An armrest hinge unit for a vehicle includes a lower bracket fixed to one side of an armrest container near an opening thereof and including a pivoting-allowable space in the lower bracket, a frictional member disposed in the pivoting-allowable space of the lower bracket and fixed to the lower bracket, and an upper bracket having a hinge portion hingedly coupled to the lower bracket and a receiving groove to elastically receive the frictional member therein, the upper bracket being connected to an armrest cover, wherein at least an inner surface of the receiving groove of the upper bracket is in elastic contact with the frictional member so that a position of the arm rest cover is maintained by frictional force therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an armrest hinge unit which couples an armrest container which is provided between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat to receive things and to an armrest cover which covers the armrest container and on which a driver's arm can be rested.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an armrest is provided between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat of a vehicle. The armrest has a box shape so that it can contain things therein and it allows a user's arm to be rested thereon. Additional functions, durability, and design of the armrest are important factors determining the interior of a vehicle.
The armrest is generally composed of a container, a cover, and a hinge unit. The container stores things therein, and the cover is installed at the top end of the container by the hinge unit so that the armrest can be open and closed.
As for the hinge unit of the armrest, it must be considered that the operational mechanism of the hinge unit is stable, duration of the hinge unit is ensured, it is lightweight, and smooth opening and closing of the cover is ensured. Further, it is preferable that the hinge unit exhibits good properties while being made of a low cost material to keep manufacturing cost of a vehicle low.
However, the conventional hinge units are weak in a structural aspect so they are likely to easily break when a shock is given to them. So the conventional hinge units must be made of a steel material. In the case in which the hinge units are made of a steel material, there are many problems in that the hinge units are expensive, attributable to increased cost, and heavy, and have poor durability because the hinge units are likely to twist and become permanently deformed when a downward load is applied to the cover of the armrest.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already conventional to a person skilled in the art.


A predictive device system includes a first device motion control input, determines a desired first device motion using the first device motion control input, and provides actual first device motion using the first device motion control input. The predictive system also determines motion inherent in a received signal using the actual first device motion, determines a difference to be simulated in a second device signal using the desired first device motion and the motion inherent in the received signal, and outputs a predictive signal using the first device motion control input and the difference to be simulated in the second device signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to robotics and more specifically to telepresence systems.
2. Background Art
In the past, video camera and audio systems were developed for improving communication among individuals who are separated by distance and/or time. The systems and the process are now referred to as "videoconferencing". Videoconferencing sought to duplicate, to the maximum extent possible, the full range, level and intensity of interpersonal communication and information sharing which would occur if all the participants of a meeting were "face-to-face" in the same room at the same time.
In addition to spoken words, demonstrative gestures, and behavioral cues, face-to-face contact often involves sitting down, standing up, and moving around to look at objects or people. This combination of spoken words, gestures, visual cues, and physical movement significantly enhances the effectiveness of communication in a variety of contexts, such as "brainstorming" sessions among professionals in a particular field, consultations between one or more experts and one or more clients, sensitive business or political negotiations, and the like.
Behavioral scientists know that interpersonal communication involves a large number of subtle and complex visual cues, referred to by names like "gaze" and "eye contact," which provide additional information over and above the spoken words and explicit gestures. Gaze relates to others being able to see where a person is looking and eye contact relates to the gazes of two persons being directed at the eyes of the other. These cues are, for the most part, processed subconsciously by the people, and often communicate vital information.
In situations where all the people cannot be in the same place at the same time, the beneficial effects of face-to-face contact will be realized only to the extent that a remotely located person, or "user", can be "recreated" at the site of the meeting where the "participants" are present.
In robotic telepresence, a remotely controlled robot simulates the presence of the user. The overall experience for the user and the participants interacting with the robotic telepresence device is similar to videoconferencing, except that the user has a freedom of motion and control over the robot and video input that is not present in traditional videoconferencing. The robot platform typically includes a camera, a display device, a motorized platform that includes batteries, a control computer, and a wireless computer network connection. An image of the user is captured by a camera at the user's location and displayed on the robotic telepresence device's display at the meeting.
In video communication systems where moveable or zoomable video cameras at a remote location are under control of a local user, feedback delays can cause difficulties for users in adjusting to camera motion at the remote location. This motion may be of several types. As is present in many commercial video conferencing systems, a camera at the remote location could be panned, tilted, or zoomed by a person viewing the video remotely.
In other systems, the XY location of the camera may change with motion of the camera platform i.e., translation. A typical example of this is that the user may direct the camera to point to an object to the right of their current viewpoint. They may stop requesting the camera to move when they see the desired object centered on their video screen.
However, additional delays in the control loop can cause the actual position of the camera to overshoot the desired position of the camera. Sources of delays include: transmitting commands to the remote camera, the motion of the camera based on those commands, acquisition of video imagery, compression of the video, transmission of the video, decompression of the video, and rendering the video on a display device.
As more complex systems evolve, control of the remote positioning can become even more complex. The user navigates through a remote environment based on this video feedback. However, delays of several seconds can occur between user commands such as controlling speed via a pistol grip and the resulting change in video presentation for the user.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A terminal supporting peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, wherein a transceiver of the terminal is implemented to support P2P communication with an adjacent terminal in the same cell. Thus, when short-range communication is possible, the terminal performs P2P communication directly with the adjacent terminal, not via a base station. Consequently, when terminals use different mobile telecommunication service providers or there is no base station network, the terminals can be used for short-range communication. More particularly, when a receiving channel state becomes satisfactory while communication with an adjacent terminal is being performed via a base station, the terminal directly switches to a P2P communication mode and performs communication with the adjacent terminal. On the contrary, when the receiving channel state deteriorates while communication with the adjacent terminal is being performed in the P2P communication mode, the terminal directly switches to a base station communication mode and performs communication with the adjacent terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal supporting peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, and communication and billing methods based on the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to, in a code division multiple access (CDMA) and asynchronous wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) mobile telecommunication system, a terminal that includes a transceiver implemented to enable P2P communication with an adjacent terminal in the same cell and thus can maximize base station's resources associated with the second generation CDMA service and third generation universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) service, a communication method using the terminal, and a billing method based on the terminal.
2. Discussion of Related Art
After the cellular wireless mobile telecommunication system was developed in the U.S.A. toward the end of the nineteen seventies, a voice communication service was provided by an advanced mobile phone service (AMPS), which can be referred to as the first generation (1G) mobile telecommunication system using an analog method, in South Korea. Since then, the second generation (2G) CDMA mobile telecommunication system was developed and commercialized in the mid-nineteen nineties. Most recently, international mobile telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000), which is the third generation (3G) mobile telecommunication system developed to provide wireless multimedia and high-speed data service, has been commercialized and increasingly used since the end of the nineteen nineties.
In particular, since a WCDMA mobile telecommunication system recommended by 3G IMT-2000 shows excellent speech quality and uses a spread spectrum method, a terminal connected to a base station can request a broadband service in real time by a variable spreading factor (VSF) and multicode. Therefore, the WCDMA mobile telecommunication system is well suited for high-speed data transmission of a high resolution video service, etc.
In the WCDMA system, however, when there are different mobile telecommunication service providers, a terminal must subscribe to an expensive roaming service to operate through a different telecommunication service provider than its own, even though the terminal and an opposite terminal are the same kind of WCDMA terminals. In addition, when there is no base station within a cell radius, a communication service between terminals is not possible.
In order to solve these problems, a method is suggested that includes, in a terminal, a seamless handover function of making a module interoperate with another module for short-range communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc., in a dual mode format, and a small wireless personal area network (WPAN) communication function between close-proximity terminals using Bluetooth or wireless fidelity (WiFi; ad hoc mode). Thereby, the method allows the terminal to perform short-range communication even when communication with a base station is not possible. However, the method requires that the terminal have an additional short-range communication module, thus increasing the cost of the terminal.

Terminal supporting peer-to-peer communication, and communication and billing methods based on the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention relates to a well type neutron counter containing a He-3 detector which includes at least one annular gas layer in a polyethylene moderator, which includes a body formed of a neutron moderator and having a sample cavity for inserting a sample of nuclear material therein; and an annular He-3 detector tube including at least one annular gas layer into which at least He-4 or He-3 gas or their mixture is injected and a plurality of anode rods stood in the annular gas layer with an equal spaces, wherein the He-3 detector tube is formed in an inside of the body so as to surround the sample cavity. The neutron counter has a largely reduced size, simplified structure and resultant decreased failure rate as compared to a conventional counter with a large volume.

