There is disclosed a high inlet internal artery for use with thermosyphon tubes having condenser and evaporator sections. The high inlet internal artery allows such thermosyphons to operate above previously known maximum power throughput limits by drawing working fluid away from a stagnant pool area at the top of the condenser section of the thermosyphon tubes and transporting that fluid back into the evaporator section of the thermosyphon tube out of contact with upward flowing vapor which could impede the return of condensate. The high inlet artery of the present invention allows the circulation of liquid through a closed path and promotes increased thermal efficiency.

This invention relates to a high inlet artery which can be used with a thermosyphon in order to alleviate problems of thermosyphon flooding and its consequences.
A thermosyphon is a closed end tube with evaporator and condenser sections, which contains a working fluid in equilibrium between its liquid and vapor phases. When sufficient heat is applied to the bottom of the thermosyphon, the pool of liquid at the bottom of the thermosyphon begins to boil. Cooling the top end of the thermosyphon causes the vapor produced from the boiling liquid to condense on the walls of the condenser and, driven by the force of gravity, to drain back to the liquid pool at the bottom. Due to the fact that the working fluid is constantly close to its saturation temperature, the thermosyphon is very effective in transferring large amounts of heat across a small cross-sectional area with only a small drop in temperature.
Thermosyphons powered by gas burners have been successfully tested in home and industrial applications such as space heating. The thermosyphons proposed for these applications may include a series of finned tubes that are attached to manifolds at their tops and their bottoms. The tubes are evacuated, and then prior to their being sealed are charged with a working fluid such as water. In use, the tubes are placed with their evaporator section in one chamber receiving combustion products of a burner. In that chamber, hot combustion gases are blown over the evaporator section of the tubes. In another chamber, room air to be heated is blown over the condenser section of the tubes to remove heat from the condensing working fluid.
A problem with this method of heating has been that in some installations, the evaporator section of the thermosyphons has been known to overheat, causing the thermosyphon tubing to melt. This can occur when the working fluid evaporates more rapidly than it can be replenished or the liquid return to the evaporator is impeded by upward flowing vapor. This phenomenon is known as flooding.
Other problems associated with thermosyphons involve various limiting factors of the operation of the units. One such factor that affects the power output of a thermosyphon is the amount of working fluid in it. In general, an increase in the amount of working fluid leads to a higher operating limit. One reason for this is that a large fill charge increases the average liquid level and thus puts a greater supply of liquid into the evaporator which is likely to increase heat transfer and operating limits. As a result, in most space heating applications thermosyphon tubes are charged to the point where their evaporators are hydrostatically full of liquid. A disadvantage in using a large fill charge, however, is that such a charge in the evaporator section of a thermosyphon increases the temperature gradient of the working fluid thus decreasing heat transfer. Also, a large fill charge can result in more liquid remaining in the condenser section, which impedes condensation.
Another problem associated with the manifolded thermosyphon design is that if there is overheating in one section of the thermosyphon tubes, due to the tubes being in communication with one another, the entire unit will overheat and fail. To avoid this, the tubes can be separated so that if one of the tubes fails for any reason, it will not cause the entire unit to fail. However, separating the tubes so that each tube acts independently leads to a further and unacceptable decrease in the operating limit.
These problems have been dealt with to some degree by presently employed internal arteries, which are placed inside of thermosyphons to assist in downward transport of condensate. These arteries are positioned coaxially with the thermosyphon tube with their inlets adjacent to the thermosyphon tube wall at the bottom of the condenser section of the thermosyphon tube. As a result, some of the condensate, after it has traveled through the condenser section of the thermosyphon tube, is taken out of the path of the upwardly flowing vapor by flowing into and down through the artery. The arteries also have the effect of allowing the condensation to reach the bottom of the evaporator section of the thermosyphon more quickly than had the condensation traveled the length of the thermosyphon along the side wall against the resistance of the upward flowing vapor.
However, these known arteries do not alleviate the problem of flooding caused by the upwardly moving vapor interfering with the return of liquid. The vapor velocities range from zero at either end of the thermosyphon to their maximum value in the adiabatic transition section between the evaporator and condenser. An artery whose inlet is at the bottom of the condenser is, therefore, in a region of maximum vapor velocity. As a result, at and directly above the artery inlet the liquid return is impeded by the high vapor velocity in this region of the thermosyphon tube. Condensate must reach the bottom of the condenser before any benefit of the artery is possible.
As power throughput into a thermosyphon is increased, the average liquid level in the thermosyphon rises due to the increased vapor velocity. If the liquid level rises past the top of the known artery, it can impede the entrance of liquid into it. Since the known artery has its inlet at the bottom of the condenser, it is necessary to pick a fill that will keep the liquid level below the artery inlet. This can allow the average liquid level to drop below the top of the evaporator and possibly lower the operating limit.
Another disadvantage of known arteries is that they require tilting the thermosyphon to allow the condensate to collect and drain into the entrance of the artery. As a result, thermosyphon tubes using known arteries cannot be operated vertically.
As a result, there is a need for a means by which flooding conditions in a thermosyphon can be relieved so that thermosyphons can be operated under high power conditions that would otherwise cause evaporator overheating and failure of the device. There is also a need for a means by which the fill charge used in a thermosyphon can be increased to prevent the possibility of lack of liquid in the evaporator without the associated increase in temperature gradient and loss of condenser effectiveness.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means by which the efficiency with which the working fluid in a thermosyphon is evaporated and condensed is optimized.
It is another object of the present invention to circumvent flooding so that a thermosyphon can be operated under higher power conditions than has heretofore been possible.
It is yet another object of the present invention to prevent evaporator dry-out and thermosyphon overheating.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow a larger fill charge of working fluid to be used in a thermosyphon, thus preventing the average liquid level from dropping below the top of the evaporator and decreasing the operating limit.
These and other objects of the invention will be shown with reference to the following description of the invention and the figures, in which like reference numbers refer to like members throughout the various views.


The invention relates to a method (400) for monitoring a rental vehicle, said vehicle including a navigation/geolocation device arranged such as to determine and report the positioning coordinates of said vehicle, said method including the following steps: verifying (406) that the positioning coordinates of said vehicle are inside a previously recorded predetermined area and, if the positioning coordinates are not inside the predetermined area, executing a step (408-440) of indicating the anomaly. The invention also relates to a system implementing such a method.

Vehicles that operate with one or more electric batteries, and sites called rental sites allowing the collection of a rental vehicle or the return of a rented vehicle at the end of rental, are currently known.
These sites generally comprise a charging terminal used to charge the batteries of the rented vehicle while the vehicle is parked.
The vehicle rental stations and/or charging stations can be located and concentrated in a single geographical zone, called rental zone. This feature poses the problem of monitoring and locating the electric vehicles during the rental period in order to prevent a vehicle being situated outside the rental zone and being unable to return to the rental zone in order to reach a rental and/or charging site before the battery or batteries of the vehicle are completely discharged.
Moreover, the fact that a vehicle is situated outside the rental zone can be a sign of fraudulent use of the vehicle such as theft of the vehicle. No automated monitoring method and system making it possible to respond to this concern exist.
A purpose of the invention is to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks.
Another purpose of the invention is to propose a method and a system for monitoring an electric vehicle making it possible to ensure that, during the rental period, a vehicle is not situated outside the rental zone with its battery or batteries discharged.
Yet another purpose of the invention is to propose a method and a system for monitoring an electric vehicle available for rental making it possible to detect a fraudulent use of the vehicle for the purpose of theft of the vehicle.

Method and system for monitoring a rental vehicle


An actuator with an electric motor which drives an activation element, such as a rotatable arm or a longitudinally movable rod, via a transmission. The transmission has at least two transmission stages, the first one being formed by a worm drive, the second one being formed by a crown and bevel wheel (5; 4a, 4b), the bevel wheel (4a, 4b) being driven by the worm wheel (3a, 3b), and the crown wheel (5) having a power take-off (15). The transmission may readily be formed so that the axis of the crown wheel (5) is in direct extension of the worm (2). A relatively compact transmission with a high gearing may be achieved hereby, and with worm wheel as well as crown and bevel wheel of plastics the transmission is also comparatively noiseless.

