A vehicle control system includes: a terminal configured to be carried by a user; and a control device configured to execute a remote autonomous moving process to move a vehicle from an initial position to a prescribed stop position based on an input from the terminal and to stop the vehicle at the stop position. The remote autonomous moving process proceeds on condition of continuation of a reciprocating operation on the terminal by the user, and has a plurality of modes in which a vehicle speed to move the vehicle is set to values different from each other. The control device or the terminal is configured to select one of the plurality of modes based on a speed of the reciprocating operation.

A known vehicle control system executes a remote autonomous parking process to move a vehicle to a parking position by a remote operation as a user operates an operation terminal carried by the user outside the vehicle. The operation terminal sends a signal indicating an instruction (for example, an instruction to start, to continue, or to stop traveling of the vehicle) inputted by the user to a control device provided in the vehicle. The control device computes a trajectory (traveling route) of the vehicle to the parking position and causes the vehicle to travel along the trajectory in response to the signal received from the operation terminal.
During such a remote autonomous parking process, it is preferable that the user operates the operation terminal and thus confirms that the user himself/herself is a person who actually controls operation of the vehicle by remote autonomous parking. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2019-514088 discloses a method for continuing operation of a vehicle by remote autonomous parking. In this method, a continuous moving operation of a finger, which a user should perform on a touch screen of an operation terminal, is guided by a point-to-point track test. This point-to-point track test displays a double rectilinear arrow, two points, or the like on the touch screen. The double rectilinear arrow forms a display for the tracing to be performed by using the finger. The two points are located on both sides of the double rectilinear arrow so as to indicate the limits of the tracing. The user places a thumb of one hand at a positioning point on the touch screen. At the same time, the user moves a finger of the other hand continuously and linearly on the double rectilinear arrow (namely, the user repeats a reciprocating operation), thereby continuing the operation of the vehicle.
In the remote autonomous parking process disclosed in the above document, the reciprocating operation by the user is used to determine whether to continue or stop the operation of the vehicle by the remote autonomous parking. While the operation of the vehicle by the remote autonomous parking is continued, the vehicle moves at a constant speed along a trajectory, so that the user cannot manually change a vehicle speed (moving speed of the vehicle). However, in a case where the user is accustomed to the operation of the vehicle by the remote autonomous parking and no obstacle is present around the area where the remote autonomous parking is executed, the user may feel that the vehicle speed in the remote autonomous parking is low and thus want to increase the vehicle speed. On the other hand, in a case where an obstacle is present around the area where the remote autonomous parking is executed, the user may hope to decrease the vehicle speed even if the user is accustomed to the operation of the vehicle by the remote autonomous parking.


An external storage device enclosure includes a box-body portion and a cover-body portion. The box-body portion supports a storage device, and has a connection port. The cover-body portion includes a cover-board and a top-board. A first-side of the top-board connects the cover-board. The top-board is pivotally connected to the box-body portion through a rotation axis located a second-side of the top-board. When the cover-body portion rotates around the rotation axis and covers the storage device, a driving element of the cover-board contacts a first-side of the storage device to electrically connect a connection slot of the storage device and the connection port. When the cover-body portion rotates around the rotation axis and exposes the storage device, a releasing element located at the first-side of the top-board contacts a second-side of the storage device to electrically separate the connection slot of the storage device from the connection port.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an external storage device enclosure; in particular, to an external storage device enclosure capable of automatically plugging a storage device to a connection port or unplugging the storage device from the connection port.
2. Description of Related Art
Compared to the flash memory (such as a flash disk or memory card) or the CD-ROM, the hard disk has a large amount of data storage capacity, high durability, and high stability, and is a main device which a computing device stores data.
Traditionally, the hard disk is screwed at the inner wall of the casing of the computing device. Therefore, when the data of the computing device is to be moved to another computing device, the hard disk must be detached from the casing of the computing device, and then installed inside the casing of another computing device, such that it is inconvenient to operate due to the detachment and installation of the hard disk
In order to improve the problems, an external hard disk enclosure is developed, and the user can install and detach the hard disk without opening the casing. However, when the user want to detach the hard disk from the external hard disk enclosure, the user still need to unplug the hard disk from the connection port of computing device manually. Or alternatively, when the user want to install the hard disk inside the external hard disk enclosure, the user still need to connect the hard disk to the connection port of the computing device. Although the external hard disk enclosure can simplify the procedure for opening the casing, it is still inconvenient to operate due to the requirement for electrically connecting or separating the connection slot of the hard disk and the connection port of the computing device by hand.


Compounds of formula (I) which are inhibitors of Bub1 kinase, processes for their production and their use as pharmaceuticals.

One of the most fundamental characteristics of cancer cells is their ability to sustain chronic proliferation whereas in normal tissues the entry into and progression through the cell division cycle is tightly controlled to ensure a homeostasis of cell number and maintenance of normal tissue function. Loss of proliferation control was emphasized as one of the six hallmarks of cancer [Hanahan D and Weinberg R A, Cell 100, 57, 2000; Hanahan D and Weinberg R A, Cell 144, 646, 2011].
The eukaryotic cell division cycle (or cell cycle) ensures the duplication of the genome and its distribution to the daughter cells by passing through a coordinated and regulated sequence of events. The cell cycle is divided into four successive phases:
1. The G1 phase represents the time before the DNA replication, in which the cell grows and is sensitive to external stimuli.
2. In the S phase the cell replicates its DNA, and
3. in the G2 phase preparations are made for entry into mitosis.
4. In mitosis (M phase), the duplicated chromosomes get separated supported by a spindle device built from microtubules, and cell division into two daughter cells is completed.
To ensure the extraordinary high fidelity required for an accurate distribution of the chromosomes to the daughter cells, the passage through the cell cycle is strictly regulated and controlled. The enzymes that are necessary for the progression through the cycle must be activated at the correct time and are also turned off again as soon as the corresponding phase is passed. Corresponding control points ("checkpoints") stop or delay the progression through the cell cycle if DNA damage is detected, or the DNA replication or the creation of the spindle device is not yet completed. The mitotic checkpoint (also known as spindle checkpoint or spindle assembly checkpoint) controls the accurate attachment of mircrotubules of the spindle device to the kinetochors (the attachment site for microtubules) of the duplicated chromosomes. The mitotic checkpoint is active as long as unattached kinetochores are present and generates a wait-signal to give the dividing cell the time to ensure that each kinetochore is attached to a spindle pole, and to correct attachment errors. Thus the mitotic checkpoint prevents a mitotic cell from completing cell division with unattached or erroneously attached chromosomes [Suijkerbuijk S J and Kops G J, Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1786, 24, 2008; Musacchio A and Salmon E D, Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell. Biol. 8, 379, 2007]. Once all kinetochores are attached with the mitotic spindle poles in a correct bipolar (amphitelic) fashion, the checkpoint is satisfied and the cell enters anaphase and proceeds through mitosis.
The mitotic checkpoint is established by a complex network of a number of essential proteins, including members of the MAD (mitotic arrest deficient, MAD 1-3) and Bub (Budding uninhibited by benzimidazole, Bub 1-3) families, Mps1 kinase, cdc20, as well as other components [reviewed in Bolanos-Garcia V M and Blundell T L, Trends Biochem. Sci. 36, 141, 2010], many of these being over-expressed in proliferating cells (e.g. cancer cells) and tissues [Yuan B et al., Clin. Cancer Res. 12, 405, 2006]. The major function of an unsatisfied mitotic checkpoint is to keep the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in an inactive state. As soon as the checkpoint gets satisfied the APC/C ubiquitin-ligase targets cyclin B and securin for proteolytic degradation leading to separation of the paired chromosomes and exit from mitosis.
Inactive mutations of the Ser/Thr kinase Bub1 prevented the delay in progression through mitosis upon treatment of cells of the yeast S. cerevisiae with microtubule-destabilizing drugs, which led to the identification of Bub1 as a mitotic checkpoint protein [Roberts B T et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 14, 8282, 1994]. A number of recent publications provide evidence that Bub1 plays multiple roles during mitosis which, have been reviewed by Elowe [Elowe S, Mol. Cell. Biol. 31, 3085, 2011. In particular, Bub1 is one of the first mitotic checkpoint proteins that binds to the kinetochores of duplicated chromosomes and probably acts as a scaffolding protein to constitute the mitotic checkpoint complex. Furthermore, via phosphorylation of histone H2A, Bub1 localizes the protein shugoshin to the centromeric region of the chromosomes to prevent premature segregation of the paired chromosomes [Kawashima et al. Science 327, 172, 2010]. In addition, together with a Thr-3 phosphorylated Histone H3 the shugoshin protein functions as a binding site for the chromosomal passenger complex which includes the proteins survivin, borealin, INCENP and Aurora B. The chromosomal passenger complex is seen as a tension sensor within the mitotic checkpoint mechanism, which dissolves erroneously formed microtubule-kinetochor attachments such as syntelic (both sister kinetochore are attached to one spindle pole) or merotelic (one kinetochor is attached to two spindle poles) attachments [Watanabe Y, Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. 75, 419, 2010].
Incomplete mitotic checkpoint function has been linked with aneuploidy and tumourigenesis [Weaver B A and Cleveland D W, Cancer Res. 67, 10103, 2007; King R W, Biochim Biophys Acta 1786, 4, 2008]. In contrast, complete inhibition of the mitotic checkpoint has been recognised to result in severe chromosome missegregation and induction of apoptosis in tumour cells [Kops G J et al., Nature Rev. Cancer 5, 773, 2005; Schmidt M and Medema R H, Cell Cycle 5, 159, 2006; Schmidt M and Bastians H, Drug Res. Updates 10, 162, 2007]. Thus, mitotic checkpoint abrogation through pharmacological inhibition of components of the mitotic checkpoint, such as Bub1 kinase, represents a new approach for the treatment of proliferative disorders, including solid tumours such as carcinomas, sarcomas, leukaemias and lymphoid malignancies or other disorders, associated with uncontrolled cellular proliferation.
The present invention relates to chemical compounds that inhibit Bub1 kinase.
Established anti-mitotic drugs such as vinca alkaloids, taxanes or epothilones activate the mitotic checkpoint, inducing a mitotic arrest either by stabilising or destabilising microtubule dynamics. This arrest prevents separation of the duplicated chromosomes to form the two daughter cells. Prolonged arrest in mitosis forces a cell either into mitotic exit without cytokinesis (mitotic slippage or adaption) or into mitotic catastrophe leading to cell death [Rieder C L and Maiato H, Dev. Cell 7, 637, 2004]. In contrast, inhibitors of Bub1 prevent the establishment and/or functionality of the mitotic checkpoint, which finally results in severe chromosomal missegregation, induction of apoptosis and cell death.
These findings suggest that Bub1 inhibitors should be of therapeutic value for the treatment of proliferative disorders associated with enhanced uncontrolled proliferative cellular processes such as, for example, cancer, inflammation, arthritis, viral diseases, cardiovascular diseases, or fungal diseases in a warm-blooded animal such as man.
Due to the fact that especially cancer disease as being expressed by uncontrolled proliferative cellular processes in tissues of different organs of the human- or animal body still is not considered to be a controlled disease in that sufficient drug therapies already exist, there is a strong need to provide further new therapeutically useful drugs, preferably inhibiting new targets and providing new therapeutic options.

