Methods and systems for improving memory utilization and access speed of database indexes are disclosed. A representation of attributes of items listed on a network-based publication system is identified. The representation includes a plurality of lists of the attributes as a sequence of serialized attributes, each of which stores an attribute identifier (ID) and data corresponding to the attribute identifier. A compact or compressed structure is used to represent the attribute IDs. This representation allows a reader application to quickly determine whether an attribute ID is present in the lists or not. Directly-addressable variable-length codes (DACs) are used, in an unconventional manner, to represent the data. By representing the data in this way, the index takes up less memory for certain types of data and the reader application is able to gain faster access to the index.

A network-based publication system, such as eBay, Amazon.com, or Craigslist, may feature listings of items (e.g., goods or services). The listings may be posted by a member of the network-based publication system (e.g., a seller) and surfaced via one or more user interfaces to other members or users of the network-based publication system (e.g., potential buyers). It can be a technical challenge to generate a search index for a database of items listed on the network-based publication system that allows for low-latency searching of the items, such as for responding to search queries that specify one or more values of one or more attributes of the items.


A method and system for calibrating a plurality of measurement systems. The method includes obtaining a first plurality of calibration standards. The first plurality of calibration standards is associated with a plurality of predetermined values. Additionally, the method includes measuring the first plurality of calibration standards by a plurality of measurement systems to obtain a first plurality of measured values, processing information associated with the first plurality of measured values, and selecting a first measurement system from the plurality of measurement systems based on at least information associated with the first plurality of measured values. Moreover, the method includes calibrating the first measurement system with the first plurality of calibration standards, obtaining a second plurality of calibration standards, and measuring the second plurality of calibration standards by the first measurement system to obtain a second plurality of measured values.

The present invention is directed to integrated circuits and their processing for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for calibrating measurement tools for semiconductor device manufacturing. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to establishing traceability of calibration standards. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
Integrated circuits or "ICs" have evolved from a handful of interconnected devices fabricated on a single chip of silicon to millions of devices. Current ICs provide performance and complexity far beyond what was originally imagined. In order to achieve improvements in complexity and circuit density (i.e., the number of devices capable of being packed onto a given chip area), the size of the smallest device feature, also known as the device "geometry", has become smaller with each generation of ICs. Semiconductor devices are now being fabricated with features less than a quarter of a micron across.
Increasing circuit density has not only improved the complexity and performance of ICs but has also provided lower cost parts to the consumer. An IC fabrication facility can cost hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars. Each fabrication facility will have a certain throughput of wafers, and each wafer will have a certain number of ICs on it. Therefore, by making the individual devices of an IC smaller, more devices may be fabricated on each wafer, thus increasing the output of the fabrication facility. Making devices smaller is very challenging, as each process used in IC fabrication has a limit. An example of such a limit is calibrating measurement tools for semiconductor device manufacturing.
Fabrication of custom integrated circuits using chip foundry services has evolved over the years. Fabless chip companies often design the custom integrated circuits. Such custom integrated circuits usually require a set of custom masks commonly called "reticles" to be manufactured. A chip foundry company called Semiconductor International Manufacturing Company (SMIC) of Shanghai, China is an example of a chip company that performs foundry services. Although fabless chip companies and foundry services have increased through the years, many limitations still exist. For example, in semiconductor industry, the calibration of measurement tools is very important. The measurement tools often need to be calibrated daily against high precision standards to make the tools work accurately and smoothly. For calibration standards, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) often requires these standards being traceable to a worldwide acceptable origin. For example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States is a worldwide acceptable origin.
According to certain conventional calibration techniques, a semiconductor company purchases a set of wafers that are used as calibration standards and traceable to a worldwide acceptable origin such as NIST. These wafers often are called golden wafers, and they are for example VLSI wafers. The golden wafers usually are very expensive, and the calibration processes often are consumable. In order to lower calibration costs, the semiconductor company often does not use the golden wafers for daily calibrations. Moreover, to simulate actual working conditions, the semiconductor company may select a set of frequently desired values, and calibrate the measurement tools at these special levels. But it is often difficult to obtain golden wafers with all these special levels at reasonable costs.
From the above, it is seen that an improved technique for calibrating measurement tools is desired.

