An image processing method and apparatus for target recognition is disclosed. The method includes: inputting N frames of images into a quality evaluation network model; determining, with the quality evaluation network model, a feature vector of each of the N frames of images according to an attention weight of a preset sub-region image and M quality evaluation parameters; determining quality evaluation values of the N frames of images according to the feature vectors of the N frames of images; determining a target image or a target vector for target recognition according to the quality evaluation values of the N frames of images. The feature vector of each frame of image is determined based on the attention weight of the sub-region image and M quality evaluation parameters.

The target recognition technology is widely applied to various electronic systems such as an access control system, a traffic system, a gate system, and the like. A related target recognition technique is target recognition based on images taken by a monitoring device. Specifically, each time the monitoring device acquires one frame of image, feature extraction is performed on the acquired image, the extracted features are identified, and the target object is determined.
However, although the number of images including the target object captured by the monitoring device is big, the captured images have poor imaging quality such as images with different postures, sizes and degrees of blocking. Images with poor imaging quality do not provide clearly usable features for target recognition, which in turn results in reduced efficiency of target recognition. The extracted features of the whole image comprise the features of the non-target object and the features of the target object, and the features of the non-target object can influence target identification when the target identification is carried out, so that the accuracy of the target identification is influenced.

Image processing method and apparatus for target recognition

HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A distributed DSLAM, which comprises a head end subsystem located within a switching facility and a remote subsystem located outside of the switching facility. The head end subsystem is operative for routing streams of data from a data network to the remote subsystem over a communication link, while the remote subsystem is operative for transmitting over a set of local loops analog signals comprising digitally modulated versions of the data. Separating the routing and modem functionality between inside and outside plant facilities reduces heat dissipation in the outside plant, leading to increased reliability. Flow control can be performed in the upstream and downstream directions by transmitting portions of individual packets and withholding other portions of individual packets. This is done instead of withholding the transmission of entire packets. As a result, the perceived impact on video quality, for example, is lessened.

A digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) is a device that allows a telecommunications company (telco) to deliver Internet access to its telephony subscribers. Typically, a DSLAM is located at the telco's central office (CO) and includes a modem subsystem that connects to a number of local loops forming part of the plain old telephony service (POTS) infrastructure leading to individual residential and business subscribers. The DSLAM also includes a routing subsystem connected to a data network (such as the Internet), thereby allowing the telco to act as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for its telephony subscribers.
As high data rate Internet services such as video-on-demand become of increasing interest to subscribers, the issue of capacity arises. Specifically, as a consequence of requiring a much larger bandwidth than regular Internet browsing, the local loops between the DSLAM and the subscribers must be shortened. To this end, many telcos have resorted to placing their DSLAMs in an outside plant environment (i.e., outside the central office) and backhauling a high-speed communications link to the central office.
However, the placement of DSLAMs in the outside plant results in a large heat dissipation requirement brought on by the need to run both a modem subsystem and a routing subsystem in an environment where limited, if any, cooling facilities are available. This leads to an increased failure rate of outside plant equipment containing DSLAMs. It is therefore apparent that an improved DSLAM with lower outside plant heat dissipation would be a welcome improvement.

Distributed digital subscriber line access multiplexer


A dedicated register is provided in an external access controller such that read ahead of operand data is performed. Using a store instruction, a program initiates read ahead by writing the read ahead address to the dedicated register. The read ahead controller stores read ahead data in the dedicated register. When the program issues a load instruction, the read ahead data is transmitted.

The present invention relates to an apparatus multiplexed processing of a plurality of requests where access patterns cannot be predicted, such as a disk array system, and especially relates to controlling of reading operand data to be accessed by a processor.
A disk array system reads and stores data corresponding to a plurality of magnetic disk units (hereafter also referred to as hard disk drives). As for the disk array system, the processor usually performs data control and controls the entire system. As typified by the disk array system, a system with a processor uses it to execute a program stored in memory, or in other words, sequentially execute the instruction codes stored in memory. Operand data from memory or registers is used in arithmetic. Usually, the system comprises a processor that performs arithmetic, memory, a memory controller that controls the memory and a plurality of control LSIs.
FIG. 9 is an example of a disk array system. Broadly speaking, a disk array system contains hard disk drives 1020 and a disk array controller 1000 that controls the hard disk drives. The hard disk drives 1020 and disk array controller 1000 are connected by drive IF 1103. Disk array controller 1000 and host computer 1050 are connected by host IF 1102. Disk array controller 1000 contains: channel IF unit 1011 that controls the connection to host computer 1050, disk IF unit 1012 that controls the connection to the hard disk drives, shared memory unit 1015 that contains all shared memory for the entire system, and cache memory unit 1014 that contains the cache memory. Channel IF unit 1011 and shared memory unit 1015 as well as disk IF unit 1012 and shared memory unit 1015 are connected by access path 21137. Channel IF unit 1011 and cache memory unit 1014 as well as disk IF unit 1012 and cache memory unit 1014 are connected by access path 01135 and access path 11136 via selector unit 1013. Channel IF unit 1011 is provided with host IF 1102, microprocessor 1101 (hereafter referred to as processor), SM access controller 1105, CM access controller 1104 and internal bus 1106 that connects them. Disk IF unit 1012 is provided drive IF 1103, processor 1101, SM access controller 1105, CM access controller 1106 and internal bus 1106 that connects them. The channel IF unit and cache memory unit contain CM controller 1107 that controls memory and memory module 1109. The shared memory unit contains SM controller 1108 that controls memory and memory module 1109. The processors in the channel IF unit and disk IF unit process data write and read instructions from the host while recognizing the state of the disk array system by accessing operand data in the memory of the shared memory unit or in the registers of each controller.
With this type of processor system, in addition to the computational performance of the processor, the performance of reading operand data from memory or registers into the processor is important. The delay from when the processor issues an access request until data is received is known as access latency. In recent years, the processor""s core performance has improved, but there has not been much improvement in the performance of accessing and reading operand data that accompanies an external I/O access. Due to these differing performance characteristics, if access latency becomes an issue, the processor will stall, processor performance will deteriorate, and consequently the memory system will create a system-wide bottleneck.
Basically, there are two ways to enhance the operand data access performance. The first is to improve performance by reducing access time, and the second is to conceal the access time. However, in order to reduce the access time, it is necessary to increase the operating frequency of the access path. This results in package noise problems such as cross talk, and makes improvement difficult. Especially, with a disk array system as shown in FIG. 9, several LSIs lie between the processor and the operand data, and the system is constructed with a long distance between the processor and operand data. Consequently, it is difficult to reduce the access time below a specific value. The xe2x80x9cread aheadxe2x80x9d of data can be given as an example of the second method, to conceal the access time. One conventional example in which the processor uses a dedicated instruction for read ahead is the debt (Data Cache Block Touch) instruction of the PowerPC instruction set, listed in the xe2x80x9cPowerPC Microprocessor Family Programming Environment.xe2x80x9d The debt instruction is a dedicated instruction that reads operand data into the processor""s internal cache.
However, when using a dedicated instruction, because in some cases an external I/O access time on the order of microseconds is required with a large scale system such as aforementioned disk array system, it may be impossible to verify that the data is in the cache at the point in time when the data is actually required. Further, because some cache memories are occupied for a time on the xe2x80x9corder of microsecondsxe2x80x9d, the execution of a plurality of read ahead instructions will decrease the usage efficiency of the cache. With the PowerPC, the debt instruction is effective for the main memory, but cannot be executed for external I/O. In addition, the relatively inexpensive embedded-processors used for so-called embedded applications are not provided with this type of dedicated instruction.
As has been described above, with the increased speed of processors in recent years, the relative performance of operand access that accompanies an external I/O access, typically an access of external memory or external registers, has decreased. Consequently, this creates a bottleneck for system performance. In other words, the internal processing performance of a processor increases with increased operating frequency of the processor core unit, but on the other hand, the external I/O access speed is insufficient. Therefore, the performance of a system that issues a plurality of external I/O accesses, such as an embedded type system, depends upon the performance of the external l/O access.
The main problem the present invention intends to resolve is improvement of the operand access performance. Especially for external I/O control, the object is to inexpensively and easily realize improved operand data access performance of the processors.
One factor causing the aforementioned problems common to operand data access, is that for the operand access that accompanies conventional external I/O, there is no operation until after an external I/O request is generated. Improvement of the speed at which operand data is read requires reduction in the access latency, the time from when the processor issues a request to read from the memory or a register until there is a response, and external IF must be made high-speed. High-speed memory such as high-speed SRAM or dedicated memory for each processor, is expensive and therefore leads to higher priced systems. Further, it is difficult to achieve a large reduction in the operand access time.
Another problem due to increased access latency is as the occupancy percentage of the system bus increases, the effective performance of the system bus decreases.
In short, the present invention resolves the above problems by reading (hereafter referred to as reading ahead) operand data in advance from the memory or registers into a register within the external access controller, before operand data is required in the external access controller.
The specific is described below.
A read ahead controller is provided in the external access control LSI that controls external access of the processor.
The read ahead controller is provided with an access control circuit that controls read ahead by using a read ahead register circuit comprising: one or more pre-fetch register sets provided with an address register that specifies the memory or register address that will be pre-fetched, an address register valid flag that indicates validity of data in said address register, a data register that stores pre-fetched data, and a data register valid flag that indicates validity of data in said data register; and an address checker circuit that evaluates whether the address of the access destination matches the value in said address register.
The read ahead controller operates such that upon detecting a write access to the read ahead register, stores the data of said write access in the address register and sets the address register valid bit. Further, the controller performs a read access at the address indicated by the data stored in said address register, stores the read data in the data register and sets the data valid flag. In the case where the valid bit of said address register is set and a read access is detected at the address matching the data stored in said address register, if said data valid flag has already been set, the data stored in the data register is transmitted immediately. If said data valid flag has not been set, after said data valid flag is set, the data stored in said data register is transmitted, and said address valid flag and said data valid flag are reset.
If a write access occurs at the address stored in the address register of the read ahead register, the read ahead controller sets the data of said write access in the data register and sets the data register valid flag.
If the read ahead controller detects a write access to the read ahead register, and if all address register valid flags of the pre-fetch register set have been set, read ahead will not be performed.

