such as, cameras used in aviation, autonomous driving and similarly safety-critical environments.
Display systems, such as, head down displays (HDDs) and head up displays (HUDs) systems, provide information that is viewable for the operation of equipment, such as aircraft, ships, boats, naval crafts, medical equipment, robotic equipment, remote vehicles, unmanned vehicle systems ("UVS"), training simulators, entertainment systems, military equipment, land vehicles, etc. The information can include navigation parameters, guidance parameters, equipment parameters, location information, video information, target information, remote views, symbology, etc.
The display systems can be used to display images captured by sensors (e.g., one or more scenes in the environment of the aircraft). The sensors can be visible, ultra-violet, infra-red light cameras or radio-frequency systems. The integrity of the images captured by the cameras is necessary for presenting the user (e.g., pilot) accurate positioning and situational awareness information. The use of less expensive, commercial off the shelf (COTS) optical cameras can compromise overall system integrity. Assurance that image information from the sensors is correctly presented and correctly overlays corresponding symbols on the display is desirable. Similarly, when the sensed information is to be processed by automated systems, there is equally a need for assurance of accuracy and integrity to enable the automated processing system to perform safety-critical decisions.

Integrity monitoring systems and methods for image sensors


There is provided herein a system and method for automatically aligning audio and video tracks of a multimedia work, wherein in one preferred embodiment change points or “markers” are located in the accompanying audio work and then transitions are constructed around “breaks” or discontinuities in the video work to match the audio markers. This produces the impression that the audio and video tracks are in synchronization. In another preferred embodiment, video clips around the audio markers are shortened or lengthened according to predetermined rules to cause the video work to be aligned with the audio work.

In recent years the development of digital video cameras and digital photo cameras has lead to a widespread adoption of these devices by the end users. Further, because of the widespread adoption of these devices and the availability of personal computers more and more inexperienced users are seeking to create multimedia works by combining digital videos and still images with background music.
There are a large number of software products that allow a user to compose, edit, and play his or her own multimedia work. These software solutions usually offer the user a broad range of media editing options such as, for example, cutting/pasting, arranging, organizing, applying effects, etc. Typically, such programs allow a user to store an intermediate step or the completed project on computer-readable media. Obviously a properly composed and edited video or photo story can be much more entertaining and enjoyable for the viewer than the raw footage collected by the photographer, which footage may contain large sections of unusable or irrelevant material.
Generally speaking, most multimedia editing software provides the user with the ability to edit the video footage and to insert specific audio data (e.g., music or over dubbed narration) that is to be used as an accompaniment. In such a circumstance, no effort is made to coordinate the video and audio: the audio is simply inserted and played (by default) sequentially for its entire length.
Because of the unrelated nature of the audio and video tracks, somewhat disappointing results can be produced. This can be quite noticeable to the audience and, as a consequence, the user experience of watching the created composition is not the best possible one and this situation can only be somewhat disappointing for the user who created the composition.
Thus, what is needed is a method for automatically aligning video footage with subsequently added audio data so that the two are coordinated at least to the point where the audio/video combination is not noticeable by the audience. Additionally it is preferred that the alignment process features an automatic selection of specific sections of both the audio data and the video data automatically without user intervention.
Heretofore, as is well known in the media editing industry, there has been a need for an invention to address and solve the above-described problems. Accordingly it should now be recognized, as was recognized by the present inventors, that there exists, and has existed for some time, a very real need for a system and method that would address and solve the above-described problems.
Before proceeding to a description of the present invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or preferred embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of this invention within the ambit of the appended claims.

System and method of automatically aligning video scenes with an audio track


A method of operating a user device includes: detecting whether the user device is located within a restricted zone by a monitoring entity of the user device; and limiting access to the user device by the monitoring entity in response to detecting the user device as being outside the restricted zone.

