The present invention provides a method and system for the creation of, and navigation through, a multidimensional virtual space using digital video encoding and decoding techniques. Specifically, the use of a novel database of randomly accessible, pre-rendered short video sequences associated with a set of predefined "motion vectors" allows a user or operator to navigate smoothly through a highly realistic virtual space.

Most currently available virtual reality or interactive computer systems (such as video games) create images by generating, or "rendering" a plurality of polygons in real time. These rendered polygons are displayed on a screen, and together form a "scene".
Such systems typically allow the user or operator to "move" through the scene and to view various scenes by manipulating a pointing or positioning device such as a joystick or track ball. Input from the pointing or positioning device causes the computer system to calculate the appropriate change in position and, using a three-dimensional mathematical model (often called a "parametric" model) of the objects in the virtual space, render a new scene in real time. An illusion of motion is created by sequentially displaying a series of images that change appropriately in accordance with the inputs from the pointing or positioning device. An example of a commercially available virtual reality package incorporating parametric models is the Virtual Reality Development System manufactured by VREAM, Inc. of Chicago, Ill.
Typical virtual reality or interactive computer systems are limited in the amount of detail or realism they can display because of the large amount of computing power required to render a realistic scene in real time. The vast majority of such systems can only display VGA or slightly better than VGA graphics. Specular highlights, texture mapping, shadows, and other rendering techniques associated with the better rendering and 3D modeling packages (such as 3D Studio.RTM., manufactured by AutoDesk Corporation of Novato, Calif.) are not currently possible in real time on desktop systems, even those incorporating graphics accelerator chips. Moreover, even very powerful and expensive systems, such as supercomputers or very high-end graphics workstations, face limitations in delivering highly realistic scenes in real time because of the computational requirements of rendering such complex scenes.
Although more powerful rendering engines, and more efficient rendering and modeling software are introduced with some frequency, the computational requirements for real time, highly realistic virtual reality or interactive computer applications are still too great for most commonly available computers.
In an attempt to overcome the problems with real time rendering, photographic technologies have been proposed and created that use digitally altered photographs. These technologies, such as QuickTime VR.RTM., manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., allow the viewer to experience a sense of panorama in viewing a scene. However, most such systems place severe limitations on the size, aspect ratio, and color palette that can be supported for real-time playback.
Recently, great advances have been made in the implementation and standardization of certain digital video compression techniques. The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) was chartered by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to standardize a coded representation of video (and associated audio) suitable for digital storage and transmission media. Digital storage media include magnetic computer disks, optical compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM), digital audio tape (DAT), etc. Transmission media include telecommunications networks, home coaxial cable TV (CATV), over-the-air digital video, and other media. The goal of MPEG has been to develop a generic coding standard that can be used in many digital video implementations. MPEG has so far produced two standards, known colloquially as MPEG-1 and MPEG-2.
MPEG-1 (officially known as ISO/IEC 11172) is an international standard for coded representation of digital video and associated audio at bit-rates up to about 1.5 Mbits/s. MPEG-1 can typically provide video compression ratios of between 140:1 and 200:1; it is currently used in relatively limited bandwidth devices, such as CD-ROM players. The ISO/IEC 11172 (MPEG-1) standard is incorporated herein by reference.
MPEG-2 (officially known as ISO/IEC 13818) is a standard for coded representation of digital video and associated audio at bit-rates above 2 Mbits/s. MPEG-2 can typically provide video compression ratios of between 40:1 and 60:1; it is intended for use in relatively high bandwidth devices and broadcast television. The ISO/IEC 13138 (MPEG-2) standard is also incorporated herein by reference.
The MPEG compression techniques are based in part on the fact that in most motion picture or video scenes, the background remains relatively stable while much of the action takes place in the foreground; hence, consecutive frames in a video sequence often contain some identical or very similar image information.
MPEG compression generally begins by the creation of a reference frame or picture called an "I" or "intra" frame. Intra frames provide entry points into an MPEG video sequence file for random access, but can only be moderately compressed. I frames are typically placed every 10 to 15 frames in a video sequence. MPEG compression takes advantage of the redundancy often found in sequential frames of video by capturing, compressing, and storing the differences between a set of sequential frames. The other two types of frames in an MPEG sequence are predicted (P) frames and bi-directional interpolated (B) frames. Predicted frames are encoded with reference to a past frame (I or previous P frame), and, in general, are used as a reference for future predicted frames. Predicted frames receive a fairly high amount of compression. Bi-directional interpolated frames provide the highest amount of compression, but require both a past and a future reference in order to be encoded. B frames are never used as references.
The MPEG video standards specify the syntax and semantics of the compressed bit-stream produced by an MPEG video encoder. The standards also specify how this bit-stream is to be parsed and decoded to produce a decompressed video signal. The overall syntax of an MPEG bit-stream is constructed in a hierarchy of several headers, each of which performs a different logical function. For the purposes of this invention, the most important MPEG video bit-stream syntax header is the "Group Of Pictures" (GOP) header. The GOP header provides support for random access, fast search, and editing. A sequence of video frames, or "pictures" is divided into a series of GOPs, where each GOP contains an I frame followed by an arrangement of P frames and B frames. FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of a GOP. Random access and fast search are enabled by the availability of the I frames, which can be decoded independently and serve as starting points for further decoding. The MPEG video standards allow GOPs to be of arbitrary structure and length, and the GOP header is a basic unit for editing an MPEG video bit stream.
Prior systems such as the video game entitled "7th Guest" by the Spectrum Holobyte and Philips Corporation, have used the random access capabilities of MPEG to provide "branching". That is, at a predefined point in the game, an operator may choose from two or more options as to where to go, or what to do next. However, such prior systems do not allow continuous interactive input to be made by the operator, and thus do not provide a highly realistic virtual reality or interactive computer environment. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a highly realistic, relatively low cost virtual reality or interactive computer system that allows for the generation of and real time navigation through a virtual space.

Method and system for the creation of and navigation through a multidimensional space using encoded digital video


Position information indicating the position of a communication apparatus or another communication apparatus when a predetermined message is received from the other communication apparatus, and battery information about the battery of the other communication apparatus are stored. The user is notified of the stored position information and battery information according to a user operation for the communication apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus having a wireless communication function.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been conventionally provided a system which gives a warning when a wireless apparatus having a wireless communication function is lost or left.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-171990 discloses a technique in which a warning mode is set when the position information of a parent apparatus is compared with that of a child apparatus and they are not in the same area, and a warning is output if current position information is compared with the position information of the child apparatus when the warning mode is set and it is then determined that they are not in the same area.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-002873 discloses a technique in which it is detected that there is a lost article by transmitting a response signal if identification information contained in a received response request signal does not coincide with stored identification information.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-171911 discloses a technique in which if a child terminal does not receive a signal from a parent terminal, position information is acquired and transmitted to an information server to transit to an operation monitoring mode, and notification information is transmitted to the parent terminal upon detecting an operation set in advance in the child terminal.
If, however, a warning is issued when a radio wave is disconnected like the conventional examples, a warning is issued even when the user intentionally keeps the device away from himself/herself, or an error temporarily occurs in wireless communication. Furthermore, if the user does not notice a warning, he/she leaves the device behind.

Communication apparatus and control method therefor


The substrate with electrodes is formed of a transparent material onto which is deposited a film (1) of a transparent conductive material of thickness e1 and of refractive index n1, said film being structured to form a set of electrodes (1a) whose contours (8) delimit insulating spaces (3), wherein the insulating spaces (3) are filled with a transparent dielectric material of thickness e2 and of refractive index n2 so that the respective thicknesses of the conductive material and the dielectric material are inversely proportional to the values of the refractive indices of said materials and said dielectric material forms neither depressions nor beads at the contour (8) of the electrodes. A hardcoating layer (7) may be disposed between the substrate (5) and the electrodes and a protective film (9) added.

