A training method and a training apparatus for a neutral network for image recognition are provided. The method includes: representing a sample image as a point set in a high-dimensional space, a size of the high-dimensional space being a size of space domain of the sample image multiplied by a size of intensity domain of the sample image; generating a first random perturbation matrix having a same size as the high-dimensional space; smoothing the first random perturbation matrix; perturbing the point set in the high-dimensional space using the smoothed first random perturbation matrix to obtain a perturbed point set; and training the neutral network using the perturbed point set as a new sample. With the training method and the training apparatus, classification performance of a conventional convolutional neural network is improved, thereby generating more training samples, reducing influence of overfitting, and enhancing generalization performance of the convolutional neural network.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of character recognition, and in particular to a training method and a training apparatus for a neural network for image recognition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, in the field of handwritten character recognition, a method based on convolutional neural network (CNN) performs better as compared with a conventional recognition method. For a conventional neural network, a structure of which is shown in FIG. 1, a recognition process is as follow. By taking a handwritten numeric character 6 as an example, an image (sample) is input, and after multiple repetitions of convolution, maximum spatial sampling and full connection operations, CNN outputs a confidence coefficient on each numeric character, with the one with the highest confidence coefficient being the recognition result. In a conventional CNN model, each operation is denoted by one layer. For example, the convolution operation corresponds to a convolution layer, the maximum spatial sampling operation corresponds to a pooling layer, and the full connection operation corresponds to a full connection layer. The convolution layer and the pooling layer each output several two-dimension matrixes, referred to as a feature map. In FIG. 1, each block represents one feature map.
In recent years, it is indicated by many disclosed experimental evidences that, the more the number of the layers of the CNN is and the more the number of the neurons in each layer is, the better the performance of the CNN is. However, the bigger the model of the CNN is, the more difficult the training is. Major problems are as follows.                a) The bigger the model is and the more the parameters are, the more the samples required for training are.        b) The bigger the model is, the more it tends to over fit.
For the above two problems, in a case of a given training set, a conventional solution is as follow:                a) samples in the training set are randomly perturbed to generate more training samples; and        b) the model is randomly perturbed during the training to enhance the generalization performance of the model, which method is referred to as a regularization method.
It is desirable to provide a more effective method and apparatus for solving the above two problems collectively in one framework.

Training method and apparatus for neural network for image recognition


A thermal recovery system for a subterranean well includes an electric heater located immediate the bottom of the well which cyclically receives electric power generated at the well surface. A pump directs a stream of pressurized fluid, such as water, through a conduit to a solenoid valve located at the bottom of the well. The solenoid valve senses electric power application relative to the heater and directs the stream of pressurized water to one of two fluid circuits. When electric power is supplied to the heater, the solenoid valve directs the fluid stream into the heater. The heater thermally stimulates the well and is cooled by the water which is heated and exhausted to thermally stimulate the well. When electric power is not supplied to the heater, the solenoid valve directs the pressurized water to a turbine for driving a production pump. In an alternate embodiment, both the heater and the production pump are operated continuously and the fluid stream is divided between the turbine and the heater.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermal stimulation and recovery systems for subterranean wells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, low pressure, non-flowing oil wells account for the vast majority of the oil wells in the United States. There are various pump means available for pumping these non-flowing subterranean wells, the most common of these pump means being the sucker rod subsurface pump. Other types of pumps include electrical and hydraulic pumps. In a geothermal well, water can be pumped to a steam turbine in the bottom of the well where the water is turned into steam to drive the turbine.
Such non-flowing subterranean wells benefit from thermal stimulation. Energy can be transmitted to the bottom of the well in the form of steam or in the form of electricity to operate heating elements. The steam system has several disadvantages, some of which are air pollution caused by the fuel burning process in the steam boiler and the heating of the casing as the steam is transmitted through a conduit down the well. A major disadvantage of the electrical heating system is the difficulty in maintaining a selected heater temperature setting as the temperature of the surrounding area varies. A rapid increase in the temperature of the surrounding area would often cause the heater elements to overheat and burn up in the bottom of the well.

Electric and hydraulic powered thermal stimulation and recovery system and method for subterranean wells


A technique is provided for establishing a secure access connection with electronic devices. The technique includes receiving a request for establishing the secure access connection, from an electronic device, via an access point associated with the electronic device. The technique further includes dynamically determining at least a local reputation score associated the access point, based on at least a plurality of parameters and pre-defined weights assigned to each of the plurality of parameters. The technique further includes establishing the secure access connection between the host device and the electronic device, via the access point, based on a comparison of an updated global reputation score with a pre-defined threshold. The global reputation score is updated based on the dynamically determined local reputation score.

Advancements in the field of network environments, such as Internet of Things (IoT) environment, have led to development of mechanism for providing connectivity between sensors, devices, people and cloud services. Such mechanisms make use of cryptographically secured connectivity between the electronic devices, in order to preserve confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of the entities involved. The pairing of the electronic devices in the IoT environment is performed by a user following which the connection between the electronic devices takes place via one or more access points. Further, such a connection is assumed to be secure. The information corresponding to the connection is stored, and is referenced each time the electronic devices are in the vicinity of each other and are required to be connected.
In certain scenarios, because of the inherent assumption of security cited above, the connectivity between the electronic devices may be susceptible to fake or rogue electronic devices that may disconnect the verified electronic devices. Further, such fake electronic devices may be paired to the electronic devices in the network, after disconnecting the verified electronic devices. There is no mechanism in the electronic devices to analyze such events and detect if an intrusion from a fake electronic device is being done. Consequently, the security of the electronic device may be compromised leading to loss of sensitive data. Furthermore, there is no mechanism by which the electronic device may monitor the network and provide a feedback to a user upon detection of a fake device.
Therefore, there exists a need for keeping the connectivity between the electronic devices secure not only during the pairing stage but constantly throughout the time duration for which the connection is maintained.

Method and system for establishing a secure access connection with electronic devices


In an exposure control system in which the instant in which the scene light is first admitted to a film plane from a shutter blade mechanism at the commencement of an exposure interval must be precisely and accurately determined for subsequently controlling the instant of flash fire and/or other exposure control functions utilizing digital scene light integrating techniques, there is provided an arrangement for prebiasing the light integrator to provide an output therefrom within an operative range of voltages immediately prior to detection of first light at commencement of the exposure interval in order to eliminate any potential errors which might otherwise result in the detection of first light at the commencement of the exposure interval or any other scene light related measurement resulting from the integration lead time required for the digital type of light integrating arrangement to reach its operative range of voltages.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a photographic exposure control system having a prebiased light integrator and, more particularly, to a photographic exposure control system having a digital light integrator which is prebiased prior to exposure to assure an accurate first light detect at the commencement of the exposure interval.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the photographic art, exposure control systems embodying scanning shutter blade elements which operate to vary exposure aperture areas with time during the exposure interval are well known as indicated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,183, entitled "Camera with Pivoting Blades", by George D. Whiteside, issued Mar. 2, 1976, in common assignment herewith. Such scanning shutter blade mechanisms generally include a pair of counter-reciprocating shutter blade elements each having a primary aperture that traverses the optical axis of the camera during the exposure interval. The primary apertures are shaped so that upon overlying one another during countermovement of the blades, there is defined an effective exposure aperture value which increases to a maximum value in a determinate period of time.
Exposure control is generally provided by a pair of secondary photocell apertures in respective shutter blade elements which admit scene light to a photoresponsive element in correspondence with the scene light admitted to the focal plane during shutter blade movement through an exposure cycle. The output from the photoresponsive element is directed to an integrator circuit which triggers upon reaching an integration level corresponding to a desired exposure value to terminate the exposure interval by returning the shutter blade elements back to their initial scene light blocking position.
Shutter mechanisms of the aforementioned type are often arranged to operate in synchronism with a source of artificial illumination such as an electronic flash or strobe. The shutter mechanism and strobe are generally arranged to operate in either a high ambient scene light intensity mode of operation where no artificial illumination is provided or a low ambient scene light intensity mode of operation where the strobe is fired to provide a source of artificial illumination. Under conditions of low ambient scene light intensity where the strobe is expected to be fired, the scanning shutter blade mechanism may be stopped at an aperture value corresponding to the camera-to-subject distance as determined by focusing the objective lens. Systems of the aforementioned type are generally referred to as "follow focus" systems and the maximum aperture to which the scanning shutter blade elements are allowed to open is controlled by the rangefinding or focusing system of the camera in a manner as is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,014, entitled "Follow Focus Exposure Control System with Improved Uniform Trim Control", by Philip R. Norris, issued Aug. 24, 1976, in common assignment herewith.
Such a system need not actually stop the opening shutter blade movement at a maximum effective exposure aperture as determined by the rangefinding or focusing system of the camera, but may instead vary the time at which the strobe light is fired during the opening shutter blade movement as determined in correspondence with the rangefinding or focusing system of the camera. Since the duration of the strobe light is short in comparison with the time required for the shutter blade mechanism to scan from its scene light blocking position to its maximum exposure aperture defining position, the aperture defined by the shutter blade elements at the instant of strobe firing for practical purposes constitutes the effective aperture by which the exposure occurs. Such a system is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,660, entitled "Photographic Apparatus with Flash Exposure Control System", by Edwin H. Land, issued Nov. 18, 1969, in common assignment herewith.
Range responsive flash fire systems of the aforementioned type can also be utilized in conjunction with sonar ranging devices as is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,103, entitled "Range Synchronized Flash Photographic Apparatus and Method for Achieving Optimum Flash Exposure", by Conrad H. Biber et al., issued Feb. 12, 1980, in common assignment herewith. In the aforementioned system, means must be provided for synchronizing the instant at which the scene light is first admitted to the film plane at the commencement of the exposure interval to the transmission of the sonar ranging signal in order to control the strobe fire time at the appropriate aperture. Such a system for firing a flash as a function of a sonar determined ranging signal is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,587, entitled "Proportional Fill Flash", by Arthur G. LaRocque et al., issued Mar. 11, 1980, in common assignment herewith. An LED in combination with first light detect apertures in the shutter blade mechanism operate to synchronize the transmission of light from the LED to a photocell in correspondence with the instant that scene light is first admitted by the primary apertures in the shutter blades at the commencement of the exposure interval. Such systems, however, generally have not embodied digital scene light integrating techniques which require extended integration lead times for the integration levels to come within required operating voltage ranges before digital pulse counting can begin. This extended integration lead time may thus introduce an error in the precise detection of the instant that scene light is first admitted to the film plane at the commencement of the exposure interval so as to subsequently cause an error in the time at which the flash is fired thereby causing the flash to be fired at an aperture value which might not be properly correlated to the camera-to-subject range. Other types of scene light measurement such as the pre-exposure measurement of ambient scene light must also be made in a precise manner without the error that might otherwise result from an extended integration lead time.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a photographic exposure control system wherein the instant that the scene light is first admitted to the film plane as well as any other scene light related measurement may be accurately and precisely detected utilizing digital integration techniques.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an exposure control system in which the instant that the scene light is first admitted to the film plane is detected by a digital type integrator prebiased to achieve the accuracy required for a precise determination of the initiation of an exposure interval or any other scene light related measurement.
Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises a mechanism and system possessing a construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.


