A network resource allocating method for a residential gateway includes the following steps. A first downlink bandwidth is allocated to a residential gateway for process of a first service. A second downlink bandwidth is allocated to the residential gateway for process of a second service. A processing priority of the first service is higher than a processing priority of the second service. A first downlink rate of the residential gateway is detected when the residential gateway processes the first service. A second downlink rate of the residential gateway is detected when the residential gateway processes the second service. A bandwidth usage state of the residential gateway is determined according to the first and the second downlink rates. The second downlink bandwidth of the residential gateway is adjusted according to the bandwidth usage state such that the quality of service (QoS) of the first service or the second service is enhanced.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to a network resource allocating method and a computer program product thereof, and more particularly to a network resource allocating method for a residential gateway, and a computer program product thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The guarantee of the quality of service (QoS) is very important to a network with the limited capacity. In practice, there are two methods of realizing QoS guarantee. The first method is to provide a lot of network resources, and to adopt rich and safe additional devices to meet the requirement of expected high data flow. The second method is to require users to reserve the bandwidth, and the bandwidth reservation is accepted under the precondition of reliable services. However, no matter which method is adopted, a high costs is to be considered, and the condition that the peak data flow exceeds what is expected cannot be handled. Furthermore, it is also very time-consuming to deploy additional network resources.
The QoS may also be regarded as a control mechanism, which provides correspondingly different priorities for different users or different services, or guarantees the service performance to reach a predetermined level according to different requirements of the application program. Typically, the implementation of the QoS depends on the apparatuses of the customer premise equipment and the central office. In other words, when the network resource competition, such as the bandwidth bottleneck, occurs, the customer premise equipment and the central office need to cooperate with each other to complete the bidirectional QoS.
In addition, as to QoS of the downlink network resource, its bottleneck usually relies on the central office, such as a telecom operator. Therefore, the QoS is usually implemented on the apparatus of the central office. For example, different services may be classified into different priority levels. Then, a predetermined bandwidth is reserved for the high priority service. However, if the reserved bandwidth is too high, the problem of bandwidth wastage occurs when the high priority service is not used. Furthermore, if the reserved bandwidth is too low, the QoS of the high priority service cannot be guaranteed.
The above-mentioned method of realizing QoS is substantially based on fixed QoS rules, and cannot respond to usage states of various services. Furthermore, the typical customer premise equipment lacks the authority to directly control the apparatus of the central office to make corresponding modification. So, the QoS implemented on the apparatus of the central office encounters the inconvenient usage problem in practice.

Network resource allocating method and computer program product thereof


The disclosure includes a system and method for reconfiguring a second vehicle based on one or more preferences of a user without the user directly providing an input to the second vehicle to reconfigure the second vehicle. The method may include wirelessly receiving user profile data at a second vehicle. The user profile data may indicate one or more preference of the user. The method may also include updating one or more settings of the second vehicle based on the user profile data so that the second vehicle is reconfigured based on the one or more preferences of the user.

The specification relates to providing vehicle service and user profile synchronization. For example, the specification relates to providing user profile synchronization among two or more vehicles.
User needs with regard to their vehicle may change over time. For example, a user may generally need a vehicle that seats four people. However, if the user has a number of friends visiting them, the user may need a vehicle that seats more than four people.

Vehicle service and user profile synchronization


An apparatus is described that receives a brake control signal from the brake controller of a tow vehicle, and displays characteristics of that brake control signal including commanded brake force. The apparatus includes a data processor, brake simulation circuitry, brake integration circuitry, and display circuitry. The brake simulation circuitry sequentially applies several parallel resistors to the brake control signal in response to commands received from the data processor. These parallel resistors cause the load current on the brake controller to ramp up, mimicking the electrical signature of electric trailer brakes. At the same time, the brake integration circuitry integrates the brake control signal. Lastly, the display circuitry displays an indication of a value of the integrated brake control signal.