Solutions have already been proposed to make the technical interface consisting of the electrodes as discrete as possible and not to detract from the aesthetics of the electronic device, in particular in the case of a timepiece. For example, there are prior art wristwatches in which the inside face of the glass carries touch-sensitive electrodes for controlling time functions or other functions by means of a capacitive or resistive effect, as described in a non-limiting manner in the patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,534, EP 0 674 247 and EP 1 207 439. The glass can also be replaced by or have added to it a cell formed of two substrates with transparent electrodes between which there is an active material, for example to form a photovoltaic cell constituting a power supply, as described in the document WO 93/19479, or to form a liquid crystal cell that can have either a transparent state or a state for displaying on demand information complementary to or different from that displayed on an underlying dial, as described in the document WO 99/32945.
Transparent conductive oxides (TCO), such as indium and tin oxide (ITO), In2O3 and SnO2 doped with antimony, used in the prior art to produce the electrodes are conductive and also transparent in the visible spectrum. These materials are deposited to a thickness of 50 to 100 nm directly onto the transparent substrate or onto an intermediate layer, using any of a large number of techniques known in the art, such as spraying, evaporation, the sol-gel technique, and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) techniques, in particular the light-induced (laser-assisted) chemical vapour deposition (LICVD) technique. With regard to the structure of the electrodes, various methods used in the prior art employ at least one mask corresponding to the contour of the electrodes, either during deposition of TCO by localised crystallisation of a sol-gel film by irradiation with a UV laser or by applying to a continuous TCO film either chemical etching or localised ablation by irradiating it with UV radiation of sufficient fluence. The nature of the transparent substrate (glass or plastics material) is obviously vital from the technical and economic points of view to the choice of the process to be used. For example, localised crystallisation of a sol-gel film by a UV laser cannot be applied to a plastics material (for example PMMA) substrate, because this involves a photothermal process.
At normal incidence, a light ray passing through the TCO of refractive index n1 and the substrate of refractive index n0, or only the substrate, is not deflected and the electrodes are therefore invisible. On the other hand, at oblique incidence, the light path is modified, because of the different values of n0 and n1, with the result that the contour of the electrodes becomes visible. Obviously, it is sufficient to fill this void with a non-conductive filling material having a refractive index n2 close to n1. These materials are generally non-conductive transparent oxides (NCTO), such as SiO2 or TiO2. Various methods have been employed to achieve this objective. However, they are unsatisfactory because the filling material may form beads outside the filling area or depressions liable to modify the path of the light rays, making the contour of the electrodes even more visible, as explained below.
FIGS. 1A and 1B depict diagrammatically a prior art method using the light-induced chemical vapour deposition (LICVD) technology as described, for example, by Wagner E. (STI, Micro-engineering 2003, EPFL: Lausanne). In a first step, depicted in FIG. 1A, a transparent substrate 5 is placed in an enclosure (not shown) into which a precursor gas, for example Sn(CH3)4 or SnCl4, is introduced in order to deposit a film of SnO2, which is a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) which forms the electrodes 1a. This deposition is effected by the LICVD process involving irradiation through a first mask 15 which is transparent to UV radiation in areas that correspond to the configuration of the electrodes to be obtained, which are separated by insulating spaces 3.
In a second step, depicted in FIG. 1B, the first mask 15 is replaced by a second mask 17 having a window transparent to UV radiation complementary to that of the first mask. Insulating spaces 3 are filled with non-conductive filling material 2. FIG. 1C depicts defects that can arise if the two masks are not superposed in a rigorously complementary manner. Either beads 4 of NCTO or depressions 6 may be produced that lead to localised modifications of the optical path and thus render visible some portions of the contour of the electrodes 1a.
Defects of the same type may arise on filling the insulative spaces 3 with NCTO using the well-known lift-off technique. Beads 4 may then be produced on both edges 8 of the insulating space 3, as depicted in FIG. 2.

Method of substrate with transparent electrodes and devices incorporating it

Abstract: The substrate with electrodes is obtained by UV irradiation through a single mask.


A magnetoresistance effect element comprises: a magnetoresistance effect film, a pair of electrodes, and a phase separation layer. The magnetoresistance effect film includes a first ferromagnetic layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a second ferromagnetic layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and an intermediate layer provided between the first and second ferromagnetic layers. The pair of electrodes are electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film and configured to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film. The phase separation layer is provided between the pair of electrodes. The phase separation layer has a first phase and a second phase formed by a phase separation in a solid phase from an alloy including a plurality of elements. One of the first and second phases includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine and carbon in higher concentration than other of the first and second phases.

The present invention relates to a magnetoresistance effect element, a manufacturing method of a magnetoresistance effect element, a magnetic head and a magnetic reproduction apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a magnetoresistance effect element where a sense current flows perpendicularly to the film plane, a manufacturing method of the magnetoresistance effect element, and a magnetic head and a magnetic reproduction apparatus including the magnetoresistance effect element.
Although a magnetic storage density of HDD (hard disk drive) is improved dramatically in recent years, it has been desired to raise the magnetic storage density further. Since a record bit size becomes small as the magnetic storage density is raised, a reproducing sensitivity is lowered in the conventional thin film head. Therefore, now, the magnetoresistance effect type head (MR head) including a magnetoresistance effect (MagnetoResistive effect) has been used mainly. A spin valve (spin-valve) type giant magnetoresistance type head (SVGMR head) which shows a big magnetoresistance effect has attracted attention.
FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram which illustrates the outline section structure of the spin valve film. That is, the spin valve film 100 has the structure in which a ferromagnetic layer F, a non-magnetic layer S, a ferromagnetic layer P, and an antiferromagnetic layer A are laminated in this order.
The non-magnetic layer S is interposed between the two ferromagnetic layers F and P which are in a magnetically uncoupled state. Magnetization of one ferromagnetic layer P is fixed with an exchange bias using the antiferromagnetic material A, and whereas the magnetization of other ferromagnetic layer F is able to rotate easily by an external magnetic fields (signal magnetic field etc.). And a giant magnetoresistance effect can be obtained by rotating only magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer F by an external magnetic field and changing its magnetic orientation relative to that of the other magnetic layer (Phys. Rev. B, Vol.45, 806 (1992), J. Appl. Phys. Vol.69, 4774 (1991)).
Here, the ferromagnetic layer F is called a "free layer", a "magnetic field reception layer", or a "magnetically free layer", the ferromagnetic layer P is called a "pinned layer", a "magnetically pinned layer" or a "magnetically fixed layer", and the non-magnetic layer S is called a "spacer layer", "a magnetic coupling interception layer", etc. in many cases.
In the case of the spin valve film, since magnetization of the free layer F, i.e., a ferromagnetic layer, can be rotated also in the lower field, it is possible to raise reproduction sensitivity and it is suitable for MR element for MR heads.
In the case of such a spin valve element, it is necessary to pass the "sense current" in order to detect a change of the resistance caused by a magnetic field.
For this reason, the method of passing the sense current in parallel to a film plane and measuring resistance of a parallel direction to a film plane is generally used. Generally this method is called the "CIP (current-in-plane)" system.
In the case of the CIP system, the value of about 10% through 20% can be obtained as a change rate of MR. Moreover, in the MR head of the shield type used currently, the spin valve element is used in the plane shape almost near a square. Therefore, it is considered that the resistance of MR element is equal to the resistance of MR film plane. For this reason, in the spin valve film of a CIP system, a good S/N characteristic can be obtained by making the resistance of the film plane into 5 ohms through 30 ohms. Resistance of this level can be easily made by making the thickness of the whole spin valve film thin. Therefore, generally the spin valve film of the CIP system is used as the MR element for MR heads currently.
On the other hand, the magnetoresistance effect element (hereafter called a "CPP type artificial lattice") where the sense current is passed perpendicularly (current perpendicular to plane: CPP) to the film plane in the artificial lattice in which a magnetic material and a non-magnetic material are laminated is proposed as a method of obtaining big MR which exceeds 30%.
In a CPP type artificial lattice type magnetoresistance effect element, the electrode is provided in the upper and lower sides of the artificial lattice in which the ferromagnetic layers and the non-magnetic layers are laminated by turns, and the sense current flows perpendicularly to the film plane. With this structure, since the probability that the sense current crosses a magnetic layer/non-magnetic layer interface becomes high, an interface effect can be obtained and big change rate of MR can be obtained.
However, in using MR element for an MR head, it is necessary not only to control the magnetization of a magnetic layer and to enable it to measure an external magnetic field efficiently by it, but also to form each magnetic layer into a single magnetic domain so that a Barkhausen noise etc. may not occur simultaneously. However, as mentioned above, it is necessary to laminate magnetic layers and non-magnetic layers repeatedly by turns in order to earn resistance in the case of the CPP type MR element, therefore, it is technically very difficult to individually control the magnetization of each of such many the magnetic layers.
On the other hand, the CPP system can be adopted also in the spin valve structure using FeMn/NiFe/Cu/NiFe, FeMn/CoFe/Cu/CoFe, etc.
That is, the sense current is passed perpendicularly to the film plane of the laminated films which have a spin valve structure. However, since the number of pinned layers and free layers becomes much smaller than that of the artificial lattice type, the resistance falls further and a resistance rate of change also falls.
As for this point, the magnetoresistance effect element in which the non-magnetic film which consists of the mixture of an insulator and an electric conductor is inserted is proposed in Japanese Patent No.3293437.
The CPP type magnetoresistance effect element in which the non-magnetic film which has the structure where an insulator I surrounds the electric conductors C is inserted is disclosed in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No.3293437. However, as the example of the structure of the non-magnetic film disclosed in Japanese Patent No.3293437, there is only an explanation that non-magnetic films having thickness of 2 nm or 5 nm was deposited by using the multi-component target including Al2O3 and Cu, and it is unknown what kind of structure was made concretely as the non-magnetic film.
As explained above, various structures, such as a spin valve film of a CIP type, an artificial lattice of a CPP type, and spin valve film of a CPP type have been proposed. However, the present magnetic storage density is continuing the rise of an annual rate of 60% or more, and the further output increase has been desired. However, the spin valve film which can be used with high storage density which exceeds 100 Gbits/inch2 at present and which has suitable resistance and the big amount of MR change, and serves as high sensitivity magnetically is difficult to realize.