Personal devices are essential for many individuals and enterprise employees to carry and process data due to their convenience and desirable performance. As the personal devices are provided to promote working efficiency and user experience, the issue of data protection has become an important issue. Many measures for ensuring authorized data access of personal devices have been proposed, but such measures have been deemed unsuitable due to cost or difficulty of use. For many users, the security measures may pose obstacles to normal use of the personal devices. As a result, personal users or enterprises may bypass the security measures in their personal devices due to inconvenience, or experience frequent downtime of their personal devices after incurring high installation costs related to the security measures. Therefore, an improved and efficient data protection system is needed.

System and device for data protection and method thereof

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.


A method comprising storing a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries associated with a portion of a range of input values, each entry of the plurality of entries comprising a set of coefficients defining a power series approximation; selecting first entry of the plurality of entries based on a determination that a floating point input value is within a portion of the range of input values that is associated with the first entry; and calculating an output value by evaluating the power series approximation defined by the set of coefficients of the first entry at the floating point input value.

A processor may perform a unary function that takes one argument as an input and generates an output. Examples of unary functions include transcendental functions (e.g., tanh, log 2, exp 2, sigmoid), irrational functions (e.g., sqrt, 1/sqrt), and common rational functions useful for machine learning and neural networks (e.g., 1/x). Some unary functions of an input value (x) are not easily performed using basic mathematic operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

System to perform unary functions using range-specific coefficient sets


Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for dynamic processing of temporal upstream data and downstream data in communication networks. The invention is configured for dynamic processing and cascading of instance data and configuration files from edge node devices of a distributed network for reduction of latency in data transmissions. The invention involves constructing a first device cluster comprising one or more first cluster edge computing nodes of a plurality of edge computing nodes. In response to receiving a first downstream request for determining a current modification to the first source instance data, embodiments of the invention involves extracting at least one cluster configuration file associated with the at least one cluster edge computing node associated with first edge computing node, and processing the first technology application therewith.

Processing of electronic data files typically involves multiple processing stages. Systems for high volume data processing require multiple edge nodes and applications across various platforms running in order to implement the processing stages of electronic data. Moreover, processing of applications at downstream systems requires source data from upstream systems. However, downstream systems typically need to wait for upstream systems to provide the details on current source data and current changes to the data, e.g., through some mapping documents and/or the like. Due to inherent delays in data transmissions and utilizations of prior source data that is not current and incompatible with the application in real time, downstream systems may have undesirable failed processes and delayed processing. Moreover, conventional systems are not capable of dynamic data processing based on dynamic features like network and CPU utilization while identifying the real time object changes, file changes and reports mechanism on various source systems for cascading the changes to downstream systems. Therefore, a need exists for novel network architectures that provide dynamic processing of temporal upstream data and downstream data in communication networks.

Electronic system for dynamic processing of temporal upstream data and downstream data in communication networks


A method is provided for fabricating a microelectronic device and a resistor on a substrate. The method can include forming device regions in a monocrystalline semiconductor region of a substrate, in which the device regions have edges defined according to a first semiconductor feature overlying a major surface of the semiconductor region. A dielectric region is formed having a planarized surface overlying the semiconductor region and overlying a second semiconductor feature disposed above a surface of an isolation region in the substrate. The surface of the isolation region can be disposed below the major surface. The method can further include removing at least a portion of the first semiconductor feature exposed at the planarized surface of the dielectric region to form an opening and forming a gate at least partially within the opening. Thereafter, further processing can include forming electrically conductive contacts extending through apertures in the dielectric region to the second semiconductor feature and the device regions, respectively. The step of forming electrically conductive contacts may include forming silicide regions contacting portions of the second semiconductor feature and the device regions, respectively. In such way, the method can define a resistor having a current path through the second semiconductor feature, and a microelectronic device including the gate and the device regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the present application relates to microelectronic devices and their manufacture, and more specifically to a method of fabricating a resistor and a microelectronic device on a semiconductor substrate, such as a resistor of polycrystalline semiconductor material and a field effect transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic elements, e.g., semiconductor chips, typically include a large number of active semiconductor devices formed in one or more monocrystalline semiconductor regions of a substrate. The active semiconductor devices are interconnected via vias and metal wiring patterns disposed at one or more levels of a chip above the monocrystalline semiconductor regions.
Resistive elements are required to perform some functions of a microelectronic element. Such resistive elements can be implemented by on-chip semiconductor resistors. Sometimes, resistive elements can be implemented by transistors having terminals connected to one another to provide a predetermined resistance. However, for particular purposes it may be desirable to implement on-chip resistors as passive semiconductor regions having electrically conductive contacts thereto. It would be desirable to provide an improved method of fabricating such passive on-chip resistors and active semiconductor devices on a substrate.