Many newer vehicles that are likely to be used to tow trailers (i.e., tow vehicles) come with integrated brake controllers designed to control the electric brakes on a trailer. Typically, the electric brake signal emanating from these integrated brake controllers is not a DC voltage, but is instead a train of pulses with widths that change with the amount of brake force desired. Stated another way, brake signaling is via pulse-width modulation (PWM). An advantage of PWM is that the electronic brake controller circuitry is simplified and inherently more reliable.
As brake controllers have become more sophisticated, they have added load monitoring circuits to identify a properly connected trailer. Newer brake controllers are not only looking for a load but also the "signature" of a trailer's electric brakes.
Electric trailer brakes use an electromagnet to supply the braking energy to the trailer. Electrically, these brake magnets have the same electrical signature as a typical inductor. When a DC voltage is placed across an inductor, the current rises from zero amps to its final value over a period of time. Most of the newer electric brake controllers are looking for this rising current function as an indication that the electric brakes are properly connected and functioning. The controllers periodically send a short power pulse to the brakes looking for the brake magnet signature. If the signature is lost, the tow vehicle will warn the operator that the trailer braking is either compromised or non-existent. In some cases, the brake controller will stop functioning all together.
Both the pulsed brake signal and the load detection circuitry in modern brake controllers make these devices more effective at accomplishing their tasks, but at the same time, more difficult for a technician to test for proper operation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A segmented chromatic phase plate includes at least three stacks. The three stacks are arranged around and stacked along a main axis, and have same overall heights. Each stack includes at least two plane-parallel optical flats of different materials. The materials and the thicknesses of the optical flats are selected such that optical path lengths of light of a first wavelength passing through the different stacks along the main axis differ by integer multiples of the first wavelength, whereas optical path lengths of light of a second wavelength differ by integer multiples plus defined fractions of the second wavelength. The materials of the at least two optical flats have different refractive indices for both the first and second wavelengths; and derivatives of the differences between the optical path lengths with respect to wavelength are zero at at least one of the first and second wavelengths.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,390,928 B2 discloses a phase plate consisting of a pair of glass types which are selected such that, at a particular thickness for each glass in the pair, the phase difference in propagation of light through one glass of the pair is exactly one half wavelength relative to the other glass of the pair, for at least three different wavelengths. Where one glass of the pair is called A and has a thickness TA and the other class is B and has a thickness TB, eight squares of glass are made, two squares "A" of glass A of thickness TA, two squares "A*" of glass A of thickness TA/2, two squares "B" of glass b of thickness TB and two squares "B*" of glass B of thickness TB/2. Then the four sandwiches of the squares are arranged in a 2×2 quadrant square with a sandwich of glass A and A* in the upper left hand quadrant, of glass B and B* in the upper right hand quadrant, of glass B and A* in the lower right hand quadrant and of glass A and B* in the lower left hand quadrant. A light beam passing through this array, when focused to a focus point, will have a zero intensity central point at the focus point for each of the three wavelengths for which the half wavelength difference is exact and close to zero intensity for the intermediate wavelengths. This known phase plate is not configured to let a beam of light of another wavelength pass through unaffected such that, when focused to a focus point, it has a local intensity maximum at the focus point. Further, the sandwiches of this known phase plate are of different thicknesses.
International patent application publication WO 2011/086519 A1 discloses a phase modifying member inserted in a common optical path of both an excitation and a depletion beam of an STED fluorescence light microscope. The phase modifying member leaves the wavefronts of the excitation beam unchanged but changes the wavefronts of the stimulation or depletion beam so as to create an undepleted region of interest when focusing the depletion beam to a focus point. The phase modifying member has a surface with a plurality of regions of different heights along the common optical path. The heights are selected such that they change the phase of the excitation beam in modulus of 2 times π, whereas the phase modifying member modifies the phase of the depletion beam such that the modified phase as a function of the azimuthal angle around the common optical phase is approximately equal to the azimuthal angle. The phase modifying member has to be manufactured at a very high precision with regard to its regions of different heights to modify the phase of the depletion beam and to leave the wavefronts of the excitation beams substantially unchanged. Further, the optical element is only operating for two different wavelengths of the excitation beam on the one hand and the depletion beam on the other hand for which the phase modifying member is designed.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,755,116 B2 discloses a wavelength sensitive phase filter consisting of two pairs of optical wedges. The two pairs are arranged on opposite sides of a main axis; and the optical wedges are made of two different materials. The outer surfaces of the pairs of optical wedges are plane-parallel. For one light component of a first wavelength, there is a refractive index difference Δn between the materials of the wedges. As a result, two parallel linear phase ramps with gradients in opposite senses are applied to the wavefronts of the one light component, as it passes through the phase filter. In contrast, the refractive indices of the materials of the wedges are identical for another light components of a second wavelength. As a result, the wavefronts of the other light component are not affected as they pass through the phase filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,755,116 B2 further discloses a modification of the above phase filter which is based on three different materials. Optical wedges of these three different materials are arranged with two different wedge angles, one angle between the first and second and a different angle between the second and third material. The second material junction, and possibly even more materials with further wedge angles, make(s) it possible to configure the profile of the overall dispersion curve in order to produce local plateaus in the dispersion curve over which the phase shift, normalized with respect to the wavelength, of the one light component does not change with the wavelength. In addition, three or more materials can be used to ensure that the wavefront of the other light component remains constant as it passes through the phase filter, if this is not possible using only two materials.
With regard to the phase filter with two pairs of optical wedges of two materials, U.S. Pat. No. 8,755,116 B2 incorporates a further document by reference: D. Wildanger et al., "A STED Microscope Aligned by Design", Opt. Exp. 17 (18), 16100-16110 (2009). This document states that an optimal phase filter for focal plane resolution enhancement in STED fluorescence light microscopy is a vortex which produces a linear increase in phase from 0 to 2π with increasing azimuthal angle about the beam axis of the STED light beam. Upon focusing, a circularly polarized STED light beam prepared in this way destructively interferes in the focal center and generates a zero-intensity minimum which is surrounded by a torus of high intensity. Besides optical wedges in a side by side arrangement producing two anti-parallel phase gradients, such a vortex phase filter may also be approximated by optical flats of constant phase. A phase filter consisting of six optical flats arranged around the beam axis already approximates the vortex well. For only modifying the wavefronts of the STED light beam but not affecting the wavefronts of an excitation light beam passing through the same phase filter, each of the six optical flats is made of two optical flats of materials whose refractive indices are equal at the excitation wavelength but notably differ at the STED wavelength. Particularly, the two materials are selected such that their refractive index difference is more than 5×10−4 or about 10−3 at the STED wavelength. With equal thicknesses of all pairs of optical flats stacked along the beam axis, the phase shifts induced at the excitation wavelength are the same for all pairs such that the wavefronts of the excitation light beam are not deformed. The phase shift induced at the STED wavelength is a function of the diffractive index difference between the two optical flats of each pair at the STED wavelength and of the thicknesses of the two optical flats in each pair.
US patent application publication US 2011/0310475 A1 discloses a microscope forming a beam spot in a desired shape in a focal plane. The microscope comprises a modulation optical element having a plurality of regions for spatial modulation of illumination light, and an adjustment element for adjusting an optical property of the illumination light modulated by the modulation optical element. The optical element may be a phase plate having a plurality of regions of different phase shifts for erasing light such that the erasing light once focused comprises a zero point in the focus. In the different regions, the phase plate of the known microscope is coated with an optical film being an optical multilayer. Different spatial arrangements of these regions and different relative phase shifts are disclosed to achieve the desired result of the zero point in the focus.
European patent application publication EP 1 622 137 A1 discloses an optical diffraction element to be disposed in an optical path through which a plurality of light beams of different wavelength travel. The optical diffraction element has a periodic structure which, when a first light beam having a first wavelength is in a linearly polarized state polarized in a first direction, allows the first light beam to be substantially completely transmitted thereto, but when the first light beam is in a linear polarized state polarized in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, causes the first light beam to be substantially completely diffracted. In the periodic structure of the optical diffraction element, two regions are alternately arranged along an in-plane direction. This periodic structure constitutes a grating pattern for diffracting light. Each of the region is structured so that a plurality of medium layers having different refractive indices and/or thicknesses are stacked. When light is transmitted to the diffraction element, a phase difference occurs between the light transmitted through the regions, thus resulting in diffraction phenomenon. Due to an refractive index anisotropy of the layers, the phase difference depends on the polarization direction of linearly polarized light.
US patent application publication US 2013/0299716 A1 discloses an apparatus for generating a proton beam, which includes a laser system providing a laser pulse, a target generating a proton beam by using the laser pulse, and a phase conversion plate disposed between the laser system as a light source and the target to convert the lase pulse into a circularly polarized laser pulse having a spiral shape. The phase conversion plate may include a plurality of sectors that are divided from a circle in azimuthal direction. The sectors may include a crystal showing birefringence. The sectors may include quarter wave plates arranged in such a way as to convert the linearly polarized laser pulse into the circularly polarized laser pulse having the spiral shape. In addition, the circularly polarized laser pulse may be shifted by a phase of 2π radiance by the quarter wave plates. The quarter wave plates may generate a phase difference of an integer multiple of 2π radiance about the circularly polarized lase pulse.
In STED fluorescence light microscopy the STED light and/or the excitation light are preferably applied in very short pulses to limit a timewise overlap of these pulse with the emission of fluorescence light by a sample to be imaged. Commercial light sources, i.e. pulsed lasers for supplying excitation light and/or STED light in ultrashort pulses, display a rather wide emission wavelength bandwidth. A TI-sapphire-laser, for example, has an emission wavelength bandwidth of about 8 nm with ultrashort pulses. Known phase filters for shaping the STED light but for leaving the excitation light unaffected do not work over such a wavelength bandwidth of either the STED light or the excitation light. Particularly, the intensity of the focused shaped STED light does no longer go down to zero in the local intensity minimum at the focus point with such a wavelength bandwidth of the STED light.
There still is a need of a segmented phase plate which is capable of leaving wavefronts of light of a first wavelength unaffected whereas it purposefully shapes wavefronts of light of a second wavelength over an increased range of wavelengths of at least one of the first and second wavelengths.


An integrated circuit with increased electromigration lifetime and allowable current density and methods of forming same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a conductive line connected to at least one functional via, and at least one dummy via having a first, lower end electrically connected to the conductive line and a second upper end electrically unconnected (isolated) to any conductive line. Each dummy via extends vertically upwardly from the conductive line and removes a portion of a fast diffusion path, i.e., metal to dielectric cap interface, which is replaced with a metal to metallic liner interface. As a result, each dummy via reduces metal diffusion rates and thus increases electromigration lifetimes and allows increased current density.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit and method of forming same with increased electromigration lifetime and allowable current density using at least one vertically upwardly extending dummy via.
2. Background Art
Electromigration is a common cause of malfunction in interconnects of integrated circuits (ICs). Electromigration includes physical motion of atoms out of areas where current density is very high, which is caused primarily by frictional force between metal ions and flowing electrons. The eventual result is a break in a metal line, especially those made of aluminum (Al). This is the main reason why aluminum (Al) interconnects are being replaced with copper (Cu) interconnects in advanced IC technology. However, electromigration also occurs in copper (Cu) wiring due to copper diffusion during current flow. Much of the diffusion occurs at the interface between the top of the copper wiring and the dielectric cap, which is typically a thin layer of silicon nitride (Si3N4) or silicon carbide (SiC). Accordingly, one current challenge for advanced IC technologies is increasing electromigration lifetimes for back-end-of-line (BEOL) copper wiring or, in other words, increasing the allowable current densities in copper wiring.
There are a number of approaches to increase allowable current density for a given set of groundrules. In one approach, the cross-sectional wire area is increased by increasing wire height. This approach, however, results in an increase in capacitive coupling, and reduces the process window for damascene metal fill. Based on the knowledge that shorter run-lengths can have longer electromigration lifetimes, in another approach, long metal wire run-lengths are broken into shorter run-lengths by dropping them down to a lower wiring level or sending them up to an upper wiring level through a via to a short link at the lower or upper level. Then, the metal wiring is brought back to the original metal level through another via. The approach described, however, adds to the resistance of the wiring because the vias add significant resistance, and makes the circuit more prone to failure because of the various via failure modes. This approach is also expected to reduce circuit density because it requires wires to move up or down to other levels and then back, which expends density above and below.
Another approach to increase allowable current density is to use a selective metal cap deposition process to cap the metal lines before depositing the dielectric cap. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,733 B1 to Hu et al., which uses a metal cap such as cobalt-tungsten-phosphorous (CoWP). The approach described, however, adds cost and complexity. In addition, this approach raises concerns with shorting reliability failure due to spurious deposition between metal lines.
In a similar approach, the copper wiring is capped with refractory metal such as tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), etc., by using a "reverse liner" process. This process includes performing a slight etchback of the copper after chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), a blanket deposition of the refractory metal and CMP to remove the refractory metal in the field areas. While this approach enhances electromigration lifetimes, it also adds cost and complexity, and presents concerns with the process window across a wide range of pattern factors.
In another approach, metallic reservoirs in the form of passive or dummy vias are used on interconnects as a source or sink for electromigration material, slowing the build up of electromigration-induced mechanical stress. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,268 and related publications 2003/0067638 and 2003/0089996, all to Hau-Riege. This approach, however, does not slow metal diffusion, it merely provides a source of additional metal such that metal atoms diffusing out can be replaced, thus delaying the onset of a void in the metal. Similar approaches, which suffer from the same drawbacks, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,684 to Chen et al. and JP 2000 01 2688A to Masaaki.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a solution to increasing electromigration lifetimes of IC interconnects and increasing allowable current density that does not suffer from the problems of the related art.