An apparatus and method for harvesting aquatic plant biomass, and more particularly, to a system and method for harvesting attached algal communities or algal turf whereby water is utilized to transport algal biomass to a central collection location. Additionally, the apparatus and method of the present invention is drawn to a gathering means whereby algal turf or biomass is severed from the ATS and transferred via a towing method, instead of pushing, thereby reducing potential damage to the ATS.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for harvesting and collecting aquatic plant biomass, and more particularly, to a system and method for harvesting and collecting attached algal communities or algal turf whereby water is utilized to transport algal biomass to a central collection location.
2. Description of the Background Art
For over one hundred years, government agencies and private entities have been attempting to design and develop strategies for harvesting aquatic plants. Initially, research efforts were directed at removal of aquatic plants from open water systems. Then, during the mid nineteen seventies, as researchers began to investigate the use of aquatic plants in water treatment, investigation began into harvest systems for use in man-made treatment systems.
In natural open water systems, the need to harvest aquatic plants is driven largely by the need to remove nuisance vegetation with capture of nutrient pollutants bound into plant tissue largely a secondary consideration. In constructed water treatment systems, harvesting of aquatic plants is necessary not only to gather plant biomass as a xe2x80x9ccropxe2x80x9d but also to remove plant tissue and attendant nutrient pollutants and maintain the overall health of the system.
Requisite to the function of many constructed water treatment systems is the cultivation of aquatic plants such as water hyacinth, duckweed or attached algal communities. The concept of artificial algae systems or Algal Turf Scrubbers (hereinafter xe2x80x9cATSxe2x80x9d) was first developed to permit nutrient management within aquaria-type facilities in which organisms, such as reef corals, which rely upon very low nutrient levels, could be sustained and cultivated. An ATS consists of a natural, mixed assemblage of attached periphyton, microalgae and bacteria which colonise a water floway, usually inclined, over which wastewater or nutrient rich water flows.
ATS are cultured communities of attached or benthic algae that can be used to manage water quality or to scrub a variety of nutrients or contaminants from marine, estuarine, and fresh water. ATS are complex algal communities and, as such, do not demonstrate the sensitivities and instabilities characteristic of monocultures of algae. See Adey, W. H., C. Luckett, and K. Jensen. 1993. xe2x80x9cPhosphorus removal from natural waters using controlled algal productionxe2x80x9d. Restoration Ecology. March 1993: 29-39.
It was discovered that when accompanied by extensive natural energies, such as currents or wave oscillations, algal communities within an ATS could sustain significant levels of productivity. Subsequently, it was suggested that algal communities could be supported within an engineered system to reduce nutrients, particularly phosphorus, from large volumes of nutrient enriched surface waters, such as wastewater and non-point sources (NPS). Today, ATS systems are used in thousands of aquaria, including a number of large-scale cultivation units (up to 1 million gallons). Studies in maximizing production of algal communities or xe2x80x9calgal turfxe2x80x9d and its uses continue and are well-known and reported in patents and literature. By way of background, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,263 to Adey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,096 to Adey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,795 to Adey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,823 to Adey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,398 to Adey; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,774 to Adey et al. It should be noted that the foregoing: patents contemplate harvesting algal turf from its growth substrate by means of hand, livestock, fish or machinery. The disclosure and teaching of these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Recently, there has been an increase in aquatic plant based water treatment (xe2x80x9cAPBWTxe2x80x9d) applications, primarily in the production of fish for human consumption and in nutrient based water treatment systems. Specifically, aquatic plant based water treatment is a mechanism to address non-point source (NPS) pollution such as nutrient pollutants. If the design and operation of constructed commercial sized aquaculture based facilities is to become economically viable, an improved mechanism to manage aquatic plant biomass is necessary.
The major challenges for water treatment technologies employing aquatic plant systems is accessing the plants, efficiently and economically harvesting and collecting the aquatic biomass, and efficiently and economically processing the harvested aquatic biomass.
Two critical items govern the potential value of the aquatic plant biomass generated from water treatment systems. The cost of production and the quality of the product produced. As the plant tissue of an aquatic plant is typically 95% moisture, the total weight of the wet plant tissue is significantly greater than that of terrestrial crops on an equivalent dry weight basis. Accordingly, handling strategies for harvested aquatic plant biomass are critical to the economic cost of handling the biomass.
Harvesting of algal biomass from an ATS, or biomass management, is critical to the sustained performance of an ATS. Harvesting of algal biomass from an ATS occurs on a regular basis, preferably every seven to twenty-one days. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the biomass management be efficient and cost effective.
Prior art methods for harvesting aquatic plants in natural open waters systems have focused largely on self-propelled floating harvest devices. Severed or collected plant material is either left floating in the water, chopped and left floating in the water, transported to shore by barge or floating in bales, transported by helicopter, or chopped plant material may be pumped as a slurry to a land-based receiving station. Prior art methods for harvesting aquatic plants in natural open water systems have not been employed in the management of aquatic plants within constructed water treatment systems as the harvest strategies are expensive, thereby driving up the cost of the water treatment technology to unacceptable levels. Aquatic plant harvest strategies employed in constructed water treatment systems reflect continuing attempts to improve harvesting efficiency.
There presently exists several apparatus and methods to harvest algal communities. Early methods of harvesting ATS, usually in small scale installations, included hand harvesting which entailed simply scraping algae off the growth substrate. Specifically, the growth substrate or screens were harvested by physically removing the screen from the scrubber and placing it on an inclined easel. Biomass was removed from the screen by scraping with a moderately sharp implement such as piece of hard polystyrene plastic. Scraped biomass was collected in a strainer and de-watered. Difficulties with a hand scraping approach are two-fold. First, depending upon the size of the ATS, it may be difficult to access all portions of the algal turf. Secondly, harvesting via scraping often incompletely removes portions of the algae and allows dislodged algae fragments to settle within the ATS or otherwise not be collected. Incomplete collection of aquatic biomass may permit the release of nutrients which were taken up by the attached algal communities.
In order to expedite harvesting, approaches utilizing vacuum equipment have been utilized. On a small scale, variations of xe2x80x9cshop vacsxe2x80x9d have been utilized to vacuum biomass directly from the ATS growth substrate. For large-scale installations, heavy vacuum equipment designed to vacuum the floway has been utilized. A vacuum unit, either tractor pulled or self-propelled, is typically land based and gains right of entry to the ATS via an access road or floway. However, heavy vacuum equipment has significant operation costs when applied to a large scale ATS system.
Other algal turf harvest systems have included structured floways requiring perimeter wall or curbs employed for retaining water in the floway and facilitating movement of the harvest equipment that is too heavy to travel on the synthetic membrane lined ATS.
Continuing efforts are being made to improve ATS and harvesting of algal communities. By way of example, note U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,846,423; 5,591,341; 5,573,669 and 5,527,456 to Jensen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,423 discloses a method for purifying water which requires that the sides of the floway be bounded by a pair of curbs disposed in a spaced-apart parallel relationship. Algal turf is harvested by means of a wheeled harvester disposed to roll along the curbs. A harvesting barge is also contemplated to collect, store and transport harvested algal turf slurry as well as relocate the harvester from floway to floway. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,573,669 and 5,527,456 which are related U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,341 discloses a conical floway culture system which contemplates harvesting through use of an angled plowing system having a notched, fixed or rotating scraper whereby harvested algal turf is pushed, thereby increasing the possibility of damage to the culture system.
The disclosure and teaching of these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of aquatic biomass management art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a harvest apparatus and method that will allow for the economical harvesting of ATS within a large-scale commercial system.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method which permits the collection of algal biomass which continuously sloughs from the ATS for processing, thereby improving treatment capacity and effluent quality.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for harvesting and collecting algal biomass which minimizes the need for heavy equipment for the harvesting and transport of algal biomass.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises an apparatus and method for harvesting and collecting aquatic plant biomass, and more particularly, to a system and method for harvesting attached algal communities or algal turf whereby water is utilized to transport algal biomass to a central collection location. As used herein, attached algal communities shall mean broadly algal turf or any cultivated algal communities which may be present within an algal turf scrubber (ATS).
Additionally, the apparatus and method of the present invention is drawn to a gathering means whereby algal turf or biomass is severed from the ATS and transferred via a towing means, instead of pushing, thereby reducing potential damage to the ATS. In a preferred embodiment, a weighted harvest drag is dragged over the ATS floway. Severed algal biomass is transferred to a conveyance system that preferably comprises one or more flumes where it is conveyed by a water medium to a central harvest station.
In the apparatus and method of the present invention, a conveyance system via an effluent flume receives algal biomass that is introduced during events via the gathering means as well as algal biomass that is introduced continuously as algal biomass is dislodged or sloughed from the ATS. Harvested and sloughed algal biomass is conveyed by water via the conveyance system (e.g. transport flume) to a central harvesting station. In a preferred embodiment, the collected biomass comprising both harvested and sloughed biomass is removed from the conveyance system water medium by means of a self-cleaning bar screen.
In a preferred embodiment, the conveyance system water medium is the effluent from the ATS; however, the conveyance system water medium may also include water from other sources.
Lastly, the apparatus and method of the present invention is drawn to an ATS having a floway system which does not require lateral perimeter curbs nor restrictions on size dimensions. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ATS is constructed without curbing, and thus without distinct separated floways, thereby reducing ATS construction and maintenance costs and eliminating obstructions for the gathering means.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Apparatus and method for harvesting and collecting attached algal communities