Method and system for calibrating measurement tools for semiconductor device manufacturing

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation


Design techniques and their circuit designs for versatile and scalable video coding are proposed, in which the inner product operation in the transform coding expression is taken apart into a series of add and shift operations, and the expression is partitioned into several sub-expressions. Taking each order of the add-and-shift series as a clock period, several adders/subtractors and a shift accumulator are used to carry out corresponding additions/subtractions and shift operations to finish the inner product operations. The calculating result is accumulated until all the orders are finished. The final accumulated value is the output of the transform coding. Data throughput rate can thus be enhanced to save the power consumption of the circuit system. Moreover, a dynamic guarded computation method and a switching power suppression technique are provided to further lower the power consumption.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video coding circuit system and its algorithm and, more particularly, to versatile and scalable video coding techniques and their circuit system.
2. Description of Related Art
Common multimedia video CODECs including video compression standards such as JPEG, MPEG, and H.264 have similar coding procedures. After the image slicing and the color mode transform and sampling, the original space domain data is transformed to the frequency domain data through transform coding. After that, the quantization and the VLC coding are performed before storage. In order to achieve realtime video coding requirements, transform coding is one of the key modules in multimedia CODECs. Consequently, how to design a high performance, low power and low cost transform coding hardware implementation is always an important research topic in this domain.
Transform coding includes the discrete cosine transform (DCT) adopted by the JPEG/MPEG system, the integer transform and the Hadamard transform adopted by H.264 system. The conventional transform coding circuit design is described below. Exemplified with the DCT that has the most complicated computation and is most widespread, a 2D N×N DCT expression is shown as follows:
                              X                                (                          u              ,              v                        )                          =                              2            N                                          C                                      (              u              )                                                      C                                      (              v              )                                                                    ∑                              i                =                0                                            N                -                1                                                                                ∑                                  j                  =                  0                                                  N                  -                  1                                                                                x                                                        (                                          i                      ,                      j                                        )                                                                                cos                                                        (                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            i                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        u                                                                                π                                                                    2                                                N                                                              )                                                                                cos                                                        (                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            j                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        v                                                                                π                                                                    2                                                N                                                              )                                                                                (        1        )            where x(i, j) is the input data, X(u, v) is the output result, C(m) is 1/√{square root over (2)} when m=0, and is 1 elsewhere. From Eq. (1), we know that the computational complexity of the 2D N×N DCT is N4 multiplication/addition operations. For an embedded system of a portable electronic product, this computational complexity greatly exceeds its capability. In order to solve this problem, hardware accelerators based on fast algorithms are usually adopted. For instance, in "A Simple Processor Core Design for DCT/ICT" disclosed in IEEE Trans. CSVT., vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 439-447, April 2000, the technique of adder-based distributed arithmetic is used to take apart the inner product operation in the DCT into continuous bit-level add and shift operations. Because the operations of those bits of value "0" can be omitted, the speed of the DCT can be enhanced. The principle can be seen in Eq. (2):
                    Yn        =                                            ∑                              i                =                0                                            N                -                1                                                                                C                i                            ·                              X                i                                              =                                                    ∑                                  i                  =                  0                                                  N                  -                  1                                                                                (                                                            ∑                                              k                        =                        0                                                                    Wc                        -                        1                                                                                C                                                  i                          ,                          k                                                                    ·                                              2                                                  -                          k                                                                                )                                ·                                  X                  i                                                      =                                          ∑                                  k                  =                  0                                                  Wc                  -                  1                                                                                (                                                            ∑                                              i                        =                        0                                                                    N                        -                        1                                                                                C                                                  i                          ,                          k                                                                    ·                                              X                        i                                                                              )                                ·                                  2                                      -                    k                                                                                (        2        )            where N is the order of the inner product operation, Xi is the input data, Ci is the constant coefficient, Wc is the word length of Ci, Ci,k is the k-th bit value of Ci which is either "0" or "1", and Yn is the output result. With Eq. (2) expressed by the canonical signed digit (CSD) representation, a 1D 8-point DCT can be represented by the table shown in FIG. 1. In the table, common terms shown with gray shade are calculated out beforehand (non-common terms are shown with slash lines), and are stored in registers for subsequent use. FIG. 2 shows the circuits that realizes the add and shift operations. Input data and common terms are stored in a register 10, the output of an adder/subtractor 20 is the primary output of the circuit system. That is, the value of a first register 14 right-shifted by a shifter 18 adds/subtracts the value of a second register 16. The input sources of the registers 14 and 16 can be selected between the adder/subtractor 20 or the register 10 by a multiplexer 12.
Although the conventional video coding method and circuit system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can achieve low cost and high hardware utility efficiency, it has a big drawback in power consumption. Because it requires a large amount of access of the register 10 to finish all the operations in FIG. 1, the data throughput rate is too low which induces that higher operation frequencies are required to meet the realtime requirements. Higher execution frequencies will lead to linear growth of the power consumption, hence being not able to meet the design specification of low power consumption. If one wants to use several circuit systems for parallel processing to enhance the data throughput rate, the bandwidth requirement of memory and the amount of internal registers will increase therewith, making the realization of the whole circuit system more difficult.
The present invention aims to provide high efficiency, low cost and low power video coding methods and their circuit designs to solve the above problems in the prior art.