Increasing electromigration lifetime and current density in IC using vertically upwardly extending dummy via

International Business Machines Corporation


A controlled rate adsorbent unit including an adsorbent and a heat-shrunk casing of porous material having a predetermined water vapor transmission rate encasing the adsorbent for prolonging the water vapor adsorption time of the adsorbent. The controlled rate adsorbent unit may be in the shape of a recording disc or it may be in the shape of a three-dimensional solid with the heat-shrunk casing stretched tightly thereover. A method of fabricating a controlled rate adsorbent unit including the steps of providing an adsorbent material, heating the adsorbent material to dry off moisture therefrom, providing a porous material having a controlled water vapor transmission rate, sealing the adsorbent material in a casing of the porous material, heat-shrinking the porous material about the adsorbent, and storing the sealed adsorbent material in a moisture barrier package.

The present invention relates to a controlled rate adsorbent unit and to a method of fabrication thereof.
By way of background, the ability of recording discs of various types to record and play back accurately may be affected by moisture accumulating thereon during storage. Furthermore, it is desirable that any water vapor adsorbents which are used to maintain the discs in a relatively dry state should have certain features which enhance their utility. Also there may be situations where gases other than water vapor have to be adsorbed at a controlled rate.

Controlled rate adsorbent unit and method of fabrication thereof


A wireless communication terminal comprises a trigger receiving unit, a participation request receiving unit, and a connection setup unit. The trigger receiving unit receives a predetermined trigger. The participation request receiving unit receives requests to participate in a wireless network from an external terminal which does not participate in the wireless network in which the wireless communication terminal has participated, using wireless communication. The connection setup unit makes each of participation requests received by the participation request receiving unit from a plurality of external terminals correspond to one trigger received by the trigger receiving unit. The connection setup unit performs a connection setup which makes each of the plurality of external terminals participate in the wireless network in response to each of the participation requests, in the order in which the participation requests are received.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication terminal and a connection setup method of a wireless network capable of facilitating the connection of a wireless communication terminal to a wireless network.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-098001, filed Apr. 14, 2009, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, a communication terminal with a wireless LAN function needs to perform a wireless connection or a security setup in order to participate in the network (infrastructure network) provided by an access point (hereinafter, referred to as an AP), and various settings need to be input to the communication terminal in order to participate in the network. Since the setting and input operation is complicated, in particular, it is difficult for the user who is unskilled in wireless LAN techniques to perform the connection setup.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ Specification 1.0 (hereinafter, referred to as WPS) has been proposed as a wireless LAN standard technique for simply performing wireless connection or security setup and making a communication terminal participate in an infrastructure network.
In the WPS, in an external terminal that has a wireless LAN function and wants to participate in a network and a communication terminal that has already participated in the network and has a function of enabling the external terminal to participate in the network, the user can push an actual button, or a button on the screen using a GUI function (graphical user interface function) to perform a setup operation. For example, a document IEEE Std. 802.11™-2007 discloses a communication method in the infrastructure mode in which communication is performed through an infrastructure network.

Wireless communication terminal and connection setup method of wireless network


A method of forming a three dimensional object using a low pressure cold spray process for is disclosed. Powdered material is delivered at a temperature below the melting point of the powdered material. A nozzle of a cold spray gun is aligned at an angle θ1 to the substrate. The powdered material is delivered at a supersonic speed to the substrate causing the powdered material to adhere to the substrate for forming a first layer of material. An amount of optical distortion caused by the first layer of material adhered to the substrate is determined relative to the substrate and the nozzle is reoriented to an angle θ2 being offset from an axis defined by the first layer of material. A second layer of material is deposited onto the first layer of material with the nozzle being oriented at the angle θ2 to the first layer of material.

Many characteristics of a LPCS such as the ability to form dense deposits with extremely low oxygen content, free of residual tensile stresses provide for the creation of unique metal or metal-ceramic coatings. The portability of LPCS systems and relatively low cost makes the technology attractive for a number of industries, including automotive, aerospace, energy, and military. One such example of a spray gun used to perform LPCS is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,740 to the assignee of the present application, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
However, the application of the LPCS technology for production of 3D components has not been thought technically feasible or technically viable. The main drawbacks of LPCS application for additive manufacturing are the difficulties of controlling an additive process for bulk solid structured elements (thin walls, columns, etc.). The asymmetrical profile of a single pass deposited by LPCS and lack of the precise control of the powder material buildup process during the fabrication by spraying of a bulk component structured element results in the inability of LPCS technique to obtain desired structural geometry. The precise control of the powder buildup process requires the ability to adjust the direction of spraying over a relatively short time interval so that the buildup process reproduces the desired 3D shape of the component. The ability to adjust the direction of cold spraying over a relatively short period has proven elusive. Thus, prior to the present invention there has been a long felt need for improvement in LPCS process to enable this unique process to be used for the fabrication of 3D structures.

3D printing method of forming a bulk solid structure element by cold spray


A projection objective for microlithography for imaging a pattern arranged in the object plane of the projection objective into the image plane of the projection objective has at least one polarization splitter device that is operated only once in transmission or reflection. By using this device, polarization-dependent differences in the intensity and response of the light passing through the objective, which lead to a worsening of the imaging quality of the projection objective, can largely be avoided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a projection objective for microlithography for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane of the projection objective into an image plane of the projection objective.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projection objectives of this type are used in projection exposure systems for the production of semiconductor components and other finely structured components, in particular in wafer scanners and wafer steppers. They are used to project patterns of photo masks or graduated plates, which will also be designated masks or reticles in the following text, onto an object coated with a light-sensitive layer at the maximum resolution and on a reducing scale.
In this case, in order to produce finer and finer structures, it is necessary firstly to increase the image-side numerical aperture (NA) of the projection objective and secondly to use shorter and shorter wavelengths, preferably ultraviolet light with wavelengths of less than about 260 nm.
In this wavelength range, only a few adequately transparent materials are available for the production of optical components, in particular synthetic quartz glass and fluoride crystals such as calcium fluoride. By means of intrinsic and/or voltage-induced birefringence, when light passes through these materials, a difference in the path between light having a first component of the electric field strength vector and light having a second component of the electric field strength vector perpendicular to this first component can occur.
Since the Abbé constants of the materials available for this wavelength range lie relatively close to one another, it is difficult to provide purely refractive systems with adequate correction of color errors. Therefore, for high-resolution projection objectives use is predominantly made of catadioptric systems in which, apart from refractive elements, reflective elements, for example concave mirrors and deflection mirrors, are also used. During reflection at such an element, the light is generally influenced as a function of polarization, specifically in such a way that a difference in response can occur between light having a first component of the electrical field strength vector, which oscillates perpendicular to the plane of incidence (s-polarized light) and light having a second component, which oscillates parallel to the plane of incidence (p-polarized light).
The two facts outlined above can contribute to the optical path length traced in the projection objective by the light having a first component of the electrical field strength vector differing from that traced by the light having a second component of the electrical field strength factor perpendicular to the first component. In the image plane, the result is the production of two mutually offset partial images (double images), which results in a worsening of the image contrast.
In catadioptric systems, it has additionally been observed that, under certain imaging conditions, various structure directions contained in the pattern to be imaged are imaged with different contrast, so that, in the photoresist, different line widths occur from the various structure directions. This can be attributed, inter alia, to the fact that, at a reflective optical component, such as is normally used in catadioptric projection objectives for microlithography, light polarized perpendicular to the plane of incidence is reflected more strongly than light polarized parallel to the plane of incidence, that is to say the intensity ratio of s-polarized to p-polarized light at the exit from the projection objective differs from the intensity ratio at the entry. Since the deflection mirrors used in catadioptric systems are normally operated with large angles of incidence, at which the difference in the reflectance between s-polarized and p-polarized light is particularly high, considerable differences can occur in the intensity ratio of s-polarized to p-polarized light at the entry and exit from the projection objective.
Patent publication DE 198 51 749 A1 discloses a catadioptric projection objective in which effects dependent on polarization, which arise as a result of different reflection as a function of the direction of polarization and therefore produce differences in response and displacement of the position of the beam of rays producing the image on the wafer, are compensated for by matching dielectric reflex layers or by means of additional non-coplanar deflections. The disadvantage with the last-named solution is that it requires considerable expenditure on construction.
Patent application DE 102 40 598.0 from the applicant, which is not a prior publication, discloses an optical imaging system having a first and second reflection mirror, in which a ratio Rsp between the reflectance Rs of a deflection mirror for s-polarized light and the reflectance Rp of the deflection mirror for p-polarized light from a range of angles of incidence covering the associated tilt angle is greater than one in the case of one of the deflection mirrors and less than one in the case of the other deflection mirror. Such an apparatus can be used for the purpose of compensating for the polarization-changing action of one deflection mirror with the aid of the second deflection mirror.