A system and method may include retrieving a first taxonomy comprising at least one first category and one or more second taxonomies, at least one second category being associated with at least one of the one or more second taxonomies. The system and method may further include creating a new taxonomy by merging the first taxonomy with the second taxonomy based on a comparison of a first category profile of the at least one first category with a second category profile of the at least one second category.

Inexpensive computer and networking technologies have made increasingly large quantities of digital content available electronically via wired and wireless networks, resulting in information overload as users have access to significantly more information than they can consistently and reliably locate.
Previously, physical content collections, such as private and public libraries of printed publications, including, but not limited to books, coins, maps, and drawings, have been managed by human librarians who have developed taxonomic structures describing the collection's content, and who then impose the structure on the physical collection by examining and assigning each content item to a relevant category or categories. While this manual process may be manageable when the content collection increases slowly, the current, rapid proliferation of digital content, both textual and multimedia, can overwhelm the editorial staffing of any content collection holder.
The resulting proliferation and commoditization of information search and retrieval technologies have created an increasing number of proprietary commercial data, media and text collections, independently indexed and maintained by content sources. These content sources have limited economic incentive to make their digital content fully accessible for indexing by public search engines and the public search engines attain more economic benefit by having the sources as advertisers than by providing search engine users with direct access to the actual content.
In addition to traditional content access via stationary computers, there has been an explosive proliferation of Internet access using mobile computing devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and mobile telephones. This proliferation of mobile devices is markedly changing the nature of content availability as publishers reformat and reorganize their content for mobile Internet access.
While a desktop computer user can comfortably search for information, using multiple tries and browsing, mobile computing users are generally limited by small screen and input ergonomics, location-specificity, and their own mobility. Due to these constraints, mobile computing users are less likely to want to receive all possibly relevant results, and more likely to want specific information immediately.
The changing nature of content access by a mobile population plays a large part in increasing the value of information retrieval precision over recall with new search and retrieval processes emphasizing the highest possible precision for the first five to ten entries of the results set. For the same reasons, mobile users also require the shortest path to their desired content. Therefore, publishers have a greater incentive to organize their content in information architectures that facilitate access to groups or categories of content.
As alternatives to single publisher search engines or large-scale public search engines, federated searching across multiple content sources improves the chance that a user will get a relevant response to their query. However, content publishers may have organized their content using different information architectures or "taxonomies."
Generally, a taxonomy may be a controlled vocabulary organized hierarchically to represent relationships between terms in the controlled vocabulary. A taxonomy category may be a labeled vocabulary term or group of related vocabulary terms. For example, a set of product vendor names might be the controlled vocabulary for a department store and the categories may be the names of the store departments (e.g. Shoes, Housewares, Appliances).
Different taxonomies can be created from the same controlled vocabulary, depending on how the vocabulary is grouped into categories and how the resulting categories are arranged with respect to each other.
Significant practical and commercial value has been provided by automated taxonomy development and classification technologies, the goal of which is to organize the information in a given content collection into groups of similar content, label and arrange each group appropriately, and display the group organization of greatest utility to a user accessing the collection.
The resulting proliferation of taxonomy management and classification technologies has generated an increasing number of public taxonomies, used primarily as navigation directories or "browsing search", such as is found on the Yahoo!, Amazon, and eBay websites, to facilitate access to the proprietary content available from content publishers, centralized public search engines, or content aggregators.
The present invention relates in particular to methods and a system for an improved taxonomy management system which leverages pre-existing taxonomies and categorized content to automatically create, maintain, and manage new taxonomies with minimum effort and greater control by information architects and content publishers.