In order to improve a multiple-spindle turning machine comprising a machine frame, a spindle drum arranged to rotate relative to the machine frame around a drum axis having a number of work piece spindles movable in the direction of rotation, said work piece spindles being respectively provided with a work piece receiving means for a work piece, and a number of stations, comprising at least one machining station, arranged consecutively on the machine frame in the direction of rotation of the work pieces corresponding to the number of work piece spindles, in such a way that the number of tools which may be used can be increased at low expense, it is proposed that for machining the work pieces, the at least one machining station has a first and a second spindle position, which are arranged at an angular distance from one another relative to the drum axis; that the spindle drum is rotatable in such a manner that a work piece spindle with a work piece may be positioned in each of the spindle positions; and that each spindle position is provided with its own machining tool.

The invention relates to a multiple-spindle turning machine or lathe comprising a machine frame, a spindle drum arranged to rotate relative to the machine frame around a drum axis having a number of work piece spindles, which are arranged at defined angular distances relative to the drum axis and, during a rotation of the spindle drum, movable in a direction of rotation relative to the machine frame, said work piece spindles being respectively provided with a work piece receiving means for a work piece, and a number of stations, comprising at least one machining station, arranged consecutively on the machine frame in the direction of rotation of the work pieces corresponding to the number of work piece spindles.
Such multiple-spindle turning machines are known from the prior art. In the case of these multiple-spindle turning machines, a single spindle position is provided in each station, in which machining or handling of the work piece occurs. The disadvantage of such multiple-spindle turning machines is that the number of tools which may be used in a machining station is either restricted or requires a high expenditure in mechanical or control means.