In a pyroprocess for firstly separating fission products and secondly separating uranium from other materials after metallization of nuclear material in spent nuclear fuel, it is very important for ensuring nuclear transparency and is the recommendation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to measure an amount of the nuclear material in each unit process. In order to quickly and precisely measure the nuclear material of various forms under the severe condition of hot cell in which the pyroprocess is proceeded, a neutron counter should be simplified and have high efficiency.
In general, various nuclear fuel materials include a fissionable material which is capable of nuclear fission. A precise detection for an amount of the fissionable material included in the nuclear fuel material is primarily required to produce nuclear fuel which can be burned in a nuclear reactor. The method for measuring the amount of fissionable material is largely divided into a destructive method and a nondestructive method. The destructive method is a chemical analyzing method and has an advantage of good analysis accuracy. However, it is economically disadvantageous since it takes long time to analyze and thus the destructive method has not been generally used. On the contrary, the nondestructive method is an analyzing method by measuring gamma rays or neutrons and has an advantage that it is capable of real time analysis. However, a gamma ray spectrum analysis has been used only to a new nuclear fuel and a method that quantificates Cm which is a major neutron source by measuring neutrons emitted from the Cm and then quantificates U-235 or Pu based on the quantitificated Cm is used for a fissionable material included in spent nuclear fuel. At that time, a highly efficiently neutron detector is needed.
In recent 1990s, there has been developed a neutron detector tube with good detection efficiency. Such detector tube has been mainly utilized in a technology for measuring plutonium content by a neutron multiplication factor measurement method. Particularly in United States, a large number of studies have been made mainly by Los Alamos National Laboratory, etc. Some of them have been commercialized by measurement equipment makers such as Canberra, and IAEA actually and widely utilizes these products in accounting for and control of nuclear material and inspection activity.
However, in the aforementioned neutron detector tube, since the measurement result may be overestimated due to induced fission in a sample and resultant neutron multiplication when there is a high sample density or a much sample amount, there is a difficulty that a multiplication factor for every sample should be known in advance to correct the result. In order to improve the difficulty, there has been suggested a method of measuring with exclusion of multiplicated neutrons using a multiplicity mode device (e.g. JSR-14 available from Canberra) with a high efficiency counter. However, an efficiency of the counter should be more than 40% to use the method and a large number of He-3 tube detectors should be contained to obtain such high efficiency. For example, it has been known that approximately 120 He-3 tube detectors should be contained to obtain the efficiency of approximately 60%. When using such large number of He-3 tube detectors, there are problems that it takes much cost and difficulty in installation and maintenance is increased as a scale of equipment is much increased.
FIG. 1 is a photograph showing a neutron counter, which had been developed and used by Ispara laboratory in Italy and is capable of measuring Pu content in MOX nuclear fuel with a relative error of less than 2%, and in which 125 He-3 tube detectors are contained in the form of four rings and a multiplicity mode is enabled. The counter has a diameter of approximately 96 cm and a weight of approximately 1200 kg but is known to have an efficiency of approximately 50 to 60%. As described above, since such counter requires a large number of He-3 tube detector, its scale is much increased and thus there is a problem that it is not easy to install the counter in a hot cell which is pyroprocessing facility for the spent nuclear fuel and it is also very difficult to maintain the counter.

Well type neutron counter containing an annular He-3 detector tube


The present invention, which provides a method and apparatus for controlling a multi-window display in an interface, can display a plurality of application windows simultaneously and completely on the same interface, can control changes in size of the launched application windows by finger pressing, can display the application windows of corresponding sizes at different levels, and can also realize changes in size by squeezing between the plurality of application windows. The method for controlling a multi-window display in an interface according to the present invention comprises: defining a correspondence relationship between display levels of windows of a plurality of applications and pressure values applied on icons of the plurality of applications, determining the display levels of the windows according to the pressure values applied on the icons, displaying the windows in the interface according to the display levels, wherein the window having the highest priority is the window of a currently operated application, and, if the window having the highest priority intersects other windows, compressing the other windows according to a display size of the window having the highest priority, such that the plurality of windows are displayed in the interface without overlapping one another.

At present, 3D pressure sensors have been applied to mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones, and many domestic manufacturers are already chasing 3D pressure sensing technology. The principle of pressure touch is as follows: by touching a screen with a finger, the screen can sense a pressure of the finger; a pressure sensor device can generate different electrical signals according to area changes of the finger pressure; the CPU of a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone receives an electrical signal generated by the pressure sensor device and then generates a corresponding command; and the user can perceive a change in the corresponding command generated by the pressure.
At present, the display mode of Apps (Application) on the mobile phone is generally only an icon mode or a full screen mode, and a multi-window scheme is adopted on some Android mobile phones. Specifically, a plurality of App windows can be displayed on the screen of a device such as a mobile phone. Nevertheless, these App windows are displayed in a stacked form, such a multi-window scheme is difficult to scale and not smart enough because there is no mouse, and a plurality of App windows displayed in a stacked form cannot be completely displayed on the same interface at the same time.
Moreover, in the process of using Apps, if there is a need to resize the launched App windows, the user can only resize the windows by clicking App icons to display the sizes of corresponding application windows and then using a two-finger operation, so that the scaling of the application windows is insufficient in all of controllability, convenience and fun.

Method and apparatus for controlling multi window display in interface

BEIJING JINGDONG SHANGKE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

BEIJING JINGDONG CENTURY TRADING CO., LTD.


The present invention provides an ink composition for use in active energy beam-curable inkjet printing, wherein the ink composition has low viscosity yet exhibits superior curability and superior adhesion to many different substrates, and also exhibits excellent storage stability. An active energy beam-curable inkjet ink composition containing at least polymerizable monomers (A) and a stabilizer (B), and containing essentially no water, the inkjet ink composition containing, as the polymerizable monomers (A), at least a polymerizable monomer (A-1) containing a vinyl ether group and an acryloyl group, and a polymerizable monomer (A-2) containing 2 or more acryloyl groups.

The inkjet printing method is a method in which ultra fine liquid droplets of an ink composition are adhered to a printing substrate, thereby recording images and/or text, and is characterized by not requiring the use of a plate in the printing process. The electrophotographic method is another well known printing method that does not use a plate, but in terms of apparatus cost, running costs and printing speed and the like, the inkjet printing method is considered to be superior. With the increase in demand for on-demand printing seen in recent years, the demand for inkjet printers continues to grow.
The ink compositions used in this type of inkjet printing require far more stringent control of the viscosity than the ink compositions used in offset printing or gravure printing. This is because a change in the viscosity of the ink composition causes a change in the liquid droplet volume during discharge, resulting in a change in the image quality of the printed item. Moreover, in recent years, inkjet printing systems have become widely used throughout the world, and ink compositions that suffer minimal changes in quality, and particularly viscosity, during long-term transport or storage, namely ink compositions that exhibit excellent stability over time, are now being demanded.
On the other hand, the ink compositions used in inkjet printing encompass many types of compositions, including solvent-based compositions, water-based compositions, and active energy beam-curable compositions. Among these, there has recently been a increase in the demand for active energy beam-curable inks, because they can be cured rapidly by irradiation with an active energy beam and therefore exhibit excellent printing speed, can also be applied to non-absorbent substrates such as plastic and board, and can minimize volatilized solvent volume and are therefore environmentally friendly. Particularly in the case of inkjet printing for commercial applications and industrial applications, the consideration of other additional factors, including the strength and durability of the printed product, the drying energy of the ink, and resistance to adherence of the ink components to the print head caused by ink drying, means that the use of active energy beam-curable inks is becoming increasingly widespread.
However, it is known that compared with inkjet ink compositions of other types, controlling the viscosity and the stability over time is more difficult for active energy beam-curable inkjet ink compositions. This is because the main component of an active energy beam-curable inkjet ink composition is a polymerizable monomer, and minute amounts of polymerization initiating components generated during transport or storage can cause the polymerization reaction of the polymerizable monomer to proceed.
In other words, in developing an active energy beam-curable inkjet ink composition, the important question is how to control the viscosity and stability over time, while maintaining the curability (productivity) and quality such as the adaptability to different substrates that represent the major advantages of such inks.
A multitude of previous investigations have already been undertaken with the aim of addressing the above problems. For example, Patent Document 1 is an example in which an organic solvent such as a petroleum-based solvent is added to the ink composition to improve the storage stability. However, in this example, because an organic solvent that does not participate in the polymerization reaction is added, the curability worsens. In addition, because adding an organic solvent eliminates one of the advantages of using an active energy beam-curable inkjet printing method, namely the ability to reduce the volume of volatilized solvent, this approach is undesirable. Further, Patent Document 2 is an example in which an N-vinyl lactam is used as the polymerizable monomer, and an antioxidant and a polymerization inhibitor are added in an attempt to improve the storage stability. However, the ink compositions disclosed in the specification have an extremely high content of a polymerizable monomer containing only one polymerizable reactive group (monofunctional monomer). As a result, the strength and durability of the printed item, which should be advantages of an active energy beam-curable inkjet printing method, tend to deteriorate, which is undesirable. Moreover, Patent Document 3 is an example in which, in order to improve the storage stability, a pH buffer is added to the ink composition in an attempt to improve the stability over time. However, the Good's buffer disclosed in this document is an ionic compound. As a result, depending on the storage conditions, there is a possibility that the buffer may form a different ionic compound with a material in the ink composition, thereby generating a precipitate which may appear in the inkjet head, which is also undesirable.
As described above, an ink composition that has low viscosity yet exhibits superior curability and substrate adhesion, and also has favorable storage stability has not yet been found.