Magnetoresistance effect element, magnetic head, and magnetic reproducing apparatus


The present disclosure relates to an electronic candle with an electronic light source. The electronic candle has a candle body with an interior cavity. A removable battery module supplies power to the electronic candle and is removable from the interior cavity of the candle body. The electronic candle can have a base cap module for closing the interior cavity of the candle body and a speaker for generating sound. The speaker can be positioned between the battery module and the base cap module, and directed to project sound downward. Apertures in the battery module and/or the base cap module allow sound from the speaker to pass through the aperture or apertures into the interior cavity of the candle body. Accordingly, the candle body can resonate and/or amplify sound generated by the speaker.

Electronic candles, or flameless candles, are used as safe aesthetic replacements for actual flame burning candles in many environments. Electronic candles can provide many or all of the visual benefits of an actual candle, without the dangers and mess that can result from the use of an actual flame. Moreover, unlike actual candles, electronic candles do not melt and burn down, and therefore, can go longer periods of time without being replaced.
Electronic candles can also be used to provide other utility. For example, electronic candles can incorporate microphones and cameras and be used to obtain photographs, videos, or audio recordings. Additionally, electronic candles can be used to generate and/or reproduce sounds, such as voices, music, or other pre-recorded sounds.
Adding functionality into electronic candles can pose problems, however, because the equipment involved in providing the added functionality can negatively impact, the internal operating components of the electronic candle. Internal components of the electronic candle, such as the light source (for example, the bulb), electrical wiring, and power sources (for example, batteries) can occupy limited space within the electronic candle, leaving little room for other equipment. For example, the internal components (for example, a battery or battery holder) can obstruct and inhibit an electronic candle's ability to produce and project sound at a reasonably satisfactory level of quality. Moreover, adding new functionality may involve restructuring the internal components of the electronic candle in a manner that results in a less efficient operation. For example, adding sound producing functionality to an electronic candle might involve adding internal components that obstruct the light source from view and result in a less realistic candle appearance.

Battery powered electronic candle with speaker


Image classification techniques using images with separate grayscale and color channels are described. In one or more implementations, an image classification network includes grayscale filters and color filters which are separate from the grayscale filters. The grayscale filters are configured to extract grayscale features from a grayscale channel of an image, and the color filters are configured to extract color features from a color channel of the image. The extracted grayscale features and color features are used to identify an object in the image, and the image is classified based on the identified object.

Image classification is a fundamental problem in computer vision and machine learning. Image classification plays a key role in image understanding, and is a basis for object detection, image retrieval, and image tagging. Conventional image classification approaches, however, are often inefficient and inaccurate.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Image classification using images with separate grayscale and color channels


Roughly described, an integrated circuit device has a conductor extending entirely through the substrate, connected on one end to the substrate topside surface and on the other end to the substrate backside surface. In various embodiments the conductor is insulated from all RDL conductors on the backside of the substrate, and/or is insulated from all conductors and device features on any below-adjacent chip in a 3D integrated circuit structure. Methods of fabrication are also described.