Substituted benzylindazoles for use as Bub1 kinase inhibitors in the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases


The present disclosure provides a block assembly applied not only to an educational purpose for children but also to a model architecture and a simple real building, etc. In one aspect, there is provided a block assembly comprising: a plurality of first-rods, each first-rod having a first cross sectional area, wherein each first-rod is solid or hollow; a plurality of second-rods, each second-rod having a second cross sectional area larger than the first cross sectional area, wherein each second-rod is solid or hollow; a plurality of H shaped beams, each having a H shaped cross section; and at least one of first to fourth unit blocks.

Field of the Present Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a block assembly and, more particularly, to a block assembly applied, for example, to an educational purpose for children and a model architecture and a simple real building.
Discussion of the Related Art
A block set may be used to make a desired structure by assembling various shapes of blocks.
The block set has been used for an educational purpose for children. This may improve attention, observation, understanding, creativity skills necessary for cognitive development for the children.
However, a conventional block assembly set is limited to the educational purpose for children.
The prior art block set may be disclosed in following documents:
Patent document 1: Korean patent application number 10-2005-0064848;
Patent document 2: Korean patent application number 10-2006-0012713;
Patent document 3: Korean utility model application number 20-1997-0004236; and
Patent document 4: Korean utility model application number 20-2001-0022647.


A method and an apparatus for maintenance of a bandwidth part. The method and apparatus resolve an issue of the prior art in which expiration of a bandwidth part deactivation timer during a random access process changes the bandwidth part to a default bandwidth part, such that data cannot be transmitted on an optimal bandwidth part, and may even cause an interruption of an ongoing data transmission, while also affecting an ongoing random access process. In embodiments of the present invention, a terminal keeps a current active bandwidth part unchanged during a random access process, and performs a restart operation of a bandwidth part deactivation timer after the random access process is successfully completed, such that a situation where a bandwidth part changes to a default bandwidth part does not occur during the random access process, thereby reducing interruption to ongoing data transmissions and reducing the impact on ongoing random access processes.

In the traditional LTE (Long Term Evolution) system, from the perspective of the network side, the cell bandwidth is less than or equal to the reception bandwidth 20 MHz of user equipment, so the network side always configures the total uplink and downlink bandwidth of the cell for the user equipment, and the user equipment may work in the entire cell bandwidth. In the NR (New Radio) system, the network-side bandwidth may be as high as 400 MHz, which is much greater than the receiving capability of the user equipment. Therefore, the concept of BWP (Band Width Part) is introduced, that is, the large bandwidth of the network side is divided into a plurality of BWPs, one or more BWPs are configured for the user equipment, and a part of the configured BWPs are activated to perform the uplink and downlink transmission for the user equipment, where the activated downlink BWP is called active DL BWP, and the activated uplink BWP is called active UL BWP. In the R15 version, for the user equipment, only one DL BWP and one UL BWP can be activated at one time, and the inactive BWPs cannot be used for the uplink and downlink signaling and data transmission.
After the network side configures a plurality of BWPs for the user equipment, the network side can change the active BWPs through the physical layer signaling DCI (Downlink Control Information), where the uplink and downlink active BWPs may be changed respectively. In addition, the BWP-InactivityTimer (BWP Inactivity Timer) is further introduced. After the BWP inactivity timer expires, the downlink active BWP of the user equipment needs to be changed to the default downlink BWP.
The random access includes contention based random access and contention free random access. The processes thereof are as follows.
The contention based random access procedure is mainly divided into four steps.
Msg1: a UE (User Equipment) selects a random access preamble and the random access resource PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), and sends the selected random access preamble to the base station on the selected PRACH resource.
Msg2: the base station receives the random access request Msg1 and sends a random access response to the UE.
Msg3: the UE sends the uplink transmission on the UL grant (uplink scheduling information) specified by the Msg2. For different reasons of different random accesses, the content of the Msg3 uplink transmission is different. For example, for the initial access, the Msg3 transmits an RRC (Radio Resource Control) connection establishment request.
Msg4: contention resolution message, where the UE can determine whether the random access succeeds according to the Msg4. For the UE that initially accesses, the temporary C-RNTI (Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier) is automatically converted into the unique UE identity (C-RNTI) of the UE in the cell after the contention resolution succeeds.
The contention free random access procedure is mainly divided into three steps.
Msg0: the base station allocates a dedicated preamble for the contention free random access as well as the PRACH resource used by the random access to a UE.
Msg1: the UE sends the specified dedicated preamble to the base station on the specified PRACH resource according to the instruction of the Msg0. After receiving the Msg1, the base station calculates the uplink TA (Timing Advance) according to the Msg1.
Msg2: the base station sends a random access response to the UE.
Under the current mechanism, no operational maintenance is performed on the BWP inactivity timer in the random access procedure. Thus, if the BWP inactivity timer expires in the random access procedure, the BWP changes to the default BWP, the data cannot be transmitted on the most appropriate BWP, the ongoing data transmission may even be interrupted and the ongoing random access procedure may also be affected.

Method and apparatus for maintenance of bandwidth part

Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd.


The control apparatus (200) is an apparatus that controls the travel of a target vehicle (10). The control apparatus (200) detects a partial object (20) using a sensor. The partial object (20) is a part of an object riding on the target vehicle (10) and is jutting outside the target vehicle (10). Furthermore, the control apparatus (200) outputs information (travel information) relating to travel of the target vehicle (10) based on the detected partial object (20). For example, the travel information is control information for travel control of the target vehicle (10) and notification information indicating information relating to the partial object (20).

A technology for detecting a fact that a vehicle is in a dangerous situation is developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for notifying of a dangerous driving when a vehicle travels an intersection. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for causing a passenger to select a content of autonomous driving and whether or not to continue the autonomous driving by notifying the passenger of a fact that the risk of autonomous driving is high.