Disk array system reading ahead operand databackground of the invention


A process for high resolution high accuracy photoreduction of radiographs, a rotatable photographic copy stand for the photoreduction process, and a high resolution high accuracy microfilm reader with built-in measuring capabilities are shown. The photoreduction process employs a camera with high precision optics, a high resolution copy film, and a first developing solution containing 0.014 to 0.025 moles per liter of a 3-pyrazolidone as the primary developing agent plus a lesser amount of a secondary developing agent, in a reversal process, to yield positive images having gamma values of 1.00 to 1.05. The copy stand has multiple workstations mounted on a rotatable frame, and several lightboxes. The microfilm reader employs high precision optics throughout, and possesses a variable magnification objective lens, a beam splitter, ultrawide-angle eyepieces, and a movable measuring reticle, the image of which is superimposed upon the image from the objective lens for accurate measurement of features shown on a film being examined. By means of the disclosed process and apparatus, industrial radiographs or other sorts of X-rays are photoreduced and later reenlarged for reexamination and measurement of selected features, with an overall dimensional accuracy of at least 99.9%.

In a number of high-technology fields, as for example the nuclear industry, the aerospace industry, the pipeline industry, and the military, it is frequently required practice to X-ray critical components to screen for defects. The resulting radiographs are sheets of film up to about 14.times.17 inches. Hundreds of thousands of these radiographs are taken each year and stored for record-keeping purposes. Such storage is very expensive because of the sheer bulk of material involved, and the correspondingly large amounts of storage space required. Storage of individual radiographs also presents possible problems of loss of particular records by theft or misfiling.
Several years ago the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) revised its regulations to authorize nuclear power plants to photoreduce their records instead of storing the originals. To date, however, it has not been possible to realize the very substantial cost savings such photoreductions would represent, because a process and apparatus for accurately photoreducing these industrial radiographs and recovering them undistorted has not been available. The technical specifications for photoreduction and recovery of the full information content of such radiographs are very severe, the NRC regulations and the ASTM standards requiring optical distortion to be not more than 0.1%. This is because it may be necessary at some later time to measure recorded defects and compare the result to the regulatory code standards. The above standard of accuracy also satisfies or exceeds the requirements of all other producers of radiographs.
Although the requirements for accuracy in the photoreduction and reproduction of industrial radiographs are very high, the standards with respect to optical densities are not so severe. It is not necessary that an acceptable photoreduction and reproduction system reproduce optical densities of the original film with an extremely high degree of accuracy. It is, however, necessary that the relative optical densities of different portions of the films be preserved.
The apparatus and procedures employed routinely in the medical field to photoreduce medical X-rays and reenlarge them for later viewing will not serve for the photoreduction and reenlargement of the industrial radiographs which are the subject of the preset invention, because the demands for accuracy in the medical field are much less severe than in the nuclear regulatory field and in other critical industrial applications. As a result, the photographic processes and apparatus employed to photoreduce and subsequently reproduce medical X-rays do not meet the required standards for photoreduction and subsequent reenlargement of industrial radiographs for regulatory purposes.
Accordingly, it would be very desirable to have available a photographic process and apparatus capable of photoreducing industrial radiographs with extremely high resolution and accuracy, and reenlarging the reduced radiographs with essentially no loss in resolution or accuracy, while simultaneously maintaining the relative optical densities of the original radiographs.

Microfilm reader with microfilm and reticle images provided to each of two binocular eyepieces


A hardtop convertible vehicle has a front roof part, a central roof part and a rear roof part that includes C-pillars and a rear window. The roof parts are connected to one another in an articulated manner and are movable between a closed roof position and an open roof position by means of a displacing device. In the open roof position, the roof parts are located in a trunk of the vehicle, with the rear roof part and the central roof part lying one above the other. The rear window of the rear roof part is mounted in an articulated manner in relation to the C-pillars of the rear roof part such that it is pivoted in relation to the C-pillars during the movement of the roof parts between the closed roof position and the open roof position and assumes a position with its curvature in the same direction as the central roof part. In the open roof position, the front roof part lies outside the rear roof part and the central roof part, either along a backrest or along a motor vehicle tank.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 103 29 439.2, filed Jul. 1, 2003 (PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2004/006951, filed Jun. 26, 2004), the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a hardtop convertible vehicle.
A convertible of the generic type with a hardtop which has three roof parts, is disclosed for example in German patent document DE 101 33 957 A1. In the open roof (top down) position, the front roof part is stowed in the trunk of the vehicle, between the central and the rear roof parts. The front roof part is raised over the central roof part by means of a corresponding lever arrangement during a stowing movement.
German patent document DE 199 62 070 A1 discloses a similar arrangement, in which the front roof part is likewise raised over the central roof part. However, in the stowed state, the front roof part lies at the top.
German patent document DE 196 42 153 A1, on the other hand, describes a motor vehicle with a retractable roof which also has three roof parts. In this case, the front roof part is folded in an articulated manner and is stowed in the trunk between the central roof part and the rear roof part. A similar folding-in of the front roof part is also described in German patent document DE 93 07 481 U1, but with the front roof part coming to lie right at the bottom.
German patent document DE 197 51 660 C1 discloses a device for stowing the roof construction of a hardtop vehicle, which includes a front roof part and a rear roof part. The rear roof part has a rear window that is pivoted relative to the rear roof part by means of a lever and a joint during the stowing movement of the two roof parts and is stowed in an opposed direction to the rear roof part. Rotation of the rear window in such a manner is also known from German patent document DE 198 07 490 C1. However, in the latter case, the rear window is merely rotated through an angle of approx. 15° and is therefore stowed essentially in the same direction as the rear roof part.
Finally, German patent document DE 101 16 709 A1 also discloses the movement of a rear window in relation to the rear roof part. However, in this case the rear roof part has an additional roof segment which likewise has to be pivoted, so that a very complicated construction and a correspondingly complicated stowing movement are required.
In all of the described roof systems with three roof parts, there is the fundamental problem that, in the open (top down) roof position, in which all of the roof parts are located in the trunk, the volume of space available in the trunk is substantially restricted.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a convertible vehicle with a hardtop with at least three roof parts, in which the hardtop requires as little space as possible when stowed in the trunk.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the convertible top configuration according to the invention, in which the rear window is articulated in relation to the C-pillars. The resultant pivoting of the same, causes the rear window to assume a position in which it lies with its curvature in the same direction as that of the central roof part, achieving a considerable saving of space in the region between the C-pillars of the rear roof part. Thus, substantially more space is available for luggage when the roof is in the open (top down) position.
The volume of available trunk space in the open roof position is further increased by the fact that the front roof part is stowed in a very efficient manner, either along a backrest or along a motor vehicle tank, rather than with the rear and the central roof parts one above another. The result is therefore a convertible which provides its passengers with sufficient luggage space, even in the open state of the roof.
A particular advantage of the invention can be seen in its comparatively simple construction with a correspondingly uncomplicated configuration of the components.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


Since the phosphor lag effect results from the slowness of the green and red phosphors and since it is not possible to make these phosphors faster, the blue one has to be made slower in order to reduce the color trail effect. Therefore, a part of the blue component is artificially delayed. Only a certain percentage of the blue component of the actual frame is transmitted during the actual frame, whereas the rest of the blue component will be transmitted during the next frames. The dynamic false contour effect introduced by this video processing may be compensated by subfield shifting.