Projection objective for microlithography


A method is described for evaporating liquid samples contained in sample holders mounted within a chamber and rotated by the rotor during an evaporation process in which the pressure in the chamber is reduced below atmospheric and the sample holders are rotated at high speed so as to exert centrifugal force on the contents of the holders. Heat is supplied to elevate the temperature of the liquid component of the samples to assist in the evaporation process. The temperature of the sample material is continuously or regularly monitored during the evaporation process and temperature signals are transmitted to a remote computing means which is programmed to generate a control signal for controlling the supply of heat to the samples and controlling the evaporation process. The temperature may be sensed by a probe in a sample holder containing an evaporating liquid sample, or in an adjoining sample holder containing a buffer liquid. The rotational speed is also sensed and a speed signal conveyed to the computing means. In an alternative method the rate of flow of vapor from the chamber is monitored and a flow rate signal is computed which is also supplied to the computer means and the evaporation process is controlled in relation to the value of the vapor flow rate signal. Improved methods of heating and means for supporting sample holders which are to be heated, to achieve more uniform heating thereof, within an evaporating chamber, are described. Apparatus for performing the various methods is also described.

In centrifugal evaporators samples are usually held in glass or plastic tubes or, sometimes, in a large number of small wells in plastic blocks. The sample holders are spun so as to arrange for a considerable centrifugal force to be applied to them in a direction which forces the liquid to the lower part of the sample tubes to prevent any frothing or spitting of the liquid out of the sample tubes when a vacuum is applied. The spinning samples are held in a vacuum-tight chamber (referred to henceforth as "chamber") which is connected to a vacuum pumping device.
Evaporators of this type are well known and many types are available commercially. They all suffer from the difficulty of providing the latent heat of evaporation to the samples to allow evaporation at reasonably high speed without allowing the samples to reach temperatures which could damage or destroy the samples which are often thermolabile.
No heat can be provided by conduction because the samples are held in a vacuum but microwaves or radiant heat from a high temperature source (500°-3000° C.) can be used to provide the heat required for evaporation. Radiation from a low temperature source, e.g. the chamber walls at 40° C., is frequently used but it cannot provide sufficient heat for rapid evaporation of anything other than small samples of highly volatile solvents. The use of radiant heat and of microwaves is known. Microwaves can cause damage to some samples and in the known embodiments that use radiant heat, the heat has been applied in a manner in which samples are not heated uniformly so that some samples can be dry whilst others are still liquid. This causes overheating of the dry samples if the heat is maintained long enough to dry the last samples.

Method and apparatus for determining temperature of and controlling the evaporation of liquid samples


A body-insertable apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is introduced into a subject to inject medical agent stored in a casing into a desired part in the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes a fixing unit which fixes the casing to the desired part; and a projecting unit which projects, from the casing, an injection needle for injecting the medical agent. The fixing unit and the projecting unit are driven by a driving source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body-insertable apparatus which is introduced into a subject and includes a local injection mechanism for injecting medical agent, etc. into a desired part in this subject, and a medical agent injection method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a body-insertable that collects body fluids, etc. of patients has been proposed. This body-insertable apparatus includes a storage chamber and an input control mechanism, in a capsule-type casing. The storage chamber stores body fluids, etc. collected from the inside of the subject. The input control mechanism controls input of the body fluids, etc. into the storage chamber. Such a body-insertable apparatus collects body fluids, etc. under the predetermined control of the input control mechanism at the stage that it arrived at the desired part in the subject, such as a patient, etc., and stores the collected body fluids, etc. in the storage chamber.
A proposed, concrete example of such a conventional body-insertable apparatus includes a collecting needle, a driving mechanism and an input control mechanism (see, for example, Japanese Published Examined Application No. 57-39776). The collecting needle includes an absorbent collecting unit provided at the pointed end thereof. The driving mechanism takes in and out the collecting needle from the casing. The input control mechanism controls operations for projecting and storing the collecting needle by a driving mechanism using an electromagnetic force. The driving mechanism of this body-insertable apparatus projects the collecting needle from the casing, and adheres body fluids or the like to the collecting unit at the pointed end of the collecting needle, under the control of the input control mechanism. After that, the mechanism stores the collecting needle together with the collecting unit to which body fluids or the like are adhered, in the casing. As described above, the body-insertable apparatus collects body fluids or the like at the desired part in the subject.
A body-insertable apparatus which directly supplies a diseased part in the subject with medical agent, by application of the above-described mechanism has been proposed. In this case, the body-insertable apparatus includes an injection needle in place of the collecting needle of the body-insertable apparatus described, for examples in Japanese Published Examined Application No. 57-39776, and is configured to project the injection needle from the casing so as to inject medical agent into the diseased part. Such a body-insertable apparatus is generally miniaturized and lightweighted in order to enhance the portability and its introduction into the subject.

Body-insertable apparatus and medical agent discharge method


A merchant system including an order management application and method of integrating orders received from multiple ordering channels is described. An aggregated order queue is established including multiple orders from multiple different ordering channels. The orders are processed for fulfillment and a delivery channel is selected from multiple delivery channels for delivery of the one or more items of the order. The multiple orders, regardless of the ordering channel originating the order, and delivery channels may be managed via a single user interface.

In a marketplace environment, a merchant may receive customer orders from many different storefronts associated with different ordering platforms. For example, a restaurant may intake food and beverage orders using a variety of different ordering channels, each requiring the use of a dedicated order intake system associated with the respective ordering platform. To interface with the various different order platforms, a restaurant may need to use many different ordering applications running on different electronic devices (e.g., electronic tablets).
In addition, the various different ordering channels may be associated with respective courier services for delivery of the orders to the customers. In such cases, the merchant fulfills the order and facilitates delivery of the order via the courier service selected by the channel associated with the order's intake, without the merchant having a choice with respect to the delivery service used in connection with the order.