Method and system for managing single and multiple taxonomies


On a semi-insulative GaAs substrate, a n-type GaAs layer, an undoped InGaAs layer, a n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer are grown in order and a SiO.sub.2 layer is deposited thereon. Subsequently, a photoresist layer having an opening at a gate region is formed. With taking the photoresist layer as a mask, side etching is performed for the SiO.sub.2 layer up to the width corresponding to a recess width. With taking SiO.sub.2 layer as a mask, wet etching is performed for n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer. The wet etching is further extended to the intermediate depth position of the undoped InGaAs layer. By lift off method employing the photoresist layer, a gate electrode is formed on the center of the bottom of the recess. A source electrode and a drain electrode are also formed. Thus, since the corner portions of the recess is formed of a material (InGaAs) difficult to cause dislocation, the compound semiconductor field effect transistor can prevent degradation of characteristics in high temperature burn-in test.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a compound semiconductor field effect transistor. More specifically, the invention relates to a compound semiconductor field effect transistor having a gate electrode formed in a recess portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A compound semiconductor, typically GaAs, is characterized in higher electron mobility and lower noise in comparison with Si. Therefore, in the application for performing high speed and high frequency amplification with low noise, transistors employing the compound semiconductor have been frequently used. In such case, it is typical to use the compound semiconductor as MESFETs having Schottky gates for effectively utilizing high mobility property thereof. On the other hand, in case of a transistor for large output, a recess structure is employed for elevating a breakdown voltage by reducing concentration of electric field to a drain of the gate without increasing source resistance Rs.
FIG. 1 is a section showing the conventional GaAs field effect transistor (MESFET) for large output having a recess structure (hereinafter, this prior art will be referred to as "first prior art"). In FIG. 1, 1 denotes a semi-insulative GaAs substrate formed with an undoped GaAs buffer layer (not shown) on the surface. On the substrate, an n-type GaAs layer 2 serving as channel layer is formed. 0n the surface of the n-type GaAs layer 2, an n.sup.+ type GaAs layer 4 is formed for ohmic contact with a source/drain electrode. In the n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 4 and the n-type GaAs layer 2, a recess portion 20 is formed by removing the entire depth of the n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 4 and in the partial depth of the n-type GaAs layer 2 by etching, in a width greater than a predetermined gate region. At the center of the recess portion 20, a gate electrode 7 in Schottky contact with the n-type GaAs layer 2 is formed. On the other hand, on the n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 4, a source electrode 8 and a drain electrode 9 are formed.
It should be noted that this type of the power MESFET has been known in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol ED-25, No. 6, pp 563-567, "Improvement of the Drain Breakdown Voltage of GaAs Power MESFET's by a Simple Recess Structure", for example.
This first prior art has a problem in that a transistor characteristic may be degraded by applying a power at high temperature. FIG. 2 is a graph showing variation of a drain current when the transistor of FIG. 1 is formed to have a gate length of 1 .mu.m and a gate width of 5 mm, and 12 V drain voltage is applied with maintaining a temperature at 250.degree. C., as high temperature burn-in test. As can be seen a drain current is gradually lowered after about 500 hours. This degradation of the characteristics is considered to be caused by occurrence of crystal dislocation in the drain side end of the recess and by propagation of the dislocation due to continuing of application of power under high temperature.
After forming the shown MESFET, a protective layer is formed. Then, the MESFET is assembled in a package. Since the MESFET has different thermal expansion coefficient to the protective layer and the semiconductor crystal of the package or so forth, a stress is created within a crystal. For example, when the FET is mounted on a Cu package, since Cu has greater thermal expansion coefficient than GaAs, compression stress is exerted on the GaAs as cooled after mounting. Then, the stress resided within the crystal concentrates at the corner portion of the recess. Also, at the drain side end of the recess, concentration of the electric field is caused to concentrate the current at this portion. Therefore, when high voltage is applied to the drain as in the high temperature burn-in test, significant electric field concentration and high current concentration is caused at the drain side end of the recess to make the corresponding portion high temperature, locally. Then, by the stress as set forth above and concentration of the electric field and the current, crystal dislocation is caused at the end portion of the recess. When application of power is maintained, the defect thus caused extends to a channel region. As a result, degradation of the transistor characteristics is caused.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Heisei 4-280640 proposes to provide a InGaAs layer serving as an etching stopper below a contact layer (hereinafter, this prior art will be referred to as "second prior art"). It should be noted that the semiconductor disclosed in the above-identified publication is not directed to a power transistor. FIG. 3 shows a section showing a structure of a transistor proposed in the above-identified publication. The shown transistor is fabricated through the following process.
On a semi-insulative GaAs substrate 11, an undoped GaAs layer 12 as a channel layer, n-type AlGaAs layer 13 as a carrier supply layer, an undoped GaAs layer 14 as a cap layer of a gate metal, InGaAs layer 15 as an etching stop layer and n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 16 as a contact layer are grown in order. On the n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 16, a source electrode 18 and a drain electrode 19 are formed. Thereafter, the n.sup.+ -type GaAs layer 16 and InGaAs layer 15 in the region where a gate electrode should be formed, are removed. Then, the removed portion, the gate electrode 17 is formed.
However, as set out later, in comparison with GaAs, InGaAs is not easily cause crystal dislocation and the propagation speed of the dislocation is low. Therefore, even when a means for forming the InGaAs layer on the upper portion of the recess is applied to the power MESFET, as disclosed in the second prior art, crystal dislocation is started from GaAs and thus, dislocation occurrence suppressing effect cannot be expected. Furthermore, since a stress at the hetero interface of GaAs/InGaAs is added, spreading of dislocation is rather promoted.

Compound semiconductor field effect transistor


A method and device for high speed broadband testing of systems and substances using a binary, spectrally sparse sequence (SSS) as a periodic excitation waveform. The sequences with controllable frequency and magnitude spectra content are designed by component manipulation method or by edge manipulation method. The excitation waveform is typically pre-calculated, and kept in waveform memory, from where it is shifted out into digital to physical quantity converter (DQC).

A transfer function is a mathematical representation, in terms of spatial or temporal frequency, of the relation between the input and output of linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. Real structures have non-linear input/output characteristics, but many systems, when operated within nominal parameters (not "over-driven") have behaviour that is close enough to linear so that LTI system theory is an acceptable representation of the input/output behaviour.
Frequency response measurements can be used directly to quantify system performance and substance properties. However time variance of real systems should be considered and therefore the frequency response measurement speed chosen accordingly.
Traditionally sine wave excitation is used for the measurement of frequency domain characteristics (frequency response function—FRF) of different objects and substances.
Simultaneous multisine excitation (composed as a sum of several sine wave components) has been introduced for high speed parallel measurements. Because of a high-value crest factor CF (up to 10 and more without special optimization) the multisine excitation causes serious problems. As the peak value is limited in practical applications (e.g., ±1 V or ±1 mA), the root mean square (RMS) level can be very modest and the excitation energy tends to be too low at each individual excitation frequency (spectral line in the excitation spectrum). Several methods for reducing the crest factor have been presented, the simplest of which—randomizing of initial phases of sine wave components—enables to reduce CF to 1.8. A better idea is to find optimal values for the initial phases of separate sine wave components in the multisine excitation. A better optimization method was developed by A. van den Bos (Schroeder, 1.414×1.17=1.65, van den Bos, 1.414×1.07=1.51, see Tabel 1 in p. 122). Those values are only slightly worse than of a single sine wave (CF=1.414), but still far from ideal (for example, a rectangular signal has CF=1). Van der Ouderaa et al. showed that even CF<1.414 is achievable using iterative calculations—they obtained CF=1.405, for a signal with 15 and 31 equal magnitude components. There is no mathematical expression or ideal algorithm for synthesis of the multisine signal with minimal CF (if all the signal components have equal magnitude). The minimal theoretical value of CF is not known, but CF about 1.5 is achievable in practice. To conclude, a carefully designed multisine signal with optimized CF is the best excitation for fast broadband measurements.
In practice, however, rectangular wave excitations have been introduced as they can be generate by the aid of conventional digital components like triggers, logic gates, and shift registers or computing devices like microcontrollers and signal processors. Moreover, the rectangular waveform can provide more excitation energy compared to sine wave at the same limitations to the peak value (amplitude). For example, the power of a single sine wave is P=A2/2 and its root-mean-square value RMS=A/21/2, where A is the sine wave amplitude. At the same peak value A, the power of a simple rectangular signal is P=A2, and its RMS=A. unfortunately, rectangular signals contain higher harmonics, which complicate measurement procedures and cause serious measurement uncertainties. Several solutions to suppress the role of higher harmonics of rectangular excitations are proposed for the replacement of single sine wave excitations.
To cover a wide frequency band, pseudorandom rectangular waveforms as maximum length sequences (MLS), and rectangular chirp signals are in use. Such signals have one serious disadvantage—their energy is distributed almost equally over the whole frequency band of interest. Therefore, the power spectral density A2/Hz is comparatively low at all the frequencies within the measurement bandwidth. In practice, however, only in some special cases there is a need to measure at all frequencies within the measurement bandwidth, often measuring at 2-3 or up to 100 distinct frequencies is satisfactory. Therefore, it is reasonable to concentrate the energy of excitation signals to certain specific frequencies instead of using uniform energy distribution over all measurement bandwidth. Such the signals are known as multifrequency binary signals. There is mentioned also that such the signals have a severe drawback—the energy is not solely located at the specific frequencies, but is spread also over a great number of undesired, "parasitic", frequencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,988 describes a measurement method, in which a pseudo-random maximum length sequence (MLS) of rectangular pulses with equal peak values is used for excitation of the samples under test (electrical or mechanical system). A binary shift register with feedback generates the MLS signal. The response signal is processed with Fast Fourier Transform program running in a computing device. Besides the above described drawback that energy distributes continuously over the full measurement bandwidth, the MLS excitation has two additional disadvantages: 1) the useful excitation bandwidth extends only up to 0.45ƒ of the whole frequency band ƒ with degradation to 50% in power spectral density at 0.45ƒ, and, 2) significant amount of generated energy (near to 40%) falls onto higher frequencies outside the measurement bandwidth 0.45ƒ.
Despite of above described disadvantages, MLS excitation has found an intensive use in audio engineering and electro-acoustic. The MLS excitation is used even more widely, e.g., in impedance spectroscopy.
WO2007/054700 proposes a new type of MLS excitation, where certain higher amplitude rectangular pulses are formed to emphasize the excitation energy within some specific frequency sub-range. A special unit for compensation of transfer function is introduced for that purpose. The proposed solution indeed enables to overcome the main disadvantage of MLS excitation—distribution of excitation energy continuously over all the frequencies of measurement bandwidth—and to enhance the dynamic range of the measurement device in this way. But this invention abandons the ultimate advantage of rectangular waveforms—their minimal crest factor (CF=1). The crest factor CF=A/RMS of the MLS signals by this solution exceeds significantly the unity value, which is the unique property of the sequence of rectangular pulses with equal amplitude.
An alternative to MLS signal is application of rectangular chirp excitation. Rectangular chirp has better energy parameters than MLS, because there is no degradation of the power spectral density within the measurement bandwidth. Moreover, about 90% of the generated energy becomes useful, only 10% of generated energy falls outside the measurement bandwidth and turns useless. But the main disadvantage remains—the energy of excitation is distributed equally over the full measurement bandwidth.
A method for maximizing the overall dynamic range via synthesizing the excitation waveform on the bases of pre-estimation of the frequency response function is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,317. The algorithm of synthesis is based on iterative direct and inverse Fourier transforms of the randomized excitation signal and estimated frequency response function together with their mutual comparison and correction of the excitation signal.
The algorithm is expected to generate the pseudorandom excitation with continuous spectral density. By its essence, the algorithm described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,317 is very similar to that method.
A number of attempts are made to adjust the frequency and amplitude properties according to the characteristics of the SUT in order to maximize the overall dynamic range of the calculations by balancing the requirements for the dynamic ranges between the input and output of the SUT.
In one approach the magnitude spectrum is shaped, but the level of the resulting MLS signal is not kept within two discrete levels (+1 and −1).
In another approach the multi-frequency mixed signal in synthesized based on simple superposition of Walsh functions. Resulting binary signal conceals seven primary harmonics (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64) but their amplitudes vary within +/−10%, and are not controllable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,317 describes identification of the systems, where it is desirable to find signals and techniques, which minimize the time spent in data collection. When identifying a multi-input multi-output system, it is also desirable to obtain several statistically uncorrelated signals, thereby making easier to separate out the various input/output relationships of the system, which are measured simultaneously.
The solution suggested here is to delay the original binary multifrequency signal by time, which is long enough that system responses have substantially settled within one effective settling time scale before the cross correlation between any of the signals becomes significant. Therefore these signals are called as nearly stochastically uncorrelated signals.
As the time scale used is one effective settling time, solutions for creating uncorrelated signals are not applicable for experiments, where continuous observation or measurement of the SUT is required.
In general, a limited number of frequencies are needed in order to characterize the SUT in the frequency domain. For example, in majority of practical cases about 2 to 10 frequencies per decade over the whole frequency range of interest describe accurately enough the spectrum of the relatively flat (few dispersions and non resonant behaviour) spectrum. This means, that the spectrally dense MLS and other "white-noise-like" signals are not effective signals to characterize the SUT in frequency domain (transfer function), because as the total energy of the excitation signal is distributed equally over the frequency range, the magnitude of each individual frequency component is low and therefore the initial SNR of the measurements is already low. Therefore it is reasonable to concentrate the available energy within the excitation signal into few limited spectral lines.
For example, the biological samples have quite flat spectrum over the wide frequency range; hence a relatively wide frequency range should be covered by the single multi-frequency excitation signal. This places some strict requirements on the signals, because remarkably different frequencies should be combined into one multi-frequency signal. This results with the signal, consisting of large number of samples, difficult to generate, store and, in particular, to analyze (the calculation time of the DFT increases). Conventionally this is solved by using Short Time Fourier Transform, STFT technique.
The above described methods and algorithms are not applicable for the synthesis of the binary sequence containing predetermined distinct spectral lines which amplitudes are easily controllable (amplitude spectrum shaping) optimizing the overall signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the experiments. Additionally, the difficulties to form freely the required frequency content complicate to build test setups for simultaneous, multi-path experiments (orthogonality requirement).
This has great importance in technical fields, where strong limitations to the level of the excitation signals are established in order to prevent extensive influence to the parameters and behaviour of the samples under test (SUT).