Control apparatus, control method, and program


An arrangement for securing a load carrier to a transporting vehicle that includes an anchor mechanism adapted for securement to a transporting vehicle and for releasable engagement with a carrier foot. The carrier foot has a latching mechanism for releasable engagement with the anchor mechanism. The latching mechanism is adapted for latching engagement to, and disengagement from the anchor mechanism by movement of the carrier foot in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the carrier foot. An example of such movement is vertical movement substantially of an up and down nature. The latching mechanism has a latching and an unlatching configuration and the latching mechanism is urged toward the latching configuration by a resilient biasing mechanism. The latching mechanism is adapted to move from the latching configuration to the unlatching configuration and back to the latching configuration under the influence of the resilient biasing mechanism and responsive to the carrier foot being positioned into latching engagement upon the anchor mechanism. An example of the resilient biasing mechanism is a spring that yields from a latching configuration to an unlatching configuration of that spring as the latching mechanism moves from its latching configuration to its unlatching configuration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vehicular load carriers, and more specifically to load carrier feet and anchors used in the attachment and support of load carriers upon a transporting vehicle.
2. Background Art
It is appreciated that a considerable amount of the time that is required to install a load carrier upon a vehicle is that time which is spent on the assembly of the carrier itself before its being attached to the transporting vehicle. As a result, it has been found to be an advantageous feature of carrier designs to enable installation and removal of a partially or fully assembled load carrier on to and off a transporting vehicle.
Known designs for carrier feet that can be installed upon and disconnected from the transporting vehicle while the carrier remains assembled are typically engaged upon a base fixed to the vehicle using a sliding motion parallel to the longitudinal axis of both the carrier foot and the transporting vehicle. This becomes problematic when the entire carrier is to remain assembled during removal because each foot typically must be simultaneously removed by being slid it off or out of its respective base together with the other feet. Similar difficulty is encountered when trying to install an assembled carrier onto a transporting vehicle's rooftop or other receiving surface. Each foot must be slidingly engaged upon its respective base, and because that base may not be a perfect fit with the foot, or the base may have become fouled while the foot was disengaged, sliding of the foot onto the base may be resisted. This experience has been likened to trying to slide a sticky drawer into a bureau. Previously, when the feet would each be individually installed upon the respective bases before the load carrier was assembled thereto, an operator could move about the transporting vehicle and manipulate each foot individually. Normally this includes wiggling the carrier foot onto the base in order to slide the carrier foot progressively into a properly seated position upon the base. Having configured each foot, the carrier could then be assembled thereupon. A compounding problem of such a process, however, is that the carrier feet are usually upon the roof of a transporting vehicle at this stage in the process and resultantly assemblage of the load carrier must be awkwardly carried out atop the vehicle. Necessarily, the operator will be reaching atop the transporting vehicle to complete the installation of the load carrier and be required to frequently move about the vehicle because that person's reach will be limited by the rooftop location.
Similar problems can be encountered when only a cross bar or strut is connected between two opposite feet and which must be installed to extend from one side to the other of the transporting vehicle. It will be difficult, if not impossible for a single person working alone to slide each foot onto its respective base because he or she will not be able to simultaneously align both feet with the two respective bases as is required for proper sliding engagement.
Conventional designs for such support feet have required in the past that an exterior cover be opened in order to expose for manipulation the operating device that affects the fastening of the carrier foot to its base. Therefore, when installing the foot upon the base, the exterior cover would normally be open so that the operating device can be manipulated into an open configuration for engagement upon a base or directly to a vehicle. Once engaged, however, the operating device must then again be manipulated to a closed or clamping configuration for fixing the foot to the base or vehicle. The exterior cover of the carrier foot is then closed and locked to prevent unauthorized tampering with the operating device. From the experience of working with these conventionally designed carrier feet, it has been recognized as desirable to minimize not only the exposure of the internal working parts of the foot, but to also minimize required operator interaction during the installation process when both hands can be better used for properly positioning at least the several feet, and possibly an entirely assembled carrier with respect to the various connection points for attachment thereto.
Another drawback of conventionally designed carrier feet is that they do not typically include an accommodation for adapting to differently configured vehicle mounting surfaces. This is particularly true in cases where the feet are attached to bases at the vehicle's roof at edge regions where contoured slopes are generally incorporated into the vehicle's design. Normally, the base for the foot is rigidly attached to the vehicle's roof in this sloped region and it is the carrier foot that is specially designed to be fixedly attached to that particular type of vehicle/base combination to compensate for the roofs configuration. As a result, the manufacturer of the feet must essentially provide custom designs for differently configured vehicles. It has been recognized as highly desirable by such manufacturers to enable a generic carrier foot design to be utilized on a wide range of differently configured transporting vehicles. Because the primary characteristic affecting this aspect of the design is the degree of slope at the roof region where the base is attached, it has been recognized for the present invention that facilitating pivotation of the carrier foot with respect to the base in the direction substantially parallel to the cross bar with which attachment must be made permits utilization of a uniformly designed carrier foot on multiple and differently configured transporting vehicles and bases.
In view of the above-described deficiencies associated with known designs for load carrier feet, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide benefits to the user, which have been appreciated as desirable at least partially through historical use of these known designs. These enhancements and benefits are described in detail herein below with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.


Methods and systems are provided for purging condensate from a charge air cooler to an engine intake while reducing misfire events related to the water ingestion. During the purging, a spark timing is adjusted based on the amount of condensate purged per cycle. The spark timing is adjusted differently when the condensate is purged during a tip-in versus a pro-active clean-out routine.

Engines may increase output power by using boosting devices that compress intake air. Since charge compression increases air temperature, charge air coolers may be utilized downstream of a compressor to cool the compressed air, further increasing the potential power output of the engine. As intake air passes through the charge air cooler and is cooled below a dew point, condensation occurs. The condensate may be accumulated at a trap and delivered to the running engine subsequently, at a controlled rate. The introduction of water into the engine, however, can increase the likelihood of misfire events and decrease the likelihood of knock. Engine control systems may have to employ various knock and misfire control approaches to address water and humidity in the intake air.
One example approach for addressing low humidity induced knock is shown by Sasaki et al. in US 2011/0303187. Therein, a knock-limit ignition timing is adjusted based on deviations in a fuel octane content from a basic fuel octane content as well deviations in ambient humidity from a basic ambient humidity. This allows knock and misfire events arising due to a sudden change in fuel octane content and low ambient humidity to be reduced.
However the inventors herein have identified potential issues with such a knock control approach. Even with the adjusted knock-limit ignition timing, potential spark advance opportunities caused by the knock mitigation properties due to condensate ingestion may not be sufficiently addressed. Specifically, condensate formation may involve various factors including, but not limited to, ambient humidity. Other factors that may affect condensate formation at the charge air cooler include, for example, mass air flow, ambient temperature, charge air cooler outlet temperature, ambient temperature, EGR, etc. Thus, there may be conditions ambient humidity is low but condensate formation is high. If spark ignition timing is not adjusted during those conditions, the ingested condensate can slow the burn rate of combustion and the unadjusted ignition timing can degrade combustion efficiency. Likewise, there may be conditions when ambient humidity is high but condensate formation is low. If spark timing is not adjusted during those conditions, combustion efficiency may again be reduced.
In one example, some of the above issues may be addressed by a method for a boosted engine comprising purging condensate from a charge air cooler to an intake manifold and adjusting spark timing based on an amount of condensate purged per cycle. In this way, misfire can be reduced and combustion efficiency maintained when condensate is purged from the cooler to the engine intake.
As one example, an amount of condensate collected at a charge air cooler may be monitored during engine operation. When the condensate level is higher than a threshold, a purging of the condensate to the engine intake may be initiated. Based on an amount of condensate being purged per engine cycle, spark timing may be adjusted. As an example, the condensate may be purged during a tip-in wherein the increased air flow to the engine (to meet the operator torque demand) purges condensate from the charge air cooler into the engine intake. Herein, the purging may occur over a relatively smaller amount of time with a larger amount of condensate purged per engine cycle. Due to the resulting higher intake manifold humidity (due to the higher ingestion of condensate), borderline spark limits may be advanced, and spark timing during the purging may also be advanced towards MBT (or an amount of spark retard may be limited or reduced).
As another example, the condensate may be purged by actively increasing air flow to the engine while maintaining engine torque. Herein, the purging may occur over a relatively longer amount of time with a smaller amount of condensate purged per engine cycle. During the purging, spark timing may be retarded to maintain the torque.
In this way, spark adjustments may be performed while condensate is purged from a charge air cooler to an engine intake to reduce misfire events and driver awareness. By advancing borderline knock limits and spark timing when condensate is purged at a higher rate, the increased intake manifold humidity from the purging can be advantageously used to limit knock. By retarding spark timing and adjusting knock limits when condensate is purged at a lower rate, engine torque can be maintained during the purging. Overall, purging can be accomplished without vehicle performance concerns.
It will be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description, which follows. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined by the claims that follow the detailed description. Further, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


A system is disclosed for the extraction of a representative sample of a processed medium, flowing in a process stream under a first pressure force, and the delivery of the extracted representative sample to a mixing chamber along with a diluent medium. The system includes a source of a second pressure force connected to the mixing chamber, the second pressure force having a value less than the first pressure force of the process stream. An extraction flow control device connects the mixing chamber to the process stream and is operable into a first or alternatively a second position. When operated in the first position the second pressure force of the mixing chamber is connected to the first pressure force of the process stream and, responsive to the pressure force difference, a portion of the processed medium is drawn from the process stream through the extraction flow control device. A source of diluent medium under a third pressure force is further included connected to the extraction flow control device. The third pressure force also has a value greater than the second pressure force. Operating the extraction flow control device into the second position isolates the first pressure force of the process stream from the second pressure force and connects the second pressure force to the third pressure force of the source of diluent medium. Responsive to the pressure force difference between the third pressure force and the second pressure force, diluent medium flows from the source of diluent medium through the extraction flow control device to the mixing chamber, carrying with it the representative sample of processed medium previously extracted.