As the old standard TV technology (CRT) has nearly reached its limits, some new display panels (LCD, PDP . . . ) are encountering a growing interest from manufacturers. Indeed, these technologies now make it possible to achieve flat color panel with very limited depth.
Referring to the last generation of European TV, a lot of work has been made to improve its picture quality. Consequently, the new technologies have to provide a picture quality as good as or better than standard TV technology. On the one hand, these new technologies give the possibility of flat screen, of attractive thickness, but on the other hand, they generate new kinds of artifacts, which could reduce the picture quality. Most of these artifacts are different as for TV picture and so more visible since people are used to seeing old TV artifacts unconsciously.
One of these artifacts is due to the different time responses of the three colors used in the panel. This difference generates a colored trail behind and in front the bright objects moving on a dark background mainly (or the opposite). In the case of plasma display panel (PDP), this artifact is known as "phosphor lag".
FIG. 1 shows the simulation of such a phosphor lag effect on a natural scene with a down shift. A green trail can be seen at the top edge of the trousers of the horseman.
Taking the case of plasma panels as an example, on a plasma panel, the three phosphors have not the same properties because of the chemical differences of the phosphors. In addition the life duration and the brightness are privileged at the expense of behaviour homogeneity.
The green phosphor G is the slowest, the blue one B is the fastest and the red one R is mostly in-between. Thus behind a white object in motion, there is a yellow-green trail (right-hand side of the white block of the "displayed picture" of FIG. 2), and in front a blue area (left-hand side of the white block of the "displayed picture" of FIG. 2), as can be seen in FIG. 2.
In the future, the development of new chemical phosphor powders could avoid such problems by making the green and red phosphors quicker. Nevertheless, today it is not possible by signal processing only to completely suppress this effect but one can try to make it less disturbing for a customer. The most cumbersome is not the trail but its color.
One known solution is to compensate the colored trail while modifying the blue component in the temporal domain in order to reduce the length of the trail.
One other solution is to add a complementary trail on the color trail in order to discolor it.
These two solutions need motion estimation as the solution presented in the present document.

Reduction of phosphor lag artifacts on display panels


A tool device has a toolholder and a profile tool detachably secured to this, both of which comprise stops cooperating with one another for the precise positioning of the cutting profile of the profile tool relative to the toolholder which can be mounted on a machine tool, the stops being constructed in the form of mating surfaces. At least one adjusting element is provided between the toolholder and the profile tool to bring the profile tool to bear on the mating surfaces on the toolholder.

The invention relates to a tool device in which a profile tool is detachably secured to a toolholder.
Such a tool device, with stops on the toolholder and tool for positioning the cutting profile of the tool relative to the holder, is the subject of EP A-0 132350. The profile tool shown there is annular in construction and comprises teeth at its outer circumference. The toolholder comprises an annular body on which the profile tool is seated and is locked through an annular bush, by means of a nut. In the course of this, the inner edge of the profile tool comes to bear against an annular shoulder of the bush. In order to ensure a precisely centric arrangement of the profile tool on the toolholder, there must be a relatively tight fit between the inner edge of the profile tool and the annular shoulder of the bush, but this is not guaranteed in the case in question because the profile tool in the clamped state is deformed in the shape of the rim of a plate.
In order to ensure accurate positioning of the profile tool in the circumferential direction, the bush has a bore which runs substantially parallel to its axis and extends into the annular body, which bore intersects the inner edge of the profile tool which has a recess at this inner edge. The profile tool is arranged so that this recess is in alignment with the bore in which a pin is then inserted. If the recess at the inner edge of the profile tool is not precisely in alignment with the bore, there is the danger of the recess being deformed when the pin is inserted so that a satisfactory positioning of the profile tool in the circumferential direction is no longer guaranteed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple means for ensuring a reproducible alignment of a profile tool on a toolholder.

Maag Gear-Wheel & Machine Company Limited


Disclosed are a human programmed cell death 1 receptor (hPD-1) antibody, a method of preparing the same, and use thereof. The preparation method comprises screening by using a natural antibody library screening platform to obtain a new human programmed cell death 1 receptor antibody. The antibody obtained by the screening step can specifically identify human PD-1 molecules and is used to inhibit mutual interactions between PD-1/PD-L1 and PD-1/PD-L2, thereby improving a level of an immune response.

Human programmed death 1 receptor (hPD-1) is an important class of immune negative regulatory molecules (also known as "immune checkpoint molecules"), which belongs to CD28 family, members of which also include CD28, CTLA4, ICOS and BTLA, and the like.
PD-1 is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein composed of three regions: an extracellular region, a transmembrane region and an intracellular region. Its extracellular membrane region is an immunoglobulin variable region (IgV)-like domain. The N-terminal of its intracellular region contains an immunoreceptor tyrosine based inhibitory motif (ITIM), and the C-terminal contains an immunoreceptor tyrosine based switch motif (ITSM), in which ITSM is the key motif for PD-1 molecules to transmit inhibitory signals into the cell. Unlike CTLA-4 and other family members, which present in the form of homodimers on the surface of T cells, PD-1 is expressed as a monomer on the surface of activated T cells, B cells, and myeloid cells and the like.
PD-1 has two ligands, i.e., PD-L1 (B7-H1, CD274) and PD-L2 (B7-DC, CD273), which belong to transmembrane molecules of B7 family. PD-L1 widely distributes on the surface of hematopoietic cells such as mature macrophages, B cells, dendritic cells, as well as non-hematopoietic cells such as endothelial cells, islet cells, and mast cells, and is highly expressed on the surface of various tumor cells; PD-L2 is only expressed on the surface of some cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and some B cell subtypes. Similar to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), a classical immune negative regulatory molecule, PD-1 exerts immune negative regulation through its interaction with its ligands PDL1 and PDL2. When PD-1 interacts with its ligands, its intracellular segment ITSM is phosphorylated and recruits corresponding phosphorylating enzymes SHP-1 and SHP-2, resulting in dephosphorylation of downstream signaling molecules, thereby downregulating the immune cell response level. This negative regulatory mechanism of the immune system is a key molecular basis for maintaining immune tolerance of the body. However, a number of studies have shown that the overexpression of the immune negative regulatory molecules such as PD-1 and the immunosuppressive state of the body induced by its interaction with receptor PD-L1/PD-L2 plays an important role in the pathogenetic processes of cancers and chronic infectious diseases such as HIV, HCV, and HBV, and the like. By blocking the interaction between PD-1/PD-L1, the immunosuppression can be reversed, and the ability of the immune system to kill viruses and tumor cells may be enhanced; the effect of reversing the immunosuppressive state is better if PD-1/PD-L2 interaction is blocked simultaneously. Therefore, the targeting to such negative regulatory molecules has become a new cancer treatment strategy, and studies on PD1/PDL1 pathway inhibitors have attracted much attention. Antibody drugs that specifically block the PD1/PDL1 signaling pathway are the focus of the research in this area. PD1 antibodies Nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb) and Pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) both received FDA breakthrough therapy designations and were approved for marketing. Among them, Nivolumab of Bristol-Myers Squibb was approved by the FDA for marketing in December 2014, for clinical treatment of melanoma; then in March 2015, this antibody was approved by FDA for the treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer, indicating that such immunotherapies officially entered the field of clinical treatment of solid tumors.
There remains a need in the field for antibody drugs that specifically block the PD1/PDL1 signaling pathway.

Human programmed cell death 1 receptor antibody, method of preparing same, and use thereof


The present disclosure is directed to a brace for a mounting frame typically used for mounting antennas to a monopole tower. The brace may include a standoff connection comprising a first standoff bracket and a second standoff bracket; a first angled member attached to the first standoff bracket at a lower end of the first angled member, the first angled member also including a first handrail connector at an upper end of the first angled member; a second angled member attached to the second standoff bracket at a lower end of the second angled member, the second angled member also including a second handrail connector at an upper end of the second angled member; and a crossmember disposed between the upper end of the first angled member and the upper end of the second angled member.