The invention is an improvement to LCD game playing devices whereby a colored reflective surface is added that is larger than the LCD viewing area which allows the LCD to move over the background with intelligence. Thus, the LCD""s normally static colored background will change. This change can be used to have a scrolling landscape or to move to new background graphics that reflect new game playing themes. The reflective surface as a whole remains static but as viewed through the moving LCD it will appear to be scrolling or changing. The LCD will light up to reveal different images most likely relative to the current background. The reflective surface can be printed in a circular path, a linear path, a two-dimensional surface, intersecting linear paths or a perimeter shape. The computer chip housed within the game playing device will know where the LCD is relative to the background. This knowledge and the physical movement of the LCD is used to enhance game play.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of toys and games; specifically to liquid crystal display (LCD) game playing devices either as stand alone games or as a component or components in a game. The invention consists of an improvement to LCD game playing devices whereby a colored reflective surface is installed below the LCD apparatus which is larger than the LCD viewing area and which allows the LCD to move over a background with intelligence. The invention allows the LCD""s normally static colored background to change. This change can be manifested in the form of but is not limited to a scrolling landscape or a set of graphics which would introduce a new theme to the game playing device. The reflective surface itself is static but as viewed through the LCD by a player during game play, the reflective surface will be scrolling or changing. The LCD will highlight and reveal different images or graphics on the background. The reflective surface can be printed so that the viewing area will follow a circular path, a linear path, intersecting linear paths, a two-dimensional surface or the perimeter of the housing. A micro controller within the game playing device (or similar state machine) will have knowledge of where the LCD is at any given time during play in reference to the printed background or game playing device housing. This knowledge is used to effect game play and product performance. The product will react in accordance to the current background via the LCD and/or audio feedback, to enhance game play. The method by which the LCD is moved over the printed surface can take many forms including but not limited to a framed housing containing the LCD which slides over the game surface along a predetermined path. The game playing device""s housing will have an electronic circuit board and the LCD, which is semi-transparent in nature. The electronics will include a micro controller or simple state machine to monitor, switch and/or sensor inputs and control the LCD and audio transducer. The sensor inputs will provide the micro controller with the ability to keep track of the position of the LCD with respect to the reflector at any given time during game play. The sensor can consist of but is not limited to the following: an infrared emitter/detector pair or an electromechanical switch.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Currently in the field of art, there are LCD game playing devices which have static backgrounds, where the LCD cannot be moved during game play. There may be LCD games where the background graphics can change in a linear fashion by scrolling the background material itself much like a camera moves film behind a shutter. But to date, there are no electronic LCD games which allow for a simple method of changing the background image behind the LCD by allowing the LCD, itself to be moved over the reflective background surface. Typically, in the current art the only color on the display of inexpensive LCD products is introduced through the use of a colored LCD reflector (the colored image is printed on a reflective insert). The images on the actual LCD (typically one colorxe2x80x94black) can change as the product is handled, but the image printed on the reflector cannot change. There are many electronic hand held LCD games with colored reflectors. In some LCD games a colored background is placed behind the LCD to add color. The LCD is black and white, actually transparent. In these products the black and white image can change via the LCD but the colored image cannot change. There are LCD game systems which incorporate colored LCDs. These games allow for colored movement on the screen through the LCD itself. Notwithstanding the above, the current electronic hand held LCD games with colored reflectors have static backgrounds. The background image does not change in the current art. Also, current LCD game systems that have colored LCDs are too expensive for the stand-alone hand held LCD game market. Currently colored LCD games are based on cartridge systems which are higher priced. Colored LCDs do not provide the same resolution as can be obtained in the printed reflector artwork taught by this disclosure. The LCD products that have a mechanism for scrolling the background image behind a non-moving LCD are either (1) too expensive for the hand held LCD market (if it uses a motor to control the scrolling), or (2) too difficult to maneuver (if it does not incorporate a motor but is instead hand-cranked). None of the past solutions allow for the physical sliding or movement of the LCD over a game playing surface. The physical movement enhances game play by making the movement of the LCD part of the skill needed to play the game.
During game play, the frame or housing of the game playing device is moved over a colored background or play surface. The LCD is transparent and has graphic segments (small individual pieces of artwork) that turn on or off under computer control. When the segments are on, they. are black; when they are off, they are transparent. If the framed LCD is allowed to move over a colored background, the colored image changes with respect to the LCD. The colors on the background will not change but the colored image behind the LCD will change or animate as viewed through the LCD. The computer will keep track of the frame""s position so that it will know the current status of the colored background. The game through the LCD display or audio will react to the current background. This means that if the LCD is moved from one section of the play surface to another, the game play can change to reflect a new theme which might be presented by the background graphics or to react differently to new obstacles which might be illustrated on the background graphics. This enhances game play by either forcing a player to move the LCD to accomplish goals or by introducing new themes to the game player.
In the preferred embodiment there will only be one LCD apparatus. Its size will be dependent upon the application but may be for example 1.25 inches by 1.25 inches. The LCD must be smaller than the colored background surface because it will be slid over that surface. It will always be the same display physically but the display is active, i.e., segments are turned on and off by the computer; so the images on the LCD will constantly change. Also, there may be images on the LCD that only appear when the LCD is moved to certain parts of the playing surface. The novelty of the invention is that the background changes as the LCD is physically slid over the surface of the game playing device. Another novel feature is that the computer chip will know where the LCD is relative to the background so that the game can react to the background changes. Both of these features enhance game play and enhance game playing theme possibilities.


A method and apparatus are disclosed which use a photoluminescent light intensity signature to characterize a processed photovoltaic substrate.