Active energy beam-curable inkjet ink composition


There are methods of temporarily providing digital content to a customer based on a request for a desired digital content. At a point of sale, a writeable optically-readable medium may be provided with a changeable portion that, when activated, is adapted to physically change over a period of time (e.g., 3–5 days) to a degree that at least part of the medium becomes unreadable by an optical media reading machine. The desired digital content is preferably written on the medium at a point of sale based on the request. The written medium is provided to the customer. The customer pick up the medium at the point of sale, or the medium may be delivered to the customer, for example. The customer preferably need not return the medium because it will become unreadable after a period of time upon activating the changeable portion.

Upon entering a video rental store, one is faced with selecting one of perhaps several hundred video titles that the video rental store has available. Unfortunately, if one is looking for an older video or one that did not receive wide circulation, one will almost certainly not find the video available. Furthermore, even if one desired a recently released video that received wide circulation, one could readily discover that all copies of the video have already been rented.
Alternatively, if one desired to purchase a video, one again faces the possibility that the desired video is either out of stock, is no longer available, or the store does not have as many copies as one desired to purchase. In many cases, one may desire renting a video prior to purchasing it. This is not readily feasible in most rental stores. Even when a video store is found that allows both rental and purchase, the rental price will almost certainly not be applied toward the purchase price of the video.
Due to the physical size required for an inventory of several thousand video titles, the number of locations available to a video rental store is necessarily limited. The cost of an inventory that includes several thousand video titles also limits the number of video rental stores.
Additional disadvantages of renting videos include the fact that the video itself must be physically returned to the video rental store. If one does not return a rented video on time, one is usually faced with late charges. While purchasing a video allows one to watch at will, a rented video must be viewed within a very limited time period, typically 2–5 days.
Privacy and security issues are also relevant with video rentals. Typically one must be registered with a video rental store prior to renting a video. This registration may require disclosure of personal information that some may feel uncomfortable releasing. This registration also allows the video rental store to track an individual's rentals, which may be undesirable. Frequently the registration requires credit card information to guarantee return of the rented video. Increasingly, individuals are becoming leery of providing credit card information due to potential credit card fraud or abuse.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of temporarily providing digital content to a customer


An insect control device for attracting and capturing insects includes a base; and a resonator column that is in the form of a hollow tube having an open first end and an open second end. The first end is coupled to the base such that the resonator column stands upright therefrom. The second end is substantially open when the resonator column is coupled to the base. The resonator column is constructed and sized and shaped to resonate as a result of natural movements of insects captured on the resonator column resulting in sounds emanating from the captured insects being amplified by the resonator column which in turn serves to attract additional insects to the resonator column. The resonator column is free of electronic components and sound that is generated for attracting insects is generated without electronic components and is a natural sound amplified by the resonator column.

Owing to the prevalence and general annoyance of flying insects, many devices have been developed in the past in an attempt to control their local populations, especially around people perhaps trying to enjoy the outdoors or while indoors. One of the most popular insect-control members is "fly-paper", and although this sticky paper can take on many different forms, the basic structure is generally common and includes a substrate or supporting surface, such as a strip or structure made of paper, or a thin strip of foil made of a plastic or metal sheet, onto which a sticky material is applied, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive or a viscous coating including mineral oil. Examples of such fly papers can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 395,640, 532,454, 552,644, 552,762, 761,202, 807,040, 862,467, 885,615, 897,919, 919,507, 935,428, 1,194,736, 1,480,539, 1,643,118, 4,425,733.
In addition to a sticky surfactant, fly paper usually includes an alluring sex hormone or chemical and/or an attracting scent (and sometimes a poison) to help attract flying insects into contact with the sticky surface. Once contact is made, the insect cannot escape.
A discussion of historical approaches to addressing insect problems is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,778, and hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein. The '778 patent describes a method for attracting and eradicating insects in which a heartbeat sound attracts insects to a control station. According to the '778 patent, by projecting a heartbeat sound from a speaker, one or more discrete zones can be established which attract mosquitoes and other insects. There remains a need, however, to increase the zone of influence of the established attractant zone as well as its efficacy.
Recent efforts in the art of insect control have included the use of resonators that can be used to lure or repel insects with pressure waves (e.g., waves that mimic a heartbeat). Conventional fly paper constructions dampen or distort the pressure waves and thereby render a resonator less effective. Improvements in the construction of fly paper are needed and the present invention addresses this need. The present Applicant has a number of active resonating insect control devices that are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,928,769; 6,568,123; 6,647,215; D467,635; and D467,295, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. While these devices are suitable for their intended applications, the devices are active devices that use a speaker system to emit waves that attract the insects. Since they are active devices that include electronics, the devices have some degree of complexity.
There is therefore a need to provide a simpler insect control device that still provides superior results without the inclusion of electronics, etc.


The video memory requisite of an MPEG decoder effecting a decompression of the I, P and optionally also of the B picture according to the MPEG compression algorithm and requiring the storing in respective buffers organized in said video memory of the respective MPEG-decompressed data, may be dynamically reduced by subsampling and recompressing according to a ADPCM algorithm of at least the data pertaining to the I and P pictures before coding and storing them in the respective buffers. Subsequently, the stored data are decoded, decompressed and upsampled for reconstructing blocks of pels to be sent to a macroblock-to-raster scan conversion circuit.