Method and device for broadband analysis of systems and substances

Abstract: The sparse spectrum of the SSS makes it easy to create plenty of uncorrelated frequency sets with adjacent, but sufficiently different frequencies to form multi-path test systems, where all the paths can be measured simultaneously.

Abstract: The response of the sample under test (SUT) is sampled and the complex transfer function is calculated directly or indirectly via Impulse Response by Discrete Fourier Transform technique and its derivatives. The sequence bit interval and sampling interval have a predetermined ratio.


A method for cold start white smoke protection of a hydrocarbon after treatment device, and method of engine operation to effect the same. The method comprises a) determining the temperature of the hydrocarbon after-treatment device during cold start conditions; b) determining hydrocarbon emissions in the hydrocarbon after-treatment device; and c) modifying engine operating conditions to raise the hydrocarbon after-treatment temperature at a pre-determined rate to a temperature sufficient to permit controlled oxidation of the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon after treatment device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method to control hydrocarbon after treatment device temperature for an electronic control heavy duty compression ignition engine having an Electronic Control Module (ECM) during cold start conditions.
The present invention further relates to a method of modifying engine operating conditions during cold start conditions to raise after treatment temperature at a pre-determined rate to a temperature sufficient to permit controlled oxidation of said hydrocarbons in said after treatment device.
The present invention further relates to a method to operate an electronically controlled heavy duty diesel engine during cold start conditions to burn excess hydrocarbons from a diesel particulate filter in a controlled manner to prevent damage to the after treatment system.
2. Detailed Description of the Related Art.
Li et al., U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2007/0056554, discloses a method of reducing nitrogen oxides and particulate matter in compression ignition engine emissions. The method includes monitoring at least one engine sensor that generates a signal and response to at least one engine operating condition and adjusting at least one engine control parameter in response to the signal in such that in cylinder spatial distribution of equivalence ratio and temperature is substantially maintained to an operating region. The operating region corresponds to a set of equivalence ratios with respect to temperature values that are substantially outside regions supportive of NOx and particulate matter formation. The temperature valves are lower than 1,650 degrees Kelvin and the equivalent ratios are greater than about 0.5.
Sisken et al., U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2006/0218897, discloses a method, system and controller for increasing exhaust gas temperatures through controlled operation of a radiator fan in order to facilitate regeneration and particulate of a particulate filter. The method system and controller are applicable in systems having an engine which emits exhaust gases having particulates which are captured by a particulate filter.
Grau et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,705, discloses a method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes using the injection pressure to control combustion in the engine to minimize exhaust gas emissions during a cold start or during a warm up phase.
Hawkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,525, discloses an engine control system and method of controlling an internal combustion engine having mandatory engine warm up. The engine control system includes an ECM having a torque inhibit circuit and a speed inhibit circuit and at least one engine fluid temperature sensor in communication with the electrical communication with the torque inhibit circuit and the speed inhibit circuit of the ECM. The sensor is exposed to at least one engine fluid and is adapted to provide an inhibit signal to the torque inhibit circuit and to the speed inhibit circuit indicative of the temperature of the fluid within the engine. Torque inhibit circuit and speed inhibit circuit are operable to cause the ECM to disregard any requests from an operator commanding an increase in engine torque or engine speed until such times inhibit signals from the temperature sensors exceed a predetermined threshold.
Bhargava et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,496, discloses a method of operating a diesel engine that includes sensing the temperature level associated with the engine. The method includes positioning an intake valve in an open position during the exhaust stroke of the engine if the temperature is below a predetermined threshold so that heated exhaust gases advance into the intake conduit during the exhaust stroke so as to heat the intake air located in the intake conduit prior to the intake air advancing into the combustion chamber. The method further includes the step of positioning an intake valve in a closed position during the exhaust stroke if the temperature level is above the predetermined threshold value so that the heated exhaust gases are prevented from advancing into the intake conduit during the exhaust stroke.

Cold start white smoke aftertreatment protection


Provided is an adhesive composition which exhibits excellent water resistance and warm-water resistance without impairing instantaneous adhesiveness. The 2-cyanoacrylate adhesive composition contains a 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester, and a specific phthalic anhydride derivative, in which the content of the phthalic anhydride derivative is from 0.01 to 5% by mass, relative to the total amount of the adhesive composition. Preferably, the adhesive composition further contains an elastomer.