The present invention relates to an actuator of the type wherein an electric motor drives an activation element, such as a rotatable arm or a longitudinally movable rod, via a transmission, and wherein the transmission has at least two transmission stages, the first one being formed by a worm drive with a worm and a worm wheel.
Actuators are used inter alia for performing movements and positional adjustments in articles of furniture, including beds and loose mattress supports, sickbeds and hospital beds, nursing equipment, seats for vehicles, machinery and within the industry, etc. Examples of linear actuators may be found in the applicant""s EP 647 799 and EP 662 573, both Linak A/S, and DE 38 42 078 Niko Gesellschaft fxc3xcr Antriebstechnik GmbH as well as WO99/16333 Inventions and Developments Holland B.V. An example of a rotary actuator is found in German Utility Model DE 298 02 384 U1 Recticel Internationale Bettsysteme GmbH, which discloses a mattress support with incorporated rotary actuators for adjusting the backrest part and/or the leg-rest part.
The associated electrical equipment is usually a low volt equipment where the actuators are typically driven by a 24V DC motor. The motors available involve the problem that a strong gearing has to take place, as the motors have a relatively high number of revolutions, while the actuator has to move very slowly relatively to this. For example, the motor may have a number of revolutions of the order of 3000 r.p.m., while the actuator performs a full movement in a period of time of the order of 30 sec. or even as slow as 60 sec. Various solutions have been contemplated in order to achieve the high reduction, but these have either been too expensive, too bulky, not sufficiently mechanically stable or too noisy.
The object of the invention is to provide an actuator which allows one or more of these problems to be obviated.
This is achieved according to the invention with an actuator of the type stated in the opening paragraph, wherein the subsequent transmission stage is formed by a crown and bevel wheel, wherein the bevel wheel is driven by the worm wheel, and wherein the crown wheel has a power take off arranged in extension of, or substantially in extension of, the worm, or in parallel therewith. This provides an actuator having a relatively compact transmission with a high gearing, and with a worm wheel made of plastic, the actuator is moreover comparatively noiseless. Crown and bevel wheels may be manufactured with simple moulding tools, by plastics moulding with a two-jawed tool, so that basically the manufacturing costs may be kept low.
When the transmission comprises an additional worm wheel and bevel wheel arranged diametrically opposite the first worm and bevel wheel, a balanced distribution of the forces is achieved. The worm and the crown wheel are stabilized, and the force distribution may be used for transferring greater forces or reducing dimensions or alternative selections of materials.
In a preferred embodiment the worm wheel and the bevel wheel are formed as one piece, which ensures optimum coupling and also facilitates mounting. The worm (worm gear) and bevel wheels may be made as one plastic member in a two-jawed injection moulding tool.
In a further embodiment the motor housing is provided with a front cover with a mount for the free end of the worm, and the cover is additionally provided with shafts for worm wheel/bevel wheel as well as a shaft for the crown wheel. This has evident advantages in terms of mounting.
When the power take-off of the crown wheel is formed as an axis-parallel toothed wheel, it may readily be used as a sun wheel when built together with a planetary gear. Here, too, it is expedient that the crown wheel and the toothed wheel are made as one piece.
In an embodiment, the shaft of the crown wheel is provided with a bearing bushing, and also the free end of the worm is expediently mounted in a bearing bushing in the front member.
When constructing worm wheel, bevel wheel and crown wheel, the crown having a toothed wheel as power take-off, of plastic, the costs may be reduced while keeping the noise t a low level.
The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.


The present disclosure provides a method for training a machine learning software component. In a computing system, a plurality of images and a plurality of location tuples are received. Each of the location tuples includes a subject identifier and a temporal identifier. For each of the location tuples, the subject identifier is associated with an image of the plurality of images using the temporal identifier to form a training data set. The machine learning software component is trained with the training data set.

In many contexts, it can be of interest to identify when an individual passed a particular location. For example, finish times in races are determined by when an individual crossed a finish line. Prior methods of determining finish times, such as by using manual timing devices (e.g., a stopwatch) or RFID technology, can suffer from disadvantages, including difficulty in scaling for large events or expense.

Identification of individuals and/or times using image analysis


An app is secured on a mobile device by being deconstructed or unbundled into multiple modules, where a module is a segment of app code that performs a particular function. It is then determined which modules from the multiple modules perform some type of security function, for example, a function dealing with confidential or security-related data. These modules, forming a group of modules, are loaded into a trusted execution environment. The app is then re-bundled so that it has the first plurality of modules and the second plurality of modules. The app executes in a manner where the high security functions execute so that break points cannot be inserted into the app code. The re-bundling is done automatically in an app security wrapping process. Security constraints are added to the app.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software and mobile devices. More specifically, it relates to securing, governing, and managing apps on devices, such as handsets, televisions, automobiles, and other emerging smart device categories.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the goals of security wrapping an app on a mobile device or any other type of smart device is to ensure that the app and the mobile device, including data stored on the device, are protected, even in a hostile environment, including an execution environment of a rooted or malware-infected device. For example, one way for a hacker to obtain secure data from a mobile device is to insert break points into an app. This is often difficult to do because of the precision needed when determining the break points, but if the hacker has the resources (time, funds, and expertise), they can inspect the memory and execution of a device and, through diligence, determine where the best places would be to insert these break points. The time available for these insertions is often very small and, as noted, can normally only be obtained from closely examining execution of the device over a sufficiently long period of time. Once these break points have been inserted into an app, sensitive data, such as logon data, passcodes, data to perform a secure handshake, encrypting/decrypting protected data, and so on, may be exposed. As such, break point insertion remains a vulnerability. It would be desirable to prevent a hacker from inserting break points into an app or prevent them from looking at device memory. It would also be desirable to include DRM-type features in a wrapped app and still maintain the original or at least a favorable user experience for the app.

Secure execution of unsecured apps on a device


A computer-implemented method for an anonymous personalized recommendation is provided. The method includes receiving select server fingerprints selected from server fingerprints based on predetermined metrics. The server fingerprints correspond to a plurality of public entities and each server fingerprint includes encoded information about a corresponding public entity. The method also includes generating a user fingerprint based on user information associated with a user, the user fingerprint comprising encoded user information. The method further includes comparing the user fingerprint with the select server fingerprints to select a server fingerprint for recommendation, generating a recommendation of a public entity corresponding to the server fingerprint for recommendation, and displaying the recommendation. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

The Internet allows users access to a large amount of information, and the amount is constantly increasing. However, the increasing amount of information makes it difficult for the users to find information that is interesting or relevant to what they are looking for. Recommendation engines are available which, through various methods, recommend to the user information or entities that are publicly available ("public entities") such as, web sites, articles, blogs or other users which the user may find interesting or relevant. However, existing engines typically require the user to share user information with a recommendation provider.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Anonymous personalized recommendation method


An embodiment of the invention discloses a manufacture method of a sensor comprising: preparing gate scanning lines on a substrate; depositing a gate insulating layer on the gate scanning lines; sequentially depositing a gate insulation thin film, an active layer thin film, an ohmic contact layer thin film, a first conducting layer thin film and a photoelectric conversion layer thin film, and after the depositing, processing a lamination structure of the thin films with a gray-tone mask plate to obtain switch devices and photoelectric sensing devices; and then sequentially preparing a first passivation layer, bias lines and a second passivation layer.