The MPEG-1 standard was developed in response to the industry need of implementing an efficient way of storing and retrieving a video information on storage media of the digital type, such as, for example CD-ROMs. Of course, the MPEG-1 standard is also a powerful tool for efficiently storing data on similar 15 media such as DATs, Winchester disks, optical disks and ISDN and LAN networks. A more efficient version of the standard called MPEG has been developed in support of bit rate requisites in the field of digital video transmission applications. The standard has been generally accepted for digital TV systems, for compressing TV-resolution pictures, entirely interlaced, up to a bit rate of about 15 Mbps. A special version of the MPEG standard is expected to be used in future generation HDVT systems.
The MPEG standard incorporates and uses important algorithms and criteria defined by previous international standards, such as, for example, the CCITT motion vectors determination algorithm H.261 and the ISO 10918 standard of the ISO JPEG Committee for the coding of still pictures. A definition of the MPEG standard (1 and 2), and a thorough description of the different application techniques and the relative coding and decoding systems of the data relative compressed video pictures according to the MPEG standards are described in a wealth of articles and publications on the subject, including the following:
Draft International ISO/IEC DIS 13818-2 "Information technology-Generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information"; PA1 "MPEG coding and transport system" by Leonardo Chiariglione, Digital Television Broadcasting-Proceedings; PA1 "The MPEG video compression algorithm" by Didier J. Le Gall, Signal Processing Image Communication, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Vol. 4, No. 2, April 1992; PA1 Digest No. 1995/012, Electronics Division, Institution of Electrical Engineers-London, Colloquium on: "MPEG-2--what it is and what it isn'2"; PA1 "An Overview of the MPEG-2 Compression Algorithm" Technical Note released by SGS-THOMSON MICROELECTRONICS (An 529/0294); PA1 Datasheet "STi3500A" Datasheet of SGS-THOMSON MICROELECTRONICS; and PA1 "STi3520A--Advanced Information for an MPEG Audio/MPEG-2 Video Integrated Decoder" (June 1995). PA1 A "Bit buffer": that is a buffer for compressed data that the MPEG-2 standard fixes at 1.75 Mbits plus an extra amount, for example of 983.040 bits, in consideration of a nonideal process of decompression being actually carried out; PA1 A first "I-frame buffer" for the decompressed Intra-picture or briefly I-picture, in a 4:2:0 format; PA1 A second "P-frame buffer" for the decompressed Predicted-picture or briefly P-picture, in a 4:2:0 format; and PA1 A third "B-frame buffer" for the decompressed Bidirectionally Predicted Picture or briefly B-picture, in a 4:2:0 format, eventually optimized so to require a reduced amount of memory, which is 0.7407 or 0.6111 of a frame respectively in a PAL or NTSC system. PA1 (1) the recompression of the pictures is carried out in a simple fashion so that the total cost of the device does not increase sharply if compared to the saving deriving from not using part of the memory; PA1 (2) the quality of the reconstructed pictures undergoes a negligible degradation or anyway acceptable in terms of cost/quality; and PA1 (3) optionally and preferably the number of the primary clock cycles, which regulates the functioning of the external memory, required to draw from this external memory the predictor for the motion compensation process can be advantageously reduced. To obtain this and according to a preferred embodiment, a part of the compressed information is stored in the chip of the decoder's "core", in a dedicated buffer as hereinbelow illustrated.
According to a typical architecture of an MPEG-2 decoder, such as that shown in FIG. 3 of the publication No. STi3520A relative to an MPEG Audio/MPEG-2 Video integrated decoder marketed by SGS-THOMSON MICROELECTRONICS, herein reproduced as FIG. 1, there exist well-defined requisites of video memory, that is, the capacity of an external DRAM memory that, for a PAL and NTSC application, can support 16 Mbits PAL video signals. These requisites of video memory can be estimated as follows.
Considering that both the MPEG-2 video decoder and the MPEG audio decoder access a unique external DRAM memory of 16 Mbits through a common interface, the audio decoder may require access to only 131,072 bits leaving the remaining 16,646,144 bits available for satisfying the requisites of the MPEG-2 video decoder. The video memory can be configured as follows:
According to the actual MPEG-2 standard technique, and despite dealing with an I, P or B-picture dependently on the type of video standard, each "frame buffer" in the 4:2:0 format may occupy an amount of memory given by the following table.
__________________________________________________________________________
720 .times. 576 .times. 8 for the luma (luminance) (Y) 3,317,760 bits =4,976,640 bits 360 .times. 288 .times. 8 for the U chroma (chrominance 829,440 bits 360 .times. 288 .times. 8 for the V chroma (chrominance 829,440 bits NTSC 720 .times. 480 .times. 8 for the luma (luminance) (Y) 2,764,800 bits =4,147,200 bits 360 .times. 240 .times. 8 for the U chroma (chrominance 691,200 bits 360 .times. 240 .times. 8 for the V chroma (chrominance 691,200 bits __________________________________________________________________________
Therefore, in a PAL system which representing the most burdensome case may serve as a reference example, the actual total amount of memory required will be given by: EQU 5 1,835,008+835,584+4,976,640+4,976,640+(4,976,640*0.7407)=16,310,070 bits.
This calculation considers a 0.7407 optimization of the B-picture frame buffer.
A further optimization may include undertaking the decompression of the B-picture without resorting to a storage step in the external RAM by carrying out an equivalent function internally in the integrated decoder device by a dedicated circuit block functionally placed upstream of the Display Unit.
Considering this further optimization, the video RAM requirement drops to: EQU 1,835,008+835,584+4,976,640+4,976,640=12,623,872 bits
Where the B-buffer is realized within the same chip containing the "core" of the decoder being required to convert the scanning of each 8*8 block defined in the MPEG-2 compressed data stream, in that of each row of the picture (field or frame) required by the video display process of the picture itself. Such conversion macrocell is commonly called "MACROBLOCK TO RASTER SCAN CONVERTER".
In the prior European patent application No. 96830106.9, filed on Mar. 11, 1996, in the name of the same assignee, a method and related device were described that allowed for a remarkable reduction of the above cited video memory requisite to about 8 Mbits. The idea behind the invention that was described and claimed in the above identified previous patent application is the recognition that the amount of memory required by the MPEG decoding process as stated in the above calculations, can be remarkably reduced when allowing for: a recompression of the pictures used as a reference for the prediction (I-picture and P-picture for the case of the standards MPEG-1 and MPEG-2), after the MPEG decompression and before they are temporarily stored in the external video memory; and their decompression when they are read from the external memory.

MPEG decoding with a reduced RAM requisite by ADPCM recompression before storing MPEG decompressed data, optionally after a subsampling algorithm


A technique is provided for simultaneous and/or selective self-testing of internal logic and asynchronous boundaries of an IC having a plurality of clock domains. A clock command is generated by an on product clock generator for each clock domain simultaneously; and an asynchronous receive clock driver provides a programmable delay to a capture clock based on predetermined cycle requirements of the asynchronous boundaries. Asynchronous boundary test requirements are defined exclusively from the perspective of the asynchronous boundary receiver latches, thereby reducing dependencies among clock domains. Advantageously, the design of internal logic and asynchronous boundaries of each clock domain, ultimately residing within an IC, can proceed without a priori knowledge of how the clock domain will eventually be used in aggregation with other clock domains.

Density and complexity of today's high-end application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips continue to increase. As a result, multiple clock domains, i.e., logic circuits operating at different clock frequencies, often exist within a single chip. The asynchronous boundaries between clock domains are typically not timed interfaces, such that the values at the asynchronous boundaries arrive unpredictably. This creates a challenge when performing simultaneous logic built-in self-testing (LBIST) of all clock domains in a chip, such that there is a relatively high probability of not matching a good chip signature, due to multi-cycle characteristics of asynchronous boundaries. One solution has been to perform a separate LBIST sequence on each separate clock domain. Unfortunately, this is inefficient since it requires multiple LBIST iterations for each clock domain, and, moreover, does not address asynchronous boundary testing. Another solution has been to utilize an optimized clock design with special tuned circuitry to delay capture clocks in order to exclusively test AC or DC characteristics at specific asynchronous boundaries, without taking into account conflicting effects due to internal logic or other asynchronous boundaries. In either case, there is a requirement of detailed, a priori knowledge of the clock domain frequency requirements of each component as well as additional test design overhead to achieve desired test results.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved technique for self-testing IC's having multiple clock domains. It is further desirable that such technique provides for testing internal chip logic, while simultaneously providing for testing asynchronous clock boundaries. Such a technique would advantageously facilitate aggregation of independently designed logic circuits employed in Systems on a Chip (SoC's), for example, each having its own independently designed clock domain.

Simultaneous AC logic self-test of multiple clock domains

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and system for managing communication resources between nodes in a network, and more particularly to a dynamic distributed multi-channel time division multiple access (TDMA) slot assignment method is presented. The method and apparatus include a set of higher level heuristics that enable the wireless channel access scheme to address predetermined characteristics of the wireless channel access system. These predetermined heuristics include using bootstrap slots, adaptive broadcast cycles, channelized neighborhoods, standby slots, speculation slots, neighbor segregation, hard circuits, and soft circuits.

The present invention relates to a method for managing communication resources between nodes of a network, and more particularly to a dynamic distributed multi-channel Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) slot assignment method using bootstrap slots.
Mobile multi-hop broadcast packet radio networks are known for their rapid and convenient deployment, self organization, mobility, and survivability. In this type of network as illustrated in FIG. 1, a transmission from one node, for example node 1, is broadcast to all nodes in its xe2x80x9cneighborhoodxe2x80x9d. Ultra-high frequency (UHF) systems generally have a neighborhood defined by nodes within line of sight of the transmitting node (these nodes being termed within one xe2x80x9chopxe2x80x9d of the transmitting node). For example, in FIG. 1 nodes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 make up one neighborhood. For data transmitted from node 1 to propagate multiple hops, the data must be relayed by one or more of node 1""s neighbors. For example, node xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d (likewise nodes b, c, and g) is two hops away from the node 1 transmitter. The data will be relayed in this manner until it has arrived at all intended destination nodes.
Since there are generally limitations on the number of simultaneous transmissions that a receiver can successfully process (typically one), collisions can be avoided by the assignment of time slots in which individual nodes can transmit. There are many approaches to deciding which nodes are assigned which slots, and the approach is generally driven by the network applications, such as, broadcast, multicast, unicast, datagrams, virtual circuits, etc. Because the problem of optimally assigning slots in this environment is mathematically intractable, a heuristic approach is taken to design an integrated protocol that both chooses the number of slots to assign to each neighboring node and coordinates their activation in the network.
Tactical military and commercial applications require self-organizing, wireless networks that can operate in dynamic environments and provide peer-to-peer, multi-hop, multi-media communications. Key to this technology is the ability of neighboring nodes to transmit without interference. Neighboring nodes transmit without interference by choosing time slots and channels that do not cause collisions at the intended unicast or multicast receivers. This functionality is provided by the Unifying Slot Assignment Protocol (USAP) which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,868 the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. The function of USAP is to monitor the RF environment and allocate the channel resources on demand and automatically detect and resolve contention resulting from changes in connectivity.
Wireless channel access schemes traditionally come in two flavors: contention and reservation. Contention has been the favorite for ad hoc broadcast networks because its lack of structure lends itself well to the mobile environment. Also, low access delays make it suitable for both tactical voice, where push-to-talk is the norm, and bursty data. However, when the network is heavily loaded contention is inefficient. At that point a structured access like reservation Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) can achieve much higher efficiencies.
Another division in this field is the difference between broadcast and unicast. Broadcast techniques, in which a node transmits to all of its neighbors, and unicast techniques, in which a node transmits to only one of its neighbors, both have their own unique advantages dependent upon the application. Traditional wireless systems, however, are not capable of utilizing both broadcast and unicast schemes.
Ideally, a wireless channel access system would support both reserved circuits and datagrams in whatever combination is required. Conventional wireless channel access systems however are not capable of supporting both reserved circuits and datagrams.
Conventional wireless communication systems are capable of handling only one or a small number of data types, including low latency voice, delay tolerant data, bursty transactions, high throughput streams, error sensitive data, and error tolerant video. However, conventional systems are not capable of handling the full range of data types.
Conventional wireless communications systems are typically capable of establishing and maintaining only one type of virtual circuit, including either the establishment and maintenance of hard circuits or the establishment and maintenance of permanent datagram service.
Thus, there is a need and desire for a channel access scheme to use TDMA for wireless communication capable of using both broadcast and unicast techniques dependent upon the state of the communication environments. Further still, there is a need and desire for a wireless communication system that is able to handle a full range of data types including low latency voice, delay tolerant data, bursty transactions, high throughput streams, error sensitive data, and error tolerant video. Further still, there is a need and desire for a channel access system that is capable of providing both reserve circuits and datagram service. Further still, there is a need and desire for a wireless communication system that is able to handle the full range of data types while optimizing for densities ranging from fully connected to sparse and, because of its reliance only on local information, scaling to large network sizes.
The present invention relates to a method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes having neighboring nodes in a network of nodes. Each node communicates during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis. The method includes communicating between nodes using a time division multiple access (TDMA) structure, wherein the structure includes time divisions having time frames, the time frames having time slots including bootstrap slots. The method further includes storing, at each node, an assignment of bootstrap slots in a time frame of a time division to nodes in the network, and dynamically adapting the assignment based on density of the network.
The present invention further relates to a communication system having a plurality of transceiver nodes having neighboring nodes in a network and configured to communicate between nodes using a TDMA structure. The TDMA structure includes time divisions having time frames, each time frame having time slots, the time slots including bootstrap slots. The system further includes an assignment table stored at each node which includes assignments of bootstrap slots to transceiver nodes. The system also includes a bootstrap slot assignment protocol to dynamically adapt the assignment table based on density of the network.
The present invention still further relates to a method for automatically managing the communication channel resources between nodes having neighboring nodes in a network of nodes. Each node communicates during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis. The method includes communicating between nodes using a TDMA structure which includes specific time slots during which each node communicates, the specific time slots including bootstrap slots. The method further includes assigning a bootstrap slot to each node, storing a table of assigned bootstrap slots at each node, and adapting the table based on a characteristic of the network.