Poly resistor and metal gate fabrication and structure

International Business Machines Corporation


A digital audio encoding method using an advanced psychoacoustic model is provided. The audio encoding method including determining the type of a window according to the characteristic of an input audio signal; generating a complex modified discrete cosine transform (CMDCT) spectrum from the input audio signal according to the determined window type; generating a fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum from the input audio signal, by using the determined window type; and performing a psychoacoustic model analysis by using the generated CMDCT spectrum and FFT spectrum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encoding method and apparatus for encoding digital audio data, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus in which an advanced psychoacoustic model is used so that the amount of computation and complexity needed in the encoding method and apparatus is reduced without degradation of sound quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
A moving picture experts group (MPEG) audio encoder allows a listener not to perceive quantization noise generated when data is encoded. At the same time, the MPEG audio encoder achieves a high compression rate. An MPEG-1 audio encoder standardized by the MPEG encodes an audio signal at a bit rate of 32 kbps˜448 kbps. The MPEG-1 audio standard has 3 different algorithms for encoding data.
The MPEG-1 encoder has 3 modes, including layer 1, layer 2, and layer 3. Layer 1 implements a basic algorithm, while layers 2 and 3 are enhanced modes. The layers at higher levels achieve a higher compression rate, but on the other hand, the size of the hardware becomes larger.
The MPEG audio encoder uses a psychoacoustic model which closely mirrors a characteristic of human hearing, in order to reduce perceptual redundancy of a signal of an audio encoder. The MPEG1 and MPEG2, standardized by the MPEG, employ a perceptual coding method using a psychoacoustic model which reflects the characteristic of human perception and removes perceptual redundancy such that a good sound quality can be maintained after decoding data.
The perceptual coding method, by which a human psychoacoustic model is analyzed and applied, uses a threshold in a quiet and a masking effect. The masking effect is a phenomenon in which a small sound less than a predetermined threshold is masked by a big sound, and this masking between signals existing in an identical time interval is also referred to as frequency masking. At this time, depending on the frequency band, the threshold of the masked sound varies.
By using the psychoacoustic model, a maximum noise model that is inaudible in each subband of a filter band can be determined. With this noise level in each subband, that is, with the masking threshold, a signal to mask ratio (SMR) value of each subband can be obtained.
The coding method using the psychoacoustic model is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,041, "System and method of encoding and decoding a layered bitstream by re-applying psychoacoustic analysis in the decoder" assigned to Motorola, Inc.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an ordinary MPEG audio encoding apparatus. Here, among the MPEG audio encoders, the MPEG-1 layer 3 audio encoder, that is, the MP3 audio encoder, will now be explained as an example.
The MP3 encoder comprises a filter bank 110, a modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) unit 120, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) unit 130, a psychoacoustic model unit 140, a quantization and Huffman encoding unit 150, and a bitstream formatting unit 160.
The filter bank 110 divides an input time domain audio signal into 32 frequency domain subbands in order to remove statistical redundancy of the audio signal.
By using window switching information input from the psychoacoustic model unit 140, the MDCT unit 120 divides the subbands, which are divided in the filter bank 110, into finer frequency bands in order to increase frequency resolution. For example, if the window switching information, which is input from the psychoacoustic model unit 140, indicates a long window, the 32 subbands are divided into finer frequency bands by using 36 point MDCT, and if the window switching information indicates short window, the 32 subbands are divided into finer frequency bands by using 12 point MDCT.
The FFT unit 130 converts the input audio signal into a frequency domain spectrum and outputs the spectrum to the psychoacoustic model unit 140.
In order to remove perceptual redundancy according to the characteristic of human hearing, the psychoacoustic model unit 140 uses the frequency spectrum output from the FFT unit 130 and determines a masking threshold that is a noise level inaudible in each subband, that is, an SMR. The SMR value determined in the psychoacoustic model unit 140 is input to the quantization and Huffman encoding unit 150.
In addition, the psychoacoustic model unit 140 calculates a perceptual energy level to determine whether or not to perform window switching, and outputs window switching information to the MDCT unit 120.
In order to process the frequency domain data which is input from the MDCT unit 120 after the MDCT is performed, the quantization and Huffman encoding unit 150 performs bit allocation to remove perceptual redundancy and quantization to encode the audio data, based on the SMR value input from the psychoacoustic model unit 140.
The bit stream formatting unit 160 formats the encoded audio signal, which is input from the quantization and Huffman encoding unit 150, into bit streams specified by the MPEG and outputs the bit streams.
As described above, the prior art psychoacoustic model shown in FIG. 1 uses the FFT spectrum obtained from the input audio signal in order to calculate the masking threshold. However, the filter bank causes aliasing and values obtained from components in which aliasing has occurred are used in the quantization step. In the psychoacoustic model, if an SMR is obtained based on the FFT spectrum and the SMR is used in the quantization step, an optimal result cannot be obtained.