The invention provides a wavelength tracking system comprising a wavelength tracking unit and an interferometer system. The wavelength tracking unit has reflection surfaces at stabile positions providing a first reflection path with a first path length and a second reflection path with a second path length. The first path length is substantially larger than the second path length. The interferometer system comprises: a beam splitter to split a light beam in a first measurement beam and a second measurement beam; at least one optic element to guide the first measurement beam, at least partially, along the first reflection path and the second measurement beam, at least partially, along the second reflection path; a first light sensor arranged at an end of the first reflection path to receive the first measurement beam and to provide a first sensor signal on the basis of the first measurement beam; a second light sensor arranged at an end of the second reflection path to receive the second measurement beam and to provide a second sensor signal on the basis of the second measurement beam; and a processing unit to determine a wavelength or change in wavelength on the basis of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In embodiments of a lithographic apparatus, interferometers are used to determine the position of movable objects with high accuracy. Examples of these movable objects are the substrate support and movable optic elements, for example mirror elements of the projection optics box.
In certain types of lithographic apparatus this position measurement takes place in a conditioned space, in particular a space with reduced pressure. This space with reduced pressure is also indicated as vacuum space. The vacuum space may be subdivided in multiple sub-spaces between which gas locks are provided to avoid that particles will move from one sub-space to another sub-space. For example, the substrate support may be arranged in a first vacuum sub-space and the movable mirror elements of the projection optics box may be arranged in a second vacuum sub-space.
The gas lock that is provided between the first vacuum sub-space and the second vacuum sub-space may be configured to supply H2-gas as a particle avoidance medium from the first vacuum sub-space to the second sub-space. Over time, the concentration of H2 in the first vacuum subspace and the second vacuum sub space may vary, due to flow restriction variations, for example due to a moving substrate support. Variation in H2 concentration, also referred to as local H2 pressure variation, will induce refractive index changes as seen by the position measurement interferometers. These changes in the refractive index, if not compensated, will result in position measurement errors that will have a significant effect on the measurement accuracy of the position measurement interferometers. The sensitivity of the position measurement interferometers may for example be about 1.4 nm/m/Pa H2 pressure.
Furthermore, each projection optics box mirror elements may require a separate laser source because of required noise level per axis. The basic wavelength stability of a laser source, may not be sufficient to achieve the desired accuracy.
Both effects, refractive index changes due to variation in H2 concentration as well as wavelength stability of the multiple laser sources can be compensated by using a wavelength tracking system. In such wavelength tracking system a stabile cavity is used as a local actual wavelength reference. In the wavelength tracker an interferometer is measuring the difference in length between a first reflection path to a first reflection surface within the cavity and a second reflection path to a second reflection surface at the entrance of the cavity. Due to the difference in length between the first reflection path and the second reflection path, a wavelength or refractive index change will be measured. Since the cavity is stable, i.e. the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface do not move with respect to each other, the measurements do not comprise the effects of changes in the mutual positions of the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface, and can therefore be used to determine the wavelength or change in wavelength.
In the wavelength tracking system an optical differential interferometer is used. Such optical differential interferometer requires a relatively complex structure with multiple polarizing beam splitters, corner cubes, etc. This results in a relatively long optical path with long glass lengths.
Another drawback of most known interferometers is that an interferometer is only able to determine relative displacements of the movable object with respect to a reference location. In order to determine an absolute position of the movable object with respect to the reference location a separate zeroing sensor is provided. This zeroing sensor is used to determine an absolute starting position of the movable object. Once this absolute starting position is known, the interferometer may determine a relative displacement of the movable object with respect to this absolute starting position in order to calculate an absolute position of the movable object.
The zeroing sensor is normally mounted at a specific location at which the absolute starting position of the movable object may be determined. The absolute position of the movable object may therefore only be determined when the movable object is within a relatively small measurement range of the zeroing sensor. The measurement range of the zeroing sensor is typically close to the zeroing sensor, for example within a few centimeters of the zeroing sensor. Each time the measurement of the movable object is started using the interferometer, the movable target has to be brought back into the relatively small measurement range of the zeroing sensor of the position measurement system. This may not only be the case when the lithographic apparatus is started, but for example also when the movable object is shortly out of view of the interferometer, for example when passing behind another movable object.

Wavelength tracking system, method to calibrate a wavelength tracking system, lithographic apparatus, method to determine an absolute position of a movable object, and interferometer system


A thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode layer; a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer having lower carrier mobility than the first semiconductor layer, which is provided over and in contact with the first semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer which is provided between and in contact with the gate electrode layer and the first semiconductor layer; first impurity semiconductor layers which are provided so as to be in contact with the second semiconductor layer; second impurity semiconductor layers which are provided so as to be partially in contact with the first impurity semiconductor layers and the first and second semiconductor layers; and source and drain electrode layers which are provided so as to be in contact with entire surfaces of the second impurity semiconductor layers, in which an entire surface of the first semiconductor layer on the gate electrode layer side overlaps with the gate electrode layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a thin film transistor including a thin semiconductor film (with a thickness of several nanometers to several hundreds nanometers, approximately) over a substrate having an insulating surface (e.g., a glass substrate) has been attracting attention. Thin film transistors are widely used for ICs (integrated circuits) and electronic devices such as electro-optical devices. In particular, thin film transistors are rapidly developed as switching elements of display devices typified by liquid crystal display devices and the like. In display devices such as liquid crystal display devices, a thin film transistor using an amorphous semiconductor film or a thin film transistor using a polycrystalline semiconductor film is mainly used as a switching element. Further, a thin film transistor using a microcrystalline semiconductor film is known (Patent Document 1, for example).
The performance of a thin film transistor is more excellent as the amount of change in current, which flows between a source and a drain, is larger when gate voltage is changed. A subthreshold swing is widely known, which shows the amount of change in current which flows between a source and a drain when gate voltage is changed.
In addition, in a thin film transistor, the amount of light leakage current needs to be reduced. The light leakage current is a current which is generated when the photovoltaic effect is caused in a semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor by irradiation of the semiconductor layer with light and flows between a source and a drain. Therefore, a lot of researches have been conducted on a technique for shielding the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor from light (Patent Documents 2 and 3, for example).

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method, system, and computer program product for supporting multiple fetch requests to the same congruence class in an n-way set associative cache. Responsive to receiving an incoming fetch instruction at a load/store unit, outstanding valid fetch entries in the n-way set associative cache that have the same cache congruence class as the incoming fetch instruction are identified. SetIDs in used by these identified outstanding valid fetch entries are determined. A resulting setID is assigned to the incoming fetch instruction based on the identified setIDs, wherein the resulting setID assigned is a setID not currently in use by the outstanding valid fetch entries. The resulting setID for the incoming fetch instruction is written in a corresponding entry in the n-way set associative cache.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular, to an improved method and apparatus for caching data in a memory. Specifically, the mechanism of the present invention may be used to improve the setID selection of existing and future cache replacement algorithms, such as non-100% accurate least-recently-used heuristics.
2. Description of Related Art
Most early data processing systems consisted basically of a central processing unit, a main memory, and some sort of secondary input/output ("I/O") capability. In these earlier systems, the main memory was the limiting element. Over time, logic circuit speeds increased along with the capacity requirements of main memory. With the need for increasing capacity in the main memory, the speed of the main memory could not keep up with the increasing speed of the CPU. Consequently, a gap developed between the main memory and the processor cycle time, which resulted in un-optimized processing speeds. As a result, a cache memory was developed to bridge the gap between the memory and the processor cycle time.
Using a cache to bridge the performance gap between a processor and main memory has become important in data processing systems of various designs from personal computers to work stations to data processing systems with high performance processors. A cache memory is an auxiliary memory that provides a buffering capability through which a relatively slow main memory can interface with a processor at the processor's cycle time to optimize the performance of the data processing system. Requests are first sent to the cache to determine whether the data or instructions requested are present in the cache memory. A "hit" occurs when the desired information is found in the cache. A "miss" occurs when a request or access to the cache does not produce the desired information. In response to a miss, one of the cache "lines" is replaced with a new one. The method to select a line to replace is called a replacement policy.
A number of different schemes for organizing a cache memory exist. For example, a fully associative mapping organization may be employed whereby a data address may exist in any location in the cache, or a direct mapping scheme may be employed in a cache memory whereby a data address may exist in only one location in the cache. A set associative scheme may be employed by partitioning the cache into distinct classes of lines, wherein each class contains a small fixed number of lines. This approach is somewhere between a direct mapped and a full associative cache. The classes of lines are usually referred to as "congruence classes." The lines in a congruence class are usually referred to as sets (which indicate the number of locations an address can reside) in a congruence class in a set associative cache. Each set has a setID that is used to identify each slot in a congruence class.
One generally used type of replacement policy is the least-recently-used (LRU) policy. An LRU policy is built upon the premise that the least recently used cache line in a congruence class is the least worthy of being retained. So, when it becomes necessary to evict a cache line to make room for a new one, an LRU policy chooses as a victim a cache line which is the least recently accessed set (or member) within a congruence class.
A most-recently-used-update (MRU-update) operation typically occurs due to a cache hit. It adjusts the LRU state such that the "hit" member is ordered ahead of all other members in that congruence class, establishing the cache line in that member position as the most worthy member in the congruence class.
Several factors complicate the behavior of LRU replacement policies in multi-level cache hierarchies, particularly when those hierarchies contain nth level caches that are shared by multiple structures at level n−1. For example, a processor may contain a first level instruction cache and a first level data cache. These may be backed by a second level cache that includes both instructions and data. Such a structure is designed so that processor requests for cache lines that miss in the first level caches have a high likelihood of being found in the second level cache.
As described earlier, the LRU replacement policy in the first level caches would update as most-recently-used those cache lines that are used most often by the processor. Cache lines that are less important (or worthy) to the processor, since they are used less often, would be less likely to be marked as most-recently-used. Thus, the more frequently used lines tend to remain in the first level cache, while the less frequently used lines tend to be evicted from the first level cache. When making design choices for an LRU replacement algorithm to implement in a system, simple binary tree algorithms are typically favored over more accurate "true-LRU" algorithms. An example of the binary tree algorithm is described in "Cache Line Replacement Selection using a Logical Multi-Way Tree with Access Order States Maintained at Each Node", which can be found on the World Wide Web at priorartdatabase-dot-com/IPCOM/000030586, and is hereby incorporated by reference. In contrast with binary tree algorithms, a true-LRU algorithm accurately tracks the accessing of each individual cache line. In this manner, a true-LRU algorithm tells precisely which line is the least recently used. However, the implementation of a true-LRU algorithm has considerable overhead and is not a very realistic approach for N-way set associative caches when N>5. The number of states needed for a true-LRU implementation is also prohibitive from an area/power standpoint.
In addition to the fact that microprocessors that attain the highest frequencies are implemented with deep pipelines and short pipeline stages, simple binary tree algorithms are preferred for their simplicity of implementation. Thus, the less accurate binary-tree algorithm that allows for a higher overall frequency usually provides the best way to maximize overall machine performance.
Using binary tree algorithms are also desirable because the algorithms do not require knowledge of the current state of the LRU bits when establishing a new LRU or MRU candidate. Consequently, the algorithms can be implemented with the simplest form of array structure—a one port read or write array. The area savings of such a design is beneficial to the overall goal of cost savings (e.g., smaller chip area) and achieving the highest frequencies (e.g., less consumption of critical area on a custom very large-scale integration (VLSI) processor design).
Although the use of the simple array and binary tree LRU replacement algorithms provide many benefits, they also contain several drawbacks. One problem encountered using the simple algorithm is that the quality of the LRU slot ID produced by the algorithm may be poor enough to degrade performance due to poor cache line replacement choices. Another problem is that the simple LRU array described above cannot be updated on the same cycle as a lookup. Updates are performed at a later time when there is an empty cycle, or when a reload writes its data into the L1 cache. This situation creates a window where the same setID will be given to multiple cache miss fetch requests to the same congruence class until the first fetch request returns and updates the LRU. Having the same setID assigned to multiple cache miss fetch requests would allow multiple fetches to write into the exact same location. This situation is undesirable since having data written to the same location would corrupt the cache data by having sections of many cache lines overlaid on top of one another.
Existing methods that have addressed this problem include single and multiple fetch designs. These methods, however, still have negative impacts on system performance. One such method is the single fetch design, which only allows for one outstanding fetch in a particular time period. Another such method is a multiple fetch design, which does not allow for multiple fetching to a particular congruence class, but rather this method just blocks a fetch if another fetch is outstanding to the same congruence class.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a mechanism that allows an n-way set associative cache to have n L1 miss fetch requests simultaneously in flight regardless of their congruence class. It would further be advantageous to have a hybrid replacement policy that allows for identifying empty slots of a given congruence class, and, if an empty slot is found, giving the empty slot ID a higher priority than the slot selected by the binary tree algorithm.