Various types of towers have been constructed for the purpose of supporting one or more antennas, such as those for broadcasting television and radio signals. Some towers are specifically designed for transmitting and receiving cellular telephone signals and other types of radio frequency (RF) signals. As wireless data service demands have grown, a conventional response has been to increase the number and capacity of conventional cellular Base Stations (Macro-Cells). Such Macro-Cells are typically mounted on antenna towers. A conventional antenna tower has three or four legs on which antennas and supporting remote radio units (RRUs) are mounted. However, in some environments, structures known as "monopoles" are used as mounting structures. A typical monopole antenna tower 100 is shown in FIG. 1 having a central pole 101 on which a mounting frame 103 attaches to hold antennas 105. Monopoles are typically employed when fewer antennas/RRUs are to be mounted and/or when a structure of less height is required.
RF towers (including monopoles) are often designed to allow a person to climb to a position along the height of the tower and remain there to install and/or repair RF antennas (e.g., cellular antennas) and other equipment connected to the tower. Mounting frames are typically mounted near the tops of RF towers (e.g., cellular towers) and may include platforms for supporting workers who may be responsible for installing and/or maintaining RF antennas (e.g., cellular antennas). Such platforms are designed to support the weight of a human and may also be used to support a number of the RF antennas. Exemplary platforms are described in U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0279347 to Pass et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. The platform described in Pass et al. is a so-called "six-sector" platform.
Typically, one of the limiting factors of mounting frames is the vertical load capability, especially for frames which attach to the monopole at a single point (i.e., at a single vertical location using a single collar). To increase the load capacity of the frame, some known designs support the frame with standoff arms forming a truss structure, which may require significant welding or produce significant waste material, especially if the standoff arm is cut out of a solid sheet or plate. Other designs use gussets, one on each side of the standoff arms, which can increase manufacturing time and cost and can result in a cavity where water can pool. There may be a need for a mounting frame that allows for easy fabrication and more efficient installation while reducing manufacturing costs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Single point heavy duty monopole platform


The proposed system defines a predictive real-time Service Level Agreements (SLAs) monitoring system by (a) a detailed analysis of traffic flows with reduced monitor-data flow across network; and (b) a suitable combination of offline and real-time processing of historical and current traffic data. In order to be able to undertake a detailed analysis without significantly impacting the network throughput, the system analyzes the historical traffic patterns of a typical Provider's network to determine a set of critical SLAs. An in-depth analysis of traffic is performed by creating a unique network parent probe for every critical SLA and the parent probe spawns an optimal number of intelligent master and slave probes based on a regionalization procedure. The online overload monitoring system analyzes the gathered data from the master and slave probes to (a) forecast future violations of the SLA under consideration based on multiple forecast models and (b) generate operator SLA violation alarms.

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract between two parties, the service provider and a subscriber, or between two service providers, that specifies, in terms of metrics, the type and level of service that can be obtained from the service provider. The metrics are measurable QoS parameters with agreed upon threshold values. Failure to meet these thresholds result in penalties, which are degrees of compensations mutually, agreed upon by the service provider and customer. Network and service performance need to be monitored for their degradation in order to avoid SLA violations, which might cause the provider to pay penalties. Therefore, real-time traffic flows across network segments need to be closely monitored for performance degradations.
A real-time monitoring system generally monitors network traffic for violation of threshold values agreed upon in SLAs and appropriately sends alarms to the operator in the event of any violations. Threshold violations of agreed upon terms is determined by monitoring all the SLAs and the monitor-data for traffic analysis is generally collected from the network elements by launching agents in all the network elements. Reporting tools have been developed for offline analysis of historic traffic data to generate trend reports for future traffic behavior. Real-time monitoring of SLAs have an impact on the network traffic since network agents that are installed in the various network elements generate continuous monitor-data related to the SLAs to help determine SLA violations. Real-time monitoring of networks are generally performed using two types of methods, namely, passive methods (non-intrusive monitoring) and active methods (intrusive monitoring). Passive methods generally retrieve the information from the packets that are received by a network element by reading the packet-header information and hence non-intrusive characteristics are used by passive methods for monitoring the network. Active methods retrieve information related to performance parameters by injecting additional probe packets across the network and hence intrusive characteristics are used by active methods for monitoring the network. The additional probe packets are inserted in between normal data packets. Real-time monitoring of SLAs is also performed by implementing a policy-based network architecture, which comprises of translating the SLAs into policies. The policies are then specified and entered into to a Policy Server. These policies can either be dynamic or static. Dynamic policies specify how to react when a particular criterion is met. Static policies basically check for the validity of defined criteria. Policy servers read the defined policies from a repository, determine the targets, and forward the policy information to appropriate policy agents/clients that reside in the network element. Then, policy clients translate the policy information received from the policy server and convert it to element specific configurations. The policy clients continuously monitor for these dynamic and static policies and respond to the policy server or take some action based on defined criteria.
Regardless of the usefulness of network monitor-data to operators for the purposes of network management, monitoring will quickly be discontinued if the network overhead due to monitor-data increases to such a point that the flow of data through the network is adversely affected. The monitoring of data should be in such a way that the measurement tools can remain in operation at all times, especially during high workload and system stress situations.
The present invention reduces the monitor-data flow across the network by monitoring only a subset of the SLAs and by optimally distributing the "intelligent" network probes across the network. The subset of SLAs to be monitored is identified based on an optimal analysis of the network load and past violation patterns. The optimal distribution of network probes is based on the "load similarity" of the nodes of the network and due to this aspect of the network nodes, the probes in the select network nodes are capable of computing the network load due to the subset of SLAs by predicting the load at rest of the nodes based on the notion of similarity. This approach leads to the reduction in monitor-data flow across the network.
the nodes based on the notion of similarity. This approach leads to the reduction in monitor-data flow across the network.
Revenue enhancement is one of the key requirements of any network provider. The key factors for sustained revenue generation are management of network capacity, penalty reduction by providing service assurance as contractually agreed in an SLA, and retaining the subscribers by reducing churn rate.
The objective of the network capacity management is to be able to successfully load the network to its capacity. By reducing the monitor-data flow within a network, more network bandwidth is available for carrying payload and hence contributing to increased revenue to network provider. An additional way for the provider to enhance revenue is to allow for over-subscription. Under such conditions, there is a possibility of network overload leading to operator SLA violations. Hence, there is a need to establish a balance between penalty reduction and over-subscription. The present invention aims at generating operator violation alarm at a future time point based on cross-correlation of past and present usage pattern data. More accurate the operator violation predictions, higher are the chances for the operator to increase the revenue based on over-subscription.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,975 to Bowman-Amuah for "System, method and article of manufacture of a proactive threshold manager in a hybrid communication system architecture" (issued Nov. 14, 2000 and assigned to AC Properties B.V. (NL)) describes a proactive threshold manager that forewarns service providers of an impending breach of contract. The threshold manager sends an alarm to the service provider when the current level of service misses a service level agreement to maintain a certain level of service.
The above said invention makes use of real-time monitor-data related to all service level agreements to check the current level of service. This adds to the network congestion during the times of network overload. As compared to the above-mentioned patent, the present invention aims at reducing the monitor-data flow by monitoring a select set of SLAs and by a regionalization procedure to cluster the network nodes based on similar load behavior. In addition, the present invention generates alarms by combining the prediction of the current usage pattern based on a best possible, from a suite of forecasting models, model with the prediction of the usage pattern in the past based on a best possible, from a suite of forecasting models, model. Furthermore, the present invention makes the operator SLA violation prediction more realistic, and hence reduces the generation of false alarms, by analyzing the forecasted usage pattern trend and focusing on only those CSLAs where the load due to each such CSLA being below the contractually agreed upon bandwidth for that CSLA.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,110 to Tunnicliffe , et al. for "Method and apparatus for managing at least part of a communications network" (issued Aug. 7, 2001 and assigned to Nortel Networks Limited (Montreal, Calif.)) comprises of managing a communications (customer's) network by predicting sequential future values of a time-series of data (representative of traffic levels in the network) to determine whether they exceed bandwidth levels as defined in the SLA. In contrast to the above-mentioned patent, the present invention analyzes the traffic data at network-level as opposed to at customer-specific sub-network-level. Further, the present invention analyzes the load on the network from the network provider's perspective to reduce penalty situations.
Forecasting Techniques based on Time Series models have been applied to network resources in order to predict network traffic for the purposes of network management. "The Network Weather Service: A Distributed Resource Performance Forecasting Service for Metacomputing," by Rich Wolski, Neil Spring, and Jim Hayes, describes the Network Weather Service, which is a distributed, generalized system for producing short-term performance forecasts based on historical performance measurement. A suite of forecasting models is applied over the entire time-series and the forecasting technique that has been most accurate over the recent set of measurements is dynamically chosen as the representative model.
"Design-Assisted, Real-time, Measurement-Based Network Controls for Management of Service Level Agreements," by E. Bouillet, D. Mitra and K. G. Ramakrishnan, describes an SLA monitoring scheme that optimizes net revenue based on the flows related to a set of SLAs. This approach proposes two distinct phases: Offline phase that includes SLA crafting and online phase that includes real-time SLA management. Revenue gets generated by the admission of flows into the network and penalty is incurred when the service provider is not SLA compliant.
To summarize, the objectives of the present invention are the following:
An integrated Overload Monitoring System (OMS), for offline Critical Service Level Agreement (CSLA) Identification based on bandwidth (BW) and Near-Optimal Traffic Analysis for Forecasting BW-related CSLA Operator Violations at a future time point, comprising of:                a) offline procedures for critical SLA identification, regionalization of network nodes, historical data based forecast model selection, overall load due to critical SLAs and offline operator SLA violation prediction at a future time point;        b) universal network probes that perform a near-optimal analysis of the network traffic for critical SLAs; and        c) online procedures for network traffic analysis by the network probes based on two distinct configurable clocks, online operator SLA violation prediction at a future time point and consistency based alarm generation.