Method and apparatus for managing communication resources using bootstrap slots


Ball grid array packages for semiconductor die include a thermally conductive container and a substrate that substantially enclose a semiconductor die. The die is positioned with respect to the container by thermally conductive supports formed in the container or attached to the container. The die contacts the supports so that the die and the container form a cavity that is at least partially filled with a thermally conductive material such as a conductive epoxy to promote thermal conduction between the die and the container. The die electrically connects to the substrate with bond wires that extend through an aperture in the substrate and attach to bond pads provided on the substrate. The aperture is typically filled with a protective layer of resin, epoxy, or other material that also encapsulates the bond wires. Solder balls are provided for electrical connection or the substrate and the die to a circuit board or other circuit element, and an encapsulant layer covers the surface of the substrate but permits electrical connection to the bond pads. Methods for packaging semiconductor die in such packages are also provided.

The miniaturization of electronic devices such as integrated circuits continues to drive the costs of electronic products down even as the performance of these products increases. The development of improved lithographic methods and other fabrication processes as well as improved packaging and circuit interconnection methods have been important factors this trend.
While improvements in fabrication processes for miniaturization permit inexpensive manufacture of ever smaller devices, the interconnection of smaller devices can be difficult and expensive. In addition, the operation of smaller devices presents additional difficulties. Such smaller devices frequently are required to perform at least the same functions as the larger devices that they replace, and in many cases are expected to perform these functions faster and at a lower cost. A small device that operates at high speeds tends to generate large amounts of heat in a smaller volume, and dissipation of this heat is essential to avoid damage to the device so that the device has an acceptable time to failure. Therefore, improved circuit packages and packaging methods are needed that permit improved heat transfer.
Another significant problem in the use of integrated circuits is packaging the integrated circuit in such a way as to electrically connect to many, densely spaced input/output electrical connections. If the input/output electrical connections must be spread out to permit electrical connections to other integrated circuits, other circuits or circuit components such as printed circuit boards, then much of the advantage of integrated circuit miniaturization is lost.
One method of packaging integrated circuits for electrical connection to a printed circuit board is the so-called ball grid array (BGA) package. A BGA package includes a semiconductor die (an integrated circuit) that is attached to a substrate. Electrical connections are made from the die to the substrate with bond wires that are attached to bond pads provided on the die and the substrate. The bond pads on the substrate are electrically connected to an array of solder balls or bumps, and these solder balls are used to bond and make electrical connection to the printed circuit board. BGA packages are described in, for example, Tsuji et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,603, Tsunoda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,531, and Tsuji et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,072.
Not only are BGA packages more compact than other packages, BGA packaged devices generally have superior thermal and electrical properties. The solder balls provide an excellent thermal path for the removal of heat from the semiconductor die as well as providing low resistance, low inductance electrical connections. Nevertheless, improved BGA packages that provide even denser interconnections and greater heat removal are needed.

Ball grid array packages with thermally conductive containers


The present invention relates to a method for dispensing of a microbiologically sensitive fluid, in particular low acid food fluid, in a hygienic manner so as to avoid micro-organism growth in the line dispensing the fluid as well as in any mechanical components of a dispensing unit that may enter into contact with the fluid. The invention hygienically supplies microbiologically sensitive fluid from a removable container that has a terminal connecting portion to a dispensing unit. The unit includes a coupling mechanism adapted to connect the terminal connecting portion and a component for delivering a cleaning or rinsing fluid within the terminal connecting portion. Thus, during cleaning or rinsing, the cleaning or rinsing fluid can be discharged within the terminal connecting portion up to a closing point of the container assembly, thus demarcating a closing point, downstream of which is a part that is maintained clean, and upstream of which is a part of the container that is maintained sterile.

In the foodservice area, post-mix beverage dispensers are known which mix a concentrate or syrup with several measures of water and then dispense the mixture on demand to reconstitute a hot or cold beverage such as juice, carbonated sodas, coffee or tea. Coffee, tea or soda concentrates are relatively easy and safe to store in bags at ambient temperature as they usually contain a high amount of solids and/or sugar, a low pH and a low water activity, and these make them relatively stable over time. These concentrates can hardly become contaminated and the risk of food poisoning is very low.
More serious sanitary problems may occur with more microbiologically sensitive products, such as low acid fluids that can enter into the composition of an on-demand prepared beverage or food. For instance, milk is naturally a low acid fluid comprising a relatively balanced proportion of proteins, lipids and glucids with a pH of about 6.7. This formulation provides a favorable ground for critical bacterial growth. Milk can be rapidly spoiled when it becomes in contact with contaminated moisture, dust, fluid, etc., and thus proper handling and dispensing of such a product is tricky.
Therefore, in order to ensure a longer shelf life and prevent hygienic hazards, it is common to equip the dispensing system with a dry zone wherein the milk is provided under the form of powder, because that form is less sensitive to microbial growth. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,342 relates to a dispenser able to deliver hot and cold drinks that is relatively complex and uneasy to manage since both syrup and powder must be handled in order to reconstitute beverages.
Another solution for increasing the shelf life of a low acid fluid and reducing hazards due to bacterial growth in automated dispensers consists in maintaining refrigeration in the dispensing unit with a temperature range which is less favorable to rapid microbial growth, i.e., at or under 6-8° C. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,519 relates to a post-mix beverage dispenser for tea, coffee and the like in which refrigeration is maintained by a cooling unit. However, cooling does not eliminate the daily cleaning and sanitization requirements for the dispenser. Furthermore, refrigeration only slows down the growth process but does not reduce all bacterial and hygienic problems. It also adds to the overall and maintenance costs of the machine and is energy consuming.
Therefore, there is a need for handling microbiologically sensitive fluids, such as milk-based components, that are used to form the composition of beverages or food preparations, more preferably without refrigeration, in a more effective and convenient way while reducing the risk of bacterial contamination and growth while constantly maintaining a high degree of food safety.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,952 relates to an aseptic product dispensing system which comprises a sanitary connection assembly interposed in fluid communication with a substantially aseptic product source and a substantially conventional product dispenser. The sanitary connection assembly is provided with an automated cleaning system whereby combination of pressurized gas, flushing fluid and/or sanitizing solution may be injected into, and thereafter evacuated from, the sanitary connection assembly. Product loading is carried out by automated engagement of a hose connector to a cavernous body that results in puncturing of a perforable cover that closes the hose connector. The connector is protected by a check valve for preventing backflow into the product after the membrane is broken. The connection of the bag to the sanitary connection is relatively complex and expensive, but without providing the desired improvements in cleaning efficiency and safety. More particularly, the hose connector is likely to cause important bacterial contamination and growth problems, in particular in the zone between the check valve and the pinched point located further upstream the hose portion. It is known that check valves are never perfectly air tight because of the possible rotation of the ball. If this critical portion becomes contaminated, the micro-organisms can rapidly grow and spoil the entry of the sanitary connection without any possibility to cure this hygienic issue except for replacement of the valve. Furthermore, the sanitary connection system is relatively complex by itself as it also requires two cavities selectively controlled by a valve to enable the flushing of inside entry of the connector independently from the dispensing line.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved sanitary system that is not subject to these problems and disadvantages and can handle a microbiologically sensitive fluid, such as a shelf stable low acid concentrate, in a more reliable, effective, convenient, simpler and less costly way.