Mechanism and apparatus allowing an N-way set associative cache, implementing a hybrid pseudo-LRU replacement algorithm, to have N L1 miss fetch requests simultaneously inflight regardless of their congruence class


The present invention provides a treatment device (10) for applying electrical impulses to a living body through the skin, for treating a variety of clinical conditions. The device comprises a pair of electrodes (32) for contact with the skin, and a waveform generator (46) for repeatedly generating an AC waveform for applying electrical impulses through the electrodes to the skin. A detector (50) detects changes in the skin impedance and generates detector output signals representing the skin impedance. Means (52) responsive to the detector output signals for monitor the responsivity of the skin, and indicator means (36, 58) activated by the monitoring means generate a first indication when a predetermined level of responsivity is reached and a second indication when a predetermined treatment has been administered.

This invention relates to treatment apparatus for applying electrical impulses to a living body through the skin for treating a variety of clinical conditions.
In particular, in its preferred form at least, the invention relates to a handheld treatment device, and to a treatment apparatus and treatment system including such a device, in which the device makes physical contact with the skin and a repeatedly generated AC waveform is supplied to the electrodes for application at the surface of the skin and for monitoring changes in the skin impedance.
It is known to treat animals and humans by the use of electromagnetic radiation. However, such treatment apparatus is generally cumbersome and expensive to manufacture and run, and usually only has application in certain specific clinical conditions. Furthermore, treatment is often costly and success rates may be low.
It is also known to employ handheld scanning devices using electromagnetic radiation for assistance in the development of treatments for animals and humans. However, these devices again tend to be limited in their application.
There is therefore a need for more inexpensive, portable equipment that is both flexible and easy to use and that is capable of treating a wide variety of clinical conditions.

Treatment apparatus for applying electrical impulses to the body of a patient


[Object] To provide a transmission apparatus, a reception apparatus, a frame rate conversion system, and a frame rate conversion method that are capable of transmitting reference control information even when a data amount of the reference control information is large.

For example, there is disclosed a technique of efficiently converting a frame rate when an apparatus that decodes an encoded video signal is separate from and an apparatus that displays the decoded video signal at a high frame rate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). It should be noted that in this frame rate conversion system, processing of converting the frame rate so as to increase it will be referred to as "high-frame-rating" hereinbelow.
Patent Document 1 shows an example in which a reproducing apparatus that decodes an encoded video signal is applied to, for example, a DVD player or a digital broadcast tuner, and an apparatus that receives it is applied to, for example, a receiver (display apparatus) that receives television broadcasts. As shown in FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, a reproducing apparatus (1) and a display apparatus (5) are connected by a video cable (4).
In the reproducing apparatus (1), an encoder (3) superimposes reference control information that is output from a decoder (2) and includes at least a motion vector on a blanking area of a decoded video signal. In a reception equipment (5), a decoder (6) separates the reference control information from data in the blanking area of the video signal transmitted from the reproducing apparatus (1). Frame rate converters (7) to (11) perform high-frame-rating of the video signal by generating an interpolation frame using the reference control information.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-274679 (paragraph [0031], FIG. 3)

Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, frame rate conversion system, and frame rate conversion method

Abstract: [Solving Means] In a reproducing apparatus (151), a decode unit (152) decodes a certain amount of encoded video data. The decoded video data and reference control information (motion vector and identifier described above) obtained at a time of the decode are supplied to a transmission interface (153), and the transmission interface (153) transmits them to a display apparatus (161). The transmission interface (153) includes a first transmission channel for transmitting the decoded video data and a second transmission channel for transmitting the reference control information. Accordingly, a transmission data amount of the reference control information (per unit time) can be made larger than in a case where the reference control information is superimposed on a blanking area.


According to an implementation, a value of distortion is determined. The value is associated with at least a portion of a particular picture in a series of pictures. The value is based on distortion in the particular picture that is attributable to error in the particular picture or in a previous picture in the series. The value is also based on distortion in a subsequent picture in the series that is attributable to error in the particular picture or in a previous picture.

To achieve good video streaming performance, one issue that is typically addressed is how to mitigate the packet loss impact from imperfect network transmission. For this problem, a general and efficient framework that has been applied is end-to-end distortion (ED) based rate-distortion (RD) optimization (ED-RDO). To improve the error resilience of video encoding, a variety of ED-RDO based techniques have been proposed. In the video transport modules, ED-RDO has been applied to optimize the selection of packet delivery policies. To achieve good ED-RDO performance, one challenge is how to accurately estimate the ED.
Typical ED estimation schemes, that operate on a sub-frame level, estimate the ED of the current frame by considering the error propagation from all the past frames up to the current frame. Errors may propagate, for example, because of inter-frame coding in which a current frame is compressed using a previous frame as a reference frame. Thus, if there is an error in the reference frame, then the current frame will also reflect the error. Other ED estimation schemes, that operate on a frame-level, estimate the ED of the current frame by considering errors in future frames that are attributable to an error in the current frame.

Hybrid look-ahead and look-back distortion estimation


Methods and apparatus are provided for forming an initiation flaw (111) in the surface (114) of a glass sheet or glass ribbon (13). The initiation flaw (111) is used in connection with a laser light beam (121) and a cooling area produced by a cooling nozzle (119) to from a score line (115) in the surface (114) of the sheet or ribbon (13). The initiation flaw (111) is formed by a mechanical scoring head (20) which is carried by moving carriage (14) and which undergoes retrograde motion (19) relative to the carriage (14) so as to increase the time available for forming the initiation flaw (111).