System and method for static and dynamic load analyses of communication network

Satyam Computer Services Limited of Mayfair Centre


The described implementations relate to data classification. One implementation includes identifying one or more likely classifications for an incoming data item using an algorithm. The implementation can also include providing the one or more identified classifications to a user. A selection of an individual identified classification for the incoming data item can be received from the user. The algorithm can be refined to reflect the selection by the user.

Existing tools for classifying data streams can help reduce the complexity of certain tasks. As a particular example, tools exist for classifying a stream of network alarms based on the relative severity of the alarms, the cause of the alarms, or other alarm attributes. Such tools typically use expert-defined rules to automate classification of the individual alarms. However, such rule-based systems are relatively inflexible and generally do not adapt well to changing network conditions or other contingencies. Furthermore, improvements to existing rule-based systems typically require continuous expert involvement to refine the system rules offline.
Techniques also exist for visualizing streaming data and various classifications of the streaming data. For example, network alarms can be displayed in a tabular format including various alarm attributes on a graphical user interface. However, existing visualization techniques are frequently decoupled from the underlying classification systems. As one example, users may make real-time decisions to reclassify streaming data items using graphical user interfaces such as the aforementioned tabular formats. However, these real-time decisions typically are not incorporated into the underlying classification systems.

Classification of stream-based data using machine learning


A four-wheeled buggy includes a shortened air intake path so that intake efficiency is improved. An air cleaner is disposed in a space surrounded on the left and right by a rear fender below a seat, and a space surrounded by the air cleaner, the seat and left and right portions of the rear fender is formed as an intake air path. A cutaway portion is provided on a side face of the rear fender connecting to a seat rail and is formed as an intake opening communicating outwardly sidewardly such that it is communicated with the intake air path on the inner side. External air taken in from the intake opening enters the intake path and is immediately introduced into the inside of the air cleaner through an intake duct.

In general, an intake structure for a four-wheeled buggy is known wherein an intake air path is formed between a fuel tank and a tank cover which covers the fuel tank. An intake structure of this type takes in external air from an intake opening provided at a comparatively high position forwardly of a vehicle body. The air is then introduced into an air cleaner below a seat through the intake air path. One example of such an intake structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,534,228.
Where air is taken in from forwardly of the vehicle body, a long intake air path is required, and therefore, it is not easy to raise the intake efficiency. In addition, it is necessary to assure a space for the long intake air path.
It is considered that in order to overcome the intake inefficiency problem, the intake opening is provided at a comparatively high position and the intake air path is shorter. However, one problem with providing the intake opening at a comparatively high position and making the intake air path shorter, is that the intake opening may be visible from the outside, which detracts from the appearance. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome such problems.


The present invention enables an effective use of a ring buffer. A video recording apparatus includes a first thinning process unit which reduces a data size of camera videos transmitted from a camera to a frame rate number of the camera videos, and which stores the camera videos having undergone a thinning process in a ring buffer, and a second thinning process unit which further reduces the data size of the videos stored in the ring buffer at a frame rate number in accordance with a condition among a plurality of conditions. The first thinning process unit stores the camera videos in the ring buffer at a frame rate that is the lowest common multiple of the frame rate numbers of the plurality of conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video recording apparatus, a video recording system, and a video recording method which have a variable recording frame rate number in accordance with a condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an anticrime purpose and a purpose of resolving a crime case, it becomes general to place a monitoring system including a monitor camera at a bank, a convenience store, or a condominium building, etc., and such a monitoring system becomes popular recently. According to such a monitoring system, it is typical that, as a measure of precaution, videos are always recorded, and a sensor is installed at a predetermined location, and videos are recorded at a high frame rate before and after the generation of an alert with an alerting signal which is generated when the sensor detects an incident being as a trigger (see, for example, JP 2002-118822 A). A video recording apparatus disclosed in JP 2002-118822 A includes a ring buffer that temporarily stores videos (pre-frames) before and after the generation of an alert by several frames, and performs recording at a low frame rate as a normal recording mode through this ring buffer in a non-alerting condition (hereinafter, referred to as a normal condition). Moreover, when an alert is generated, the video recording apparatus changes the mode to the alerted recording mode, and keeps recording the videos (pre-frames) stored in the ring buffer and other videos (post-frames) after the alerting at a high frame rate until the trigger signal is subjected to a timeout processing.
According to the video recording apparatus disclosed in JP 2002-118822 A, however, the ring buffer stores the videos at the maximum frame rate number under any conditions, and thus the ring buffer is not utilized efficiently.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-explained circumstance, and it is an object of the present invention to efficiently utilize a ring buffer.

Video recording apparatus, video recording system and video recording method executed by video recording apparatus


A method for producing a shaped profile section in a continuous line process provides providing an outer facing web, an inner facing web and laying down an liquid foam reactants in the outer facing web. The method pre-forms the outer facing web into a desired outer profile shape prior to laying down the liquid foam reactants. The inner facing web is shaped with the liquid foam reactants within the pre-formed outer facing web to provide a desired inner profile shape for the shaped profile section. Also provided is an apparatus for producing a shaped profile section and a shaped profile section of the method.