Method for encoding digital audio using advanced psychoacoustic model and apparatus thereof


An electrical impedance tomography device (1) includes an electrode array, including a plurality of electrodes (33) arranged spaced apart from one another, a signal feed unit (51) and a signal acquisition unit (50). A calculation and control unit (70) is configured to determine a current elliptical circumferential shape (20′) of the electrode array on a thorax (34) of a human being and to provide a control signal (79), which indicates the elliptical circumferential shape (20) of the electrode array. The calculation and control unit (70) may be configured as a central unit or an array of distributed units (cloud computing) in order to determine and to provide the current elliptical circumferential shape (20′).

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) devices are known from the state of the art. These devices are configured and intended to generate signals obtained by electrical impedance measurements and data and data streams obtained therefrom, an image, a plurality of images or a continuous series of images. These images or series of images show differences in the conductivity of various body tissues, bones, skin, body fluids and organs, especially of the lung, which are useful for observation of the patient situation.
Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,886 describes an electrical impedance tomograph comprising an array of a plurality of electrodes, current feed to at least two electrodes, signal acquisition at the other electrodes and a method with an algorithm for image reconstruction to determine the distribution of conductivities of a body, such as bones, skin and blood vessels in a basic configuration comprising components for signal acquisition (electrodes), signal processing (amplifier, A/D converter), current feed (generator, voltage-current converter, current limitation) and control components.
It is stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,251 that it is known to provide a set of electrodes, which are arranged at a defined distance from one another, for example, around the thorax of a patient in electrical contact with the skin, in the clinical application of EIT. Electrodes arranged adjacent to one another, each alternating between different electrodes or all of the possible pairs of electrodes, are applied for an electrical current or voltage input signal. While the input signal is applied to one of the pair of electrodes arranged adjacent to one another, the currents or voltages between each pair of remaining electrodes adjacent to one another are measured, and the measured data are processed in a known manner in order to obtain a visualization of the distribution of the specific electrical resistance over a cross section of the patient, around whom the ring of electrodes is arranged, and to display same on a display screen.
Unlike other imaging radiological methods (X-ray machines, radiological computer tomographs), electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has the advantage that radiation exposure, which is disadvantageous for the patient, does not occur. Unlike sonographic methods, a continuous acquisition of images over a representative cross section of the entire thorax and the lungs of the patient by means of the electrode belt can be carried out using EIT. In addition, the need to use a contact gel, which has to be applied before each examination, is omitted. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) thus offers the advantage of making a continuous monitoring of the lungs possible in order to observe and to document a course of therapy of a mechanically ventilated or spontaneously breathing patient.
As is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,251, an impedance measurement is carried out using an EIT device on the thorax by means of an electrode array around the thorax of a patient, and an image of the lungs of the patient is generated from the impedances by means of a conversion to the geometry of the thorax.
With a total number of, for example, 16 electrodes arranged around the thorax of a patient, an EIT device can generate a 32×32-pixel image of the lungs in a circulation of current feeds to each of two electrodes and a pickup of voltage-measured values (EIT measured signals) at the remaining electrodes. In this connection, at the 16 electrodes, a number of 208 impedance measured values is acquired at the electrodes. A quantity of 1,024 pixels is then obtained from these 208 impedance measured values using the EIT image reconstruction.
The electrodes are arranged in a horizontal array around the thorax of a living being and comprising an area of the lungs of the living being for carrying out the electrical impedance tomography (EIT). This results in a position in the plane of the electrode array, which can be designated as a thoracic-axial position of the electrode array on the circumference of the transverse plane of the body.