Scoring of glass is conventionally accomplished using mechanical tools. However, an alternative exists that uses laser radiation, e.g., CO2 laser radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 μm, to heat the glass and create tensile stress via a temperature gradient. The use of a laser for glass scoring is discussed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,220 entitled "Method and apparatus for breaking brittle materials" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,875 entitled "Control of median crack depth in laser scoring," the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
As shown in FIG. 1, during laser scoring, a median crack (also known as a partial vent or, simply, a vent) is created in a major surface 114 of a glass sheet or ribbon 112 along a score line 115. In order to create the vent, a small initiation flaw 111 is formed on the glass surface near one of its edges, which is then transformed into the vent by propagating a laser light beam 121 having a footprint 113 across the surface of the glass followed by a cooling area produced by a cooling nozzle 119. Heating of the glass with a laser light beam and quenching it immediately thereafter with a coolant creates a thermal gradient and a corresponding stress field, which is responsible for the propagation of the initiation flaw to form the vent.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0264994 (the '994 publication), the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety, describes a system for laser scoring of a moving glass ribbon in which a traveling carriage moves along a linear track which is inclined at an angle α with respect to a line transverse to the direction of motion of the ribbon.
FIGS. 2 and 3 of the present application schematically illustrate the system of the '994 publication. In this figure, the glass ribbon is identified by the reference number 13, the traveling carriage by the number 14, the linear track by the number 15, the support structure (support frame) for the track by the number 11, and the equipment which produces the ribbon, e.g., a fusion draw machine, by the number 9. As discussed in the '994 application, as seen from a fixed reference frame (e.g., the xyz reference frame in FIG. 2), the glass ribbon moves in the direction of vector 16 at a speed Sglass and the carriage moves in the direction of vector 17 at a speed Scarriage, where Sglass, Scarriage, and the angle α satisfy the relationship:Scarriage=Sglass/sin α.
In this way, the carriage keeps pace with the ribbon, or, more precisely, the magnitude of the component of the carriage's velocity that is parallel to the direction of motion of the ribbon equals Sglass. Consequently, as seen from the ribbon, the carriage simply moves in the direction of vector 18, i.e., across the ribbon along a line 7 perpendicular to the ribbon's direction of motion, at a speed Sscore given by:Sscore=Scarriage cos α.
As described in the '994 publication, a light-emitting device that provides a laser light beam and a nozzle that provides a stream of a cooling fluid (e.g., water) are coupled to the carriage and together form a vent across the width of the ribbon as the carriage moves along the linear track. Also coupled to the carriage is a mechanical scoring head (e.g., a scoring wheel) for forming an initiation flaw in the glass ribbon.
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates these aspects of the '994 publication, where reference numbers 21, 22, and 23 represent the locations at the beginning of the scoring process of (1) the footprint of the cooling fluid, (2) the footprint of the laser light beam, and (3) the initiation flaw, and reference numbers 31 and 32 represent the locations of the footprint of the cooling fluid and the footprint of the laser light beam at a later point in time, after initiation has been completed and the mechanical scoring head is no longer in contact with the ribbon.
As discussed in the '994 publication, to avoid producing a long initiation flaw, the time during which the mechanical scoring head is in contact with the glass ribbon needs to be short. This, in turn, means that the mechanical scoring head has to move towards and then away from the surface of the ribbon at high speed. Although such high speed motion can be achieved, the equipment required is generally complex and expensive. The present disclosure is directed to apparatus and methods for forming an initiation flaw with a mechanical scoring head using reduced speeds for the motions of the head towards and/or away from the surface being scored.

Methods and apparatus for initiating scoring


A set of decisions is determined based at last in part on a set of samples. For a given sample in the set of samples, a low frequency noise estimate is estimated based at least in part on (1) at least some samples from the set of samples and (2) at least some decisions from the set of decisions. A reduced noise sample is generated by removing the low frequency noise estimate from the given sample.

Low frequency noise is sometimes present in signals read back from magnetic storage (e.g., hard disk drive systems). For example, low frequency noise may be introduced by the read head of the storage system. One existing technique to remove low frequency noise involves reading the same location of the magnetic storage (e.g., the same sector) multiple times. Performing multiple reads of the same location is time consuming because the magnetic disk must complete multiple rotations in order for the read head to pass over that location multiple times. New and faster techniques for removing low frequency noise would be desirable.

Decision directed and non-decision directed low frequency noise cancelation in turbo detection


An optical projector module proofed against distortion caused by heat building up in and around the light-emitting element includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a light emitting element, and an optical structure. The optical structure on the PCB includes a supporting member almost completely enclosing the light emitting element. The supporting member includes an embedded metal heat dissipating layer extending to cover outside surfaces of the supporting member. The metal heat dissipating layer occupies more than 70% of the outside surfaces of the supporting member, and being metallic the dissipating layer is able to conduct electricity.

An optical projector module includes a printed circuit board and a light emitting element mounted on the printed circuit board. The light emitting element can generate great amounts of heat, which can lead to the light beam emitted there from being distorted.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.


Four bicyclic terpenes isolated from a culture broth of Phoma sp SCF0592, ATCC 74077, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as PAF antagonists to treat allergic and inflammatory diseases are disclosed.

This invention relates to novel bicyclic diterpene compounds useful as PAF antagonists, antihistamines and antiinflammatory agents. The compounds are isolated from a PAF antagonist complex which is produced in fermentation under controlled conditions, using a biologically pure culture of the microorganism Phoma sp. SCF0592, ATCC 74077.
B. Karlsson et al. in Tetrahedron (1978), 34, 2349 disclose a bicyclic diterpene, verticillol represented by formula A ##STR1##
Verticillol is disclosed as a plant natural product, which follows the isoprene rule, isolated from the wood of Sciadopitys verticilla Sieb et Zucc (Taxodiaceae). This reference does not disclose any biological activity for verticillol and does not disclose or make obvious the bicyclic diterpene compounds of this invention.
Japanese Kokai J P 03,216,197 (91,216,197), published Sept. 24, 1991, discloses a bicyclic compound, phomactin B, represented by the formula B ##STR2##
Phomactin B is disclosed as a PAF antagonist which was produced by fermentation of Phoma sp. SANK 11486 (FERM BP-2598).
Neither reference discloses the compounds of this invention.

Bicyclic diterpene PAF antagonist compounds


In an apparatus for producing milled grain products by means of repeated roll grinding and sifting of specific product fractions, the material to be milled is at least partially guided via double-grinding passes without intermediate sifting. An eight-roll mill is used for this purpose, which eight-roll mill is constructed as a double unit with two roll pairs arranged at a distance one above the other and can be used in quantity in a grain milling system or also in combination with single-grinding passes constructed as four-roll mills. Compared with the use of known four-roll mills, the economic efficiency of a mill is accordingly improved while completely retaining the adaptability of the mill to specific grinding tasks, the quality of the material to be milled and/or the ability to monitor the grinding process.

a) Technical Field
The invention is directed to a method for the production of milled grain products, such as flour, semolina, middlings etc., by means of repeated roll grinding and sifting out specific product fractions in accordance with the system of advanced milling.
b) Background Art
In the production of bread flour, two fundamentally different milling methods are known. Whole-grain or integral/dark flour has been made for a long time by means of grinding the entire kernels once, twice or three times by way of one, two or three grinding passes and possibly sifting out a portion of the hulls or the outermost layer of the kernel.
This system has acknowledged advantages. Virtually all constituents of the kernel remain integral and provide high-value nutrition for persons via bread and other grain products. However, it is equally recognized that this old method, often called flat milling, also has disadvantages. The products yielded by means of integral grinding have only a limited storage life. The corresponding health products are usually intended for immediate consumption. Dirt, bacteria, fungus spores, etc. usually adhere chiefly to the outside of the kernel, on the hull. It is precisely these impurities which destroy the quality of the products and reduce their storage life or increase the risk of spoilage for the milled products and impair the quality of the end products.
The fact that the grain kernel is composed of many very different parts is often ignored. These various parts give the end products of a mill, i.e. the flour, semolina and/or middlings, the required properties, e.g. specific baking characteristics. The possibility of recovering the various parts of the milling kernel in isolation from one another is a precondition for controlling these quality criteria. Such products needed for a specific requirement cannot be separated in an economical fashion in simple flat milling with only a few grinding passes. It is only so-called advanced milling which allows the production of the multitude of starting products presently required for today's modern eating habits.
The modern method is so-called advanced milling which is characterized by a frequently repeated grinding and sifting after every grinding. Until two or three decades ago, this process was often repeated 15 to 20 times. The most recent developments have succeeded in proving that an average of twelve to fifteen grindings already leads to the same results with proper management. Since the early seventies, the short advanced milling method has taken precedence over the previously applied advanced milling method as state of the art throughout almost the entire world.
A good miller is capable of achieving the standard of quality required by industries receiving the product for further processing, e.g. bakers, dough products factories, etc. even from sharply diverging raw materials by means of mixing the different grain qualities and appropriate direction of the milling.
It is well-known that in order to remain in competition the mill must produce a determined quantity of high-quality, and accordingly high-price, end products from a determined quantity of raw materials. That is, a grain mill constantly strives to achieve a high output of light flour, semolina, etc. A mill only operates well when the output is high and the quality criteria are maintained simultaneously. An important aspect of the overall economic efficiency is the extent of required machinery, which, in a mill, depends e.g. directly on the quantity of grinding and sifting units and the necessary space. All recent efforts have shown that the grinding in traditional milling cannot be further reduced without directly reducing the output or the quality of the milled products. To this extent, a stagnation has been observable in the development of the grinding process in milling for some years.