With development of society and advance of science and technology, X-Ray sensors not only play an important role in the field of medical imaging, but are widely applied in other fields such as metal detection.
A conventional plane-type X-Ray sensor comprises a photosensitive array, the circuit structure of which is shown in FIG. 1. Each of the pixel units of the photosensitive array of the X-Ray sensor comprises a photodiode 11 and a thin film transistor (TFT) 12. The gate electrode of the TFT 12 is connected to a gate scanning line 13 of the X-Ray sensor, the drain electrode of the TFT 12 is connected to a data line 14 of the X-Ray sensor, and the source electrode of the TFT 12 is connected to the photodiode 11. One end of the gate scanning line 13 is connected to a scan driving circuit 16 through a connecting pin; one end of the data line 14 is connected to a data driving circuit 15 through a connecting pin.
The X-Ray sensor scans the gate signals through the scan driving circuit 16 to control the switch states of the TFTs 12 of a row of pixel units. When the TFT 12 of one pixel unit is switched on, the photocurrent signal generated by the photodiode 11 is read out sequentially through the data line 14 connected to the TFT 12 and the data driving circuit 15. The collection of the photoelectric signal is accomplished by controlling the signal timings on the gate scanning line 13 and the data line 14. That is to say, the controlling operation on the collection of the photocurrent signal generated by the photodiode 11 is accomplished by controlling the switch state of the TFT 12.
A cross-sectional view of one pixel unit in the conventional X-Ray sensor is shown in FIG. 2. Each of the pixel units sequentially from the bottom up comprises: a substrate 21, a gate layer 22, a gate insulating layer 23, an active layer 24, a source/drain electrode layer 25, a first passivation layer 26, a photoelectric conversion layer 27, an etched protection layer 28, a second passivation layer 29, a common electrode layer 30, a light blocking layer 31 and a protection layer 32. The common electrode layer 30 and the source/drain electrode layer 25 act as the two electrodes of the photodiode 11. The active layer 24 comprises an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 241 and an n-type amorphous silicon layer 242. In a conventional preparing method, during the process of etching to form each of the gate layer 22, the gate insulating layer 23, active layer 24, the source/drain electrode layer 25, the first passivation layer 26, the photoelectric conversion layer 27, the etch protection layer 28, the second passivation layer 29, the common electrode layer 30, the light blocking layer 31 and the protection layer 32, one mask exposure process is required, and therefore the X-Ray sensor totally requires 11 photolithography processes (mask processes) during the process of manufacture, and correspondingly 11 mask plates are used for exposing photoresist.
Thus, in the conventional method for manufacturing the X-Ray sensor, the number of mask exposure is great and the manufacturing processes are very complex; furthermore, due to the high cost of a mask plate, the corresponding products have increased manufacturing costs, reduced yield and reduced productivity of equipments.

Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


In an automotive heater or air conditioner system the temperature control and the mode control for directing air flow to the desired outlet is controlled by a single actuator. A mixing chamber has inlet and outlet end walls for temperature control and mode control, respectively. Each wall has openings for air flow and has an associated rotary door for controlling air flow through the openings. The rotary doors are mounted on a common shaft for simultaneous rotation and the shaft is driven by a single actuator. A heater core is mounted in the chamber adjacent an opening in the inlet end wall. A mixer device blends hot and cold air in the chamber.

In automotive ventilation systems it is customary and desirable to afford both heating and cooling functions whether the cooling is accomplished by air conditioning or by ambient air. The systems operate in three modes: heating, air conditioning and defrost or defog. Each mode directs the air into the vehicle differently from the other modes. For heating mode, the air is directed to the vehicle floor; for air conditioning mode, the air is directed through instrument panel vents; and for defog/defrost mode, the air is directed onto the windshield. In any mode, a variable blend of hot and cool air is possible for temperature control and for heating and air conditioning modes unblended hot and cool air, respectively, can be selected.
In such systems it is known to provide a mixing chamber having inlet and outlet doors and a valve arrangement for controlling the proportion of hot and cold air streams entering the chamber for temperature selection and another valve arrangement for controlling the mode of air distribution from the outlet. Separate controls operate the two valve arrangements. Generally, flapper valves are used for both temperature and mode functions to selectively open or close various openings, although in some cases a rotary valve such as an apertured drum is used. Typically, a separate actuator is used for each valve or a complex linkage or cam arrangement is used to control plural valves. In any event, separate actuators are used for temperature control and mode control. Thus the use of several independently operated valves requires several actuators. Further, the valves each take up a certain amount of space and thus hinder attempts to design compact units.
For air conditioning applications it is commonplace to cool the air entering the mixing chamber by an evaporator positioned in the air stream just upstream of the mixing chamber inlets to condition all the incoming air. A heater core, inside or outside the chamber, heats only that portion of the incoming air which passes through it. The temperature control valves determine whether all, some or none of the air is heated.

Simultaneous temperature and mode selector for heating and cooling


Information is recorded by providing a recording medium having a recording layer on an electroconductive substrate transmitting an electromagnetic wave and an electroconductive optical probe arranged proximate to the recording medium, and applying a voltage between the substrate and the optical probe. The recorded information is read by irradiating an electromagnetic wave, preferably with a plurality of wavelengths, on the recording layer from the substrate side, and detecting with the optical probe an electromagnetic wave oozed out on the surface of the recording layer.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a novel information processing device and an information processing method which perform recording or erasing of information by voltage application and perform reproduction of information by detecting an evanescent wave.
Also, the present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing method which is improved in S/N ratio in reproduction of information which is performed by detecting an evanescent wave.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, uses of memory materials constitute the nuclei of electronics industries such as computers and their related instruments, video discs, digital audiodiscs, etc., and the developments of such materials have been extremely actively progressed. The performances demanded for memory materials, which depend on the uses, may include generally:
(1) high density and large recording capacity; PA1 (2) rapid response speed of recording and reproduction; PA1 (3) small power consumption; PA1 (4) high productivity and low cost, etc.
These materials have been heretofore primarily semiconductor memories or magnetic memories by use magnetic materials or semiconductors as the base material, but with the progress of the laser technique in recent years, an inexpensive and high density recording medium with an optical memory by use of an organic thin film such as an organic dye, a photopolymer, etc. has been developed.
On the other hand, the scanning tunneling microscopy (hereinafter abbreviated as STM) that can observe directly the electron structure of surface atoms/molecules of a conductor with a resolving power of 0.1 nm has been developed [G. Binning et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 57 (1982)]. There has been made a proposal concerning a recording-reproduction device which performs writing-reading onto a recording medium with a bit size of atomic/molecular order (0.5 to 50 nm) by use of the tunnel current applying the principle of STM [for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 63-161552 and 63-161553].
Also, as further development of STM, there have been developed a near field scanning optical microscope (NFOM) which examines the surface state of a sample by utilizing the evanescent wave oozed out from a fine opening smaller than the wavelength of the light at the pointed tip end of a probe to which light introduced from the opposite direction [Durig et al., J. Appl. Phys., 59, 3318 (1986)] or the photon scanning tunneling microscopy (PSTM) that permits light to enter from the back surface of a sample through a prism under the condition of total reflection, and detecting the evanescent wave oozed out to the sample surface [Reddick et al., Phys. Rev. B39, 767 (1989)]. By applying the principle of NFOM and utilizing an evanescent wave, there has been made a proposal concerning a recording-reproduction device which performs writing onto a recording medium and reading therefrom [U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,206].
However, of those which have been practically applied in the above prior art examples, even in the optical memory with the highest density and the largest recording capacity, the limit of recording capacity is 10.sup.8 bit/cm.sup.2, which is becoming no longer sufficient for image recording in computers or video instruments in recent years, etc.
In an attempt which performs recording and reproduction by accessing to one molecule, although the bit size of recording may be on an atomic/molecular order (0.5 to 50 nm), in such recording wherein a part of the structure within the molecular order changes, the influence of the recorded state on the tunnel current is local, whereby reproduction can be done with difficulty. Further, since there is also the possibility to change the recorded state by the operation of reproduction, it can hardly be said as being sufficiently applicable to a memory.
Also, in the attempt of recording and reproduction by use of NFOM as described above, the evanescent wave was weak in intensity for performing stable writing of information, and if the optical intensity is made stronger, there has been involved the problem that the bit diameter becomes larger.
If both recording and reproduction are performed by use of the evanescent wave, there also has been the problem that the written state is changed by the reproduction light.
Further, in reproduction of an evanescent wave by use of a single wavelength, there has been no method of distinguishing the unevenness of the substrate or medium surface from the recorded state, and therefore the S/N ratio is liable to be worsened, and reproducibility and stability cannot be said to be sufficient.