The invention relates to 3D integrated circuits, and more particularly to structures and methods for suppressing latch-up and noise coupling.
A typical CMOS circuit includes N- and P-type regions arranged to form planar or multi-gate MOS transistors. Regions of opposite conductivity types which are adjacent each other typically form parasitic pn junctions and bipolar transistor structures. While usually reverse-biased, conditions can occur in which these structures become forward biased. When this occurs, a positive feedback loop ensues which provides a low resistance current path from the positive supply voltage to ground, thereby interfering with proper functioning of the circuit and, in serious cases, destroying the chip through heat damage.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a typical CMOS arrangement including a PMOS transistor 110 adjacent to an NMOS transistor 112. Such proximity is common in CMOS devices. The PMOS transistor 110 includes two heavily doped P+ diffusion regions 116 and 118 separated laterally by a channel region 120. A gate stack 122 overlies the channel region 120. The two P+ diffusion regions 116 and 118 are formed inside an N-well 124, which is itself an N-doped region formed inside a lightly doped P− substrate 114. Also formed within the N-well 124 is a heavily doped N+ diffusion 125, also called a well tie or a contact pad, for connecting the N-Well 124 to VDD.
The NMOS transistor 112 includes two heavily doped N+ type diffusion regions 126 and 128 separated laterally by a channel region 130. A gate stack 132 overlies the channel region 130. The two N+ diffusion regions 126 and 128 are formed directly in the P− substrate 114. Also formed in the substrate in close proximity to one of the N+ diffusion regions 126 and 128, is a heavily doped P+ diffusion region 135, also called a substrate tie or a contact pad, for connecting the P− substrate 114 to ground.
Other CMOS arrangements are common as well, including those that also include a lightly doped P−-well in which the NMOS transistor 112 is formed. The arrangement of FIG. 1 will be illustrative of the latch-up problem, but it will be understood that many other arrangements also suffer from the same problem.
Superimposed on the CMOS diagram of FIG. 1 is a circuit schematic illustrating the bipolar transistors that are formed by the various PN junctions formed by the CMOS arrangement. In particular, a PNP transistor Q1 is formed by one of the P+ diffusions 116 or 118 acting as the emitter E1, the N-well 124 acting as the base B1, and the P− substrate 114 acting as the collector C1. At the same time, the N-well 124 acts as the collector C2 of an NPN transistor Q2, with the P− substrate 114 acting as the base B2, and one of the N+ regions 126 or 128 acting as the emitter E2. The base B1 of the PNP transistor Q1 is connected to the collector C2 of the NPN transistor Q2, and the base of NPN transistor Q2 is connected to the collector C1 of PNP transistor Q1. The base B1 of transistor Q1 is connected to N+ diffusion 125 through the resistance Rw of the N-well 124, and the base B2 of transistor Q2 is connected to P+ diffusion 135 through the substrate resistance Rs.
FIG. 2 is schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 1 rearranged to show it vertically. It can be seen that as long as the two bipolar transistors Q1 and Q2 are not forward biased, current will not flow through the circuit. A number of conditions can trigger latch-up however, including noise, which sometimes can induce sufficient current at the base of one of the transistors for long enough to forward bias the other transistor, thereby starting a feedback loop. Several techniques have been devised for reducing or eliminating latch-up susceptibility, some of which are discussed in Wolf, Silicon Processing for the VLSI Era, Vol. II, Process Integration, pp. 400-419 (1990), incorporated herein by reference.
One common technique for reducing or eliminating latch-up susceptibility is to connect the backside of the substrate to ground. Referring to FIG. 1, if the substrate tie 135 is also connected to ground, it can be seen that this technique provides a low resistance current path in parallel with the substrate resistance Rs, effectively short circuiting it. The base B2 of NPN transistor Q2 therefore is effectively connected to its emitter E2 and the transistor cannot conduct.
FIG. 3 (consisting of FIGS. 3A and 3B) illustrates how the short circuiting of Rs is often accomplished in a typical lead frame package. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the package showing a die 310, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged topside view of a corner 322 of the structure of FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3A, the die 310 is attached on its back side using an electrically conductive die attach adhesive 312, to a metal lead frame pad 314. The lead frame also includes a number of metal leads 316 that extend out through the epoxy molded packaging material 318 for external electrical connection. Some of the leads 316, for example lead 316A, are connected to the lead frame pad 314 to ground externally of the package, and thereby connect the back side of the die 310 to ground. Others of the leads 316 are connected to various I/O and power pads (324 in FIG. 3B) on the top side of the chip. In addition, FIG. 3B also illustrates that some of the bonding pads 324, for example 324A, are connected ("down-bonded") directly to the lead frame pad 314 using corresponding bonding wires 320A. These bonding pads 324A are formed on and connect to heavily doped P+ contact pads such as 135 (FIG. 1). Since as previously mentioned the backside of the die is also connected to the lead frame pad 314 through conductive die attach material 312, it can be seen that a very low resistance conductive path is formed electrically connecting the P+ contact pads 135 to the backside of the substrate die 310, thereby short circuiting the substrate resistance Rs (FIG. 1). With Rs short circuited, it becomes much less likely that transient current flow through PNP transistor Q1 can increase the base-collector voltage on NPN transistor Q2 sufficiently to turn it on. As a result, latch-up conditions are less likely.
Recently, as integrated circuit densities have increased, manufacturers have begun developing packaging structures in which two or more dies are stacked on top of each other. Signal and power supply lines from the top surface of one chip are passed through the body of the chip to the one below using through-silicon vias (TSVs). A TSV is a conductive post that extends all the way through the chip, from the topside surface to the backside surface, where it can connect through metal bump contacts to conductors on the topside surface of the below-adjacent chip. The conductor in the TSV is typically copper or another metal such as TiW, and it is typically isolated from the substrate along its entire length by a dielectric or other barrier material. On the topside, ordinary metal interconnects connect the top ends of the TSV conductors to circuit components. The backside surface of the chip is coated with an insulator, such as an oxide, and holes are opened to expose the bottom ends of the TSV conductors. One or more layers of metal interconnects (called RDL (redistribution layer) conductors) are formed on the backside to electrically route signals and power from the bottom ends of the TSV conductors to the positions required for mating with the appropriate bump contacts on the below-adjacent chip. The bottom chip in the stack is connected to external circuitry usually by TSVs connected on the backside to a ball grid array (BGA). The overall stack of chips is sometimes referred to herein as a three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC).
3DIC technology poses a number of problems for known techniques for suppressing latch-up. First, because of the difficulties in fabricating very deep TSVs, chip substrates used in 3DICs typically are considerably thinned, from the backside, to a thickness of only around 50 microns. Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a much thinner substrate considerably narrows the current path through the substrate to the P+ substrate contact pads 135, thereby significantly increasing the substrate resistance Rs. Moreover, down-bonding is no longer available to short circuit this current path, since the substrate backside is not connected by die attach adhesive to a below-adjacent lead frame pad. Thus Rs is not short circuited, and the potential for latch-up conditions is significantly higher. Second, in 3DIC's, it is common for TSVs to be used to carry power and signals through a particular chip, from the below-adjacent chip to the above-adjacent chip and vice-versa, without ever having to connect to the chip or chips stacked between them. This is common where, for example, some chips are designed to operate at 1 volt while the chips above and below are operating at 3.3 volts. In this case the TSV might carry a 3.3 volt signal through a 1 volt chip, which can easily induce sufficient currents by capacitive coupling to trigger latch-up in the more sensitive 1 volt chip.
Accordingly, an opportunity arises to create robust solutions to the problem of latch-up susceptibility in 3D integrated circuits. Better chip yields, and denser, and more powerful circuits, components and systems may result.

Latch-up suppression and substrate noise coupling reduction through a substrate back-tie for 3D integrated circuits


A new pharmaceutical composition is disclosed that comprises clioquinol, vitamin B.sub.12, and, optionally, pharmaceutical acceptable carriers and/or excipients. The use of the pharmaceutical composition removes or alleviates the side effects of clioquinol.

2.1. Parkinson's Disease
Despite enormous therapeutic advances, Parkinson's disease (PD) continues to be one of the most common causes of disability in the elderly. In patients with typical Parkinson's disease, the results of magnetic resonance imaging are usually normal. However, when a high field strength, heavily T2 weighed magnetic resonance imaging is used, a wider area of lucency in the substantia nigra is seen, indicative of increased accumulation of iron. In general, iron in the substantia nigra area has been reported in many publications as being causative of or at least contributory to the development of Parkinson's disease.
Iron is known to be a catalyst for the fenton reaction, by which the generation of reactive oxygen free radicals occurs. Iron is typically found within cells in the iron storage molecule ferritin. Once stored in ferritin, iron is generally unavailable as a catalyst for the production of free radicals.
Research has been focused on the MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxin) model of Parkinson's disease based on the advances in the neuropathology and neurochemistry of the disease. This toxin selectively damages the dopaminergic neurones of the substantia nigra when oxidized to MPP+. Anti-oxidants prevent the oxidation of MPTP to MPP+ and have been investigated clinically for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. It has been also postulated that endogenous or exogenous toxins, including metabolites of dopamine, generate hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide, which are known neurotoxic substances. These toxins interfere with normal mitochondrial metabolism. Abnormalities have also been reported in the complex I (NADH:ubiqinone oxidoreductase).

Clioquinol for the treatment of Parkinson's disease


The present disclosure is directed to electromagnetic radiation sensors including micro-lenses and to methods of constructing and utilizing such electromagnetic radiation sensors. In one embodiment there is provided an electromagnetic radiation sensor comprising a dielectric substrate including a front surface and a rear surface, an electromagnetic radiation detector element disposed on the rear surface of the substrate, and a lens comprising a three dimensional polaritonic metamaterial structure including a pattern of features formed in the front surface of the substrate, the lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation incident on the front surface of the substrate onto the electromagnetic radiation detector element.