Sanitary manifold system and method for hygienically dispensing fluids


Novel point-of-purchase cantilevered deflectable display assemblies, which normally extend transversely into a shopping aisle. Display assemblies which accommodate substitution of one frame-carried form or configuration of advertising for another, which can be radically different, without disconnecting the entire display assembly from its mounting to a molding at a store shelf or like. The advertising frame with which the advertising medium is associated is removably connected to a hanger portion. The hanger portion accommodates the above-mentioned on-site frame and advertisement removal and exchange while the remainder of the display assembly remains in its shelf-mounted or like position. Display assemblies are disclosed which enhance the deflectable nature of the cantilevered distal part of the display assemblies, the manner in which pivoting occurs and is controlled or limited and the way in which the display assemblies are biased toward neutral in the assembled condition.

Point-of-purchase advertising in grocery stores and similar businesses has existed for a very long time. A number of advertising techniques have been employed with the goal of enhancing the sales volume of advertised products. Some of the advertising techniques of the past, which target a specific product, have had little impact on sales, while others have caused a measurable increase in sales. Most sales increases in the past have been modest. Thus, the quest has continued for better ways to enhance sales of a given product, among many other available products, offered along a shopping aisle in a retail store.
Typically, the manufacturer of a product, which is to receive target point-of-purchase advertising in a retail store, places or contracts for the placement of the advertising adjacent to the product, stored on a shelf, in a refrigerated cabinet or on a rack. The costs of such advertising must be balanced against the increase in sales of the product, if any, which is the subject of the target advertising. Key factors in respect to such point-of-purchase advertising are: (1) the extent to which the attention of prospective customers is attracted directly and meaningfully to the product receiving the target advertising over and above other available products; (2) the comparative cost of the advertised product; and (3) the cost and convenience of installing, maintaining and varying the target advertising. Most prior art point-of-purchase display devices have not produced a large increase in sales.
Until recently, the prior art of point-of-purchase advertising displays have sometimes comprised rigid and static displays supported by a shelf such that the advertising thereof faces the aisle while being generally flush with the shelf. Such signs are known to sometimes provide illumination, but such illumination is obscure because it is directed transversely into the aisle from difficult to observe locations between shelves which contains goods in the form of stacked cans or packages, for example. One must be in the aisle directly in front of the display in order to effectively see the illumination. Also, the advertising indicia of the sign is parallel to the aisle, requiring the potential purchaser to be directly in front of the sign in order to read and understand the advertising indicia. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,015,177 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,363 for examples.
As an alternative, the earlier prior art teaches use of a non-illuminating deflectable display assembly which is mounted in cantilevered fashion to extend transversely into a shopping aisle. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,331. A top eccentric torsion spring biases the display assembly toward the neutral position counter to any displacement by a shopping cart, for example. This type of sign does not adequately attract the singular attention of potential buyers.
In addition, it is known to provide an illuminated deflectable display mechanism which comprises a permanent cantilevered frame indirectly mounted to shelf molding in which one or more advertising cards are inserted. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,773, issued to one of the present inventors. While the advertising cards are removable and replaceable, the overall configuration and nature of the advertising region is fixed. It is, therefore, impossible to vary the peripheral limits and the basic nature of advertising, though card content may vary. A deflection-accommodating spring or other return is connected directly to the proximal part of the frame or, in the alternative, an eccentric elevated torsion spring returns the frame, after lateral deflection, to its neutral position. If a peripherally different sign is desired, the entire display assembly must be removed and replaced by something else, if available.
Prior art point-of-purchase display assemblies fail to accommodate substantial variation in the nature, the configuration, including the peripheral make-up, and the content of the advertising segment of a display assembly without requiring disconnection and removal of the entire display assembly from its mounting upon a molding at a shelf edge or on the face of a refrigerator cabinet.
Also, the nature of a centrally-disposed return spring for cantilevered display assemblies of the prior art typically requires attachment of the return spring directly to the proximal end of the frame, which frame surrounds the area of advertising. Thus, the central return spring not only biases the display assembly toward neutral, but also fully supports the weight of the cantilevered frame and the contents thereof while singularly absorbing the deflection impact of shopping carts against the frame. As a consequence, the life of the return spring is relatively short and as the spring begins to lose its resiliency or strength, the display frame may not continue to return to neutral and/or may sag.
Furthermore, provision of illumination systems for such display assemblies has posed certain problems related to size, location and access to and vandalism of sources of power comprised of batteries.
In addition, insertion, retention and removal from the peripheral frame of advertising cards has presented difficulties including but not limited to wear and tear, soiling, vandalism and unauthorized removal.

Point-of-purchase advertising by a cantilevered display mechanism and related methods


The invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning flowing gases. To reduce the total emissions, nitrogen oxides, especially NO and NOx, are extracted at least partially from the gas to be scrubbed, in the temperature range from 50 and 300.degree. C., preferably between 50 and 150.degree. C. To extract the nitrogen oxides, an intermediate storage medium is used that is composed of a storage material and a supporting material for the storage material. The intermediate storage medium having in particular a composition of the formal chemical formula Ag.CuAl.sub.2 O.sub.4 in an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 matrix, with the composition being a spinel or being of the spinel type, and with the composition having characteristic spinel lines in the x-ray spectrum, where 0.ltoreq.x<1.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and devices for scrubbing gases.
2. Description of Related Art and Summary of the Invention
For reducing nitrogen oxides from gaseous samples, catalytically active spinels and/or spinel-type compositions have been used with the general chemical formulae: EQU metal (I) metal (II) Al.sub.2 O.sub.4 and/or EQU metal (I) oxide.metal (II) oxide.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.
However, calculations of the catalytic effect of these compositions assumes they will be used above approximately 150.degree. C. If these compositions are used to scrub exhaust, especially from internal combustion engines, only a slight reduction in nitrogen oxides levels is detected in the starting phase, or immediately after the engine is started, during the period when the temperature of the above-mentioned compositions is below approximately 150.degree. C. Consequently, there is increased emission of nitrogen oxides during the starting phase if these compositions are used in vehicle exhaust systems. In addition, these compositions exhibit reduced effectiveness in removing nitrogen oxides when water and/or steam are present.
In one supported catalyst previously described, an aluminum oxide catalyst containing silver is used to decompose nitrous oxide. The method for its manufacture is discussed in PCT application WO 94/02244. The application of that catalyst to the removal of nitrogen oxides, especially at temperatures below 200.degree. C., is not discussed in WO 94/02244.
A goal of the present invention is to develop methods, devices, and materials for use in reducing the total content of gases, especially nitrogen oxides, optionally in the presence of water and/or steam, from certain emissions, preferably at temperatures below 200.degree. C. This particular goal is achieved through the methods and devices of this invention by employing an intermediate storage medium with gas flow channels in its interior. The intermediate storage medium is composed of a porous storage material for storing nitrogen oxide at a particular temperature range and a supporting material. The intermediate storage medium may be a component of a gas scrubbing device, such as part of a motor vehicle exhaust system.
Advantageously, a supporting material is chosen that simultaneously exhibits a storing effect for hydrocarbons in the nitrogen oxide storing temperature range of the storage material and a catalytically-active effect for nitrogen oxides above a material-specific response temperature. In choosing a supporting material and preparing the compounds and devices of this invention, copending U.S. applications Ser. Nos. 08/764,465 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,056, 08/764,464, 08/764,461, and 08/763,535, now abandoned each filed Dec. 12, 1996, can, be referred to and are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
Choosing a supporting material exhibiting a hydrocarbon storing effect is especially advantageous when the method is used or this intermediate storage medium is used with internal combustion engines operated on hydrocarbons, preferably motors or gasoline or diesel engines. Generally, the stored hydrocarbons are released from the supporting material at temperatures above the response temperature at which catalytic reduction of the nitrogen oxides takes place with the aid of hydrocarbons. Preferably, in this regard, the response temperature of the supporting material lies in the vicinity of or below the upper limit of the nitrogen oxide storing temperature range of the storage material, since reduction of nitrogen oxides increases when the storage effect of the storage material decreases.
The supporting material selected for use in an intermediate storage medium may comprise spinels and/or spinel-type compositions according to the formal chemical formula Cu.sub.x Me.sub.y Al.sub.z O.sub.4, since compositions of this type exhibit a significant catalytic effect with respect to nitrogen oxides at higher temperatures (above approximately 150.degree. C.). In this case, not only the nitrogen oxides but also the hydrocarbons are extracted from the gas at lower temperatures, so that the total emission output is reduced.
In an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine, the intermediate storage medium is logically used as a filter body that simultaneously causes the storage of NOx and optionally hydrocarbons at temperatures below the response temperature of the supporting material and causes the oxidation of hydrocarbons and the reduction of nitrogen oxides above the response temperature, with the release of the stored hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides to the gas advantageously taking place in this temperature range. Oxidation and reduction as well as storage of the hydrocarbons are performed by the supporting material that may have additional materials and/or elements besides those mentioned, while the intermediate storage of NOx is performed by the storage material mixed with the support material.
Further logical embodiments can be derived from the descriptions below. In addition, the invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A device for inspecting a hair sample. The device comprises a measuring area configured to accommodate a hair sample and an imaging unit for receiving light flux reflected from the measuring area. The imaging unit outputs an image of the hair sample located in the measuring area. The device further comprises a spectral-analysis unit configured for receiving the light flux. The spectral-analysis unit outputs spectral analysis measurements of the hair sample according to the received light flux.