When an electrode belt is used as an electrode array, in or at which the electrodes are arranged and held at fixed positions with defined distance to one another, the chances of deviations in the vertical position between adjacent electrodes to one another on the thorax are comparatively small. Thus, a vertical shift during the image reconstruction, in which a horizontal tomogram through the thorax is determined as a so-called dorsal view, plays a comparatively minor role in the positioning of the electrode belt on the thorax. The horizontal tomogram is in this case imaged inclined only by a few degrees. In addition, electrical fields are obtained not only in the section plane itself, but also in areas above and below of approx. 5 cm to 10 cm of the section plane each, which are then also incorporated into the impedance measurements in any case, during the electrical feed to the electrodes. As a consequence, the only slightly possible inclination of the electrode belt in the tidal image is virtually imperceptible as an effect. Moreover, a comparatively reproducible and representative horizontal position of the electrode belt during application can be achieved due to an orientation at the costal arches, so that possible errors in the horizontal attachment of the electrode belt to the thorax occur rather rarely.
By contrast, the horizontal position of the electrodes is important because the physiologically expected, almost elliptical geometry of the thorax, which deviates from the ideally round, circular or cylindrical shape, is important for the generation of the dorsal view because information is necessary for an incorporation of the elliptical shape into the image reconstruction on which electrode is arranged on the thorax and in which position, i.e., front (sternum), lateral (costal arches) or rear (spine). Various types of living beings, in whom it is common for gas exchange to occur in them by means of lung breathing, have each circumferential shapes, which are typical in themselves, in the body structure surrounding the lungs (muscles, skeleton, organs, body tissues, skin). A deviation of the shape of the thorax from an ideal circular shape is, for example, given in human beings, in principle, to the effect that the typical circumferential shape is, as a rule, a rather elliptical than circular shape. In other living beings, such as horses, dogs, pigs, rodents or birds, other typical shapes of the circumferential shapes result depending on the species of animal. In this respect, an idea of the present invention, of using the electrical impedance tomography device to provide a determination of a circumferential shape of an electrode array positioned on the body and associated with the electrical impedance tomography device, can be extrapolated not only to the application of electrical impedance tomography in human beings, but also to a broad biodiversity of the animal kingdom. In human beings, especially the area of the electrode plane being used during the electrical impedance tomography (EIT), i.e., the plane in the horizontal section through the thorax, approximately in the area of the third, fourth, fifth costal arch, as well as of the fifth, sixth, seventh thoracic vertebra, has an elliptical circumferential shape (ellipsoid) in the area of the upper part of the body and of the thorax. In addition to the geometric shape with an anatomically predefined elliptical configuration area, there are additional characteristic features, which have an effect on the impedance, impedance differences and impedance distribution measured by means of EIT and have an effect during the image reconstruction on the visualization of the ventilation of the lungs in a transverse view, or are taken into consideration in the mathematically-algorithmically applied manner of the image reconstruction, just as the elliptical circumferential shape. Thus, in addition to the lung, with areas supplied with blood in the rhythm of the heartbeat and ventilated in the rhythm of the breathing cycle, the heart, with areas supplied with blood essentially in the rhythm of the heartbeat, but quasi permanently in a similar manner, elements of the skeleton, the sternum in the front-side area of the upper part of the body and the spine in the rear-side area, the impedances of which are both unaffected by blood supply and breathing cycle, are, in addition, arranged in this electrode plane. Both the sternum and especially the spine have instead an impedance that deviates from these areas and other areas (heart, skin lungs, tissue) in the electrode plane and is essentially constant.
An ellipse can be described as a closed oval shape, as a deviation from a circular shape, and as a dimensionless number by means of so-called eccentricity.
In this case, eccentricity describes the relationship of the two half-axes, which are at right angles to one another. Both half-axes are of identical length in case of a circle, and an ellipse is defined by a shorter half-axis and a longer half-axis, compared to the shorter half-axis, of different lengths. Due to the elliptical shape and depending on the eccentricity thereof, different distances arise between the feeding electrodes and the measuring electrodes located opposite them depending on whether the feed takes place on the front-side area with measurement on the rear-side area, or the feed takes place on the rear-side area with measurement on the front-side area along the frontal plane of the human body, or whether the feed takes place on the left side of the body with measurement on the right side of the body, or the feed takes place on the right side of the body with measurement on the left side of the body along the transverse axis of the human body. The two feed/measurement constellations located opposite one another on the left/right side of the body represent feeds/measurements on the longer half-axis in the elliptical circumferential shape of the human body and the two feed/measurement constellations located opposite one another on the front side of the body/on the rear side of the body represent feeds/measurements on the shorter half-axis in the elliptical circumferential shape of the human body.