Micro-optics components are broadly used in devices for optical sensing, communications, fiber optics, integrated optics, silicon photonics, optic al interconnects, optical signal processing, etc. A micro-lens (ML) is an example of micro-optics component utilized in some pixelated imaging systems. In displays, the ML collimates light radiated by an individual pixel source. In detector focal plane arrays (FPA), micro-lenses can be positioned in front of individual pixels to collect light at an individual detector. Individual micro-lenses are commonly integrated into a separate component, a micro-lens array (MLA), immediately adjacent to the array of display emitters or FPA detectors.
Focusing of light occurs when the optical pathlength (OPL) of light rays passing through a lens varies laterally over the cross section of the lens. Under these conditions, the phasefront of a collimated incident light beam experiences a variable optical path difference (OPD). Conventional lenses are typically made of optically homogeneous glass such that the refractive index is constant inside the lens. The OPL variations are controlled by the geometry of the lens and depend on the lateral coordinates which correspond with variations in glass thickness. A positive lens is thicker near the lens center where lens thickness may, for example, be approximated as a parabolic function, yielding a parabolic shape for the OPD as well. Because of the sharp radius of curvature often desired in lenses for FPA detectors (less than about 1 cm), it is difficult to fabricate a conventional lens with a focus sharper than 100 diopters.
Micro-spheres and optical fibers can be used for focusing light to tiny light spots. Geometry of the shaped glass surface is responsible for focusing. Glass spheres, tens of micrometers in diameter, may provide the focusing strength desired in some FPAs. However, it is very difficult to fabricate a large number of spheres of a calibrated size, and to dispose them as a regular array. Micro-sphere arrays also generally exhibit a high insertion loss due to reflection near the boundaries between neighboring spheres due to the large incidence angles.
Fresnel lenses are also often used for micro optics, being much thinner and lighter as compared to regular lenses. They are made as concentric rings corresponding to Fresnel zones. The zones are separated by abrupt surface steps. Within each Fresnel ring, the surface shape is equivalent to the shape of conventional lens with the same focal distance, if made of the same material. Unconstrained, this design produces a truncated phasefront, instead of a smooth phasefront, resulting in diffractive losses. If the step discontinuities are an integral multiple of the wavelength, the resultant phase is smooth and the diffractive loss due to the transitions is negligible. The tolerances for manufacturing a Fresnel micro-lens are generally very tight. The depth of the surface steps may be on the order of a single wavelength, for example, less than a micron for optical lenses, while the curved surface between the steps must be figured with high precision. Diamond turning and digital control techniques are usually used for manufacturing Fresnel lenses. If the Fresnel lens is cut on a surface of a high-index semiconductor, which is typical material for FPA wafers, an impedance-matching, anti reflection coating applied to the lens surface is often used to reduce insertion loss. The effectiveness of typical antireflection coatings is a strong function of the angle of incidence, which may be quite large for low f/number imaging systems where these MLAs are used.
A Fresnel lens is normally round. Truncating a micro-lens element to fit a rectangular or hexagonal array unit cell shape results in sharp and irregular surface features that are difficult to fabricate for either a segmented or monolithic structure. For FPA applications, a spot size reduction of approximately a factor of two is often desired. Such focusing strength may only require a first Fresnel zone. Therefore, multi-zone Fresnel configurations may add unnecessary complexity relative to a conventional lens shape for FPA sensor applications.
An alternative to a shaped-surface lens is a gradient index (GRIN) lens. GRIN lenses are traditionally fabricated by bonding or fusing a number of glass rods together along their cylindrical surfaces in a regular array pattern, for example, rectangular or hexagonal. Each glass rod may be a few millimeters in length. The optical focusing power derives from using rods with different refractive indices in the array such that the refractive index of the assembly varies in a substantially smooth fashion as a function of radius from the center of the array. For positive focusing power, the refractive index is made denser near the lens center and drops down toward the periphery. After propagating a short distance, along the rod axis, the optical pathlength for different points of the cross section varies with the shape for the OPD, similar to a conventional lens. Index gradients are created by variations of glass composition from the rod center to its periphery, and the focusing power is limited by the maximum variation in refractive index that can be achieved with the glass chemical. Such lenses can be made approaching the thousand diopters level often desired for FPA applications, so that a collimated input beam will focus at the output surface of a few millimeters long rod. Arrays made of such GRIN rods or GRIN fibers, however, may be prohibitively bulky for an FPA micro-lens array application and require costly optical assembly and alignment processes.
Pixel separation (or pitch) for a typical FPA sensor depends on the wavelength of the radiation desired to be used for imaging. For long-wave and mid-wave infrared (IR) spectral bands, typical pixel pitches may be tens of micrometers. For visible and near-infrared spectral bands, pixel pitches may range down to micrometers. The Fresnel range zFr is defined for a collimated light beam as the propagation distance over which diffraction results in an increase in the spot size diameter, such that the light intensity at the center is reduced by a factor of 2. The Fresnel range is of the order of hundreds of micrometers for such pixel dimensions. To focus incident light, the focal distance, F, of a lens should be significantly shorter than the Fresnel range. The Fresnel range also determines the focusing power for individual lens elements in a FPA micro-lens array, according to 1/F>1/zFr. The focusing power should therefore be strong, on the order of thousands of diopters. Standard commercial lenses are generally too bulky and have insufficient optical power for FPA applications as described herein. Accordingly, a micro-lens array is typically desirable for FPA applications. While it is possible to conceive of a micro-lens array as an assembly of individual lens elements, such small diameter and sharp focusing lens components are difficult to make and handle, and integrating these into an array structure requires very difficult fixturing and bonding processes. Consequently, micro-lens arrays are typically manufactured as monolithic arrays.
Conventional micro-lens arrays (MLAs) are usually made as a thin plate of transparent amorphous material, such as glass, silicon, borosilicate glass, plastic, or crystal. One or both of the opposite surfaces is shaped, so the surface profile resembles like an array of bulges, wherein each bulge functions as an individual lens, as shown in FIG. 1. Surface profiling is typically performed using lithography tools, or by stamping, molding, casting, or rolling. Commercial MLA plates are typically relatively thick, thereby increasing the size and weight of usually compact FPA designs. The MLA is a separate component of an FPA sensor system that increases parts count. In addition, the MLA typically requires enhanced manufacturing tolerances, and a special alignment process is needed for FPA sensor system assembly. Furthermore, round-shaped lenses do not fit rectangular or hexagonal pixel cells, and multiple reflections between profiled surfaces give cross-coupling between individual lenses in the array.
Hence there is a need in the art for alternative methods of light concentration and other types of micro-lenses for FPA applications.

Sensor including dielectric metamaterial microarray


A method for controlling the operating mode of a drive of a vehicle that includes a main drive unit and an auxiliary tractive energy source. The method includes operating the main drive unit, detecting the duration of actuation of an uninterrupted actuation of a brake pedal, and detecting whether the duration of actuation is above a minimum duration by comparing the duration of actuation with a minimum duration. The main drive unit is switched off if it has been detected that the duration of actuation is above the minimum duration. Otherwise, operation of the main drive unit is continued if it has been detected that the duration of actuation is not above the minimum duration. A device for carrying out the method is also described, which includes a timer for detecting the duration of actuation and a comparator for comparing the duration of actuation with a minimum duration.

A drive is generally used in vehicles for acceleration and for overcoming air resistance and rolling resistance which occur on acceleration and when driving at constant speed. Due to traffic conditions, therefore, situations arise in which the drive does not contribute to movement of the vehicle, for example when the vehicle is coasting. If an internal combustion engine is used to produce drive, fuel is consumed even when the drive is not producing any motive power. With fuel cell-driven vehicles also, there are situations in which merely the electrical temporary storage device serves as the tractive energy source and, for reasons of operating economy, the fuel cell unit ought to be operated in standby mode.
Conventionally, motor vehicles have been used in which the driver performs all the operations of switching on and off himself/herself, this being done by turning an ignition key or by using an additional button, with which key or button the driver is able to control the operating state of the drive. Automated methods recognize that the engine may be turned off or the fuel cell unit is being put into standby mode from clutch engagement operations in the case of manually shifted transmissions, for example, on the basis of the freewheeling selected. For the fuel cell unit, the standby mode is also referred to as the idle or freewheeling mode. The internal combustion engine or the fuel cell unit is re-started when the clutch is actuated again.
Automatic control of that kind, however, is based on clutch signals which do not occur, for example, in vehicles with automatic transmissions. A problem encountered in the case of automatic control is that, if the internal combustion engine is turned on and off (i.e., started and stopped) infrequently, it runs in situations in which it is possible to dispense with the internal combustion engine, with the result that an unfavorable energy balance is obtained. If, however, the internal combustion engine is switched off and re-started whenever it is under no load, even if only briefly, this results in severe wear to the engine and especially to the starter, which leads to higher maintenance costs and reduced lifetime. This also applies to fuel cell units (in place of the internal combustion engine), which may not be switched on and off (i.e., changed from standby mode to active mode and vice versa) with unlimited frequency without the fuel cell units working inefficiently or, in the long term, being damaged.
Since, in vehicles with automatic transmissions, situations in which the internal combustion engine is to be switched off are not readily distinguishable from situations in which the internal combustion engine should continue to run, it is difficult to optimize the control of the internal combustion engine. In particular, if in the case of automatic transmissions the internal combustion engine is stopped every time the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is actuated, this results in a markedly greater strain on the starting system due to the greater number of starting operations. This applies in equal measure to fuel cell-driven vehicles, which by their nature have no gear shifting.
Especially in start/stop systems with automatic transmissions, in hybrid vehicles or in fuel-cell driven vehicles, optimization of the control of the main drive unit is difficult.