Apparatus, and an associated method, by which to provide a digital image, created at the mobile station by a digital camera forming a portion thereof, to an assistance center, such as an emergency dispatch center. The digital image is created automatically upon initiation at the mobile station of a request for assistance from the assistance center. Initiation of a 911 emergency call, for example, causes a digital image to be created by the digital camera, and signals representative of the created digital image are automatically sent to the assistance center. Once received at the assistance center, viewing of the digital images provides personnel at the assistance center with additional information by which best to respond to the request for assistance. And, the digital image is storable thereat for evidentiary purposes.

The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to provide an assistance center, such as an emergency dispatch center to which 911 or other assistance-request calls are routed, with data generated at a mobile station at which the call for assistance is originated. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, by which to provide a digital image to the assistance center together with initiation at the mobile station of the assistance-request call. A single image, or a series of images, such as that produced pursuant to a multimedia service, if formed. When a digital image is provided to the assistance center, personnel at the assistance center are better able to prepare an appropriate response to the request. And, by capturing the digital image, the digital image can be utilized for evidentiary purposes.
Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the introduction, and popularization, of new types of communication systems. Mobile communication systems, such as cellular communication systems, are exemplary of communication systems which have been made possible as a result of advancements in communication technologies.
In a cellular communication system, telephonic communication, of both voice information and nonvoice information, is generally possible. In a cellular communication system, a subscriber, i.e., a user, to the system is able to communicate by way of a mobile station which is typically of a dimensional configuration permitting its carriage by the subscriber. The mobile station is typically constructed to be operable in manners which appear to the subscriber to be similar to those required to effectuate communications by way of a conventional telephonic station.
However, because a radio link is utilized upon which to define communication channels rather than utilization of a fixed, wireline connection, determination of the physical location at which a call is originated by the mobile station is not readily ascertainable.
The need to track the position of the mobile station is important, for instance, when a request for emergency assistance is made at the mobile station.
When a call is originated at a conventional wireline device, the geographical position from which the call is originated is easily ascertainable. A simple map between the telephonic identity of the originating, wireline device and the location at which the device is installed indicates the geographical positioning of the originating party. In contrast, due to the inherent mobility permitted of a mobile station, a subscriber of a mobile station is able to originate a call with the mobile station at almost any location within a geographical area encompassed by the cellular communication system. The geographical position at which the call is originated is, therefore, not easily determinable.
Determination of the location at which a call in which it is originated is of potentially vital importance to emergency assistance personnel when a request for emergency assistance is made through the mobile station. If a request for emergency assistance is made by way of a mobile station and the originating party is unable indicate the location from which the request for emergency is made, delivery of the emergency assistance might be delayed.
Proposals have been set forth by which to determine the positioning of a mobile station. Once determined, indications of the positioning of the mobile station are able to be used to identify to an emergency assistance center the position of the mobile station when a call is originated at the mobile station.
If additional information could also be automatically provided to the emergency dispatch, or other assistance, center, such information could further be used to better provide an appropriate response to a request for assistance.
For instance, digital image creation and transmission of signals representative of the created digital image is at least contemplated for proposed mobile systems. Such digital image creation is proposed, e.g., for video conferencing services to be effectuated through the use of mobile stations.
If a manner could be provided by which to provide to an emergency dispatch, or other assistance, center with a digital image taken at the calling location at which the originating party originates an emergency request, examination of the digital image would provide emergency personnel with additional information related to the request for emergency assistance. The digital image could be used, for instance, for evidentiary purposes.
It is in light of this background information related to mobile stations capable of creating digital images that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus, and an associated method, by which to provide an assistance center, such as an emergency dispatch center in which an emergency call or other request for assistance is routed, with data generated at a mobile station at which the call is originated.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner is provided by which automatically to provide a digital image to the assistance center upon initiation at the mobile station of the assistance request. A single digital image can be provided. Or, a plurality of digital images, such as those generated pursuant to a multimedia transmission, can be provided.
In one aspect of the present invention, an originating party initiates a request for assistance by originating a call to an assistance center, such as an emergency dispatch center. The call is initiated by entering dialing digits associated with the assistance center. In the United States, for instance, many areas provide for xe2x80x9c911xe2x80x9d service in which a requestor of emergency assistance enters the dialing digits 9-1-1. Upon entering such emergency dialing digits, the call is routed to an appropriate emergency dispatch center. A dedicated actuation key is sometimes provided at the mobile station for emergency calls. Actuation of the dedicated actuation key at the mobile station causes entry of the dialing digits needed to establish a call with the emergency dispatch center.
In another aspect of present invention, positional indicia associated with the position at which the mobile station is located when the call is initiated at the mobile station is also provided to the assistance center. The positional indicia is determined either at the mobile station or at the network infrastructure of the radio communication system. Upon receipt of the positional indicia at the emergency dispatch, or other assistance, center, personnel at the center are able to determine the location from which the call requesting the assistance originated. Appropriate response to the request for assistance can be ordered to the location indicated by the positional indicia even in the absence of the originating party""s ability to provide information related to the position at which the originating party places the call.
In another aspect of the present invention, a digital image is caused to be taken at the calling location upon user actuation Of the actuation key, or keys, which indicates the call to the assistance center. By providing the digital image to the assistance center, personnel at the assistance center are provided with additional information related to the calling location from which the call is originated. The digital image may, for instance, be used for evidentiary purposes to report the occurrence, or anticipation of occurrence of a crime, such as a crime anticipated to be perpetuated upon the originating party. By creating a digital image representive of the perpetuator, and then sending the digital image to the assistance center, the captured digital image is made available to identify the perpetrator.
In another aspect of the present invention, the digital image is captured upon user actuation of the actuation key. The call request is routed to the to assistance center to establish a call therewith. Upon establishment of the call to the assistance center, a digital image signal is communicated to the assistance center of values to permit recreation of the digital image at the assistance center. Positioning information associated with the position of the mobile station when the call is initiated is also provided to the assistance center.
In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus is provided for the assistance center to which a call is established by a mobile station requesting assistance. Upon establishment of the call with the mobile station, positional information associated with the mobile station together with a digital image taken at the mobile station from the location at which the call is initiated are both provided to the assistance center. The digital image is captured, and the positional information provided to the assistance center is indexed together with the captured digital image and stored at a storage device at the assistance center. Additional indicia, such as the time at which the call is established can also be indexed together with the digital image. By capturing the digital image, the image can later be retrieved and used for evidentiary purposes.
Thereby, through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a digital image is provided to an assistance center by a mobile station. When the digital image is provided to the assistance center, personnel at the assistance center are better able to prepare an appropriate response to the request. And, by capturing the digital image at the assistance center, the digital image can be utilized for evidentiary purposes.
In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for a radio communication system having a mobile station selectably operable by a user to initiate a call at a calling position to an assistance center. A digital image is provided to the assistance center. A digital image creator is coupled at least to receive indications of initiation of the call to the assistance center. The digital image creator creates a digital image at the calling position at which the call is initiated responsive to reception of the indications of the initiation of the call. A digital image signal generator is coupled to receive indications of the digital image created by the digital image creator. The digital image signal generator generates a digital image signal for transmission to the assistance center together with the call initiated by the user to the assistance center.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.

Apparatus, and associated method, for providing a digital image generated at a mobile station to an assistance center