Information processing device and information processing method


This invention provides an apparatus and method for locating a curvilinear symbol by generating a grey scale model of a segment of a curvilinear symbol and interpolating curvature at the segment's periphery; reflecting this segment around the axes of symmetry to generate a full size model; generating full resolution subfeature models; assigning coordinate axes weighting to each subfeature model x and y axis; defining tolerance thresholds for deviations from an idealized curvilinear symbol; searching a digitized image for shapes corresponding to the subfeature models; assigning weights to scores returned for positions found corresponding to the subfeature models; producing weighted positions combining both coordinate axis weighting and score weighting; computing a best fit for the image found; comparing the positions found to tolerance thresholds and discarding those positions outside the thresholds; substituting and weighting alternate positions found, if any, to compute the location of the curvilinear symbol from remaining positions within the threshold.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machine vision, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for accurately locating circular or curvilinear patterns in a digitized image.
B. Background
Many production machines require automated alignment of objects such as printed circuit boards before processing operations, such as the insertion of integrated circuits can take place. In such applications, machine vision systems can be used to capture and digitize an image of the object to be aligned and analyze that image for a match to a pre-trained "model" of a fiducial or locator target on the object. Typically, search techniques such as correlation search, contour finding or edge detection are used to locate x,y coordinates in the digitized image for a possible match to the pre-trained model. Those results are then sent to the production machine equipment, where the information can be used to move the printed circuit board for proper alignment.
One technique used to improve accuracy in such searching is to decompose the features of the fiducial or target pattern into subfeatures, such as corners or arcs that can be independently located more accurately and whose locations can then be combined to give the location of the whole. The creation of subfeatures is usually done in a separate training step, while searches are conducted at runtime, during production.
Subfeature models of angular fiducial symbols, such as squares, rectangles, crosses and triangles, can be generated using a number of techniques that are simple, fast and accurate. Models of circular or curvilinear fiducials can also be created using existing techniques. However, for reasons of computational efficiency in existing systems and because fiducials are frequently uniform in grey level, the model for a circle or curvilinear symbol is typically a binary model generated from a synthetic image. Calculating grey level values for the boundary locations of a curvilinear object is a more complex task than it is for angular objects.
Previous circle location schemes train four subfeature models at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees. Prior techniques can vary in accuracy. If multiple images are taken of the same fiducial (without moving it under the camera), the resulting location reported by the fiducial finder can vary from image to image by as much as 0.25 to 0.5 pixels or pels. Even though this variation is not very severe, it is too great for applications that demand highly accurate position information.
One cause of inaccuracy stems from the binary nature of the typical circular or curvilinear fiducial model. Since curvilinear fiducials cannot be exactly represented by an integral number of binary pels, inaccuracies are built into the model. Computations necessary to determine the fill of a synthetic grey scale circle model are also not trivial. One such method involves the use of integration.
Furthermore, the presence of confusing artifacts near or around the object of interest, non-uniform lighting variations, scale variations, video noise generated in the imaging system, and smearing or obscuration of parts of the symbol all contribute to the difficulty of locating a symbol accurately.
Another significant problem in using subfeature models for curvilinear objects stems from the fact that the x and y axis coordinate positions returned for a particular subfeature model may not be equally likely to indicate a good match. For example, a subfeature model centered at the zero degrees location on the circle's periphery provides quite accurate information about the x axis location of the symbol, but the y axis information is not definitive for that point on the circumference, due to the slow curvature of the circle perimeter. For each subfeature model around the circumference, the x, and y coordinates may vary in their respective information value in a search.
Similarly, in existing search techniques using templates or models, it may happen that the results that match the subfeature model most closely may in fact be positions found as a result of spurious artifacts in the image. For example, a circular fiducial may be represented by four subfeature models. If these four subfeature models are used to search for the fiducial, three of the resulting positions found in the image may actually be part of the fiducial. However, an artifact which is not part of the fiducial may be located by the search technique as a best match for the fourth subfeature. This artifact may be positioned so far away from the other three it could not possibly be part of the fiducial.


The heating apparatus of a surface-heating type, includes a rotary member, an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member, and a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip, in which temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member is controlled, and a heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein is heated using heat of the rotary member. Accordingly, after insertion of the heating material in the nip starts, control temperature of the heating member is increased before the rotary member rotates by one revolution, thereby preventing an uneven heating phenomenon of the heating material in the first revolution and the second revolution or later, and preventing uneven gloss due to the uneven heating phenomenon in the fixing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heating apparatus which is preferably used as a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer. The fixing apparatus heats a recording material, on which a toner image made of a heat-softening resin is formed and carried, to form a permanently-fixed image on the recording material.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a heating apparatus of a type for heating a surface of a rotary member for heating the heating material (the material to be heated), the apparatus including: the rotary member for heating the heating material; an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member; a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip; and temperature control means for controlling temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member, in which the heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein using heat of the rotary member. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus including the heating apparatus as a fixing apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
For convenience, a description will be made taking as an example an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, or a fax machine.
A fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus is used for a process of heat-fixing an unfixed toner image to a surface of a recording material as a permanently-fixed image. The unfixed toner image is obtained in an image forming part of the image forming apparatus appropriately by means of an image forming process such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording, or magnetic recording. The unfixed toner image is formed on the surface of the recording material by using toner (a visualizing agent) composed of a heat-fusing resin or the like in a direct method or an indirect (transferring) method.
Up to now, examples of the fixing apparatus include a heating roller type and a film heating type.
The heating roller type employs a heating apparatus that heat-fixes an unfixed toner image to a surface of a recording material by including: a fixing roller (heating roller) and a pressure roller, which constitute a rotating roller pair; a heat source such as a halogen lamp built within the fixing roller so as to heat a portion to or control its temperature at a predetermined fixing temperature; and a press-contact nip portion (fixing nip portion) between the rotating roller pair through which the recording material as a heating material (a material to be heated), on which the unfixed toner image is formed and carried, is introduced, nipped, and conveyed.
The film heating type employs a heating apparatus that includes: a film having a small heat capacity instead of the heating roller so as to nip and convey a recording material between the film and the pressure roller; and a heater disposed to an inner surface of the film so as to heat the recording material. The film heating type increases the temperature for a short period of time, and is thus utilized as an on-demand fixing apparatus that can increase the temperature to a temperature for fixing, upon demand for heating to fix an image, immediately after starting the heating.
On the other hand, if the fixing roller or the film is coated with a resilient layer made of rubber or the like, the resilient layer functions as a heat insulating layer against the heating from the inside. Therefore, it takes longer even for the film heating type to increase the temperature, making it difficult to secure on-demand fixing.
In the case of coating a surface of a rotary member for heating a recording material as a heating material with a resilient layer, a releasing layer, or the like having heat insulating property, there is proposed an apparatus of a surface-heating type in which heat is supplied from a surface side of the rotary member (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-133505). According to the apparatus of the surface-heating type, heat can be supplied from the surface of the rotary member for heating, improving responsiveness to power supply to a heater as a heating source. Even in the case of using the rotary member coated with the resilient layer, it is possible to reduce rising time.
However, in the apparatus of the surface-heating type, the rotary member has a temperature gradient that decreases from its surface to its deep part. Thus, even if the surface of the rotary member is deprived of heat due to insertion of the recording material as a heating material, there is little heat to be supplied from the inside of the rotary member. As a result, the amount of heat to be supplied to the recording material from the rotary member having a large amount of stored heat in the first revolution is different from that in the second revolution or later, causing a problem in that an uneven gloss (gloss non-uniformity) occurs due to uneven heating.
The above-mentioned circumstances have created a demand for a fixing apparatus with reduced rising time and without an image defect such as an uneven gloss occurring due to uneven heating.


A milestone manager receives a milestone message from a first application. The milestone message includes information associated with a periodic event. The milestone manager applies a rule based process on the milestone message information and sends a trigger to a second application in response to the milestone. The trigger initiates processing of the second application in response to the milestone.

Traditional financial processing systems are generally implemented on mainframe batch processing architectures. There may be many benefits to be realized by converting these processing systems from mainframe batch processing to distributed computer architectures. With long-running applications capable of receiving real-time processing instructions in the form of messages, distributed networks can process tasks with more autonomy and efficiency than their mainframe predecessors. It can be a challenge to reconcile the forward-looking approach and independently operating nature of such mainframe architectures, however, with the needs of a financial institution, for example, to account for and reconcile past investment activity. It can be particularly difficult to apply dependency tracking to applications in such mainframe architectures.