Control of the operating mode of a main drive unit of a vehicle in dependence on brake pedal actuation


An apparatus for dynamically controlling backlight source receives a pixel input data, and outputs a pixel output data and a PWM signal. The apparatus includes image analysis unit for receiving the pixel input data and outputting image data after performing image analysis. An information unit stores relation data including luminance adjusting data and PWM adjusting data corresponding to gray level range. A luminance calculation unit receives the image data from the image analysis unit and the relation data from the information unit, and calculates a required gray level corresponding to a required luminance, and outputs a required pixel luminance data and a required PWM data according to the required gray level. A PWM adjusting unit receives the required PWM data and outputs the PWM signal. A multiplication unit receives the pixel input data and performs luminance adjustment according to the required pixel luminance data for outputting the pixel output data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustment technique for backlight source of a display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for dynamically controlling backlight source, which may control gray levels of pixels of a display panel to reduce power consumption of the backlight source.
2. Description of Related Art
A display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a passive light source generally requires a backlight module to function as the light source. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display mechanism of a conventional LCD. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional LCD includes a display panel 102 comprising a pixel array for displaying an image. Each pixel of the pixel array has three primary colors of red, green and blue. For example, the pixel is composed of three sub-pixels with the three primary colors of red, green and blue, and a transmissive control unit Tcon 104 is used for controlling transmissivities of the three sub-pixels with red, green and blue colors according to a required gray level of the image.
Since the LCD panel 102 is not luminous itself, a backlight module 100 is required for providing a white light beam. The white light beam passing through the three sub-pixels with red, green and blue colors forms the light beams with the three primary colors according to the transmissivities of the sub-pixels, and then the light beams are combined to form a light beam with a desired color, and the light beam with the desired color is then provided to a human eye 106 for observation.
According to a conventional display method, the backlight module 100 provides the white light beam with a fixed intensity, and the luminances of the pixels vary by changing gray levels of the pixels, so as to achieve a variation of displaying color. In this case, light emitted from the backlight module 100 maintains a highest luminance, and a duty cycle of the backlight module 100 is 100%. Therefore, power consumption of the conventional method is relatively great, and should be reduced to save power. More particularly, a mobile device using a battery particularly requires the energy saving effect for prolonging a working time of the device.

Apparatus and method for dynamically controlling backlight


The present technology provides for establish a direct ad hoc communication link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle for exchanging the map changes. The present technology provides an efficient propagation of map changes, which can be large data files, while keeping the use of such changes under the control of a central authority.

An autonomous vehicle is a motorized vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating with little or no human input. An exemplary autonomous vehicle may include a plurality of sensor systems, such as, but not limited to, a camera sensor system, a lidar sensor system, a radar sensor system, amongst others, wherein the autonomous vehicle operates based upon sensor signal outputs by the sensor systems. Specifically, the sensor signals are provided to an internal computing system in communication with the plurality of sensor systems, wherein one or more processors execute instructions based upon the sensor signals to control a mechanical system of the autonomous vehicle, such as a vehicle propulsion system, a braking system, or a steering system.
Some autonomous vehicles use map databases to provide detailed information about lanes, legal maneuvers, locations of signs, bike lanes, and more. These map databases, and even portions thereof, can include a lot of data. Propagating updates to portions of these map databases can consume a lot of bandwidth.

Peer-to-peer autonomous vehicle communication


Disclosed is an apparatus and process for recovering heat from multiple hot process streams without multiplying instrumentation. Each hot process stream is indirectly heat exchanged with a water circuit which leaves and feeds a steam drum. Heat is added to the steam drum through the addition of water heated outside of the steam drum. The heated liquid and vapor water is heated in heat exchangers decoupled from the steam drum. The water circuits are arranged in parallel with each other and feed a single steam drum to provide a steam product of a desired pressure for which only one set of instrumentation is needed.

Generating steam from hot process streams is a common method for recovering low value heat particularly in a petroleum refinery. Steam is generated by indirectly heat exchanging the hot process stream with water in a kettle steam generator. A kettle steam generator typically comprises a cylindrical shell and tube heat exchanger with the hot process stream circulating inside the tube bundle and water in the shell. Heat is indirectly transferred from the hot process stream to vaporize the water.
Steam quality is categorized by pressure level. Low pressure steam is typically generated at 241-448 kPa (gauge) (35-65 psig). Medium pressure steam is typically generated at 862-1207 kPa (gauge) (125-175 psig) and high pressure steam is typically generated at or greater than about 4137 kPa (gauge) (600 psig).
The economics of the typical kettle steam generator often do not justify installation, especially as the quantity of recoverable heat is reduced. The expense of kettle steam generators is due in large part to the quantity of instrumentation that is required for each kettle steam generator. Piping, vessels and other auxiliary systems also add cost to the installation. Each steam kettle is typically equipped with a boiler feedwater inlet, a steam outlet, at least two drainage outlets for removing precipitates and at least one steam vent for over pressure relief all with necessary piping and valving. Additionally, instrumentation is required to monitor the water level in the kettle and the steam flow rate through the steam outlet leaving the kettle to regulate with further instrumentation the flow rate of boiler feedwater into the kettle. Installation costs multiply for recovering heat from each additional process stream.
To improve the economics of installing steam kettle generators for heat recovery from multiple process streams it has been proposed to put two discrete heat exchanger tube bundles into a single kettle steam generator thus halving the required instrumentation. Each tube bundle carries a single hot process stream for indirect heat exchange with the water in the kettle. However, the physical installation of this design is cumbersome because tube bundles enter both ends of the cylindrical kettle, thus obstructing access to the interior of the kettle from the traditional location at one end.

Process for steam heat recovery from multiple heat streams


The present invention relates to a waterproof electric plug with fuses that comprises a housing, a fuse holder, a fuse cover, two plug blades, two tubular fuses, and power lines. When the cover and the holder are inserted into the housing, the complicated structure that is formed will prevent any water or liquid from entering into the housing and the holder. The cover can be pushed to expose an opening in the housing through which the tubular fuses can be replaced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof plug, and more particularly to a waterproof plug having a housing, a fuse holder, a cover, two plug blades, two fuses, and power lines with elastic terminal strips.
2. Prior Art
The conventional power plug for an electrical appliance or an extension power line is usually integrally molded for water resistance, but have no structure for protecting the circuit form overcurrent. There are some recent power plug products designed to provide a fuse therein. However, there is no waterproof structure designed for that type of power plug.

Waterproof electric plug with fuse holder

12F-1, No. 311, Chung-Hsiao E. Road, Sec. 4


A food recycler can include a case having a case volume between 8.79 liters and 35 liters, a control system, a user interface in electrical communication with the control system, and a bucket being configured with a bucket volume, wherein a ratio of the bucket volume to the case volume is between 0.0717 and 0.2857. The recycler can include a motor in communication with the control system, the motor being configured adjacent at least in part to the bucket, a gearbox configured below the bucket and in mechanical communication with the motor, a filter system having at least one filter and configured to receive air from a top portion of the bucket and a drying component configured to remove water from waste food items.

Organic whole foodstuffs can include edible components, edible non-palatable components, and inedible components. Edible components can include the palatable portion of the foodstuff that, in general, makes up the serving portion. Edible non-palatable components generally consists of the foodstuff portion that is not served, such as: trimmings, off-cuts, leaves, peels, skins, rinds, pulp, stems, seeds, oxidized foods (e.g., avocados, apples, etc.), limp or wilted vegetation, bone components, connective tissues, fibrous components, poorly textured foods, malformed foods, discolored foods, previously cooked foods, expired foods, or any other foodstuff that, while safe for consumption, may not be palatable. Inedible components can include foodstuff components that are not fit for consumption due to an unpleasant taste, poor nutritional value, or are a hazard to the health of those that would consume these components (e.g., apple seeds, foodstuffs infested or infected by non-beneficial components, toxins, or pathogenic materials).
In traditional culinary arts, a high value is placed on precious foodstuffs. For instance, traditional techniques often call for maximizing consumable nutritional value and flavor while minimizing waste. In classic French cooking, for example, the nutrients and flavor of unpalatable foods are transferred to a liquid to create stock or fond de cuisine, the treasured underpinning of broths, soups, and sauces. Stock making is a core culinary skill of the saucier or sauce chef, the highest line cook position in the traditional French Brigade restaurant kitchen. In such a kitchen, a hierarchy of foodstuffs as described in the previous paragraph supplies the core flavor and nutritional elements to the saucier for infusion into a water solvent to form suspended solutions of stocks or broths. Flavor and nutrient rich stocks and broths form the foundational input elements for sauces, soups, and stews. Further, these stocks and broths serve as poaching liquids to enhance the flavor of sauté cooking methods. The contributory nutritional and flavor elements of bones, trimmings and vegetable discard can best be measured against the high regard French cuisine places on remouillage, a stock made by re-simmering bones a second time. However, over time, food entertainment has turned food ingredients into aesthetic elements that are specifically selected for their pleasant appearance rather than for its nutritional value and flavor. This shift in focus has led to an abundance of food waste.
Food waste accounts for one-third of garbage that is deposited in landfills. This presents a growing environmental issue due to the anaerobic production of methane and other greenhouse gases via the decomposition of such organic food waste. Thus, various entities have opted to compost food waste in order to divert such food waste away from landfills and to reduce the production of methane and other greenhouse gases.
Composting is most effective for low density waste management and in rural areas, where there is no scarcity of land for composting large amounts of food waste. However, composting can be logistically complex and costly in urban environments, where the majority of organic food waste is created. While consumer behavioral change and voluntary compliance can result in the reduction of food waste, this traditionally has not been sufficient. Additionally, composting solely focuses on waste management and does not present an avenue for re-using edible components that would otherwise be discarded. In light of this, it would be advantageous to provide a kitchen-based organic food conversion process and apparatus that would extract flavor and nutrients for reuse in the kitchen and for conversion of organic food waste into nutrient preserved grow media for reintroduction into the food cycle.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for providing a food recycler