The present invention relates to hair analysis and, more particularly but not exclusively, to a method and an apparatus for illuminating hair for analysis thereof.
Hair dyes and bleach are used to make gray hairs less conspicuous or to dye hair a desired color. Different types of hair dyes exist in the market. One example is a temporary hair dye, such as a color shampoo, a color conditioner, and a color treatment conditioner, which is easy to apply and remains for a short time. Another type of a hair dye is a semi-permanent dye, such as a dye that provides an effect that can be continuously maintained through penetration of an acidic dye into the interior of the hair. A commonly used hair dye is a permanent dye that achieves an essentially permanent dye effect through oxidative polymerization of the dye in the interior of the hair. A particular type of hair dye may be selected depending on the intended use.
Each of these types of dyes is prepared in numerous colors. Usually, a dye color is indicated on the box containing the dye, either by a color number or by means of a sample lock of dyed hair.
However, the color of the dye interacts with the color of the undyed hair. Thus, even where the same colored dye is used, the color of the hair after dyeing differs considerably depending on the natural color, or natural color plus old dye mixture of the hair before dyeing. For example, in a case where the hair before dyeing has a non homogenous mixture of white hair and colored hair, current methods fail to accurately predict the hair color after dyeing. Also, in a case where naturally pigmented hair is dyed with artificial colors, the resulting color depends on the combination of original and artificial pigments already present in the hair.
Consequently, it is difficult to predict the color that will result from dyeing any person's hair solely from the printing on a box or a sample lock of hair, and a problem often arises that the actual color of the hair after dyeing is different from the color anticipated.
Several methods and systems have been developed to predict the final hair color in order to minimize errors and increase customer satisfaction with the use of hair color products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,929, filed on Mar. 16, 2004, describes a method and system for analyzing hair and predicting achievable dyed hair colors. The patent describes methods for identifying an achievable hair color based upon at least one starting hair value of a recipient, for identifying a hair coloring agent based upon at least one starting hair value of a recipient, and for outputting an image for a hair color analyzing system. The application further describes a method for providing a hair-coloring product to a consumer. The method comprises the steps of identifying achievable hair colors for the consumer, depicting the achievable colors to the consumer, allowing the consumer to select a desired hair color, and recommending to the consumer a hair-coloring agent to achieve the desired hair color. Another method and system for final hair color prediction is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/345,249, entitled "Hair color measurement and treatment" to Grossinger, et al., filed on Oct. 1, 2003. This application introduces a system for measuring a reflectance spectrum of a hair sample. The system includes an integrating sphere having a sampling port and an inner surface and a window disposed near the sampling port. The window is placed in close contact with the sample. The system also includes a light source to project light onto the sample via the window and a light detector such as a spectrometer which analyzes light reflected from the inner surface to produce the reflectance spectrum of the sample.
The above methods and systems measure hair color using a spectral-analysis device that comprises a spectral sensor such as a colorimeter or a spectrometer. In use, the color measuring is done by analyzing the light which is reflected from a hair sample positioned in a measuring area in front of the spectral sensor. A light path has to be established between the device and the hair sample in order to ensure accurate measurement of the wavelength of the light which is reflected from the hair sample.
Apart from the light path between the spectral sensor and the hair sample, a light path for illuminating the hair sample has to be established. A considerable effort has been made to provide an accurate illumination subsystem in inspection system architectures that increase the intensity and quantity of light that is effectively available to illuminate image hair samples undergoing inspection. Such illumination subsystems usually comprise flashing units or arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are directed toward the measuring area. In use, the user of the spectral-analysis device has ensured that the hair sample of the client is in the probed measuring area and thus may wish to view the hair sample itself. The requirements to place the hair sample in the measuring area and to illuminate it may limit the arrangement of hair inspection systems. Moreover, some spectral-analysis devices have to be coupled to the head of the client in order to allow the positioning of the client's hair within the boundaries of the measuring area. In such devices, the user cannot see the hair he is measuring. Such an inability restricts the user's ability to verify that a particular hair sample is positioned in the measuring area and not a bald part of the scalp or another hair sample. This problem arises especially when the client has thinning hair and the positioning of the spectral-analysis device shifts part of the client's hair to outside the measuring area boundaries.
There is thus a widely recognized need for a system and a method that provides a hair inspection process that allows a user to verify whether or not a required hair sample is positioned within the measuring area. Additionally, it would be highly advantageous to have a hair inspection system and method devoid of the above limitations.

Device and method for inspecting a hair sample


The device proposed for cleaning metal surfaces consist of pad (12, 34, 91) of insulating material held between a beak-shaped (11, 52, 94) electrode (10, 26, 46) and the metal surface (8) to be cleaned, plus a low-voltage a.c. power supply (2) which is connected via the other electrode to the metal (7). A pump supplies the pad with a highly corrosive, high-density, acid solution. The pad consists of a relatively thick hose or tape. The device has slots (36) into which the gases and vapors produced during cleaning are drawn by an extractor fan (40) and then passed through a washing bottle (41) where they are cleaned. The electrode may have various shapes, and it is possible to replace the tip (28, 94, 98). The electrode is preferably designed with bores through which the acid solution can be fed. The main body (97) of the electrode and the replaceable tip (94, 98) may be coated with a layer (101, 100) of insulating material which prevents short-circuits occurring and concentrates the electrolytic action ant the end surface (102) of the electrode. Woven of felt fabric made of polyetheretherketone is preferably used as the insulating material of the pad. The lifetime and working capacity of the device are maximized by using a double-layer pad (92, 93), the inner layer being made of woven fabric (92) and the other layer of felt (93).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device for cleaning metal surfaces after they have been worked at high temperatures, that is, an apparatus with which scabs, oxidation or other marks left by high temperature treatment, such as the welding of metals and laser or plasma cutting, can be removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art comprises a device consisting of a fibreglass pad wound around an electrode in the form of a nib. The pad is dipped into an acid solution of phosphoric acid (81% by weight), quinoline (0.01% by weight) and water and then placed near the surface that is to be treated: a power supply of low voltage alternate current is applied, with the ground conductor connected to the piece and the other connected to the metal part of the pad's support. The conditions of an electrolytic cell are thus created in the solution which can then remove the oxide or scab in a short time.
However, with this type of device, the operator is frequently hampered by technical difficulties with the maintenance and replacement of the insulating fibreglass material as, being exposed to very high temperatures, it can burn, and as a considerable quantity of dirt gets caught up in the fabric, hindering the development of suitable electric conditions, also as the pad must frequently be dipped into the acid solution: if it is not sufficiently damp, the material may become physically damaged and the electrolytic action is reduced.
Moreover, the residue remains firmly attached to the treated surface requiring several washes before being dried.
Furthermore, care has to be taken with the acid solution, which has a high density, to prevent it from dripping onto the operator or onto the floor when applied to vertical or underside surfaces.
Finally, it is not very practical for the operator to work next to a container filled with an acid solution and a great amount of the fibreglass insulating fabric that has to be wound around the nib of the electrode, in as much as work is not continuous, and thereby not productive, and it can also be dangerous.
Prior art also comprises a device for cleaning metals with fluid acid solutions--based on citric acid--which are constantly conveyed to the pad by means of an electric pump placed in the container of the acid solution.
However, owing to the low power levels employed and the low aggressiveness of the acid solution, this device has never been widely used in industry.
Furthermore, the metal electrode through which current flows and which is wrapped in the pad heats up because it is a good conductor of heat as well as of electricity: the increase in the electrode's temperature due to the accumulation of heat in the pad makes the acid solution evaporate quickly and can even cause the pad to burn, causing a short circuit between the electrode and the surface being treated. For this reason the pad has to be replaced relatively often.
Finally, none of the prior art devices protect the operator from the fumes generated during the cleaning process.
Such prior art may be subject to considerable improvement with a view to eliminating the said drawbacks, to increasing the safety of the device, its ease of use and to increasing the service life of the pad.