A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Dueamanda’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; and salmon pink-colored double flowers.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Dueamanda'.
The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely and early flowering Zonal Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.
The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jul. 1, 1998, of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-16-05, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-19-05, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Dueamanda was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Jun. 1, 2004.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings at Rheinberg, Germany since Jul. 1, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A photoemission radiant heater includes a chamber having an interior reflective surface, a first end and a second end; a means for generating photons within the chamber wherein photons are reflected off the interior reflective surface of the chamber; a black body means having a portion thereof located in a position to absorb radiant energy from within the reflective chamber; means for blowing air over the black body means wherein heat is transferred from the black body means to the air. A means for concentrating photons such as a lens or convex reflective shield may be included within the chamber and the black body means may be located either within the core of the chamber, or at a first end of the chamber where it may or may not contain a plurality of members which extend out of the chamber axially along the length of the chamber. Air is blown over the black body means to absorb energy therefrom.

The present invention involves a different concept and approach applied to heating and heating systems. The photoemission radiant heater in accordance with the principles of the present invention utilizes the phenomenons associated with radiant energy and its thermal propagation and various aspects of the energy coefficients generated in three separate stages. The resultant heat is transferred to a radiant state by the use of black bodies.
This invention has virtually no similarities to conventional heating systems or units and is the first to effectively use the photoelectric effect and black body radiation.


Oxetanocin derivatives represented by formula: ##STR1## wherein X represents H or ##STR2## or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof exhibit an anti-viral activity. Anti-viral compositions comprising the oxetanocin derivatives or their pharmacologically acceptable salts as the effective ingredient are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel compounds having an antiviral activity and their use.
2. Prior Art Statement
It has been revealed that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (hereafter referred to as AIDS) is a disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (hereafter referred to as AIDS virus). For the treatment of AIDS, azidothymidine has been used but because of its side effects, a dose is limited and hence, a satisfactory therapeutic effect cannot be obtained.
Therefore, it has been desired to develop a novel anti-AIDS viral agent having a low toxicity.

Oxetanocin derivatives and their salts as well as use thereof


The present invention provides a method of increasing extracellular secretion of secretory proteins by co-expressing the secretory proteins with a mature cutinase. Cutinase can improve the permeability of E. coli cell membrane without destroying the membrane, and thus facilitate cross-membrane transfer of the secretory proteins co-expressed in E. coli. Increased extracellular secretion of target proteins can shorten cell culture time, reduce the formation of inclusion bodies and increase production of target proteins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for enhancing extracellular secretion of recombinant proteins, and more particularly relates to a method for enhancing extracellular secretion of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli by co-expressing Thermobifida fusca (T. fusca) cutinase.
2. Description of the Related Art
Escherichia coli (E. coli) has a rapid growth rate and high protein expression level so that it has been considered as one of the most promising strain for industrial production of recombinant proteins. E. coli is able to express proteins in 3 ways: cytosolic production, periplasmic production and extracellular production. Compared with other two methods, extracellular production has significant advantages in both analytical and industrial applications because it does not require cell disruption and has almost no contamination from host proteins.
There are 5 secretory pathways for protein to translocate across the cell membrane in E. coli. However, due to their complicated components, regulatory mechanisms, and/or the low intrinsic secretion capabilities of these systems, E. coli is usually considered to be a poor secretor of proteins. It has been reported that the balance between expression level and secretion rate is a critical factor for extracellular production of recombinant proteins. To date, many strategies for improving the extracellular secretion of proteins in E. coli have been reported, especially the mechanism between transport chaperon protein and target proteins has been explored. Enhancing protein secretion process, constructing outer membrane leakage mutations as well as adding certain chemicals to enhance the permeability of cell membrane are commonly used methods.
Cutinase not only catalyzes the cleavage of the ester bonds of cutins, but also is capable of hydrolyzing soluble esters, insoluble triglycerides and a variety of polyesters. In addition to its hydrolytic activity, cutinase is also used in ester synthesis and transesterification. As a multifunctional enzyme, cutinase has potential in the food, chemical, textile, and other industries. Enzymes with cutinase activity have been found in both fungi and bacteria. To date, all the cutinase from microorganisms have been found to be secretory enzymes. Therefore, for the heterologous expression, signal peptides are usually used to mediate the secretion of recombinant cutinase. Using this approach, Fusarium solani cutinase has been expressed in a variety of host cells. The highest yield of extracellular protein 546 mg/L, was obtained in a 5 L bioreactor using an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae cellular system. Previously, we identified the open reading frame responsible for the expression of T. fusca cutinase, and secretory expression of the cutinase was performed by mediation of the pelB signal peptide in E. coli BL21 (DE3). More recently, we found that the mature form of T. fusca cutinase without a signal peptide was mainly secreted into the culture medium and only a small percentage of the enzyme is located in the periplasm and cytoplasm. We further found that the mature cutinase has phospholipase activity that leads to limited hydrolysis of phospholipids of cell membrane and thus increases membrane permeability. Based on this finding, the present invention provides a method for extracellular secretion of mature cutinase without mediation of a signal peptide and a method for enhancing extracellular secretion of recombinant proteins. Mature cutinase used herein refers to a full-length cutinase protein without a signal peptide.

Method for enhancing extracellular secretion of recombinant proteins in


A scanner system and method for improving the capture rate of reading labels with add-ons without sacrificing throughput with respect to non-add-on labels, the scanner including a mode in which the scanner xe2x80x9clearnsxe2x80x9d over time which base label codes will have associated add-ons. At first, the required number of reads of base label information is set to a programmable number that is very low, and is preferably one. As the scanner successfully reads both a base label and its add-on data, the base label data is stored in a list in the scanner""s memory and the required number of reads of this particular base label is increased to a second programmable number which is higher than the first and preferably high enough to obtain a reasonable add-on capture rate. Future scans of a base label corresponding to that of one in the list store will result in additional read attempts to ensure the capture of add-on information while the initial low number of reads remains in tact with respect to non-add-on labels. Thus, first pass read rate is preserved where possible and throughput is optimized. Base label statistics on successful base label and associated add-on reads, as well as ordering and selective storage of base label information based on frequency of base label occurrence may also be provided to further optimize performance while reducing system requirements.