Particle size distribution is an important parameter in many processes and its accurate measurement is required for the precise and cost-effective control of the process. The measurement of particle size distribution in order to accurately control a process finds importance in industries that manufacture cement, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the like. A number of instruments are presently used in industry that use angular light scattering or dynamic light scattering techniques to measure particle size distribution in a liquid medium. These instruments analyze and measure the concentration of particles suspended in the liquid medium and provide a measurement that is used to adjust the process in order to correct for any irregularities in the final processed product. One such angular light scattering measurement instrument is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,580, to Trainer et al, issued May 16, 1995.
In order for these aforementioned instruments to measure correct particle size distribution, a sample representative of the processed medium to be analyzed must be extracted from the process, conditioned and applied to a measurement instrument. Conditioning disperses the particles within the suspension into a concentration value that is within the concentration requirements of the measurement technique being utilized. The concentration of particles within a typical process is generally higher than is allowed by the measurement technique being utilized and the aforementioned conditioning introduces some form of dilution to disperse the concentration. For example, in the case of instruments that employ angular light scattering techniques, multiple scattering limits the concentration to less than 0.1% of particles in suspension. In the case of dynamic light scattering, particle-to-particle interactions limit concentration to less than 3%. Particle concentrations in a processed medium, however, can be as high as 50% by volume.
Current practices utilize a mechanical device to enter the process, capture a sample of the processed medium and withdraw the sample into a dilution chamber. Diluent is pumped by a mechanical device into the dilution chamber to provide the correct ratio of sample to diluent. The now conditioned sample is circulated to the measurement instrument for analysis. Such conditioning methods and associated apparatus are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,244. to Ludwig et al, issued Jan. 29, 1985, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,288, to Hoffman et al, issued Aug. 8, 1995.
The presently known systems suffer from poor reliability and excessive maintenance due to the requirement for multiple seals to effect the mechanical motion of extracting the sample from the process. Additionally, such systems require many hours of maintenance in cleaning the mechanical extraction devices in order to operate efficiently.

Sampling and diluting system for particle size distribution measurement


The present invention is a method and apparatus for the fast rotation of binary images represented as a run length encoded data stream. The system employs a cache memory for efficiently representing parsed RLE data in a rotated orientation, where only the white-black transition points are recorded. Subsequently, the cache memory is further processed using a logic operation to fill in the runs between the recorded transition points during concurrent transfer of the image data to a band of page buffer memory. The process is repeated for a plurality of bands to complete the rotation/decoding process for an entire bitmap image.

The present invention is directed to image rotation. As will be appreciated, rotation of an image is a fundamental element of an image processing system, be it a dedicated image processing system or one that is part of a digital printer, facsimile machine, or multifunction device. The present invention is directed to a high speed method and apparatus for accomplishing the orthogonal rotation of digitized images that are represented in a run length encoded manner.
Heretofore, a patent has disclosed a general method for image rotation, the relevant portion of which may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,514 to Ohta, issued May 5, 1992, teaches a digital image forming apparatus that may be employed to rotate characters so as to align them. In FIG. 35 and at col. 14, lines 1-25, Ohta discloses a method of character image rotation by extracting the run length data for one character image in a main scanning direction and converting it into a sub scanning direction.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method, operating on a programmable data processing system, for rotating an image represented as a run length encoded data stream while decoding the run length encoded data stream, comprising: (a) resetting, in a memory associated with the data processing system, a plurality of contiguous memory locations to zero; (b) setting, in response to the run length encoded data stream, each bit in the contiguous memory indicating a beginning of each of a plurality of runs of a continuous color, wherein the bits set are ordered in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the run length encoded data stream was encoded; and (c) resetting a register to zero; (d) exclusive ORing the contents of the register with a selected word in the contiguous memory; (e) writing the contents of the register to the selected word in the contiguous memory; and (f) selecting an immediately following contiguous memory location as the selected word and repeating steps (d) and (e) until all contiguous memory locations have been processed.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for rotating a run length encoded data stream while decoding the same, comprising: a buffer for storing at least a portion of the run length encoded data stream; a cache memory comprising a plurality of contiguous memory locations; decoding means for determining the length of a run of pixels encoded in a first direction; means, responsive to the length of the run determined by said decoding means, for setting a bit in a word and bit location of said cache memory, wherein the word and bit location are determined as a function of the run length and the determined length of the run of pixels; means for EXCLUSIVE ORing a first of the contiguous memory locations with zero and writing the result thereto; means for successively EXCLUSIVE ORing each contiguous memory location with an immediately preceding contiguous memory location and writing the result to the contiguous memory location until all of the contiguous memory locations have been so processed, where the contiguous memory locations represent the rotated and decompressed image.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, operating on a programmable data processing system, for rotating an image represented by a run length encoded data stream, comprising: receiving the run length encoded data stream; parsing the run length encoded data stream to determine a length of each of a plurality of runs of a continuous color; writing to a memory, in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the run length encoded data stream was encoded, data indicating only the beginning of each of the plurality of runs of a continuous color; and repeatedly applying a logic operation to said memory to decode the run length encoded data stream in a rotated fashion.
One aspect of the invention deals with a basic problem in image processing, the fast rotation of image bitmaps. Resolution of this problem finds practical application in various image output devices where an image generated in a first orientation is constrained to be printed in an orthogonal orientation. For example, an image may be generated or scanned in a long-edge feed orientation (landscape) but printed in a short-edge feed (portrait) orientation.
This aspect is further based on the discovery of an efficient processing technique that alleviates this problem. The technique employs the compressed form of an image when it has been represented as a run length encoded bit stream to accomplish the orthogonal rotation in a computationally efficient manner. In particular, a preferred embodiment of the invention relies upon a fast rotation technique where a contiguous memory caching system is employed to facilitate the rapid rotation of the image while run length decoding the image data.
This technique can be implemented, for example, by any image processing system, be it hardware or software based. Machines implementing the invention may include printers, scanners, facsimile machines as well as multifunction machines. The hardware required preferably includes a fast cache memory and a microprocessor or similar control circuitry to control memory access (e.g., read/write) and to perform simple logic operations on the stored data.
The technique described above is advantageous because it is not only simple but efficient. The technique of the present invention avoids bit-wise processing in favor of processing run length encoded information. Furthermore, it can be adapted to any image processing system in which run length encoded data is generated or employed, making it available for use in any of a number of digital image processing systems, particularly those using run length encoding for data compression. The techniques of the invention are advantageous because they permit the highly efficient orthogonal rotation of image bitmaps. The present invention is one of a plurality of image processing operations that can be applied to compressed image formats to enable faster processing of image data in an image processing system. Some of the related techniques can be used to perform image processing while decoding a run length encoded image.

Method and apparatus for the fast rotation of an image


A regular sense amplifier and a defect-information sense amplifier are provided for each regular sector and each defect-information sector, respectively. This can prevent an excess load from being applied to a read path, and minimize the access time. A write amplifier is provided in common to the regular sector, the reference sector, and the defect-information sector. Generally, the write operation time of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is long, so that an increase in a wiring load on a data transmission path and an increase in a load on a switch do not affect the write operation time much. As a result, the circuit scale can be made smaller without lengthening the read access time, and thereby the fabrication cost of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a redundancy circuit to relieve a defect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor memory includes a redundancy circuit in order to improve the yield by relieving defects caused by a lattice defect in a substrate and foreign particles produced in a fabrication process. For example, a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory includes a redundancy word line or a redundancy bit line in addition to normal word lines or bit lines. When a defect in a memory cell is detected in a test process, defect information indicating the address of the defective memory cell is programmed into a fuse circuit or the like in order to replace the word line or the bit line connected to the defective memory cell with the redundancy word line or the redundancy bit line. Relieving the defective memory cell using the redundancy circuit improves the yield of the semiconductor memory. For example, the fuse circuit into which the defect information is programmed is formed outside a memory cell array (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 11-339488).
Also, a method of programming the defect information into a nonvolatile memory cell (defect-information memory cell) in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is disclosed. This kind of nonvolatile semiconductor memory is provided with a dedicated programming circuit to program the defect information into each defect-information memory cell and a dedicated sense amplifier to read the defect information from the defect-information memory cell (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-207894).
However, providing a dedicated control circuit for accessing the defect-information memory cell increases the chip size of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. Especially, in case that Contents Addressable Memory cell (CAM cell) is used as the defect-information memory cell, the chip size becomes larger. Moreover, in a normal read operation, it is desirable to determine whether or not to use the redundancy circuit as soon as possible in order to shorten the access time.


A frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar sensor may include a receive chain, where the receive chain includes a plurality of elements associated with processing a radar signal, where at least one element, of the plurality of elements, is configurable independent of at least one other element of the plurality of elements.

A radar-based sensor may use frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar to determine a distance, a velocity, and/or an angular position of a target. Such radar-based sensors may be configured to operate in a short range radar (SRR) mode (e.g., with a detection range from approximately 0.05 meters (m) to approximately 20 m), a medium range radar (MRR) mode (e.g., with a detection range from approximately 1 m to 60 m), a long range radar (LRR) mode (e.g., with a detection range from approximately 10 m to 200 m), or the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Receive chain configuration for concurrent multi-mode radar operation


The present invention is a magnetic head having a helical induction coil and includes hard disk drive devices that utilize the magnetic head. The helical coil is fabricated around a magnetic pole yoke in a series of process steps that include a reactive ion etch (RIE) process step which is utilized to simultaneously form vertical interconnect vias and upper helical coil member trenches. Thereafter, in a single fabrication step, such as by electroplating, the vertical interconnect lines and the upper helical coil traces are created in a single fabrication step, such that they are integrally formed. The vertical interconnect lines provide an electrical connection between outer ends of previously formed lower helical coil traces and outer ends of the integrally formed upper helical coil traces, such that a helical coil is fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the helical coil is composed of copper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to magnetic heads that are utilized with thin film hard disk data storage devices, and more particularly to the design and fabrication of helical induction coils that are utilized in the write head components of such magnetic heads.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ongoing efforts to develop magnetic heads having increased data writing rates are impacted by the design of the induction coils that are utilized to generate the magnetic flux of the write head. While the flat, spiral induction coils of prior art magnetic heads have been adequate, the overall length of the spiral induction coil element has a relatively high resistance and/or inductance which becomes problematic at high frequencies, as well as creating unwanted magnetic head heating due to the passage of current through the relatively high resistance coil element. Additionally, the footprint of the flat spiral coil is relatively large. This large footprint poses difficulties in placing elements close together to realize large scale integration.
To solve some of these problems, helical coils have been developed. Such coils are fabricated to wrap around the magnetic pole yoke. However, fine pitch helical coils are generally more difficult to fabricate than the prior art flat spiral coils. The present invention includes a magnetic head having a helical coil and a method for fabricating the helical coil that produces a finer pitch helical coil with fewer, simple fabrication steps than the prior art helical coils.

Magnetic head having write head with helical coil and method for fabrication thereof

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.


Multi-layered structures formed using atomic-layer deposition processes include multiple metal oxide layers wherein the metal oxide layers are formed without the presence of interlayer oxide layers and may include different metal oxide compositions.

As information processing apparatuses are developed, integrated circuit devices have been improved to operate with reduced response speeds. One method that may improve the response speed of an integrated circuit device is to increase the integration of cells on a single chip.
The need for increased speed and reduction in size has led to extensive research of capacitors. Generally, capacitors of an integrated circuit device include a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer formed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode formed on the dielectric layer. Deposition processes are usually performed to form capacitors.
FIGS. 1A–1B illustrate cross-sectional views of a capacitor formed according to deposition processes known in the art. In FIG. 1A, a bottom electrode 102 is formed on a substrate 100 having a contact region. In FIG. 1B illustrates a dielectric layer 106 formed on the bottom electrode 102. The dielectric layer is oxidized by the introduction of ozone. In addition to oxidizing the dielectric layer, the ozone forms an interface oxide film 104 between the bottom electrode 102 and the dielectric layer 106. The interface oxide film 104 can result because of the high oxidation power of the ozone. The presence of the interface oxide film can reduce the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer 106 and is therefore undesirable.
The formation of capacitors as illustrated in FIGS. 1A–1B is also generally carried out in multiple deposition apparatuses. For example, dielectric layers 106 having several layers or films may be formed. Each film or layer may be formed in a separate deposition apparatus depending upon the deposition conditions required. Thus, the processing times required to form the dielectric layers 106 are longer than if the process was carried out in a single deposition apparatus.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop methods for forming structures lacking an interface oxide film between an electrode and a dielectric layer. In addition, it is desirable to develop methods for forming such structures in a single deposition apparatus.

Methods of forming a multi-layered structure using an atomic layer deposition process and methods of forming a capacitor of an integrated circuit device


Emission imaging data are reconstructed to generate a low dose reconstructed image. Standardized uptake value (SUV) conversion (30) is applied to convert the low dose reconstructed image to a low dose SUV image. A neural network (46, 48) is applied to the low dose SUV image to generate an estimated full dose SUV image. Prior to applying the neural network the low dose reconstructed image or the low dose SUV image is filtered using a low pass filter (32). The neural network is trained on a set of training low dose SUV images and corresponding training full dose SUV images to transform the training low dose SUV images to match the corresponding training full dose SUV images, using a loss function having a mean square error loss component (34) and a loss component (36) that penalizes loss of image texture and/or a loss component (38) that promotes edge preservation.

PET imaging is used in oncology for tasks such as evaluating lesion malignancy and disease stage. In a typical workflow, a radiopharmaceutical is administered to the patient, e.g. as an intravenous injection. After a waiting period typically on the order of tens of minutes to an hour in some PET imaging workflows, the patient is loaded into the PET imaging scanner and PET imaging data are acquired. During the waiting period, the radiopharmaceutical is expected to have preferentially collected in tissue of interest, such as malignant lesions with high radiotracer uptake. Thus, the PET imaging data represent the distribution of radiopharmaceutical in the patient, and hence presents an image of the tissue or organs containing the radiopharmaceutical.
The use of radioactive tracers for lesion detection in PET is of concern due to the amount of radiation patients and technicians are exposed to during PET scans. Exposure to high levels of radiation can result in an increased risk of cancer developing. Thus there is a desire to reduce the dose of radioactive tracer with which the patients are injected to minimize radiation exposure. However, a lower dose of radiopharmaceutical translates to a lower total counts for a given PET imaging data acquisition time period; lower total counts in turn translates into higher relative noise in the reconstructed PET images, possibly along with loss of finer details. The overall lower quality of the resulting "low dose" PET image can lead to misdiagnoses, e.g. missing smaller lesions and/or misinterpreting the status of lesions which are detected. Efforts have been made to counter the image quality degradation of low dose PET by post-acquisition image processing techniques. For example, employing edge-preserving image regularization can reduce noise.
Efforts have also been made toward mitigating the impact of low dose by denoising via deep learning. The relationship between low-dose images and the full dose images is learned by the model. Some examples of this approach are described in: Xiang et al., "Deep auto-context convolutional neural networks for standard-dose PET image estimation from low-dose PET/MRI," Neurocomputing, vol. 267, no. 1, pp. 406-416, June, 2017; Yang et al., "CT Image Denoising with Perceptive Deep Neural Networks," in The 14th International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xian China, 2017, pp. 858-863; and Wolterink et al., "Generative Adversarial Networks for Noise Reduction in Low-Dose CT," IEEE Transactions of Medical Imaging, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging (Volume: 36, Issue: 12, December 2017).
The following discloses certain improvements.

Full dose PET image estimation from low-dose PET imaging using deep learning


An ablation probe tip 100 having a shaft 102 with an insertion end 104 and an annular aperture 120 near the insertion end 104. A center of ablation 124 is located within the shaft 102 and surrounded by the annular aperture shaft 102. The ablation probe tip 100 may be part of an ablation probe system 50 that includes an ablation source 60 that provides ablation means 62 to the ablation probe tip 100. The center of ablation 124 is a focal region from which the ablation means 62 radiates through the annular aperture 120 to form an ablation zone 150, 160, 170. The system 50 has at least one intra-operative control selected from the group of: ablation zone positioning control, ablation zone shaping control, ablation center control, ablation zone temperature control, guided ablation volume/diameter control, and power loading control.