The 2-cyanoacrylate adhesive composition quickly establishes a strong bonding between various types of materials attributed to the unique anion polymerization characteristics exhibited by its principal component, 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester, which initiates polymerization under the presence of weak anion provided by slight moisture or the like attached to a surface of an adherend. Accordingly, it is used as the so-called instantaneous adhesive in a wide range of fields including industrial, medical, and household applications. However, because this adhesive composition is inferior in heat resistance and water resistance, there is a problem of lowering the adhesion strength when bonded articles are used under a severe environment.
To overcome these problems, modification methods have been proposed heretofore, which include adding various types of additives. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an adhesive composition which comprises a 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester to which at least one compound selected from aromatic polycarboxylic acids and anhydrides thereof is added. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses phthalic anhydride as a specific additive that improves adhesion durability under humid or high temperature environment. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a cyanoacrylate adhesive composition which contains a 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester and a hydrogenated anhydride to improve heat resistance.


Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide phase-separating polymer systems including a cured polymeric liquid crystal matrix phase and a guest phase including at least one photoactive material where the guest phase separates from the matrix phase during the curing process. Optical elements, including ophthalmic elements and other articles of manufacture including the phase-separating polymer systems are also disclosed. Methods of forming a liquid crystal phase-separating photoactive polymer system are also described.

Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods of making alignment facilities for optical dyes connected to at least a portion of an optical substrate. Other non-limiting embodiments related to optical elements, such as but not limited to ophthalmic elements, comprising an alignment facility for an optical dye. Still other non-limiting embodiments relate to alignment facilities for optical dyes comprising coatings or sheets of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material.
Liquid crystal molecules, because of their structure, are capable of being ordered or aligned so as to take on a general direction. As used herein with reference to the order or alignment of a material or structure, the term "general direction" refers to the predominant arrangement or orientation of the material or structure. More specifically, because liquid crystal molecules have rod- or disc-like structures, a rigid long axis, and strong dipoles, liquid crystal molecules can be ordered or aligned by interaction with an external force or another structure such that the long axis of each of the molecules takes on an orientation that is generally parallel to a common axis. For example, if an electric or magnetic field is applied to a cell containing a disordered, fluid-mixture of liquid crystal molecules, the long axis of essentially all of the liquid crystal molecules can be ordered in a direction relative to the applied field. Once the field is removed, however, the molecules will again randomly distribute themselves in fluid-mixture.
It is also possible to align liquid crystal molecules with an oriented surface. That is, liquid crystal molecules can be applied to a surface that has been oriented, for example by rubbing, grooving, or photo-alignment methods, and subsequently aligned such that the long axis of each of the liquid crystal molecules takes on an orientation that is generally parallel to the general direction of orientation of the surface.
Aligning a liquid crystal material with an oriented surface as discussed above generally involves holding the liquid crystal material on the oriented surface at a temperature above the melting point of the liquid crystal material for some period of time to allow the liquid crystal molecules to align themselves. Although the time required for alignment depends on several factors, generally speaking, the thicker the layer of the liquid crystal material applied to the oriented surface, the longer the time required to fully align the liquid crystal material. Further, for some thick layers of liquid crystal materials, full alignment may not be achieved.
Photochromic compounds, dichroic compounds, and photochromic-dichroic compounds may be incorporated into a coating, a substrate or an organic material, for example a polymer coating. When photochromic compounds, dichroic compounds, and photochromic-dichroic compounds undergo a change from one state to another, the molecules of the photochromic compound, dichroic compound, or photochromic-dichroic compound may undergo a conformational change from a first conformational state to a second conformational state. In addition to a change in color and/or polarizing capability of the compounds, this conformational change may result in a change in the amount of space that the compound occupies. However, for certain photochromic compounds, dichroic compounds, or compounds photochromic-dichroic materials to effectively align and/or transition from one state to another, for example to transition from a clear state to a colored state, to transition from a colored state to a clear state, to transition from a non-polarized state to a polarized state, and/or to transition from a polarized state to a non-polarized state, the photochromic compound, dichroic compound, or photochromic-dichroic compound must be in an chemical environment that is sufficiently flexible to allow the compound to transition from a first conformational state to the second conformational state at a rate that is sufficient to provide the desired response over an acceptable time frame. Therefore, new polymeric materials are necessary to further develop photochromic, dichroic, and photochromic-dichroic materials and articles.


Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a clamp for securing a grounding connector to a structural member. The clamp includes a clamp body having a top section, a bottom section, and a side section, which define an opening for receiving the structural member. The top section includes a plurality of mounting sections separated by at least one slot. Each of the mounting sections includes a mounting hole for receiving a mounting fastener to secure the clamp to the structural member.

The present invention relates to a clamp for securing a grounding connector to a structural member, such as a beam. More particularly, the present invention relates to a beam clamp having one or more of the following features: (1) a split mount; (2) alternate mounting locations; (3) lug locators; and (4) reinforcing ribs.
Currently available clamps include a single mounting section and a plurality of mounting fasteners for securing the clamp to the beam. However, because of the single mounting section, the mounting fasteners counteract each other when tightened. That is, tightening one mounting fastener loosens the other mounting fasteners, establishing a relatively weak mechanical connection to the beam. To establish an adequate mechanical connection, the mounting fasteners may be tightened incrementally in an alternating pattern, adding time and complexity to the installation process.
Additionally, the grounding connector is connected to the outside of the clamp. That is, the grounding connector is not in direct contact with the beam, establishing a weak electrical connection to the beam, as well as adding time and complexity to the installation process. To establish an adequate electrical connection, the clamp may be made of a conductive material, which is typically more expensive than a comparable non-conductive material.
Therefore, there is a need for a clamp that is capable of establishing a strong mechanical connection with the structural member and a strong electrical connection with the grounding connector. Additionally, there is a need for a clamp that is capable of being installed quickly and easily.


Kits are provided for prenatal screening tests for risk of Down's syndrome which are carried out on a maternal serum sample obtained before the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy. The kits contain immunoassay means to determine alpha-fetoprotein, unconjugated oestriol, human chorionic gonadotrophin, and/or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).

This invention relates to antenatal screening for risk of Down's Syndrome in a foetus.
Risk of Down's syndrome in a foetus is known to increase with the age of the mother and it is this fact which forms the basis for selection of mothers for further investigation. Further testing involves sampling of the amniotic fluid by amniocentesis, a procedure which is not completely free from risk to the mother or foetus, induction of miscarriage being a recognised hazard.
The amniotic fluid test for Down's syndrome (the recognition of an extra chromosome 21 in foetal cells) is diagnostic.
There is a need for a screening method which will identify pregnancies most at risk so as to justify amniocentesis with its attendant risks.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved screening procedure.

Kit for prenatal screening for Down's syndrome


A disk inspection apparatus for discriminating disks. The disk inspection apparatus has an ECC control section and a comparison section. The ECC control section measures the number of error corrections PIE and the number of error correction failures PIF in a predetermined section of the disk. The comparison section discriminates the disk as a disk with a deterioration in jitter characteristic when the minimum or the average of the PIE exceeds a first threshold value; discriminates the disk as a normal disk when the maximum of the PIF is equal to or smaller than a second threshold and the minimum or the average of the PIE is equal to or smaller than the first threshold value; and discriminates the disk as a scratched disk when the minimum or the average of the PIE is equal to or smaller than the first threshold value and the maximum of the PIF exceeds the second threshold value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a disk inspection apparatus and, more particularly, to discrimination of disk deterioration.
2. Related Art
In general, in a CD or DVD rental business or in a disk production process, it is a common practice to polish and restore a disk scratched or contaminated during use of the disk. For example, in a rental shop, a disk which is deeply scratched when used by a user or about which a user claims that reproduction from the disk cannot be performed because of a scratch or the like is reused after polishing the surface of the disk with a special-purpose polisher so that the scratch is erased. Polishing to a depth of about 5 to 10 microns is required to erase a scratch. Therefore, the lower limit of a disk thickness specification of, for example, a DVD disk is reached by polishing about 1 to 5 times.
Meanwhile, a pickup mounted in a CD drive or a DVD drive has an objective lens designed and corrected so as to focus with accuracy in focusing through a disk substrate having a high refractive index when the substrate has a predetermined thickness. If the thickness of the disk substrate is reduced, a spherical aberration occurs and reduces the accuracy of focusing. For this reason, the deterioration in jitter characteristic progresses each time polishing is performed.
JP 10-134527 A discloses a process in which the state of an information recording surface of an optical disk is determined by making a determination as to whether or not an error correction can be made to reproduced data or by computing the number of symbols on which correction has been executed and comparing with a threshold value the result of count of the number of error-correction-failed sequences or the number of sequences on which correction of N symbols or more has been executed, and in which a warning is produced according to the determined state.
JP 3093865 U discloses a process in which while data are being read out from an optical disk and monitored, a track detection position at which the data are discontinuous is recognized as a position at which a scratch exists, while the depth of the scratch is estimated while the pickup is being focused at the scratch on the optical disk; and the optical disk is polished according to the depth of the scratch in a track range in which the scratch exists.
JP 2004-330375 A discloses a process in which the depth and size of a scratch in an optical disk surface are determined and polishing is performed in an optimal fashion according to the determination results.
In a case where a scratch exists in a disk, there is a possibility that the scratch may be removed by polishing the disk surface. However, if the amount of polishing of the disk surface is increased, a spherical aberration is produced and causes a deterioration in jitter characteristic. With respect to a case where a disk having reproduction fault exists, therefore, there is demand for ascertaining, in a short time period, with reliability, whether the cause of deterioration of the disk is a scratch and the disk can be restored if polished, or there is a deterioration in jitter characteristic as a result of excessive polishing and the disk cannot be restored by further polishing. If this cannot be done, there is a possibility of performing useless processing such as processing to further polish a disk which, essentially, has already been polished excessively and for which perform further polishing is meaningless, or processing to discard a disk which is deteriorated essentially due to a scratch and which can be restored if polished.