PCT publication no. WO2004/053380-A1 discloses a phenolic foam pipe insulating section and a process for producing such sections. The pipe insulating section comprises a generally cylindrical hollow phenolic foam body of substantially uniform cross section with an inner facing web and an outer facing web. The phenolic foam body is slit longitudinally to provide section halves that can be opened to facilitate wrapping around a pipe to insulate the pipe. The section halves are linked by the outer web at one side and facing ends of the section halves at the other end are faced with the inner facing web. The process uses an inner mandrel and a number of outer mold sections that are heated to ensure adequate curing of the phenolic foam insulation.
The present disclosure provides an improved continuous line process and apparatus for producing such shaped profile sections.
Accordingly, a method for producing a shaped profile section in a continuous line process comprises the steps of providing an outer facing web; providing an inner facing web; and laying down liquid foam reactants on the outer facing web.
The method further comprises the steps of pre-forming the outer facing web into a desired outer profile shape prior to laying down the reactants. The inner facing web is shaped with foam formed by the liquid foam reactants within the pre-formed outer facing web to provide a desired inner profile shape for the shaped profile section. The liquid foam reactants are suitable for forming thermal insulation foam.
The present disclosure provides an improved method and apparatus for producing a shaped profile section in a continuous line process where the outer facing web is pre-formed into the desired outer shape for the shaped profile section before liquid foam reactants are laid down. The inner facing web is engaged with the outer facing web after the reactants are laid down and, as the foam formed by the liquid foam reactants rises within the pre-formed outer facing web, a desired inner profile shape for the shaped profile section if formed. The preformed outer facing web may have a curvilinear, rectilinear or any other nonlinear shape.
The step of pre-forming the outer facing web may comprise deforming the outer facing web to provide a pair of connected sections. Each section has a substantially C-shaped cross-section.
The step of deforming the outer facing web may further comprise forming a wing at a free end of each C-shaped section.
The step of pre-forming the outer facing web may comprise passing the outer facing web between engaging surfaces of a complementary roller couple. The rollers in each roller couple have inter-fitting convex and concave engaging surfaces.
Desirably, the step of pre-forming the outer facing web comprises passing the outer facing web between surfaces of a series of spaced apart complementary roller couples. The roller couples are positioned so that serially consecutive portions of the outer facing web are sequentially engaged by the roller couples.
Suitably, in the direction of movement of the outer facing web through the roller couples, configuring the engaging surfaces of the series of spaced apart complementary roller couples with rollers of gradually increasing size. Thus, a last roller couple in the series is provided with engaging surfaces corresponding to the shape of the pair of connected substantially C-shaped sections.
The step of pre-forming the outer facing web may be such that the pre-formed outer facing web maintains its shape after the pre-forming step is complete. That is, after the outer facing web passes through the roller couples, it may maintain the desired outer shape of the shaped profile section indefinitely (or until an external force is applied thereto). The pre-formed outer facing web may be self-supporting. It may maintain the desired outer profile shape in the absence of support from an external structure.
As an alternative to, or in addition to, the step of shaping the inner facing web with foam formed by the liquid foam reactants within the pre-formed outer facing web to provide a desired inner profile shape for the shaped profile section may comprise the step of pre-forming the inner facing web into the desired inner profile shape prior to engagement with the outer facing web. The preformed inner facing web may have a curvilinear, rectilinear or any other nonlinear shape.
The step of pre-forming the inner facing web may comprise deforming the inner facing web to provide a pair of connected spaced-apart sections. Each section has a substantially C-shaped cross-section.
The step of deforming the inner facing web may further comprise forming a wing at a free end of each C-shaped section. A connecting portion is between adjacent ends of each C-shaped section.
The step of pre-forming the inner facing web may comprise passing the inner facing web between engaging surfaces of a complementary roller couple. The rollers in each roller couple have inter-fitting convex and concave engaging surfaces.
In an embodiment, the step of pre-forming the inner facing web comprises passing the inner facing web between surfaces of a series of spaced apart complementary roller couples. The roller couples are positioned so that the serially consecutive portions of the inner facing web are sequentially engaged by the roller couples.
Suitably, in the direction of movement of the inner facing web through the roller couples, configuring the engaging surfaces of the series of spaced apart complementary roller couples with rollers of gradually increasing size, such that a last roller couple in the series is provided with engaging surfaces corresponding to the shape of the pair of connected spaced-apart substantially C-shaped sections.
The step of pre-forming the inner facing web may further comprise a micro-ribbing step and/or one or more heating steps.
A micro-ribbing step may be performed prior to passing the inner facing web between the complementary roller couple(s). The micro-ribbing step may comprise passing the inner facing web between two spaced-apart pairs of micro-ribbing rollers to provide a pair of elongate ribs or indentations along the length of the inner facing web. Each rib corresponds to one of the C-shaped sections of the pre-formed inner facing webs. The micro-ribbing step prepares the inner facing web for deformation by the complementary roller couple(s) and allows optimum pre-forming of the inner facing web.
One or more heating steps may be performed prior to passing the inner facing web between the complementary roller couple(s). A micro-ribbing step is performed where the one or more heating steps may be performed after the micro-ribbing step.
The one or more heating steps may comprise an initial heating step comprising passing the inner facing web between a series of heaters to heat the inner facing web to a pre-determined temperature. The temperature may be determined based on the composition of the inner facing web. Preferably, the pre-determined temperature is at least 130 degrees Celsius. In one embodiment, the pre-determined temperature is 260 degrees Celsius. The inner facing web may be formed from a material that is relatively rigid at room temperature. The pre-determined temperature may correspond to a temperature at which the rigidity of the inner facing web is reduced, thereby making deforming of the inner facing web easier.
After the inner facing web passes through the series of heaters, the temperature of the inner facing web will begin to fall below the pre-determined temperature. The one or more heating steps may further comprise a final heating step comprising passing the inner facing web along a heater to heat the inner facing web back to the pre-determined temperature. The step of deforming the inner facing web may be performed while the inner facing web is at or near the pre-determined temperature so that its rigidity is reduced.
The step of pre-forming the inner facing web may be such that the pre-formed inner facing web maintains its shape after the pre-forming step is complete. That is, after the inner facing web passes through the roller couples, it may maintain the desired inner shape of the shaped profile section. The pre-formed inner facing web may be self-supporting. It may maintain the desired inner profile shape in the absence of support from an external structure. As the inner facing web undergoes the roll-forming portion of the preforming step, its temperature falls below the pre-determined temperature and its rigidity therefore increases. This allows it to hold the desired inner shape of the shaped profile section.
The step of laying down liquid foam reactants may comprise operating a delivery head to dispense the liquid foam reactants into the pre-formed outer facing web. The delivery head may be a spray head or a pouring head.
The method may comprise steps of providing an outer facing web mold having a supporting surface shaped to support the pre-formed outer facing web thereon, providing an inner facing web mold configured with a molding surface, arranging the molding surface of the inner facing web mold to face and engage at least a portion of the supporting surface of the outer facing web mold, and conveying the preformed outer facing web with liquid foam reactants and the inner facing web in between the mold surfaces. This provides, from the outer facing web mold to the inner facing web mold, sequential layers comprising the outer web facing web, the liquid foam reactants and the inner facing web.
An advantage of pre-forming the inner facing web is that the shaped profile section may be formed with the exact desired shape. When the inner facing web is shaped only by the foam formed by the liquid foam reactants, the pressure exerted by the foam on the inner facing web may be insufficient to form the facing to the inner facing web mold, resulting in a misshapen profile section. For example, the internal bore of the profile section may be tear-drop or oval in cross-section, instead of circular. By pre-forming the inner facing web such that it maintains the desired shape after the pre-forming step is complete, the requirement for the foam to exert sufficient pressure on the inner facing web to form it to the inner facing web mold is removed. Instead, the pre-formed inner facing web and the inner facing web mold constrain expansion of the foam to ensure that the integrity of the profile is maintained.
The method may comprise providing a mold conveyor arrangement comprising a first rotary conveyor and a second rotary conveyor. A plurality of distinct inner facing web molds are arranged along a perimeter of the first rotary conveyor. A plurality of distinct outer facing web molds are arranged along a perimeter of the second rotary conveyor. The first rotary conveyor and second rotary conveyor are arranged such that the molds move along a conveyor path. Each inner facing web mold engages with an outer facing web mold for at least a portion of the conveyor path.
The molding surface of each inner facing web mold may comprise a pair of spaced apart substantially C-shaped mold plates. Where the inner facing web undergoes a pre-forming step, the inner facing web mold may correspond in shape to the pre-formed inner facing web.
The substantially C-shaped mold plates may be placed in substantial radial alignment within the C-shaped sections of the outer facing web when the molds are engaged along the conveyor path.
Desirably, the foam body formed from the liquid foam reactants is shaped and cured between the inner and outer facing webs while an inner facing web mold is engaged with an outer facing web mold.
The method may desirably comprise a step of applying pressure to one or both of the inner facing web mold and the outer facing web mold for a predetermined period of time to maintain the molds in engagement. Separating the molds along the conveyor path may release the shaped profile section from between the molds.
The method may comprise a step of cutting the shaped profile section to a desired length.
The outer facing web may be provided as one of metal foil. It may include aluminium foil, paper, glass, thermoplastic film or combinations of two or more thereof.
The inner facing web may be made of a thin porous material. Where the inner facing web undergoes a pre-forming step, the inner facing web may comprise fibres bound by a PVA binder. The fibres typically comprise a blend of glass fibres and polyester fibres. Preferably, the at least 50% of the fibres are 50% polyester fibres. In an embodiment, 70% of the fibres are polyester fibres. The polyester content of the inner facing web enables the facing to be thermally formed, that is, by heating and roll-forming the facing.
As outlined above, the liquid foam reactants are suitable for forming thermal insulation foam. Desirably, the liquid foam reactants are suitable for forming phenolic foam, poly-ester foam, poly-ether foam and/or poly-isocyanuarate foam.
Advantageously, the method of the disclosure may be used to form insulation foam having excellent thermal insulation properties. For example, the method of the disclosure may be used to form thermoset foam, such a phenolic foam or polyisocyanurate foam. Advantageously, the thermoset foam may have excellent thermal insulation properties.
Suitably, the foams made by the method of the disclosure have a density in the range of from about 10 kg/m3 to about 150 kg/m3. The density may be in the range of from about 20 kg/m3 to about 100 kg/m3, or from 20 kg/m3 to about 60 kg/m3. Foam density may be measured according to BS EN 1602:2013—Thermal insulating products for building applications—Determination of the apparent density.
The foams made by the method of the disclosure are preferably closed cell foams. The foams have a closed cell content of at least 85% as determined in accordance with ASTM D6226. Suitably, the foams made by the method of the disclosure have a closed cell content of at least 90%, such as at least 95%, or at least 97%. Closed cell content may for example be determined using gas pycnometry. Suitable, closed cell content may be determined in accordance with ASTM D6226.
The foams made by the method of the disclosure preferably are formed using blowing agents having low environmental impact and low thermal conductivity. For example, the foams made by the method of the disclosure may be formed using blowing agents such as hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins or combinations/blends thereof.
The blowing agent may for example comprise a C3-C10 hydrocarbon, selected from propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane and isomers thereof. Suitably, the blowing agent may comprise a butane, such as n-butane or iso-butane, or a pentane, such as n-pentane, isopentane or cyclopentane.
The blowing agent may comprise a blend of a C3-C10 hydrocarbons, such as a blend of C3-C6 hydrocarbons. For example, the blowing agent may comprise a blend of pentane isomers, e.g. a blend of cyclopentane and isopentane.
The chlorinated hydrocarbon may be a chlorinated propane, such as 1-chloropropane or 2-chloropropane (isopropyl chloride).
The blowing agent may comprise a blend of a C3-C10 hydrocarbon and a chlorinated hydrocarbon. For example, the blowing agent may comprise a blend of a C3-C6 hydrocarbon and 2-chloropropane, such as a blend of a pentane and 2-chloropropane.
The hydrofluoroolefin may be 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene or 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene.
The blowing agent may comprise a blend of a C3-C10 hydrocarbon and a hydrofluoroolefin. For example, the blowing agent may comprise a blend of a C3-C6 hydrocarbon and hydrofluoroolefin, such as a blend of a pentane and a hydrofluoroolefin.