The present disclosure describes apparatuses, methods/procedures, and systems that generally relate to the technical field of ablation probes, and specifically relate to the technical field of microwave and radiofrequency ablation probes that have shaped and/or sized target tissue ablation zones that enable guided soft tissue ablation procedures that are more precise and predictable than procedures that are not guided.
The term "ablation" in the medical industry generally describes the removal of problematic (e.g. damaged, diseased, or otherwise undesired) tissue (target tissue) by less invasive techniques that generally employ a probe that operates through the cooling or heating of target tissue, although mechanical, electrical, chemical, and laser ablation technology can also be used. Whereas "resection" involves partially or completely removing an organ by conventional surgical methods (i.e. use of a scalpel or saw to cut out tissue), medical ablation generally involves partially or completely removing or destroying a layer (or layers) of target tissue through a probe that employs thermal or non-thermal technology with the aim of restoring normal function that more selectively destroys the targeted tissue. The goal of ablation is to remove or destroy the target tissue (problematic tissue) with substantially less damage to surrounding tissue or structure compared to more invasive conventional surgical methods. Use of ablation technology can be used to treat a variety of medical conditions ranging from serious to cosmetic. Some of the more common types of ablation include surface ablation (used to remove a layer of target tissue to treat discoloration, improve skin texture, or removing superficial lesions, warts, or tumors), cardiac ablation (such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) that is used to destroy target tissue in the heart associated with irregular heartbeats), endometrial microwave ablation (used to destroy the lining of the uterus to reduce or stop abnormal bleeding of the uterus), bone marrow ablation (used to remove bone marrow in advance of a bone marrow transplant), and ablative brain surgery (used to treat certain neurological disorders) or microwave ablation (used to treat liver tumors without physically resecting the tumors).
Ablation may be performed using microwaves (e.g. microwave ablation (MWA) and microwave endometrial ablation (MEA)), radiofrequencies (e.g. radiofrequency ablation (RFA)), lasers (e.g. LASIK surgery), ultrasound (e.g. ultra-high intensity ultrasound), chemicals (e.g. chemoablation), low or cold temperatures (e.g. cryoablation), high or hot temperatures, electricity (e.g. fulguration, hot tip or cauterization, and others), and mechanical processes (e.g. rotablation). Microwave ablation is a form of thermal ablation that uses electromagnetic waves in the microwave energy spectrum (300 MHz to 300 GHz) to produce tissue-heating effects to generate tissue necrosis within solid tumors to treat cancer. Microwave endometrial ablation, for example, is one use of microwave ablation which uses microwaves at a fixed frequency to destroy the basal layer of the endometrium and the glands (sparing the remainder of the uterus) by heating them to over 60° C. Another well-established use of microwave ablation is liver tumor ablation, which is commonly performed at 500 MHz to 2.45 GHz. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a medical procedure in which part of the electrical conduction system of the heart, tumor, or other dysfunctional tissue is ablated using the heat generated from medium frequency alternating current (in the range of 300-500 kHz).
One use for ablation is tooth bud ablation. Third molar formation predictably causes lifelong issues including complications, pain, tooth decay, gum disease, and/or abscesses with a rate of nearly 99% over the life of patients. Unfortunately, surgical extraction of fully formed third molars has a host of risks and complications, such as painful post-extraction osteitis or "dry sockets," severe infections, temporary and permanent nerve damage, significant pain, temporary and permanent temporomandibular (TMJ) damage, and more. Historically, there have been suggestions and attempts to prevent the formation of third molars on a prophylactic basis before these problematic teeth completely form—such as those of Dr. Henry in 1969, Drs. Gordon & Laskin in 1978, and more recently by Dr. Silvestri in 2004—to eliminate the disease conditions they predictably cause while eliminating the surgical hazards. However, they have been manual systems that were difficult to implement, inconsistent, unpredictable, un-repeatable because they were manual and—as a result—have never been adopted by dental professionals.
Exemplary systems and methods of guided ablation for tooth bud ablation, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,402,693, 9,827,068, 9,855,112, 10,022,202, 10,265,140, 10,285,778, 10,298,255, 10,299,885, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2011/0200961, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2016/0324597, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2017/0360528, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2018/0091169, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2018/0153640, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2018/0318038, PCT Publication No. WO/2010/132368, PCT Publication No. WO/2014/143014, and related U.S. and foreign patent applications, all of which were invented by the inventor of the present invention and are owned by the applicant of the present application. The disclosures of these references, hereinafter referred to as the "Therapeutic Tooth Bud Ablation Properties" are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. The Therapeutic Tooth Bud Ablation Properties describe tooth bud ablation methods, systems, and procedures that result in tooth agenesis. These methods, systems, and procedures may include and/or use ablation probe tips and/or stents.
The NEUWAVE™ Microwave Ablation System is described as being able to ablate lesions with consistency and control to help protect non-target tissue. The NEUWAVE™ System includes features such as a computer controlled system for storing procedure data and ablation confirmation software to confirm technical success of procedures. It is described as having a burn pattern that controls the ablation distance past the probe tip by limiting the burn pattern past the tip. Even though NEUWAVE asserts that the PR probe "is the only probe available with a unique burn pattern that controls the ablation distance past the probe tip," the NEUWAVE PR microwave ablation probe has serious limitations. The ablation produced by the PR probe encompasses the tip in 10 seconds and then burns "proximally." This means that the burn pattern asymmetrically "creeps" or migrates (which will be referred to generically as "migrates" or variations thereof) up the ablation probe tip (generally away from the absolute tip and toward a handle) with a resulting burn pattern that is so oblong that it is "hot dog" shaped, thus making minimally invasive soft tissue ablation procedures impossible.
Ablation zone migration up the probe tip (generally away from the absolute tip and toward a handle) shaft is a known problem throughout the medical ablation community and numerous attempts have been made to control this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,508 to Yang et al. sets forth an antenna for microwave tumor ablation that has coaxial antenna conductors surrounded by an insulated sleeve of a length and size promoting destructive interference of axial microwave energy passing inside and outside of the sleeve to limit the tail (which, like "creep," will also be referred to generically as migration or variations thereof) of the burn pattern up the microwave ablation probe tip shaft. Yang's floating sleeve provides destructive wave interference or cancellation of the microwave signal radiating out of the antennas, yet this documentation shows that this technique still results in a zone of ablation that asymmetrically migrates up the probe length during soft tissue ablation with a pattern that is so oblong that it appears to be "hot dog" shaped, thus making minimally invasive soft tissue ablation procedures impossible.


An improved hot-fill type container that has particular utility for use with the nitrogen dosing hot-fill process includes a finish portion, a main body portion and a base portion having a pushup area and a chime that is situated about the pushup area for supporting the container when a horizontal surface. The container advantageously includes a reinforced heel portion in the area between the main body portion and the chime for protecting the container against deformation that could otherwise be caused by the positive pressurization of the nitrogen dosing process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of manufacturing plastic containers through the blow molding process. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved hot-fill type blow molded plastic container that exhibits improved resistance to deformation as a result of the considerable heat and pressure stress that is applied thereto during and after the nitrogen dosing type hot-fill process, and to processes and materials for manufacturing such a container.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Containers made of biaxially oriented or bioriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are in wide use throughout the world for packaging carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and other liquids. Biaxially oriented PET has good mechanical strength, a good appearance, and forms an effective barrier to the gases contained in the liquids and to the oxygen in the air, thus providing good protection against oxidation.
Perishable food and beverage products such as fruit juices are typically filled at elevated temperatures, such as 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, under variable pressure conditions into specially designed PET containers in what is conventionally referred to as the hot-fill process. Container designs that are intended for use with this process are referred to as hot fill type containers. After filling, the containers are sealed by the application of a closure, preventing mass transfer into and out of the container. As the product within the containers cools, the volume that is occupied by the product decreases, thereby inducing a partial vacuum within the container that exerts an inward force upon the sidewall of the container.
The design of hot fill type containers is heavily influenced by the necessity of managing this shrinkage during cooling. Typically, the shrinkage has most commonly been accommodated by molding one or more concave vacuum panel areas into the sidewall of the container that are designed to deflect inwardly as the product cools. By substantially limiting the deformation to the vacuum panel areas, unwanted distortion of other portions of the container is prevented. In the manufacture of such containers, it is often desirable to have relatively more plastic material flow during the molding process to those areas of the container sidewall that are designed to remain rigid, and relatively less to those areas that are designed to flex. An optimal distribution of the plastic material will ensure the desired strength and flexibility characteristics for the container while avoiding waste of material.
One type of hot-fill technology that is currently under development is known as the nitrogen dosing type hot-fill process. The nitrogen dosing type hot-fill process involves injecting a dose of liquid nitrogen into the container during the hot-fill process. The liquid nitrogen gasifies, pressuring the container after application of the closure to an initial elevated pressure, which is typically on the order of about 20-25 psi. As the container cools, this pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the container will reduce itself to a slight internal overpressure. The initial pressurization and subsequent pressure adjustment, in conjunction with the heat that is inherent to the hot-fill process, places a great deal of stress on the walls of the container. Since, unlike the conventional hot-fill process, the pressure is positive, the stress that is placed on the container is different than the stress that is normally applied during a hot-fill procedure in which no nitrogen dosing is used. Conventional container designs that have worked well with the conventional hot-fill process tend to unexpectedly deform and/or fail under the overpressurization that is inherent to the nitrogen dosing process.
Typically, a blow molded PET container includes a threaded finish portion, a neck portion, a main body portion, a base portion that is either a champagne-type base, a footed base or a modified champagne-type base that has some of the characteristics of a footed base, and what is known as a heel portion connecting the main body portion to the base portion. It has been determined by the inventor that the heat and stress applied to the sidewall of the container, and particularly to the heel portion, during the nitrogen dosing hot-fill process is instrumental in causing unwanted permanent deformation of the heel portion and sidewall of the container. In designing such containers, the diameter of the base portion is normally limited to that which is needed to provide a stable contact ring for supporting the container on a flat surface. By minimizing the size of the base portion, material is conserved. At the same time, the diameter of the main body portion needs to be maximized in order to provide the required total container volume. The greater the differential between the sidewall diameter of the main body portion and the outer diameter of the contact ring of the base portion, the steeper the inclination of the heel portion. The inventor has determined that the inclination of the heel portion, and particularly the lower end of the heel portion, is material to the amount of deformation that takes place as a result of the overpressured environment within the container as a result of the nitrogen dosing process.
In forming certain types of plastic containers from a preform, it is known to utilize a preform that has a thickened sidewall portion toward the closed end of the preform in order to provide additional material that is designed to flow into the container base, usually a footed base, during molding. However, this procedure is not known in the manufacture of hot-fill type containers or nitrogen dosing type hot fill containers, which are considered separate technical areas of container manufacturing because of the different design requirements and characteristics of such containers.
A need exists in this area of technology for an improved hot-fill type container that exhibits an improved resistance to deformation during the hot-fill process, and particularly during the nitrogen dosing hot-fill process, as well as for an improved process of manufacturing such a container.