A method of estimating one or more dimensions of a patch panel may include receiving an image of a patch panel that comprises a plurality of ports and one or more gaps, extracting, by a computing device, a region of interest from the received image, detecting, by the computing device, one or more line segments from the region of interest, determining whether one or more candidate ports can be identified based on at least a portion of the line segments, and in response to determining that one or more candidate ports can be identified, identifying one or more candidate ports, and determining, by the computing device, a gap length associated with the identified candidate ports.

Patch panels are commonly used in data centers to connect servers and remote clients. Due to the complexity of these data connections, there can be many cable connectors originating from a single patch panel. A data center can include tens or even hundreds of patch panels.
Labeling ports of a panel requires obtaining the number of ports, accurate sizes of the ports and inter-port distances. A traditional way to generate labels for a patch panel is to use a measuring tape to take measurements, and input the measurements into a label printer. However, this process can be tedious and inefficient. A camera-equipped electronic device, such as a smartphone, may be used to take an image of the to-be-labeled ports and estimate the dimensions of the ports. However, it may be difficult to estimate port dimensions from an image when portions or entire ports are obstructed by cables, wires or other port connections.

Methods and systems for detecting patch panel ports from an image in which some ports are obscured


A computerized system and method for optimizing contents of a domain landing page for increased revenues for the domain name owner. A landing server tracks user interactions with the domain landing page and generates an optimized keyword data set for the domain name. The keyword data set is used for selecting the information to be displayed on the domain name page. According to one embodiment, the keywords are associated with advertiser payment values. When a link to an advertiser bidding on a particular keyword is selected, revenue generated due to the click is shared with the domain name owner. Selection of links on pop-under pages displayed with a landing page are also shared with the domain name owner. Semantic analysis of keywords and domain names allows the generation of a related keyword data set when there is insufficient number of relevant user interactions for generating the optimized keyword data set.

There are currently domain parking services which offer owners of domain names a domain parking page that may be displayed while a custom website is in development. The domain parking page may be a simple, generic page with a message indicating that the website is in development. During this development period, a person accessing the domain name is presented with the domain parking page instead of a dead page which would cause the display of an error message. The display of the domain parking page thus allows the person accessing the domain name to anticipate the creation of a custom website, and even create a "buzz" of the up-and-coming site.
Domain parking pages may also provide additional information and advertisements in addition to any generic message about an up-and-coming site. The information and advertisements displayed on the parking page, however, may be irrelevant and of no interest to the accessing person. There is, however, a desire to display information and advertisements that are relevant to a person accessing the parking page because the more relevant the information and advertisements, the more likely the user will interact with the displayed information. In the world of web-advertising, user interactions translate directly to revenues.


A method, a device and a system arrangement are disclosed for generating self-contained software components having in each case synchronous and/or asynchronous interfaces with an internal threading model. The concept disclosed enables all necessary synchronization mechanisms to be provided automatically. The concept is based on an asynchronous operation manager used to divert callbacks from a called component into a calling component.

In current mechanisms for application development, it is known to provide a development environment that enables a process to be mapped to and split between a plurality of parallel or concurrent execution paths or threads. The threading model confers the advantage that existing resources can be better utilized and that the computer time required for the process can be reduced.
If, for example, the process or part of the process entails transferring extensive medical image data from an input device to an image processing computer and performing inputs via a user interface with reference to said image data (e.g. captioning the images), then these are two fundamentally different tasks—on the one hand the data transmission and on the other hand the user input—which without a threading model can only be executed sequentially.
Consequently, the user input can only be performed once the entire data transmission process has been completed. This often results in unacceptable waiting times for the user. If, on the other hand, the threading model is used, it is possible for the user input to be performed already during the time in which the data is being transmitted, so that the two processes can be nested and/or executed in parallel in two different threads.
In general, a threading architecture requires increased programming effort however, among other things because hitherto it has been virtually impossible with the known methods from the prior art to exchange a subcomponent of a component containing a thread and replace it with another subcomponent. The previous procedure was highly inflexible in this respect.
Moreover, application development with multiple threads requires skilled software developers who know how to avoid classic threading anomalies. In application development systems to date, there has hitherto been no support nor a guided procedure with which the developer is provided with support in relation to the aforesaid problem areas.
If a threading model is used, among other things, the following problems must be taken into account:                it must be possible to generate and delete the respective threads or process sequences,        a synchronization of the access to and from different threads and        an assignment of computer resources for concurrent threads is necessary, and        communication mechanisms between threads must also be provided.
If only one of the abovementioned problem areas is incorrectly or inadequately addressed during development with threads, the entire software project can fail.
Support for the application developer when using the threading model is hitherto unknown. On the contrary, it is necessary for developers to provide their own mechanisms for avoiding access errors, in particular ones based on an incorrect synchronization of the accesses to data of the different threads.
FIG. 1 shows the procedure for systems from the prior art which, although they provide for a plurality of threads, do not offer any automatic support for handling reciprocal accesses.
In principle, a plurality of parallel executing threads may be provided. Several components may run in one thread. From a component of one thread, it is possible to call a further component of another thread. The result of the call is usually solved via a callback from the called component to the calling component. The processing of such a callback from a called component to a calling component has hitherto been performed in the called component. This procedure made it necessary for application developers to manually generate new mechanisms for handling concurrent accesses to data of different threads for every process in each case.

Architecture for a computer-based development environment with self-contained components and a threading model


A mobile device connection system may identify a mobile device of a present driver and prioritize a wireless connection between the identified mobile device and a built-in hands-free device located in a motor vehicle. The mobile device connection system may include a sensor and a controller. The sensor may be configured to sense an identity of a driver when the driver is within a proximity of the motor vehicle and generate a signal based on the sensed identity. The controller may be coupled to the sensor, and it may be configured to identify the mobile device based on the signal from the sensor, search and detect the identified mobile device, and establish a wireless connection between the detected mobile device and the built-in hands-free device.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to mobile devices, and more particularly to a mobile device connection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, mobile devices, such as cellular phones, have become major communication tools. However, it may be unsafe for a driver to handle a mobile device while driving because doing so will divert the driver's attention from the changing conditions of the road. To address this issue, some wireless device companies have introduced various hands-free devices. A hands-free device may provide a communication (input-output) interface and allow a driver to use the mobile device without actually holding it. Due to their convenient features, demand for hands-free devices has been growing rapidly since their introduction.
To satisfy this demand, vehicle manufacturers have manufactured vehicles that include built-in hands-free devices or other communication interface devices. The built-in hands-free devices may be wirelessly connected to a mobile device by using a connection system. The connection system may detect the presence of a mobile device during an initial pairing process. Thereafter, the connection system may connect the paired mobile device to the hands-free device each time the paired mobile device is detected.
Conventional connection systems may keep a pairing list, which records a number of mobile devices that have already been paired. In the pairing list, the mobile devices may appear in a sequence according to the order in which they were previously paired. When there is more than one mobile device located in the vehicle, the mobile device that appears earlier in the pairing list may be detected before a mobile device that appear later in the pairing list. Once a mobile device is detected, it may be connected to the hands-free device, whereas the not-yet-detected mobile devices will not be connected.
Conventional connection systems lack the capability of identifying or recognizing the identity of the present driver. As such, conventional connection systems suffer from several drawbacks. First, during the detection process, conventional connection systems are unable to give priority to the mobile device of the driver. This is especially true when the mobile device of the driver appears after the other mobile devices in the pairing list. As a result, the mobile device of the driver will not be detected until after the other mobile devices are searched, and the connection process may be unnecessarily prolonged.
Second, conventional connection systems are unable to determine whether a mobile device belongs to a driver or a passenger. As such, conventional connection systems may detect a passenger's mobile device before detecting the driver's mobile device. Instead of the driver's mobile device, conventional connection systems may connect the passenger's mobile device to the hands-free device. As a result, the driver may be unable to use the built-in hands-free device when other mobile devices are located in the vehicle.
Thus, there is a need to provide a mobile device connection system with improved qualities.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.