Process and apparatus for producing shaped profile sections


A method of transmitting three dimensional video information over an interface from a playback device to a displaying device, the displaying device and the interface such that the properties of the displaying device can be queried over the interface, the method comprising determining one or more video format in which a compressed three dimensional video information is available to an input of the playback device, the three dimensional video information available either as stored on a record medium or received via a data transmission system; querying the displaying device over the interface with respect to one or more three dimensional video formats which the displaying device is able to process; selecting a best matching video format, wherein the best matching video format different from at least one available video format, the selection of the best matching video format based on the available video format and the video formats which the displaying device is able to process; processing the compressed three dimensional video information such that the three dimensional video information is transmitted over the interface in the best matching video format.

With the introduction of new 3D displays, there is an opportunity for 3D video to break through to the mass consumer market. Such 3D displays are able to handle both 3D display and 2D display. Presently, many displaying devices exist that can create a 3D audiovisual experience. These expect different input formats and have different capabilities in terms of resolution, colour depth, frequency, etc.
It is expected that 3D video content is sent from a player devices to a display over standard interface. It is known that 3D video content requires a much higher bandwidth for an interface, hence various transmission methods have been designed that allow sending the additional 3D data without exceeding the limits of existing interface standards. Some of these methods work better with some display types and are not possible with others.
Next to display-type developments, a lot of research has been carried out on developing how to express and describe 3D content, going beyond nowadays mainly two-dimensional content. This resulted in many 3D formats belonging to two main categories: depth-based and stereo or multi-view formats. Each of these categories has further sub-formats, for example the 2D video+depth map may be extended by adding occlusion and transparency information, or stereo+depth may be used as input format. Alternatively the multiple views may be used as input signal and mapped directly onto the display (sub) pixels. A flexible format for 3D video content has been disclosed in 2006/137000-A1 by the same applicant, to be included herein by reference.
Hence there are available several types of display devices, each with its own 3D display abilities, and several methods of transmitting 3D information from a playback device to a display device, and several possible formats for compressing 3D information, many of these incompatible with each other.
The available of many 3D devices and 3D formats that are incompatible with each other (in other word the lack of a unified standard) may make 3D displays and 3D players less attractive to a consumer and risk to lead to limited market acceptance.

3D video reproduction matching the output format to the 3D processing ability of a display


An agricultural product distribution system includes first and second product meters configured to meter first and second amounts of agricultural product from a product tank over first and second periods of time, respectively. The system also includes first and second motors coupled to the first and second product meters, respectively, and configured to turn the first and second product meters a first number of turns and a second number of turns, respectively, over the first and second periods of time to meter the first and second amounts of agricultural product. Further, the system includes a controller configured to receive inputs indicative of the first amount of agricultural product, the first number of turns, the second amount of agricultural product, and the second number of turns and to compare the signals to determine first and second calibration rate of the first and second product meters.

The present disclosure relates generally to product distribution systems for agricultural implements and, more particularly, to calibration of meter rollers of the product distribution system.
Generally, agricultural implements (e.g., seeders) are configured to distribute product (e.g., seeds and fertilizer) across a field. The agricultural implement may improve crop yield and/or farming efficiency by providing an even distribution of the product across the field and/or increasing speed at which the product is distributed across the field.
However, traditional product distribution systems for agricultural implements often distribute agricultural product, at any given time, to multiple rows (e.g., via multiple row units) using meters that are coupled to a single drive shaft that drives the meters at a single rate. Unfortunately, improperly or crudely calibrated meters may reduce farming efficiency and accuracy.

System and method for independent calibration of meter rollers


The present invention is related to a lens assembly comprising a flexible lens body (10) inside a cavity bounded by a sidewall (11) and a first transparent cover (13), and a second transparent cover (14), wherein both covers (13,14) are in contact with respective surfaces of the lens body (10). Piezo electric elements (12) shapes the lens body (10) when activated, thereby adjusting the focal length of the lens assembly.

There is an ever increasing demand for low cost, high volume solutions for lens assemblies with adjustable focal length. Modern mobile phones, for example, are now equipped with miniature digital camera modules and the quality and cost demands for lenses and lens assemblies are increasing. More and more miniature cameras used in for example mobile phones and laptop computers comes with auto focus functionality. The design of lens systems for such applications requires fulfilment of a number of requirements, such as ease of operation when fitting the lens on top of a camera module, by providing as few operational steps as possible, etc. These challenges are even greater when the lens arrangement comprises tuneable parameters, such as encountered in auto focus lenses, wherein the focal length must be adjusted to fit the distance from the lens to the object to be photographed, for example. Such lenses are usually complex designs comprising movable parts which can make it difficult to assemble the lens in a simple manner. A further challenge with such designs is the ever increasing requirement to provide as thin lens assemblies as possible. Thin and lightweight mobile phones and cameras are a must in the marketplace.
There exist a number of feasible solutions for making compact auto focus lens elements. For example, liquid filled lens elements based on the principle of electro wetting is disclosed in WO2006136613. Another example is disclosed in the article "Design, fabrication and testing of a micro machines integrated tuneable micro lens", by Weisong et. Al., Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 9 May, 2006, wherein a lens assembly containing a liquid in a cavity may be compressed or elongated to achieve an adjustment of focal length of the lens.
Both these two examples of prior art lenses comprise one or more liquids. Filling and confining a liquid to a cavity may impose problems during both production and use, as known to a person skilled in the art.
Another principle for a tuneable lens assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,746, wherein a plurality of elastic members is superposed in the optical axial direction. By applying a force on a side of the lens element, a deformation creates a curvature that results in variable focal properties, depending on the magnitude of the applied force.
JP 02178602 disclose a lens with an adjustable focal length comprising a transparent fluid 4 bounded by two transparent surfaces 1d, 2 and an elastic sealing material 3. The curvature of one of the transparent surfaces (1d) is adjusted by applying voltages onto a transparent piezo electric film 1c disposed onto the transparent surface.
JP 01140118 disclose a lens with an adjustable focal length comprising two transparent surfaces 1,3 with a fluid 2 in between bounded by a wall 10. The fluid 2 can be a gel or polymer. One of the transparent surfaces is a transparent piezo electric polymer, wherein the curvature of this surface is controlled by applied voltages onto the two electrodes 4, 5.
US 2002/0048096 disclose how to control deformations of a mirror 1. Piezo electric actuators 3 are arranged in a pattern on the backside of the mirror, and the deformation is controlled based on signals received from sensors attached to the mirror.
The Norwegian patent application No. 20065237 disclose a lens assembly comprising a floating glass cover on top of a gel or elastomer disposed on a transparent support. Piezoelectric actuators on top of the floating glass cover located in the periphery of the floating glass cover provides bending of the floating glass cover when activated that results in a change of the surface curvature of the gel or elastomer. However, the range of focal length adjustments is limited due to the limited range of bending of the floating glass cover. If the actuating force is to high, the edge of the floating glass cover may cut the gel or elastomer located directly under the edge of the floating glass cover thereby damaging the lens body, and hence the range of focal length adjustments are limited by this possibility of damaging the lens body.
Therefore there is a need to provide a lens assembly that provides the principal benefits of a lens assembly as disclosed in the Norwegian patent application No. 20065337, and that at the same time provides an increased range of focal length adjustments without changing properties of the lens assembly when adjustments are performed, and that protect the lens body against any form of damage when adjustment is performed in the whole range of adjustments, and that protect the lens body from damage or interference during manufacturing, when making interconnections, etc. of other optical and electronic components used together with the lens assembly according to the present invention. This property of the lens assembly according to the present invention also protects the lens assembly when using the lens assembly in an application.