Hot-fill type plastic container with reinforced heel


A method for testing the display of bi-directional language script prior to translation in an application under test can include using unidirectional glyphs with shaping indicators to simulate right-to-left characters. The using step can include reversing an ordering of a first set of unidirectional text characters in an input string and mapping the unidirectional text characters to right-to-left code points in a bi-directional language code page to produce a pseudo-translated string. Multiple unidirectional language glyphs can be loaded where each corresponds to a same one of the right-to-left character code points as had been used to produce the pseudo-translation. The pseudo-translation and the glyphs can be combined to simulate right-to-left character rendering in the application under test such the resultant output is visually similar to the input string. Finally, the glyphs can include character shaping indicia such that a resultant output allows for the detection of shaping errors.

Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the internationalization of computer software, and more particularly, to testing bi-directional character display in an application under test.
Description of the Related Art
Internationalizing computer software can be difficult and expensive. Yet, the internationalization of computer software can be critical to ensure the global success of computer software. In this regard, it has been estimated that worldwide business-to-business e-commerce will have grown to $30 billion by the early 21st century, while at the same time non-English speakers will constitute more than 50 percent of the world's online population. With more than half of the world's Internet users predicted to be non-native English speakers in the near future, going global is not merely a business advantage in the 21st century; it is a business imperative.
In the past, the process of accommodating a specific country's language, conventions, and culture was done on a more or less ad hoc basis—essentially retrofitting software to accommodate a particular locale. Merely separating the text in a user interface from one's program is not an acceptable solution, however. Even after translating software prompts, help messages, and other textual information to the target languages, one still has to address basic issues of displaying and printing characters in the target language. Challenges can arise, however, in handling languages which incorporate bi-directional script.
Bi-directional language scripts refer to text which is written from right to left, and left to right, and may also incorporate embedded numbers or segments of text in Western scripts. Bidirectional scripts generally can be found in languages spoken by more than half a billion people in the Middle East, Central and South Asia and in Africa. Prominent among these languages are Arabic, Persian (Farsi), Hebrew, and Yiddish to name a few. Notably, languages that utilize Arabic script also include special ligature, diacritic and shaping features which add a level of complexity in the display and printing of the languages that do not apply to other European and Asian languages.
Unlike many other unidirectional languages, bi-directional Arabic text is cursive and characters are generally connected one to another so that they appear hand written, even when printed. In this regard, shape refers to the way a character is positioned relative to preceding and following characters. For instance, in the Arabic language, depending upon syntax, scripts can contain from one to four shapes for each character or ligature. The possible shapes for the Arabic character can include (1) Isolated: the character is not linked to either the preceding or the following character; (2) Final: the character is linked to the preceding character but not to the following one; (3) Initial: the character is linked to the following character but not to the preceding one; and (4) Middle: the character is linked to both the preceding and following characters. In a text string, the shaping rules that govern a character, its neighbors, and its position within a word determine its presentation shape.
As more companies deploy software products worldwide, software testing must change to verify software products developed for deployment in non-English environments. In order to test the translatability of a product, use is sometimes made of pseudo translations as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,462 to Meade et al. Such pseudo translations however do not allow non-speakers of a bi-directional language to be able to test the special bi-directional script handling abilities of the product under test because the pseudo translation text is either static or not displayed in a true bidirectional environment which is needed to test the script handling.
A true test of bi-directional text handling requires actual bi-directional language data because bi-directional languages often include special forms of many characters as well as justification spacers known in the Arabic language as "kashidas". Existing techniques require non Arabic-literate testers to memorize the appearance of a standard bi-directional language text segment or compare actual text output with images of the identical text that is known to have been rendered correctly. The drawback of this approach is that it is very time consuming and the testers may not be able to detect text in the bi-directional language that is not quite correct and therefore not detect real defects. The standard text may not fit well into the user interface requiring additional standard test strings to be used. Accordingly, to detect errors in placement of a bi-directional script such as Arabic can require of the tester intense language skills not normally possessed by test staff. Of course, to do so can be expensive and restrictive as it often means that the most technically qualified staff may not possess the language proficiency necessary to properly test the application.

Pre-translation testing of bi-directional language display

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a fixture, such as a dental fixture, for insertion into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue, comprising a threaded leading portion and a threaded trailing portion located coronally of the leading portion. By a widened threading at the trailing portion, the bone tissue is subjected to a static strain beyond the yield strain of the bone tissue. The invention also relates to a fixture set and to a method of insertion of a fixture into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue.

A frequent way today to restore a damaged limb, such as lost tooth, is to install a fixture in the adjacent bone tissue and replace the damaged parts. In this respect, for a successful result, the fixture should become fully stable and correctly joined to the bone. The term osseointegration is used for this joining effect, the basic meaning of this term being the bone tissue growth into the fixture surface. The two major contributors to this joint are a mechanical joint and an organic joint. The former being generally influenced by the macro geometry of the bore into which the fixture is installed, and by the macro geometry of the fixture, and is a direct effect of how well these two work together. The latter one being a continuously evolving and developing effect, particularly the time immediately after installation, and being generally influenced by how well the micro surface structure of the fixture interacts with the bone tissue.
Due to ingrowth there will be an interlocking effect between the bone and the fixture. Also, the mechanical joint is developed over time since the bone tissue, under ideal conditions, may grow into surface cavities of the fixture, and grow into voids left between the fixture and the bore after installation.
During installation of a fixture into the bone tissue, the bone is subjected to both stress and strain. The relationship between stress and strain is substantially linear up to a yield point (yield strain). Up to the yield point the bone is deformed elastically. However, beyond the yield point the bone will deform plastically. In order to provide for good healing conditions and stability of the fixture in the bone, care is taken to maintain the elasticity of the bone tissue and to avoid exceeding the yield point.
There is a continuous endeavour in the industry to further increase the stability of fixtures implanted in bone tissue and to improve the basic conditions during the healing phase after fixture installation. One example is the provision of the fixture surface with different types of structures, such as micro-roughened or blasted structures for increasing the contact surface between the fixture and the bone.
Nevertheless, there is till room for further development of fixtures as regards their stability in bone tissue.


A method for determining information related to a lane change of a target vehicle includes obtaining information related to an environment of the target vehicle. The information related to the environment relates to a plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle. The plurality of features are partitioned into two or more groups of features. The method further determines two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features. An attention mechanism is used for determining the two or more weighting factors. The method further determines the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle based on the information related to the environment of the target vehicle using a machine-learning network. A weighting of the plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle within the machine-learning network is based on the two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features.