A communication system and an oscillation signal provision method based thereon are provided. In the communication system, a high frequency oscillator generates a first high frequency signal upon receipt of an enable signal. The first high frequency signal is commonly shared by a first module and a second module. The first module is coupled to the high frequency oscillator, operating in either busy or idle mode, wherein the first module operates at the first high frequency signal when in busy mode. The second module converts the first high frequency signal to a second high frequency signal and operates at the second high frequency signal when in busy mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to mobile phone systems, and more particularly, to a common oscillation source simultaneously serving multiple communication chips in one device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional communication system 100. Currently, mobile phones provide various functionalities in addition to telephone communication. For example, in FIG. 1, a mobile module 110, a Bluetooth module 120 and a WiFi module 130 are simultaneously implemented in one device, each operating at different frequencies. Specifically, according to known power saving technologies, these modules may operate in either a busy mode or an idle mode, with different frequency sources required. The mobile module 110 uses a first high oscillator 112 for busy mode, and an oscillation source 114 for idle mode. Likewise, the Bluetooth module 120 and WiFi module 130 also require corresponding high and low frequency oscillators 122, 132, 124 and 134 in either mode. The disadvantage of the architecture is that since two oscillators are required for each module, circuit redundancies and costs proportionally increase when multiple modules are implemented together. Additionally, the total power consumption of the oscillators is significant. When all modules are operating in the busy mode, a power shortage may quickly occur, reducing the mobility of the communication system 100. Thus, a more efficient architecture is desirable.

Communication system and oscillation signal provision method


Output device for a container (6) which includes a bottom and a surrounding wall, having a hub (1) and at least two arms (3) fixed to the hub (1). The invention is characterized in that each arm (3) is designed with at least one outer section designed and arranged to at use being capable of essentially preventing material from being brought towards the wall of the container, and at least one inner section connected to the outer section, designed and arranged to at use being capable of bringing the material essentially in the direction of feed for the device, at which the at least two arms (3) present essentially concave surfaces facing the direction of feed.

There are different types of output devices for material which is stored in large containers, which devices can be rotors, sliding frames, push floors etc. One kind of containers is silos, where the discharge is made by way of some kind of arrangement in the bottom of the silo for further working or transport of the material. The idea is that the material shall fall down by itself as the material is discharged from beneath, but this is sometimes not the case. Different materials have a tendency to stagnate, form bridges above the output device and along the walls of the silo, whereas less and less material is discharged.
DE 36 07 786 discloses an output device for a silo or a similar container with a circular cross section. The device comprises an arm fixed to a hub, to which a driving device is connected for rotation of the hub and the arm. In the bottom of the silo a circular discharge opening is arranged in the centre thereof. The arm is formed with a bending to force or press the material in the silo towards the centre and out through the discharge opening.
FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C show examples of some known output devices for containers with radial discharge opening. These are rotatably arranged on a centre axis and with a number of arms to shove the material so that it falls into a radial opening with conveying screws to carry the material out of the space. These known devices are either arranged with resilient arms, type 1 (hydraulic rotor) and 3 (hydraulic rotor), hydraulically and elastically respectively, or with fixed straight arms, type 2 (sliding star).
A great problem with these types of known output devices is that the direction of feed from the arms is directed towards the wall of the container and forwards. This concerns both the output devices with straight arms as well as resilient or pivotable arms, which at heavy resistance from the material are bent backwards in the direction of rotation. The design of the arms causes the material to be packed towards the walls of the container, and that a certain amount of material in the periphery of the container remains unmoved and that the material that is yet moved is pushed out to the unmoved material and a further compaction (collaring) of the material occurs. Thus, the amount of material being discharged from the discharge opening is not as large as desired, and the efficiency of the device decreases or even that the discharge is stopped.
Concerning straight arms, their design brings that packing towards the periphery can neither be prevented, nor that the compacted material can be disengaged/loosened because of the direction of movement/force directed outwards of these arms.
One drawback with the solution with fixed straight arms, except for the direction of feed, is that the arms in certain positions cover large parts of the discharge opening, which is to disadvantage of the continuity of the material supply into the opening. Thus, this also affects the efficiency of the device in a negative way.
Even a successive packing vertically can occur above the output device, at which an arch of packed material gradually is formed and the output device idles and the discharging stops (FIG. 2.).
The known output devices mentioned above, have a tendency to only bring together and/or try to force the material in certain directions—either towards other material or towards the walls or the like of the container—which brings evident tendencies of packing, and the devices tend to work against the falling down of the material to the discharge opening. This is a great problem at storing of materials that have a tendency to pack. Many containers also have a considerable volume, whereas any outer influence of the container to shake down material is not possible.


A main machine vise has a second auxiliary vise having independently movable clamping jaws attached to it with the auxiliary vise set to one side of the main machine vise and above a supporting surface of a machine tool table on which the main machine vise is mounted. The auxiliary vise has a movable jaw that moves in a plane generally perpendicular to the tool table on which it is mounted, while the main machine vise has a movable jaw that moves in a plane parallel to the tool table or surface on which it is mounted. The auxiliary vise is mounted on a bracket that offsets the clamping jaws of the auxiliary vise from the main machine vise so that work pieces can be independently clamped in each of the vises. The auxiliary vise includes a vibration reducing stabilizer for attaching to the tool table or support.

The present invention relates to an auxiliary machine vise attachment which transforms a machine vise into a duplex or double vise capable of holding two work pieces with a movable clamping jaw on a first or main machine vise moving in a plane generally horizontal to a machine tool table supporting the vises, and the auxiliary vise having a movable clamping jaw moving in a plane perpendicular to the machine tool table. The movable jaw of the auxiliary vise slides on guideways which are positioned relative to a cylindrical bore which precisely guides the moveable jaw of the auxiliary vise as the work piece is clamped.
In many instances, it is desirable to hold elongated work pieces in a vertical position for machining on ends and the like, and it is difficult to do with ordinary machine vises mounted on a machine tool table. The main orientation for mounting machine vises is with a width dimension of the jaws and the plane for support of the work piece extending parallel to the machine tool table. The moveable jaw of the main machine vise also moves in a plane that is generally horizontal and parallel to the table top. An attachment for a shaper vise that provides auxiliary jaws is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,069, but this unit is mounted directly onto the end of a vise, making it difficult to load and also difficult to have parts clamped in the jaws of each of the sets of jaws at the same time.