The field of the present invention relates to data reading devices, such as barcode scanners and other barcode reading devices. In particular, barcode readers are described herein which employ methods whereby the capture rate of reading labels with add-ons is improved without sacrificing throughput with respect to non-add-on labels.
Barcode labels encode information in a variety of formats, i.e., symbologies, and are commonly employed in applications such as inventory control systems and, most familiarly, affixed to consumer goods for retail store check-out, among others. Typically, the information encoded on each label uniquely identifies the product or product line. Such information, once decoded, may be used to identify other information, e.g., price, associated with the labeled object.
A barcode label typically comprises a series of parallel dark bars of varying widths with intervening fight spaces, also of varying widths. Character information (which can, e.g., be alpha-numeric) is encoded in the labels by the specific sequence of bars and spaces with groupings of bars and spaces representing the character information. The precise nature of the representation depends on the particular barcode symbology in use.
One traditional symbology is the Universal Product Code (UPC) label in which each character is made up of two bars and two interleaved spaces. The width of each character is measured in units called xe2x80x9cmodulesxe2x80x9d with each character being seven modules in width. The width of any particular bar or space within the character representation is between one and four modules. The character value depends on the relative width in modules of the two bars and two spaces it comprises. For example, indicating bars with a 1 and spaces with a 0, a sequence of 111 would represent a bar that is three modules in width. The character value 5 may be represented as 0110001, i.e., one space that is 1 module in width, one bar that is 2 modules in width, one space that is 3 modules in width, and one bar that is one module in width, respectively. Likewise, the character 3 may be represented as 0111101.
With respect to the UPC label symbology alone there are many variations, such as UPC-A, UPC-E, etc. With the exception of UPC-E labels, the UPC symbologies comprise right and left segment halves. In addition to the UPC formats, a variety of other label formats exist which vary, among other ways, in structure, content, parity requirements, and type of feature characters. Code 39 and Code 128, for example are both non-segmented label formats, i.e., they have no center feature characters separating two or more segments of bars. Furthermore, many new label encoding schemes have been developed which have differing pattern structures for the dark and light areas. Exemplary of these newer code types are the stacked bar code formats referred to as Code 49 and PDF 417.
As indicated previously, with respect to the traditional symbologies such as UPC, the character information encoded in the barcode is represented by the specific sequence of bar and space widths. In addition to data characters, many labels utilize feature characters such as center or guard characters, as delimiters or to separate segments of the label. Most UPC labels, as noted above, have left and right segment halves. These segment halves are separated by a center band character that typically comprises two single module bars and three interleaved single module spaces. The beginning and end of the label are delimited by a pair of guard characters, each of which typically comprises two single module bars and one interleaved, single module space. The bar/space representations of these feature characters are unique from that of data characters to enhance detection and decoding capability. Furthermore, an unprinted margin area or white space is typically located outwardly of the two guard characters. In a further variation, a typical UPC/EAN barcode may or may not also include an additional piece of information in the form of a second, adjacent barcode called an xe2x80x9cadd-onxe2x80x9d located beyond the white space margin beyond the end guard character.
Optical scanning systems and other data reading systems, e.g., barcode readers, use various devices and methods for the purpose of reading such labels, identifying the particular label format, and decoding the information stored in the label. Common types of barcode readers include spot scanners and line scanners. In either case, one or more light sources, such as a laser or laser diode, are utilized to scan the label with a collection subsystem detecting at least a portion of the light reflected from the label, distinguishing between dark and light areas, and converting the optical information into an electronic signal that may be recognized by a computer or other electronic system.
In spot scanners, a reading spot is systematically moved across the barcode, either manually or automatically. The resultant paths followed by the scanned illumination beam are typically referred to as a scan lines. A photodetector monitors the reflected or back-scattered light from each scan line. The photodetector may generate a high current when a large amount of light scattered from the barcode impinges on the detector, as from a light space, and likewise may produce a lower current when a small amount of light scattered from the barcode impinges on the photodetector, as from a dark bar.
With respect to line scanner systems, the barcode is focused onto a multi-element linear or areal photodetector array and the image of the barcode is detected. Though some imaging systems employ ambient light to illuminate the barcode, a light, source may also illuminate the barcode to provide the required signal response corresponding to the image. The imaging optics which produce an image of the barcode on the photodetector array can alternatively be thought of as projecting an image of the photodetector array (a xe2x80x9cvirtual scan linexe2x80x9d) into the scan volume in a manner completely analogous to the real scan line produced by a spot scanner. Further, scan pattern generating optics may be used to project multiple virtual scan lines into the scan volume in various directions and at varying orientations, thereby generating a virtual scan pattern, once again completely analogous to the real scan pattern produced by a spot scanner. Such a virtual scan line system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,271 hereby incorporated by reference.
Regardless of which type of barcode reader is used, a raw electronic signal is generated from which the relative widths of the bars and spaces must be extracted. The electronic signal that is generated typically comprises a signal wherein voltage alternates between two preset voltage levels, one representative of the dark bars and the other representative of the light spaces. The temporal widths of these alternating pulses of high and low voltage levels correspond to the spatial widths of the bars and spaces. High-to-low or low-to-high transitions in the electronic signal voltage, representing edges of the bars and spaces (i.e., elements) in the barcode, may be detected by any of a number of means well known in the art. A common and well-known technique for edge detection is through the use of a derivative based signal processor such as is described by example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,397 entitled xe2x80x9cSignal Processor Method and Apparatusxe2x80x9d issued in the name of Hebert et al. and owned by the owner of the present application, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The temporal sequence of alternating voltage pulses of varying widths comprising the electronic signal is then presented to an electronic decoding apparatus for decoding of the information encoded in the barcode.
As a practical matter, recovering information from optical code labels poses many difficulties that must be overcome by a scanning system. For example, in order to read a label completely, i.e., from left guard character or margin to right guard character or margin, in a single optical pass, the label must be properly oriented with respect to the scanning beam. Early prior art scanner systems depended upon individual scan lines extending across the entire barcode for the barcode to be successfully read. Failure to read in a single pass in such systems would require the object to be re-positioned and re-scanned until a successful read was obtained. These systems presented difficulties and inefficiencies in real-time, practical applications wherein the orientation of a barcode vis-a-vis the scanner was hard to control.
Even where a label is not scanned completely in a single read, the typical thirty to forty scans of the label generated from an omnidirectional scanning system typically provide some partial label information in each of multiple scan lines. Present systems incorporate specialized piecing mechanisms, comprising software or electronics, that have been developed and are capable of taking partial portions of barcodes and assembling them into a complete code, a process commonly known as stitching. Further details regarding exemplary stitching methods and systems may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,108, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Recognizing and Assembling Optical Code Labelsxe2x80x9d and issued in the name of inventors Craig D. Cherry and Donald D. Dieball, which patent is owned by the owner of the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
As indicated previously, a typical UPC/EAN barcode, as well as certain other symbologies, may or may not include an additional piece of information in the form of a second, adjacent barcode called an xe2x80x9cadd-onxe2x80x9d. In the case where an optional add-on is present, it typically provides information that is supplemental, though generally not critical, to that provided in the base label alone. For example, with respect to retail goods, a typical base label (with or without add-on) may contain information regarding a manufacturer and the item identifier. This information, once decoded, may be used to look up and register price information, to adjust inventory quantities, etc. The add-on label may provide additional detailed information that may be used for inventory, statistical tracking, and other reasons. For example, with respect to periodical materials, the add-on may provide information regarding volume numbers, months, etc. Similarly, with respect to greeting cards, an add-on may provide seasonal references.
Whether or not an add-on does accompany a particular label, the general structure of the base label itself remains defined by the particular symbology. That is, for example, a UPC base label has the same general structure whether or not an add-on is present (i.e., start and end characters with the same characteristics, center characters with the same characteristics where applicable, the same number of data characters defined by the same relationships, etc.). Scanning systems typically use such symbology characteristics to identify when a valid read of label information has been obtained. There is typically no separate character or characteristic within a base label to indicate that an add-on is present.
Since the scanner typically does not xe2x80x9cknowxe2x80x9d whether or not an add-on portion is present with respect to a particular label being scanned, it is possible that the scanner could read the appropriate number and position for start, end, center and data characters in a base label and think that it has identified a complete label. Thus, should a scan line(s) cross the base label portion without crossing the add-on portion, the system may decode the base label portion and assume that the complete label has been decoded. Indeed, even where partial scans of the label are stitched together, the possibility may exist that the add-on portion of the label is missed while the base label information is pieced together from multiple scans.
The capability of an omnidirectional barcode scanner to capture both the xe2x80x9cbasexe2x80x9d, e.g., standard UPC/EAN 12/13 digit code, along with the add-on is degraded by the random nature of the label crossing the various scan lines; for example, the label may be mis-framed and/or read diagonally across the base label portion without the add-on portion being scanned. In such cases, data from the add-on portion may be missed entirely on one or more scans of the label. In short, there is no guarantee that both the base and add-on portions of the label will scanned successfully in any one pass of the labeled item past the scanner, let alone in the first pass. This is particularly problematic since a primary goal of a scanner system is to achieve a high first pass read rate with optimum throughput.
The above situation presents a conflict for scanner system designers. On the one hand, if it is desired to capture the add-on data reliably with the base label data, then the scanner must not consider that the scanning task for a particular label is finished until it has a high degree of confidence that no add-on data exists with that label. On the other hand, if it is desired to have the optimal read rate for labels, then the scanner preferably accepts labels once they are successfully read without requiring further scanning to search for an add-on that may not exist.
In the past, scanner designers have identified two primary techniques in an attempt to address this conflict.
In one technique, a programmable number of extra base label reads is utilized under the assumption that if the number of reads of the base label is increased, then the chances that add-on information would show up in at least one read is increased. Of course, the disadvantage to this technique lies in the fact that it sacrifices any possibility for a successful first pass read rate for labels without add-ons present. If the number of reads required is increased from one, first pass read rate, and thus overall system throughput, degrades rapidly for all non-add-on labels.
In another technique that has been used, a programmable mode looks for specific data in the base label that may be associated with an add-on label. The disadvantage of this technique is that all base label data for any labels which incorporate an add-on must be programmed into the scanner before installation or must be configured in the scanner by the customer through programming labels or an interface connection. While the scanner can be programmed with this information, it does require significant additional memory, as well as additional processing time for add-on checks to be performed, thus increasing the cost of the scanner and decreasing efficiency. Also, where customer programming is required, such programming may be cumbersome and, if done incorrectly or not at all, leads to susceptibility to inaccurate processing of label information where add-ons are present. More problematic, however, is the fact that symbologies may change over time with new symbologies being created and others being revised to incorporate add-on information. Thus, programming information would need to be kept up to date and updated regularly in all installations for optimum performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a scanner system that offers improved capture rate of add-on label information without sacrificing throughput and first pass read rate of non-add-on labels.
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods whereby the capture rate in relation to labels with add-ons is improved without sacrificing throughput with respect to non-add-on labels. The instant method comprises a mode in which the scanner xe2x80x9clearnsxe2x80x9d over time which base label codes will have associated add-ons. In a preferred embodiment, this learning mode is a programming mode that is optionally selectable by the user and/or configured upon system installation.
In a preferred embodiment, when the scanner is first started in an installation, the required number of reads of base label information is set to a programmable lower limit which may be one or, depending upon the nature of the symbology(ies) to be read, may be a higher number established so as to satisfactorily ensure capture of label information for that symbology. Determinations regarding minimum read requirements for various known symbologies are familiar to those skilled in the art. Setting such a lower limit allows for the highest throughput of all items, but may not allow the highest possible add-on capture rate. As the scanner successfully reads both a base label and its add-on data, the base label data is stored in a list in the scanners memory. In addition to storing this base label data, the required number of reads of this particular base label is increased to a second programmable number which is higher than the first and preferably high enough to obtain a reasonable add-on capture rate. Through this method, future scans of base labels corresponding to that of one in the list store will result in additional read attempts when the add-on information has not already been captured in order to ensure that the anticipated add-on information is captured successfully. With respect to non-add-on labels, however, the initially set low number of reads is utilized to provide for optimum throughput and first pass read rate where possible. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the scanner may keep statistics on the base label successful reads and the associated add-on successful reads. Based upon this information, the scanner may adjust the required number of reads of a particular base label in order to optimize add-on capture rates with respect to future scans of that corresponding base label.
In either embodiment above, once the required number of reads of the base label have been met (either in accordance with the initial lower limit or the increased number), then the scanner will consider the label to be complete regardless of whether or not the associated add-on has been identified. The system will then accept and send the base label data as valid without further delay. This operation, too, differs from the xe2x80x9cconditionalxe2x80x9d mode that is utilized in some current scanners wherein a base label will never be read alone if there is supposed to be an add-on associated with it.
In a further aspect of the instant system and methods, the scanner may order the list of stored base label data and/or may keep only those base labels in the list that meet certain criteria, such as frequency of occurrence. In this way the scanner does not need to have such extensive memory for the base label list. In the preferred embodiment, the list would be kept in non-volatile memory in order to retain the data in the event of power losses.
The preferred embodiments herein may advantageously offer improved capture rate of add-on label information without sacrificing throughput and first pass read rate with respect to non-add-on labels. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments herein may provide one or more of the following objects and advantages:
to provide a scanner-system which exhibits improved scanner add-on capture rate while maintaining an optimally high first pass read rate;
to provide a scanner system which exhibits improved add-on capture rate without sacrificing throughput with respect to non-add-on labels;
to provide a scanner system which learns over time which base label codes have associated add-ons;
to provide a scanner system which stores base label data in a list upon successful read of a base label and add-on;
to provide such a scanner system in which the amount of memory required to store base label data is minimized.