Embodiments relate to a method and an apparatus for determining information related to a lane change of a target vehicle, to a method and an apparatus for determining a vehicle comfort metric for a prediction of a driving maneuver of a target vehicle, and to a computer program, more specifically, but not exclusively, to predicting a lane change of a target vehicle using a machine-learning network with an attention mechanism.
Autonomous driving is a major focus in automotive research. In autonomous driving, making predictions on how other vehicles are going to behave is a key feature. Based on these predictions, an ego vehicle may determine how a traffic situation evolves around the ego vehicle, and the ego vehicle may be enabled to adjust its driving to the changing traffic situation. One important prediction is the prediction of lane changes of other vehicles. If a target vehicle in front of the ego vehicle changes its lane on a multi-lane road, e.g. from a ramp onto a highway or among lanes of a highway, there is a high likelihood that the ego vehicle has to adjust its velocity and heading as well, either as it is blocked by the lane-changing vehicle, or due to resulting lane changes of other vehicles.
There may be a demand to provide an improved concept for predicting a lane change of a target vehicle.
Such a demand may be satisfied by the subject matter of the claims.
At least some embodiments relate to a method for a vehicle. The method may be used to predict a lane change of a target vehicle using a machine-learning network. Within the machine-learning network, an attention mechanism, e.g. an attention layer, is used to selectively focus on input features of the network that are deemed of heightened importance. For example, if the target vehicle is close to a road ramp, a heightened focus may be set on mapping data input features to the machine-learning network; in dense traffic situations, the heightened focus may be on vehicles (directly) surrounding the target vehicle. Additionally, in at least some embodiments, the machine-learning network may be a recurrent machine-learning network, e.g. a recurrent neural network, so the lane change might not only be predicted based on the current input features of the machine-learning network, but also based on a previous state of the machine-learning network. To this effect, the machine-learning network may e.g. comprise Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) cells.
Embodiments provide a method for vehicle. The method is suitable for determining information related to a lane change of a target vehicle. The information related to the lane change of the target vehicle indicates, whether the target vehicle is expected to perform a lane change. The method comprises obtaining information related to an environment of the target vehicle. The information related to the environment relates to a plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle. The plurality of features are partitioned into two or more groups of features. The method further comprises determining two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features. An attention mechanism is used for determining the two or more weighting factors. The method further comprises determining the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle based on the information related to the environment of the target vehicle using a machine-learning network. A weighting of the plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle within the machine-learning network is based on the two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features.
Using a machine-learning network with an attention mechanism may enable both a better quality of the prediction of the lane change and a better interpretability of the prediction, as an evaluation of the prediction can show which of the input features have had an increased impact.
For example, the two or more groups of features comprise at least two elements of a group of features related to driving parameters of the target vehicle, a group of features related to one or more further vehicles in a vicinity of the target vehicle, and a group of features related to a static environment of the target vehicle. Grouping the input features into groups of features may enable separating the machine-learning network according to the grouping, e.g. using two or more LSTMs for the two or more groups of features.
In at least some embodiments, the information related to the environment of the target vehicle is based on processed sensor data of the vehicle and/or based on mapping data. For example, features of the group of features related to driving parameters of the target vehicle may be based on processed sensor data of the vehicle. Features of the group of features related to one or more further vehicles in a vicinity of the target vehicle may be based on processed sensor data of the vehicle. Features of the group of features related to a static environment of the target vehicle may be based on mapping data. Using input features of different sources, e.g. processed sensor data of the vehicle and mapping data, may improve a quality of the prediction, and may enable a selective focus among the input features.
In various embodiments, the machine-learning network comprises an attention layer. The attention layer may be used for determining the two or more weighting factors. The attention layer may be used to have a selective focus among input features or input feature groups of the machine-learning network.
For example, the attention layer may be configured to determine the two or more weighting factors based on features of the two or more groups of features. Additionally or alternatively, the attention layer may be configured to determine the two or more weighting factors based on current information related to the environment and based on a previous state of the attention layer. Using features that lie in different spaces and/or have different modalities may enable an improved selection of the focus. Furthermore, if the one or more weighting factors are determined based on current information related to the environment and based on a previous state of the attention layer, a continuous nature of the lane change prediction is considered within the determination of the one or more weighting factors.
In at least some embodiments, the method comprises repeating the determination of the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle. The two or more weighting factors may be re-determined for each repetition of the determination of the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle. This may enable an adjustment of the weighting situation to a current driving situation of the target vehicle.
In various embodiments, the machine-learning network is a recurrent machine-learning network. The machine-learning network may be configured to determine the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle based on current information related to the environment of the target vehicle and based on a previous state of the machine-learning network. This may take the continuous nature of the lane change prediction into account.
For example, the machine-learning network may comprise two or more long short term memory cells. The information related to the lane change of the target vehicle may be determined using the two or more long short term memory cells based on the current information related to the environment of the target vehicle and based on the previous state of the one or more long short term memory cells. This may take the continuous nature of the lane change prediction into account, as LSTMs are based on their current input features and their previous state. Additionally or alternatively, each of the two or more long short term memory cells may be associated with a group of features of the two or more groups of features. This may facilitate a weighting of the two or more groups of features within the machine-learning network by the attention mechanism.
In some embodiments, the method comprises conducting the vehicle based on the information related to the lane change of a target vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be conducted by accelerating or decelerating the vehicle and/or by steering the vehicle. This may enable reacting to the predicted lane change of the target vehicle.
For example, the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle may be determined to predict a lane change of the target vehicle. The predicted lane change may be used to alter the velocity or heading of the vehicle.
The method comprises determining the information related to a lane change of a target vehicle for a plurality of target vehicles located in a vicinity of the vehicle. This may enable predicting lane changes for the vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Embodiments further provide a method for determining a vehicle comfort metric for a prediction of a driving maneuver of a target vehicle. The method comprises obtaining information related to an extent of the driving maneuver of the target vehicle. The method further comprises obtaining information related to a prediction of the driving maneuver of the target vehicle. The method further comprises determining the vehicle comfort metric for the prediction of the driving maneuver based on a comparison of the information related to the extent of the driving maneuver and the information related to the prediction of the driving maneuver. The comfort metric is determined based on one or more elements of the group of a delay between a start of the driving maneuver and a first prediction of the driving maneuver, an overlap between the driving maneuver and the prediction of the driving maneuver, a number of discontinuous predictions of the driving maneuver, and a missed prediction of the driving maneuver. The vehicle comfort metric may be used to evaluate and improve prediction methods for predicting maneuvers of a target vehicle.
Embodiments further provide a computer program having a program code for performing at least one of the methods, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component.
Embodiments further provide an apparatus for a vehicle. The apparatus is suitable for determining information related to a lane change of a target vehicle. The information related to the lane change of the target vehicle indicates, whether the target vehicle is expected to perform a lane change. The apparatus comprises at least one interface for obtaining information related to an environment of the target vehicle. The information related to the environment relates to a plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle. The plurality of features are partitioned into two or more groups of features. The apparatus comprises a computation module configured to determine two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features. An attention mechanism is used for determining the two or more weighting factors. The computation module is configured to determine the information related to the lane change of the target vehicle based on the information related to the environment of the target vehicle using a machine-learning network. A weighting of the plurality of features of the environment of the target vehicle within the machine-learning network is based on the two or more weighting factors for the two or more groups of features.
Embodiments further provide an apparatus for determining a vehicle comfort metric for a prediction of a driving maneuver of a target vehicle. The apparatus comprises at least one interface for obtaining information related to an extent of the driving maneuver of the target vehicle and for obtaining information related to a prediction of the driving maneuver of the target vehicle. The apparatuses further comprises a computation module configured to determine the vehicle comfort metric for the prediction of the driving maneuver based on a comparison of the information related to the extent of the driving maneuver and the information related to the prediction of the driving maneuver. The comfort metric is determined based on one or more elements of the group of a delay between a start of the driving maneuver and a first prediction of the driving maneuver, an overlap between the driving maneuver and the prediction of the driving maneuver, a number of discontinuous predictions of the driving maneuver, and a missed prediction of the driving maneuver.
Some examples of apparatuses and/or methods will be described in the following by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

Method and apparatus for determining a vehicle comfort metric for a prediction of a driving maneuver of a target vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present technology relates to a reception apparatus, a transmission apparatus, and a data processing method capable of providing content according to preferences of an end user. The reception apparatus provides content according to the preferences of an end user by processing question information, which indicates a question about the preferences of the end user and is delivered together with content, on the basis of at least one of delivery information indicating that a service for providing dynamic metadata expressing the preferences of the end user is delivered or reference information indicating a reference destination of an application for generating first answer information indicating an answer set by the end user for the question about the preferences of the end user. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a television receiver.

In the digital broadcasting standards of each country, a moving picture experts group phase 2-transport stream (MPEG2-TS) method is adopted as a transmission method. In the future, however, it is expected that more advanced services will be provided by introducing an IP transmission method using Internet protocol (IP) packets used in the communication field for digital broadcasting.
For example, it has been determined to adopt the IP transmission method also in advanced television systems committee (ATSC) 3.0 that is one of the next generation terrestrial broadcasting standards (refer to Non-Patent Document 1).

Reception apparatus, transmission apparatus, and data processing method