Flexible lens assembly with variable focal length


A system and method for providing data redundancy. The method includes receiving a write instruction, the write instruction including data to be written to a primary remote direct access (RDMA) storage and a primary block address corresponding to a designated primary block of the primary RDMA storage, wherein the designated primary block is associated with a primary lock stored in the primary RDMA storage; determining whether the primary lock and at least one secondary lock are obtained, wherein each secondary lock is associated with a secondary block of a distinct secondary RDMA storage; and writing the data included in the write instruction to the designated primary data block and each secondary data block associated with the obtained at least one secondary lock, when it is determined that the primary lock and the at least one secondary lock have been obtained.

As computing technology has become ubiquitous in everyday life, so too has the need for storing data created or used by computers for various tasks. As a result, many improved storage solutions have been developed. Among such solutions are storage devices including a combination of a network controller and a single storage element such as a solid-state drive (SSD). These storage devices provide remotely accessible and sharable block storage. Each device is typically a single component and may be accessed to obtain data stored therein.
To facilitate availability of stored in storage devices, solutions for providing data redundancy across multiple devices have been developed. However, these redundancy solutions face challenges in maintaining data integrity by ensuring atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability, and other properties of the data. Further, these redundancy solutions may require implementation of third party software and/or hardware for providing redundancy. As a result, these solutions face challenges in cost-effectiveness, scalability, and flexibility in adapting to specific requirements of client servers (e.g., service level agreements or other requirements that must be adhered to by client storages).
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution that would overcome the challenges noted above.

System and method for providing data redundancy for remote direct memory access storage devices


A stringed instrument having a body portion and a neck extending from the body portion wherein the neck includes mounting end attachable to the body portion, a distal end and an intermediate section including means for attachment of a fingerboard. An enclosed channel extends from the mounting end of the neck along a central axis to an opening at the distal end, providing a housing for a rigid bar disposed within the channel. This bar includes (i) an adjustment end positioned near the instrument body, (ii) a distal end extending toward the distal end of the neck, and (iii) a transverse pivot support coupled at an intermediate section of the bar and journaled within the neck. The height and width dimensions provide a close fit of the bar within the channel at a distal end thereof such that displacement of the distal end of the bar along a vertical or rotational axis results in corresponding displacement of the distal end of the neck in a bi-directional, controlled member. An adjustment mechanism interlocks with the adjustment end of the bar to provide full control in both upward and downward directions. Rotational adjustment is enabled by additional mechanisms which impose an angular force to the bar.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to stringed instruments which include a neck and finger board extending the supported strings away from the body of the instrument. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism for correcting vertical and/or rotational misalignment in the neck of the stringed instrument.
2. Prior Art
Typical stringed instruments such as guitars, banjos, mandolins and other strummed instruments which have a significant amount of force applied to the neck of the instrument by reason of a plurality of strings in tension require accurate positioning of the fingerboard with respect to the array of strings. Such positioning is even more critical where frets are inlaid in the fingerboard to enable pitch selection for any selected string by depressing one or more fingers on a distal side of the fret from the resonating chamber or pickup part associated with the body of the stringed instrument. Although reference hereafter shall be made to an electric guitar, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles of this invention could be applied to other stringed instruments which share common construction design. Accordingly, further reference to the specific stringed instrument categorized as a guitar should be deemed to include other stringed instruments of comparable structure.
Proper alignment of the fingerboard of a guitar with respect to the suspended strings is essential. Although spacing and height displacement of strings from the fingerboard can be partially adjusted by the use of a specifically configured bridge or nut, it is preferred that the fingerboard of a guitar be essentially flat (meaning nontwisted) so that initial adjustments of the fingerboard position with respect to the rest of the instrument can be made in a predictable and controlled manner. In conventional fabrication of guitars, the neck is slightly bowed, further adjustments must be made to not only properly position the fingerboard with respect to the strings, but also to correct such misalignments. Such corrections are very difficult where the fingerboard is not initially flat, and compensation is virtually impossible when attempted from the outset for an extreme bow or twisted neck structure.
It has been reported that as many as 60% of the carved wood neck components prepared in typical fabrication procedures are simply discarded where initial misalignment is detected. For example, even though an artisan may start with a piece of hard wood which is straight and true in its rough form, as sections of the hard wood are cut away to form the tapering neck body, existent stresses within the wood may cause its configuration to slightly bow or twist. Such misalignment is unacceptable in finer instruments and typically results in the component being discarded.
Even where the neck structure remains acceptable after initial tooling, when applied to the guitar and subjected to stringed forces of 175 to 200 pounds compression, misalignment of the neck structure may result. Because of the unpredictable response of wood composition, guitar neck components cannot easily be prestressed to allow compensation for adjustments resulting from the described string pressure or loading which are imposed upon the neck.
Some adjustment has been facilitated by the use of a truss rod such as is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,621 or 4,557,174. The function of a truss rod is to redistribute loading forces imposed upon the neck to hopefully correct misalignment in the vertical bow which may occur with respect to the fingerboard and neck structure. It is important to note that the truss rod does not prevent loading of forces within the neck, but merely complements existing forces imposed by the strings to hopefully straighten or correct misalignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,267 illustrates a modular approach to providing for pre-strung adjustment in the neck component of the guitar by segmenting the neck and providing bolted attachment to the guitar body. Adjustment is accomplished by shifting the neck position with respect to the guitar body before tightening bolts which secure the neck to body orientation. This modular design has not provided the stability required for maintaining tuning nor for correcting other forms of misalignment. It is also cumbersome to adjust.
Furthermore, the prior problems of stress-imposed changes within the neck structure continue to be troublesome because forces arising from strings in tension can also affect distortion in the neck structure, particularly where weather conditions, heat and humidity might affect the wood. Therefore, a common impediment to construction and maintenance of a flat fingerboard and predictably straight neck body is the loading of the neck structure with the forces imposed by the tightly strung strings. Such stress may adversely affect any guitar in which string tension is applied to the neck in conventional manner.
In an earlier invention, the present inventors disclosed the use of a rigid, metal bar for relieving string tension from the supporting neck and fingerboard structure. This invention was described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,257, which explained that a rod could be inserted down a channel within the neck structure such that string tension applied at a distal end of the neck and fingerboard was loaded through the rigid bar into the guitar body. In this manner, the wood structure of the neck was not subjected to the severe tension and stress by reason of tightly drawn strings.
In addition, the referenced patent disclosed the use of a lifting force applied by contact of a threaded screw at the underside of the bar near the guitar body. For example, FIG. 2 of this patent illustrates adjustment screw 39 which is mounted at a support plate 39' and has its distal end contacting within a notch at the underside of the bar. This permits tension to be applied at one side of the bar as the screw is rotated inward, thereby countering the tension applied the strings 16. Accordingly, this earlier patent disclosed an adjustment mechanism which utilized the opposition of string tension versus bar tension in the vertical plane of the instrument to enable adjustment of the fingerboard and neck upward or downward. The limitations of such adjustment were controlled in part by the structural response of the neck material, the strings and string forces, and counter force established by the bar.
Although this mechanism provided improved adjustability along the vertical plane of the fingerboard, such adjustability was primarily limited to retracting the distal end of the fingerboard rearward by rotating the screw inward against the underside of the bar. Adjustments in the opposing direction were not as manageable because they depended upon the tension applied by the strings of the instrument. As guitar strings have become of lighter gauge, the difficulty of counter adjustments have increased.
In addition, the degree of abusive handling of instruments has greatly increased by virtue of modern performance styles, theatrics and attached hardware. For example, not only may a performance include swinging the guitar by its neck as part of performance choreography, but the use of tremolo bars and other hardware add greatly to the stress applied to the instrument, often resulting in mechanical misalignment of the fingerboard and neck structure.
It would therefore be beneficial to have an adjustment mechanism for maintaining and/or correcting alignment of the fingerboard of a guitar which does not depend on string tension and is capable of bearing stress applied in any form, whether it be by changes of weather, performance techniques or use of manipulative hardware associated with the instrument. Such progress would not only provide savings in the manufacture of such instruments, but would likewise reduce costs in correction of misalignment and difficulty of maintaining true pitch with respect to the strings of the instrument on a prolonged basis.

Neck adjustment mechanism for stringed instruments