The circumferential shape of the thorax at the location of the attachment of the electrodes is found directly in the circumferential shape of the electrode array positioned on the thorax and holding the electrodes again, since the electrode array is typically configured as a largely flexible and movable, and usually elastic electrode belt, so that the electrode array follows the circumferential shape at the location of the positioning. Deviation of the circumferential shape of the thorax or of the electrode array from a typical or average elliptical shape has an effect on the use of electrical impedance tomography (EIT), since the circumferential shape with the average elliptical shape is incorporated into the reconstruction algorithm for image reconstruction by means of the reconstruction algorithm. This means that the average elliptical circumferential shape of the thorax, which arises due to the different lengths of the two half-axes and, as was explained above, which can be defined by means of eccentricity as a predefined variable, is included in the reconstruction algorithm. In the real application, i.e., the attachment of the electrode array around the thorax, more or fewer deviations of the real circumferential shape from the average elliptical circumferential shape of the horizontal plane of the electrode array as well as above and below the electrode array on the respective patient occur depending on the respective patient. These deviations from the average elliptical circumferential shape in, as well as above and below the electrode array have an effect on the result of the image reconstruction, since the reconstruction algorithm determines and provides a pictorial visualization of the ventilation of the lung areas in a dorsal view of the thorax, in which deviations, for example, are present in the form of the surface visualization of the lungs and thorax, without an adaptation of the reconstruction algorithm to the deviations of the real circumferential shape from the average elliptical circumferential shape. A possibility of taking into account deviations from the average elliptical circumferential shape in the electrode plane may take place, for example, by the real lengths of the two half-axes of the ellipse and of the circumference of the thorax of the patient in the electrode plane being measured by the clinical staff and being made available to the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) device by means of a manual input. A real elliptical circumferential shape can then be determined in the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) device, which then makes it possible to adapt the reconstruction algorithm for determination of a pictorial visualization of the ventilation of lung areas, which has been corrected by the circumferential shape or by the deviation of the circumferential shape compared to the average elliptical circumferential shape. For application in routine clinical practice, both individual measurements of the thorax and the resulting manual inputs at the device with expenditure of time and with possibilities for errors (erroneous measurements, input errors) are linked to the clinical staff; both are disadvantageous and adverse in the daily routine clinical practice.
An electrical impedance tomography system is shown in WO 2015/048917 A1. The EIT system is suitable for acquiring electrical properties of a lung of a patient as impedances. For this, the impedance values and impedance changes of the lung are acquired by means of feeding voltage or current between two or more electrodes and a signal acquisition at an electrode array and then further processed by means of data processing. The data processing comprises a reconstruction algorithm with a data processor in order to determine and to reconstruct the electrical properties from the impedances. In case of the reconstruction of the electrical properties from the acquired measured data, an anatomical model is adapted from a plurality of anatomical models on the basis of the biometric data of the patient selected and the reconstruction of the EIT image data on the basis of the anatomical model and of the biometric data. This adaptation requires that biometric data be inputted into the system by the user. In this connection, age, gender, height as well as a circumference of the thorax of the patient are to be inputted under biometric data. This means that boundary conditions are to be inputted by the user before the beginning of the measurement with the electrical impedance tomography system in order to be able to select and apply a suitable reconstruction model, which is based on a selected anatomical model.
For the operation of electrical impedance tomography systems, it is not really advantageous in many application situations to have to measure or acquire and input a plurality of patient data before the beginning of the application. In particular, the need for data that refer to the properties of the body such as circumference of the thorax, height and weight assumes that the anatomical models stored in the device can also be used for a plurality of patients.