Add-on capture rate in a barcode scanning system


A CPU emulation system includes; a plurality of virtual CPUs each operating on a different physical CPU; an instruction sequence selecting section for selecting an instruction sequence to be optimized; a virtual CPU selecting section for selecting one of the plurality of virtual CPUs, which is to perform optimization processing of the selected instruction sequence, based on usage rates of the plurality of virtual CPUs; and an optimization level selecting section for determining an optimization level of the optimization processing that is to be executed by the selected one of the plurality of virtual CPUs, and giving a direction to perform the optimization processing to the selected one of the plurality of virtual CPUs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a CPU emulation system, a CPU emulation method, and a recording medium having a CPU emulation program recorded thereon. In particular, this invention relates to a CPU emulation system, a CPU emulation method, and a recording medium having a CPU emulation program recorded thereon, which are capable of performing, with the use of a multiprocessor, optimization processing of an instruction sequence without delaying instruction sequence execution processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CPU emulation system is a system for software-emulating a physical CPU to implement, as a virtual CPU, a CPU having an instruction set architecture (ISA) different from that of the physical CPU. The virtual CPU reads an instruction sequence for the ISA, which is manageable by the virtual CPU, and, after translating the read instruction sequence into an instruction sequence executable on the physical CPU, executes the translated instruction sequence.
As such a CPU emulation system, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2002-312180 A (Hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a CPU emulation system that uses a multiprocessor.
In the CPU emulation system including a plurality of processors described in Patent Document 1, processing of prefetching an original instruction, processing of interpreting and executing an original instruction sequence, and processing of translating and optimizing an instruction sequence are each executed on a different CPU. By separating a CPU for executing an instruction sequence from a CPU for performing optimization of the instruction sequence in this manner, the optimization processing of the instruction sequence is made to have no adverse effect on processing throughput of the instruction sequence execution processing.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2004-110824 (Hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2) discloses an instruction sequence optimization system that uses a multiprocessor. According to Patent Document 2, with regard to a program that is being executed on one CPU, profile information thereon is collected, and, based on that information, the instruction sequence is optimized on another CPU during the execution. By separating a CPU for executing an instruction sequence from a CPU for optimizing the instruction sequence in this manner, the optimization processing of the instruction sequence is made to have no adverse effect on processing throughput of the instruction sequence execution processing.

CPU emulation system, CPU emulation method, and recording medium having a CPU emulation program recorded thereon