When there is a large difference greater than a threshold value between a position determined at a time in satellite positioning by a GPS receiver based on a propagation delay of signals received from a GPS satellite, and an anterior position determined at an anterior time in satellite positioning by the GPS receiver, in position determination in a first period after the times, a present position is found based on a velocity vector found at the anterior time by the GPS receiver based on a Doppler shift occurring in the signals received from the GPS satellite and a previously determined position. In position determination in a second period after the first period, the present position is found based on a velocity vector found in the second period and the previously determined position. After that, processing is returned in which a satellite-determined position is used as a determined position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a satellite positioning apparatus, in a satellite positioning system such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), for determining the position of the satellite positioning apparatus based on signals received from satellites.
2. Description of the Related Art
GPS is a widely used satellite navigation system that includes a plurality of satellites and a satellite positioning apparatus that moves with a mobile object such as an automobile.
Positioning technology for GPS receivers select from satellites with receivable signals, a combination of satellites in which the optimal dilution of precision (DOP) may be determined depending on the geometric constellation of the satellites. A position by using signals received from the satellites may also be determined (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-297104).
Additionally, position determination and positioning error calculation for each of different combinations of satellites may be provided. Based on the determined position and positioning error, a range in which the error regions obtained for the combinations of the satellites mutually overlap presents the range in which the present position can exist (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-11560).
In addition to position determination with a GPS receiver, a velocity vector may also be calculated based on Doppler shifts of signals received from satellites (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-66916).
Positioning accuracy and error tendency vary depending on the combination of satellites used in position determination. Accordingly, a change in the combination of satellites used in position determination may cause a deterioration in positioning stability of a satellite positioning apparatus, so that large shifts in determined positions may occur. The occurrence of the large shifts in determined positions may cause a user to question the performance of the GPS system. Additionally, it is difficult to correct the position determined by the satellite positioning apparatus by using techniques such as map matching, which perform correction by collating the determined position with previously determined positions, loci represented by the positions' records, and a road map. Moreover, it often occurs that map matching further increases the shifts in positions.

Method and apparatus for satellite positioning


The present disclosure relates to a drilling instrument for machining tubes in tube sheets of heat exchangers in a radioactive environment, comprising a transport device having clamping elements and having a drilling device with clamping fingers, which are arranged in each case on a common first side. The transport device and the drilling device are connected to a support device having a support plate on which a resting plate of the drilling device rests. In addition, the support plate is connected to the resting plate by way of at least one movable connecting element, and the resting plate is connected to the support plate in a play-free manner in a first position of the connecting element, wherein the resting plate exhibits predefinable play with regard to the carrier plate in a second position of the connecting element.

In nuclear power plants, maintenance work and, if necessary, repairs are carried out at regular intervals. At the same time, there are areas in the nuclear power plant that are exposed to radioactive radiation and themselves emit radioactive radiation after some time. The maintenance work and repairs also need to be carried out in this radioactive environment, for example at steam generator tubes or heat exchanger tubes. For people, the radioactive environment is unsuitable and accessible at most briefly. Moreover, according to legal requirements, exposure of personnel and material to radiation has to be as low as possible and may not exceed a particular upper limit. In this regard, the use of a quantity of material that is as small as possible is desirable. In these areas, remote-controllable machine tools or test equipment are also used.
In order to repair tubes that are held in tube sheets, it is possible to use a drilling machine that is mounted on a robot arm of a robot such that the drilling machine is positioned with the robot arm at that point of the tube sheet in the radioactive environment that is to be machined, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,461B1. A drawback of this system is that the drilling machine can be used only in the working range of the robot arm. If a large number of points on a tube sheet are intended to be machined, first of all the robot has to be moved to a different point so that the point to be machined can again be reached by the robot arm. This is relatively complicated. In addition, on account of the robot arm, the mass of the robot is correspondingly high. Alternatively, the robot arm can be constructed to be so large that the working range corresponds to the extent of the tube sheet. Then, the mass of the repair robot is even greater and the construction or dismantling of the robot is particularly complicated.
One possibility of moving over a relatively large area of the tube sheet of a steam generator or heat exchanger in a nuclear power plant is provided by a known inspection robot "PEGASYS" from the company Westinghouse, USA. Said robot moves a probe in a walking manner to the desired point on the tube sheet that is to be checked in that a group of retaining devices are alternately anchored in the tubes of the tube sheet or released therefrom and in the process travel into new tubes and are again anchored there. The inspection robot does not have a component comparable to the robot arm and is accordingly lighter. A drawback of the inspection robot, however, is that the mechanics thereof, on account of the movable parts, exhibit a comparatively high level of inaccuracy in the positioning of the probe, which, although being sufficient for measuring, is not suitable for the unrelated machining of tubes with a drilling machine, which also cannot be corrected manually. Specifically, correction possibilities for positioning the inspection robot are not provided in the plane of the tube sheet or perpendicularly to this plane.
Proceeding from this, it is an object of the present disclosure to specify a drilling instrument which reaches a large number of working positions on a tube sheet as easily as possible, has a mass that is as low as possible, and has sufficient accuracy for machining tubes.

Drilling apparatus for working on tubes in a radioactive environment


A distribution line structure for electric power supply is provided with a pair of first conductors and a second conductor. Each of the first conductors is provided with a first main portion formed in a flat strip shape and first connection portions, and the second conductor is provided with a second main portion formed in a flat strip shape and second connection portions. The first conductors are connected with each other at the first connection portions. The first and second main portions are layered and separated each other by insulators. The second main portion is put between the first main portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distribution line structure for supplying electric power to an electric load such as a three-phase motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is proposed a distribution line structure for an electric power line which is provided with a pair of conductor sheets and an insulator sheet put therebetween An electric load is connected with one end thereof and electric power is supplied from another end thereof. The pair of conductor sheets are positioned in close vicinity to each other and respectively conduct counter electric currents. Thereby magnetic fluxes respectively induced by the electric currents are mutually eliminated so that inductance of the conductors is minimized. A related art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 7-114826.

Distribution line structure for electric power supply


A method for performing a video quality measurement which includes performing a video quality test on a frame of a user observed video clip to provide a video quality score, generating a weighted error matrix for the frame, and updating the video quality score based upon the weighted error matrix to provide a weighted video quality score is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information handling systems, and more particularly to improving image artifact detection in video quality benchmarks.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
One use of information handling systems is presenting video such as high-definition video. An issue relating to presenting high-definition video on information handling systems relates to when high-definition video is distributed across a network such as wired and wireless networks. To deliver products with the level of quality and clarity that customer's desire, it is desirable to provide video quality measurement tools that provide video quality information in addition to frames-per-second information.
There are a number of issues relating to providing meaningful video quality information. For example, meaningful video quality information should accurately reflect end user experience. There is a movement in the information handling industry to define a set of performance metrics that would more accurately reflect end user experience. Known video quality measurement tools assess image and motion quality but the image quality assessment does not truly reflect end user perception.
For example, end users perceive picture defects in perceptually salient screen areas more critically than those in less important regions. Known video quality measurement tools fail to consider the perceptual impact of a defect's location. For example, artifacts of similar intensity on an image yield the same video quality score whether the artifacts occur at the edge of the screen or over a perceptually important region.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a video quality measurement that appreciates and quantifies a difference between mathematically similar artifacts that have different effects on user perception.

Image artifact detection in video quality benchmarks


A dispenser for dispensing a sheet of perforated paper towelling off a roll of paper towelling. The dispenser has a casing with a mounting for the roll in its upper portion and an outlet at the bottom. The outlet is substantially narrower than the width of the towelling. A roller is mounted in the casing for guiding the towelling from the roll mounting to the outlet. The roller maintains the towelling at its full width. The towelling is gathered inwardly in passing from the roller to the outlet. Upon pulling the towelling out of the dispenser, the towelling begins to tear inwardly from its edges along the first line of perforations as the first line of perforations passes over the roller to separate a sheet from the remainder of the towelling. The tearing operation is completed outside the casing leaving a tail end of towelling to be grasped during the next dispensing operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an improved dispenser for dispensing a sheet of towelling from a roll of perforated paper towelling.
The invention is also directed toward a method for dispensing a sheet of towelling from a roll of perforated paper towelling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispensers for dispensing sheets of paper towelling off a roll of perforated towelling are known. The mechanism employed to dispense the towelling is however quite complicated and often, when using the new paper towelling, which is lighter and flimsier than before, the mechanism does not operate properly. The known dispensers also required physical contact with an operator on the dispenser to dispense the towelling. Nowadays, many people wish to avoid any physical contact with towel dispensers in public rest rooms.