Device and method for determining a circumferential shape of an electrode array for electrical impedance tomography


Provided is a wiring board wherein a circuit is not short-circuited when a IC chip is mounted on the wiring board. A wiring board (2) is provided with a substrate (4); wiring layers (5-8), which are formed on a surface of the substrate (4) and have prescribed wiring patterns; connecting terminals (9-12), which are formed on a part of the wiring layers (5-8) and electrically connected with bumps (18-21) of an integrated circuit chip (IC chip) (3); a mounting region (14), which is arranged on the surface of the substrate (4) and has the integrated circuit chip (3) mounted therein; and an insulating layer (13), which is formed on the surface of the substrate (4) so as to surround the circumference of the mounting region (14) for protecting wiring layers (5-8). A part of the insulating layer (3) is arranged inside the mounting region (14), and the thickness of the insulating layer (13) is more than that of the bumps (18-21) of the integrated circuit chip (3).

In recent years, along with size and thickness reductions of an electronic device, thickness reduction of a wiring board mounted in an electronic device is required. There is a flexible printed wiring board as an example of such a wiring board. Because a flexible printed wiring board has flexibility, it is possible to considerably deform the flexible printed wiring board; and even in a case where a space in an electronic device becomes small because of size and thickness reductions of the electronic device, it becomes possible to mount components in the small space.
A semiconductor device including a wiring board which is the above conventional example is shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a top view showing the semiconductor device as the conventional example. With reference to FIG. 7, in the semiconductor device 100 as the conventional example, an integrated circuit chip 102 (hereinafter, described as an IC chip), and discrete components 103a-103i such as a capacitor, a transistor, a diode and the like are mounted on a wiring board 101.
Here, FIG. 8 shows an enlarged top view of a portion where the IC chip is placed in the semiconductor device as the conventional example. Besides, FIG. 9 shows a sectional view along a G-H line in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the wiring board 101 includes a substrate 111. On the substrate 111, wiring layers 105-108 that have predetermined wiring patterns are formed. The wiring layers 105-108 are extended inside a mount region where the IC chip 102 is mounted; and a solder resist 109 that protects the wiring layers 105-108 is formed around the mount region. Because of this, part of the wiring layers 105-108 are in a state to be exposed in the mount region where the IC chip 102 is mounted. Besides, on the substrate 111, the IC chip 102 is so placed as to cover the exposed part of the wiring layers 105-108. And, a bump electrode 110 (see FIG. 9) disposed on a lower surface of the IC chip 102 is joined to the wiring layers 105-108, so that the wiring board 101 and the IC chip 102 are electrically connected to each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the wiring layers 105a and 107a come into contact with the bump electrodes 110a and 110b, respectively, so that the wiring board 101 and the IC chip 102 are electrically connected to each other.    Patent document 1: JP-A-2004-193277