An image formation device includes a plurality of nozzles arranged at an interval D [in], a processor which forms an image of a resolution R [dpi] on the basis of print data and a memory which stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, performs a process including performing ejection control, ejection control including relatively moving the nozzles in the sub scan direction a plurality of times from a print start position on the basis of a reference LF value, when performing printing with respect to each of pixels of adjacent pixels at a high density Ph [%], relatively moving the nozzles in the main scan direction less than a (j×R×D) number of times, and a total of the densities of the ink of each of the pixels of the adjacent pixels is caused to be the high density Ph [%].

The present disclosure relates to an image formation device.
An image formation device forms a pixel array configured by a plurality of ink dots aligned in a main scan direction, by ejecting ink from nozzles when a head provided with the nozzles is caused to move relative to a print medium in the main scan direction. The image formation device forms an image on the print medium by causing the head to move relative to the print medium in a sub scan direction, and forming a plurality of the pixel arrays in the sub scan direction.
A multi-pass method is known in which formation of a single pixel array is completed by a plurality of main scans. For example, a multi-pass method is known, which is a method to print each of the pixel arrays by causing different nozzles, among a plurality of nozzles provided in a head, to scan the same pixel array. By using the multi-pass method, the image formation device can also perform printing at a density that is higher than a unit density, which is a maximum density of ink that can be ejected at one time from the nozzles.


A saw blade sharpening assembly includes a sharpening disk, a blade support panel disposed generally adjacent to the sharpening disk and a generally sloped blade support base carried by the blade support panel.

Circular saws typically include a circular blade having multiple carbide-tipped saw teeth. As it is rotated typically by an electric motor, the blade is used to cut wood or other materials. After prolonged use, the teeth of the blade may become dull. This may require replacement of the blade to maintain the cutting efficiency of the saw.
Therefore, a saw blade sharpening assembly is needed which can be used to sharpen the saw teeth of a circular or table saw.


The invention relates to a method for culturing ciliates comprising the steps of placing ciliates and medium therefor in a culture flask; providing said culture flask with a stirrer having a magnetic core, wherein said stirrer is suspended in the top part of the culture flask such that the stirrer does not touch the flask bottom, and wherein the motion of said stirrer is driven by means of a magnetic field; and stirring said ciliates in said culture medium.

The invention relates to a method for culturing ciliates comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium.
Ciliates, protozoans belonging to the phylum Ciliophora, are a promising source of useful biogenic materials, such as, for example, enzymes (I. Munro, 1985, Process Biochem. 20: 139), unsaturated fatty acids (Y. Gosselin et al., 1989, Biotechnol. Lett., 11: 423) and xe2x80x9csingle cell proteinxe2x80x9d (A. Ayerbe, 1980, Enzyme Microb. Technol., 2: 54).
A reason for the fact that ciliates, despite their potential, have not been used industrially as productive organisms until now, lies in the often poor culturability of these organisms. The central problems in the fermentation of ciliates include the lack of suitable, cost-effective culture media and the often high sensitivity to shear forces (Y. Gosselin et al., 1989, Biotechnol. Lett., 11: 423; M. Midler and R. K. Finn, 1966, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 8: 71). While some ciliates such as, for example, Tetrahymena and Paramecium can be cultured successfully in fermenters (T. Kiy and A. Tiedtke, 1992, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 38: 141; U. Schxc3x6nefeld et al., J. Protozool., 33: 222), for the majority of ciliates there is to date no method for mass culturing. However, even the above-mentioned genera cannot be cultured undamaged in conventional fermenters. This can be recognized, inter alia, in that the degree of damage to Tetrahymena cells has been used as a measure of the shear forces in stirred fermenters (M. Midler and R. K. Finn, 1966, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 8: 71). Many ciliates were until now propagated only on a very small scale, at very low cell densities. Thus the customary method for the culture of colpodid soil ciliates is still the xe2x80x9cflooded petri dishxe2x80x9d method, in which a few ml of culture are incubated in Petri dishes (W. Foissner, 1993, Protozoenfauna: [Protozoan fauna] Vol. 4/1: Colpodia (Ciliophora), Gustav Fischer Verl.).
A method for culturing ciliates in mass cultures would be desirable. Such a system is to be regarded as a prerequisite for the assessment or use of these organisms as a source of useful biogenic materials.
The shear forces occurring in conventional fermenters are not tolerated by many ciliates. A system which produces relatively low shear forces, but nevertheless guarantees adequate mixing of the culture, is the so-called spinner flask (FIG. 1). Typical of this system is the stirrer with magnetic core, driven by a magnetic stirrer located under the culture vessel. The stirrer brings about gentle and low shear-stress mixing.
Although this culturing method had already been developed many years ago (T. Lidl and J. Bauer, 1987, Zellxe2x80x94und Gewebekultur [Cell and tissue culture], Gustav-Fischer Verl.), for culturing animal cell cultures (e.g. hybridoma cells), the transfer of this culturing method to free-living ciliates did not occur. Only distantly related eukaryotes such as Euglena from the Euglenophyceae, Chlamydomonas from the Chlorophyceae group (Vogels et al., 1978, J. Phycol., 14, 403) and Entamoeba histolytica from the Amoebida group (Said-Fernandez, et al., 1992, Arch. Med. Res., 23, 57) have already been cultured in spinner flasks.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for culturing ciliates comprising the steps of placing ciliates and medium therefor in a culture flask; providing said culture flask with a stirrer having a magnetic core, wherein said stirrer is suspended in the top part of the culture flask such that the stirrer does not touch the flask bottom, and wherein the motion of said stirrer is driven by means of a magnetic field; and stirring said ciliates in said culture medium. It is a further object of the invention to provide a culturing method comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium, wherein the stirrer is a membrane aeration stirrer.
It is another object of the invention to provide a culturing method comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium, wherein the culturing comprises batch fermentation, fed-batch fermentation, or cyclic medium exchange.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a culturing method comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium, wherein the stirring speed is from about 1 to about 70 rpm. It is also an object of the invention to provide such a method wherein the stirring speed is from 1 to 70 rpm.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a culturing method comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium, wherein the stirring speed is from about 10 to about 40 rpm. It is also an object of the invention to provide such a method wherein the stirring speed is from 10 to 40 rpm.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a culturing method comprising stirring ciliates in culture medium, wherein the stirring mode is a reciprocatory mixing technique.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a method for culturing ciliates, wherein such a method comprises any combination of the foregoing objects.
Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for culturing ciliates, comprising any combination of the foregoing objects, wherein the ciliates belong to the group Colpodia, Holotrichia, Peritrichia, Spirotrichia or Suctoria.


Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for monitoring a memory address transmitted along an address path and converted into a row or column address of memory. The method includes: generating a path decision signal for deciding whether to connect the address path to a data terminal of the memory according to a memory command; and when the address path is connected to the data terminal of the memory in response to the path decision signal, transmitting a memory address, corresponding to the memory command, to the data terminal of the memory so that the memory address is monitored through the data terminal of the memory.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for monitoring memory addresses, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for monitoring memory addresses through a data terminal of memory.
2. Related Art
In general, with regard to the addresses of Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), a Micro Controller Unit (MCU) converts memory addresses into row and column addresses in order to reduce the number of pins to the highest degree and minimize power consumption.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a mapping relationship between the memory and row addresses of a conventional SDRAM and a mapping relationship between the memory and column addresses thereof.
In order to perform write and read operations in association with SDRAM, an MCU converts corresponding memory addresses 106 and 108 into a row address 104 and a column address 102, transmits the row address 104 to memory (not shown), and then transmits the column address 102 to the memory.
Here, the memory addresses 106 and 108 are the actual addresses of data that are required by the MCU, and the row address 104 and the column address 102 are addresses into which the memory addresses 106 and 108 are converted in order to perform write and read operations in association with the SDRAM.
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram when a write command is executed in a conventional SDRAM.
As shown in this drawing, an address ADDR of SDRAM is input with it being divided into a row address RAS_ADDR1 and column addresses CAS_ADDR1 and CAS_ADDR2. When an nRAS signal is at a low voltage level, the row address is reflected, and, when an nCAS signal is at a low voltage level, the column address is reflected. Here, the data pin (DQ pin) of the SDRAM is a port through which actual data is transferred, and nDQM is a signal that determines the operating range of a DQ signal. A one-cycle data write operation is performed during interval '1' (202 of FIG. 2), and a four-cycle data write operation is performed during interval '2' (204 of FIG. 2). Here, one cycle refers to one memory clock.
Furthermore, when the nCAS signal is at a low voltage level and an nWE signal is at a low voltage level, a write operation is performed, and, when the nWE signal is at a high voltage level, a read operation is performed. That is, a write memory command or a read memory command is performed. Consequently, in FIG. 2, the row address RAS_ADDR1 is commonly used, an opration of writing data D1 is performed using the column address CAS_ADDR1, and consecutive operations of writing data D2, D3, D4 and D5 are performed using the column address CAS_ADDR2 after three cycles.
FIG. 3 is a timing diagram when a read command is executed in the conventional SDRAM.
Referring to FIG. 3, when an nCAS signal is at a low voltage level and an nWE signal is at a high voltage level, a read command is executed. In the case where CAS Latency (CL) is set to 2, read data D1 is generated after two cycles. In the case where the CL is set to 3, read data D2, D3, D4 and D5 are generated after three cycles. Consequently, in FIG. 3, a row address RAS_ADDR1 is commonly used, an operation of reading data D1 is performed using a column address CAS_ADDR1, and operations of reading data D2, D3, D4 and D5 are performed using a column address CAS_ADDR2 after three cycles.
However, since the write and read operations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are performed by applying the row address and the column addresses to the address pin of the SDRAN, there is a problem in that it is difficult for a user of SDRAM to find actual memory addresses that are used by an MCU in write and read operations.
Furthermore, in order to find actual memory addresses used by an MCU or a data flow from the outside of a chip, SDRAM signals are required to be directly monitored using a logic analyzer, an oscilloscope, or the like. There is difficulty in finding actual addresses because row or column addresses are measured instead of actual memory addresses. Accordingly, there is a problem in that a measurement pin must be further provided in order to directly monitor actual memory addresses.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Method and apparatus for monitoring memory addresses


A compact facsimile machine comprises a housing having a particular shape. The housing includes a pair of upright side walls and semi-circular and flat walls which are connected as arranged side by side and which extends horizontally between the pair of side walls, and, preferably, it is integrally formed from a reinforced plastic material. With this housing, a roll of recording paper may be stored in the semi-circular wall and a recording device such as a thermal print head may be disposed above the flat wall with an image sensor mounted on the flat wall. More importantly, an optical path from a scanning section for scanning an original document to the image sensor may be defined as folded around the convex surface of the semi-circular wall using a plurality of reflecting mirrors, thereby allowing to make the overall structure small without causing any deterioration in facsimile performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a facsimile machine and particularly to a compact facsimile machine such as the desk-top type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to recent developments in communication technology, facsimile machines are getting more and more important and more and more used in offices and factories. A facsimile machine is provided with various components many of which have been made smaller in size individually mainly by the application of IC chips. Be that as it may, prior art facsimile machines have been relatively large in size partly due to the arrangement of components required for operation. Examples of the internal structure of prior art facsimile machine are shown in FIGS. 1a through 1c. As shown, a facsimile machine generally comprises a roll 1 of recording paper, which is rotatably supported, a thermal print head 2 for printing information on the recording paper unrolled from the roll 1, a platen roller 3 for keeping the unrolled recording paper in pressure contact with the thermal print head 2, a paper cutter 4 for cutting the recording paper to a desired size, an original document 5 to be scanned, a document feed roller 6 for feeding the original document 5, a scanning region 7 where the original document 5 is scanned and the information read, an image sensor 8 such as a CCD and an optical path 9 along which various optical components such as lenses and mirrors are disposed.
As exemplified by these illustrated structures, the prior art facsimile machines necessarily tend to be bulky and occupy relatively large installation space. In addition, the interior of a facsimile machine is generally divided into three sections: reading section for reading an original document including such elements as an original document feeding mechanism, an optical path and an image sensor, a recording section for recording received facsimile information including such elements as a roll of recording paper, a thermal print head and a paper cutter, and a voltage supply section. The prior art main approach of arranging components in a facsimile machine has been to divide the interior space into these three separate sections and to locate components in the separate sections appropriately. For example, in the structure of FIG. 1a, the reading section including such elements as 5-9 is defined generally at the bottom of the right half and the recording section including such elements as 1-4 is defined generally in the left half. On the other hand, in FIG. 1b, the reading section is defined in the bottom half and the recording section is defined in the top half; whereas, the reversed structure is shown in FIG. 1c.

by Tamie Kadomatsu, Nozomi Kadomatsu, heirs


The present application is directed to a computer-implemented method of updating context information of content in a router. The method includes the step of receiving a pseudo-content publication (PCP) message from a server including updated content and a Bloom filter. The method also includes the step of determining whether the content on the router is a member of the bloom filter. The method also includes the step of revising the context information of the content on the router being a member of the bloom filter with context information of the updated content received in the PCP message. The application is also directed to a computer-implemented method forwarding a content request from a client to a server. Further the present application is directed to a context-aware router including a non-transitory memory and a processor operably configured to the memory configured to execute one or more of the above-mentioned methods.

In existing IP networks, various mechanisms have been deployed over time to ensure a certain degree of load balancing. In particular, round-robin Domain Name Service (DNS) has generally been used to balance the load between servers belonging to the same domain for hosting content. However, this form of load balancing does not always lead to a consistently balanced load across servers. This may be attributed to the lack of consideration regarding the amount of resources required by data sessions as well as their expected duration. Accordingly, a host-based networking model can be inefficient for accessing multimedia data open to large populations of users dispersed throughout the Internet.
Information-oriented networks (IONs) perform fine-grained traffic engineering across network routes. IONs give IP routers an awareness of content in order to enable them to take a more active role in the routing and delivery of content. In turn, flexible traffic engineering policies can account for the requirements of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and content consumers. However, a number of challenges related to traffic engineering still exist.
One challenge of IONs is their use of content names in lieu of IP addresses. The supporting ION protocols and mechanisms must be designed with scalability in mind. This can be challenging because the number of contents is significantly greater than the number of servers. Routing by content rather than location therefore can lead to unsustainable networks in the absence of proper scalability provisions.
Another challenge of IONs is attributed to its features of decoupling content identifiers from location information, e.g., IP addresses. Generally, consumers directly interact with the network to retrieve content they are interested in without requiring information on the exact location of the server or cache hosting the content. However, content routers are not made aware of the explicit location of content. Instead, they are only made aware of its implicit direction. This can pose challenges when disseminating information about server loads and path congestion within a domain, as this information can no longer be associated with explicit server IP addresses. Decoupling also makes it harder to relay context information related to content. This is due to the lack of semantic value in explicitly relating this context information to server identifiers.
A further challenge of IONs is localizing content dissemination. Content dissemination should generally be localized around the content consumer. However, this reduces the content retrieval latency for the user. This also reduces the amount of inter-domain traffic.

Context-aware content publication and resolution


An object is to provide a radiation therapy system which can easily and accurately set an X-ray irradiation range. A movable X-ray diaphragm unit 6 has, in its configuration, an X-ray shielding unit configured with a plurality of members, a driver for the X-ray shielding unit, and a position detector for acquiring a position of the X-ray shielding unit. It has displays 8 and 9 which display a transmission image of a subject based on an output of an X-ray detection unit and a simulation image when the X-ray shielding unit is projected on the X-ray detection unit 2 based on an output of the position detector.

In a therapy radiation therapy system with high accuracy, for example, an X-ray radiation system with high accuracy or a particle therapy system, a known one is one using X-ray irradiation for accurately specifying a position of a target volume.
When X-ray photography is performed for a subject, to avoid unnecessary X-ray exposure or deterioration in image quality, an X-ray diaphragm is provided between an X-ray tube and an X-ray detection unit, and a controller controlling the position of each blade of the X-ray diaphragm is operated, thereby setting the X-ray irradiation range.
In the conventional X-ray diaphragm, there is provided a potentiometer outputting a voltage in accordance with displacement of a drive motor to the drive motor connected to each blade. Thus, before X-ray imaging, an opening state of the X-ray diaphragm does not need to be in an initial state, and a target position of the blade is set in relation to the current position of the blade which has been detected by the potentiometer, thereby setting the X-ray irradiation range. This technique is disclosed in Patent Literature 1.