In a telecommunications network, such as an optical mesh network, satisfying a demand from a start node to an end node, the network is automatically provisioned from a service path to a restoration path after a failure occurs in the service path. Each affected node in the network eventually receives an indication of the occurrence of the failure in the service path. If the node is an intermediate node of the service path, then the node transmits a failure message to its next node along the service path. If the node is the end node of the service path, then the node transmits a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path. If the node is an intermediate node of the restoration path, then the node transmits a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path. In addition, the node reconfigures its cross-connect for the transition from the service path to the restoration path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications, and, in particular, to provisioning for the restoration of service in distributed optical telecommunication networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rapid advances in optical networking are expected to provide network operators with new tools such as optical-layer restoration (OLR) at relatively low cost to enhance the reliability and versatility of transport networks. With the availability of large optical cross-connects, OLR for mesh networks would provide a very attractive solution for restoration of large optical networks. OLR should support services with heterogeneous data network platforms and be transparent to data line-card bit rate. Due to the omnipresence of SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork) rings and their associated fast protection/restoration, network operators now expect mesh restoration to be xe2x80x9cring competitive,xe2x80x9d which implies a mesh restoration speed of a few hundred milliseconds as well as highly efficient sharing of restoration capacity among various links. While rings require an excess capacity of 100%, mesh restoration requires only 40-70%. Thus, shared mesh restoration would offer the potential of huge savings for the network operator.
A prototypical fiber transport mesh network for the continental United States may consist of about 100 nodes and over 170 links, where each link is capable of carrying optical signals in either direction between two corresponding nodes. In a WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) optical network, each link comprises one or more unidirectional and/or bidirectional optical fibers, each of which is capable of carrying multiple optical signals at different wavelengths.
Each node in such a mesh network may be configured with one or more optical cross connects (OXCs) that enable individual optical signals to be dropped, added, or continued. A dropped signal is received at a node from another node and transmitted to a local customer of the node. An added signal is received at a node from a local customer and transmitted to another node. A continued signal is received at a node from another node and transmitted to yet another node.
Provisioning refers to the process of configuring the cross-connects in the nodes of a network for a new demand to be satisfied by the network or the deletion of an existing demand, where the term xe2x80x9cdemandxe2x80x9d refers to a unidirectional transmission of signals from a start node to an end node in the network, possibly through one or more intermediate nodes. The path from the start node to the end node that satisfies the demand is referred to as the service path. In addition to being able to satisfy new demands and delete existing demands, a robust network should also be able to perform automatic provisioning to restore communications to satisfy a demand after the occurrence of a failure in a link along the service path for that demand. In particular, the network should be able to detect the existence of the failure and automatically reconfigure the cross-connects in the nodes of the network as needed to restore communications to satisfy the demand within a reasonable period of time (e.g., within a few hundred msec of the failure if not quicker) along a path, referred to as a restoration path, that bypasses the failed link.
The present invention is directed to techniques for the detection and communication of failures in networks, such as optical mesh networks, to enable automatic restoration of communications.
In one embodiment, the present invention is, at a node of a telecommunications network satisfying a demand from a start node to an end node, a method for automatically provisioning the network from a service path to a restoration path after a failure occurs in the service path, comprising the steps of (a) receiving, at the node, an indication of the occurrence of the failure in the service path; (b) if the node is an intermediate node of the service path, then transmitting, by the node, a failure message to its next node along the service path; (c) if the node is the end node of the service path, then transmitting, by the node, a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path; and (d) if the node is an intermediate node of the restoration path, then transmitting, by the node, a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a node for a telecommunications network, comprising (a) a cross-connect connected to a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports and configurable to connect incoming payload signals received at an input port to outgoing payload signals transmitted at an output port; and (b) an operating system configured to receive an indication of an occurrence of a failure in a service path satisfying a demand from a start node to an end node, wherein, in order to automatically provision the network from the service path to a restoration path for the demand:
if the node is an intermediate node of the service path, then the operating system causes the node to transmit a failure message to its next node along the service path;
if the node is the end node of the service path, then the operating system causes the node to transmit a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path; and
if the node is an intermediate node of the restoration path, then the operating system causes the node to transmit a restore message to its previous node along the restoration path.

Network auto-provisioning and distributed restoration


An advanced communication controller unit for a distributed communication system having a plurality of communication controller units, at least one being an advanced communication controller unit, each coupled to a communication medium and adapted to communicate using a communication is presented. The advanced communication controller unit comprises a protocol event recording circuit having a monitoring input connected to at least one protocol event data transmission path of the advanced communication controller unit and a debug output connected to a memory device; and adapted to filter protocol event data received from the monitoring input depending on at least one configuration parameter and to provide filtered protocol event data to the debug output. A method for recording protocol events using a protocol event recording circuit in an advanced communication controller unit and a vehicle comprising at least one advanced communication controller unit are also disclosed.

A data communication system usually consists of several communicating nodes connected to a communication medium such as a data bus, exchanging message data across the communication medium. Each communicating node typically contains a communication controller configured to listen to signals on the bus, receive data from the bus and send data across the bus to other nodes. In order to allow for meaningful signal exchange, data transmission is performed according to a communication protocol, which may consist of a stack of different protocols defining rules for different layers of communication such as the physical access to the communication medium or the transport of data between nodes.
A node may for example contain a processing device such as a microcontroller. In an automotive environment for example, a processing device may be an electronic control unit, that is any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a motor vehicle. Nodes may communicate using a communication protocol. For automotive applications, the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol or the FlexRay protocol may be used, just to give some examples. The CAN bus is a vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other within a vehicle. FlexRay provides an alternative solution being faster and more reliable. The FlexRay communication protocol is based on a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme for accessing the communication medium by several devices, which requires synchronization between nodes to be established during a start phase of the communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic example of a first message sequence chart 10, having a vertical time axis, of a failing startup sequence of a prior art communication controller unit 14 is shown. The startup phase may be a period of high event rates. In the shown example, a software module 12 triggers a startup of a FlexRay controller 14 setting up communication with other FlexRay controllers 16 in a communications system. The controller 14 receives configuration data 18 and subsequent run startup command 20 from the software module 12. The controller starts to set up communication 22 with the controllers 16 of the other communicating nodes. After a certain time, startup communication 14 fails and the controller 14 indicates the failure to the software module 12. In the shown example, the FlexRay controller 14 may issue a message 24 to the software module 12, which is an indication that the communication could not be established and that the protocol state machine failed to enter its normal activity state. However, after receiving the failure message 24, no reason for the malfunction may be derived 26 by the software module.
In case of a malfunction of the communication system detected at a communication controller of the system, debugging of the system as a methodical process of finding and removing or at least reducing the number of defects may be applied. For this, trace information containing for example relevant protocol events such as register content changes for rate and offset correction values, state changes of a state machine implementing the protocol execution, or slot status information, just to name a few, may be analysed.
With single-step debugging, these information can be acquired by inserting breakpoints into the operation of the protocol to cause an interruption of protocol execution and read out status information from the controller for further analysis. However, during time of interruption, controllers of other nodes may continue processing and communicating, therefore changing their states and the state of the communication bus.
Or for example status information of controller state registers may be traced during execution of the communication protocol, avoiding interruption of protocol execution. The process of accessing and reading the relevant information to be traced for example from status registers consumes a portion of system resources such as bandwidth of an internal data bus and requires additional processor load. This intrusive approach may change or disturb the time flow of protocol execution, which may be relevant for example when real time execution is desired. During periods of high event rates on the communication medium, such as the startup phase of the system, only a part of the events may be traced in order to reduce influence on the schedule of the protocol flow.
In WO2008/110957 A2 a monitoring device coupled to a FlexRay communication system is described which intrusively checks the communication controller for protocol conform behavior of the controller. The shown bus guardian implements own counters and timers for observing the correct behavior of the communication controller. It implements separate reference state machines in order to compare the transitions of the communication controller state machine against its reference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,029 B2 a DSP bus monitoring apparatus is described. An embedded processor as a monitoring device for an internal bus of a system, which is not a distributed communication system, is provided as a testing tool. The bus monitor resides within the same chip or module as a digital signal processor (DSP), which allows connection to internal processor buses not accessible from external contacts. The monitor uses a separate circular buffer to continuously store data traces from each of one or more internal processor buses. Upon the occurrence of a trigger condition, storage stops and a trace is preserved for evaluation of processor operation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,149,926 B2 a configurable trace port for embedded processors is described. A trace port is provided which selectively limits the amount of trace information passed from a processor core to an output buffer. The processor trace data can be compressed to meet an adjustable read-out rate of the output buffer.
In US 2008/0115115 A1 an embedded trace macrocell for DSP debugging operations is shown. The macrocell records selectable aspects of a non-intrusively monitored software execution and generates breakpoints.

Device and method for recording protocol events in an advanced communication system


Diversity constraints with respect to connections or links in a client layer are conveyed to a server layer where those links or connections are served by paths in the server layer. A network device in the server layer stores data associated paths in the server layer with identifiers for connections in the client layer. The network device in the server layer receives from a network device in the client layer a request to set up a path in the server layer for a connection in the client layer. The network device in the server layer receives information describing the diversity requirements associated with connections in the client layer. The server layer network device computes a route in the server layer for the connection specified in the request based on the diversity requirements.

In networking environments that employ an optical network (L0) layer (server layer), the communication of "risk" information between a client network (L3) layer (client layer) and the server layer ensures that a single optical failure does not impair a network device's ability in the client layer to protect traffic around the failure. When switching capabilities are added to the server layer, the risks within the server layer can change over time. Moreover, often, light paths in the server layer need to be re-routed due to maintenance activities and these changes are done in the field by service providers, making it difficult for network operators to stay up to date with these changes. The dynamic nature of the server layer makes it more difficult for the client layer to route traffic around a failure or to maintain desired diversity requirements for a connection.

Client diversity policy sharing with the transport layer