Wiring board and semiconductor device using the wiring board


Polyethylene formulations and articles produced therefrom, comprise a multimodal high density polyethylene (HDPE) composition, and 0.1 ppm to 300 ppm of a nucleating agent, wherein the multimodal HDPE composition comprises a density of 0.940 g/cm3 to 0.970 g/cm3 when measured according to ASTM D792, and a melt index (I2) of 0.1 g/10 min. to 10.0 g/10 min. when measured according to ASTM D1238 at 190° C. and a 2.16 kg load, and wherein the multimodal HDPE composition comprises an infrared cumulative detector fraction (CDFIR) of greater than 0.27 and an infrared cumulative detector fraction to light scattering cumulative detector fraction ratio (CDFIR/CDFLS) from 0.7 to 2.0.

In manufacturing molded articles, such as plastic closure devices and plastic containers, the environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) of a molded article is very important to prevent an uncontrolled release of the container materials. It is also important that the molded article possess adequate stiffness, demonstrated by tensile modulus, to prevent deformation when stacked during transportation and storage. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is known to be used in manufacturing these molded articles to achieve sufficient article stiffness. However, while the use of HDPE favorably increases the article stiffness, the use of a higher density resin unfavorably decreases the ESCR. Furthermore, while it is desirable to reduce the weight of the manufactured molded articles to decrease costs in shipping and storage, decreasing the weight of molded articles decreases the barrier performance of the container materials.
To combat these deficiencies, nucleating agents can be used. Nucleating agents are often employed in polypropylene-based compositions; however, due to the fast crystallization rate, typically nucleating agents are not as effective when used with HDPE. The addition of excessive amounts of nucleating agents to HDPE may cause a lower shrinkage and thus result in larger dimensions of molded articles.
Accordingly, ongoing needs may exist for HDPE formulations to be used in manufacturing molded articles that exhibit sufficient stiffness, proper shrinkage, an improved ESCR and improved barrier properties while reducing the weight of the article.

Polyethylene formulations with improved barrier and environmental stress crack resistance


A device for occluding a cervix has an elongated conduit sized and shaped to extend from a proximal end outside the vagina to a distal end near the cervix. A loop sized to fit around an exocervix is provided at the distal end. The loop is sufficiently flexible to be tightened and loosened around the exocervix. The device has a rod inside the conduit. The rod has a distal end and a proximal end, and the loop is joined to the distal end of the rod. Moving the rod longitudinally relative to the conduit tightens or loosens the loop.

During certain gynecological procedures, the uterine cavity might need to be distended, such as by injecting a gas or a liquid into the uterus. These procedures include hysteroscopic procedures and saline infusion sonography such as the diagnosis and treatment of uterine conditions including, but not limited to, endometrial polyps, abnormal uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, uterine malformations, sterilization, and infertility work-up. During such distention, if the cervix is not occluded or some other action is not taken, the gas or liquid could escape through the cervix and allow the uterus to contract back to its normal size.
Currently, during procedures where the cervix must be occluded, practitioners can use tenaculums or similar devices to occlude the cervix. However, tenaculums grip and pierce the tissue of the cervix, and this can cause pain and discomfort to the patient.