Photoluminescence (PL) is a process in which a substance absorbs photons and then re-radiates photons. Photoluminescent measurement is a contactless and non-destructive method of probing an electronic structure of materials.
Photoluminescence may be used to determine the quality of semiconductor material deposition on a substrate. For example, in thin-film photovoltaic device fabrication, semiconductor window and absorber layer materials are deposited over a substrate. Following deposition the substrate can then be irradiated by shining light into the substrate and measuring the photoluminescent spectrum which can indicate the quality of the semiconductor material depositions. After semiconductor deposition, photovoltaic devices are further fabricated in subsequent multiple steps. A measurement method and apparatus are needed which can detect deviations from desired processing conditions during such further fabrication of a photovoltaic device.

Method and apparatus providing inline photoluminescence analysis of a photovoltaic device


A blade for a gas turbine engine includes a shank interconnecting a root and a platform, and an airfoil extending radially from the shank. The shank includes a pocket with the platform overhanging the pocket. A rail extends axially along a lateral edge of the platform and extends radially inward from the platform in a direction opposite the airfoil. A gusset extends from an underside of the platform facing the pocket and in a circumferential direction between the rail and the shank.

This disclosure relates to an airfoil having a shank-supported platform, for example, for an industrial gas turbine engine.
Industrial gas turbine blades include a shank that is provided between the blade root and a platform that supports the blade airfoil. One type of turbine blade includes lateral pockets provided in the shank radially beneath the platform. A rail has been used to stiffen the platform to avoid platform cracking due to thermal mechanical fatigue. The rail extends in an axial direction and radially inward from the platform in a direction opposite the airfoil.
A typical turbine blade does not include such rails. Instead, one type of military turbine blade incorporates a gusset that extends from the underside of the platform perpendicularly from the pocket toward a lateral edge of the platform. The gusset has a uniform thickness and is recessed a significant amount from the lateral edge.

Turbine airfoil platform rail with gusset


A method for use in laparascopic surgery comprises the steps of (a) piercing an abdominal skin surface of a patient to form a hole in the skin surface, (b) inserting through the hole a tensile member, (c) lifting the abdominal wall of the patient away from a backside of the patient by exerting tension on the tensile member, and (d) drawing air into the abdominal cavity of the patient during the step of lifting.

This invention relates to a surgical instrument assembly and apparatus. This invention also relates to an associated surgical method. More particularly, this invention relates to a method, apparatus and instrument for use in laparoscopic surgery.
In conventional laparascopic techniques, a small hollow needle with a safety tip is first inserted through the abdominal wall of a patient. A gas, usually carbon dioxide, is then injected through the needle to pressurize the abdominal cavity and distend the abdominal wall. Surgical instruments are typically introduced into the inflated abdominal cavity through additional apertures formed in the abdominal wall.
Problems with this conventional pneumoperitoneum method include the need for special pumps, pressure gauges and needles and the possiblity of gas seeping into the blood. In addition, the insufflation gas periodically seeps out of the abdominal cavity, whereupon the abdominal wall falls and interrupts the surgery.

Method for lifting abdominal wall during laparoscopic surgery


Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes providing an object to be processed including a multilayer film formed by alternately laminating a first film and a second film having different dielectric coefficients within a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus; and repeatedly performing a sequence including: supplying a first gas including O2 gas or N2 gas, and a rare gas into the processing container and exciting the first gas, supplying a second gas including a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas into the processing container and exciting the second gas, and supplying a third gas including HBr gas, a fluorine-containing gas, and a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas into the processing container and exciting the third gas, so that the multilayer film is etched through a mask.

As a kind of semiconductor devices, a three-dimensional NAND-type flash memory device has been known. In manufacturing the three-dimensional NAND-type flash memory device, etching is performed on a multilayer film configured by alternately providing two layers having different dielectric constants to form a deep hole in the multilayer film. Such etching is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0059450.
Specifically, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0059450 discloses that an object to be processed ("workpiece") having a mask made of amorphous silicon on a multilayer film is exposed to plasma of a processing gas including CH2F2 gas, N2 gas, and NF3 gas, thereby etching the multilayer film.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


Techniques for management of data storage in distributed storage systems are provided. A method may include receiving, by a computer system, a request to write data to a volume. The method may include identifying, by the computer system, a zone segment mapped to the volume. The zone segment may include a plurality of zones. The method may include identifying, by the computer system, a segment pointer indicating a write location in a zone of the zone segment. The method may include writing, by the computer system, the data to one or more zones of the plurality of zones of the zone segment, starting at the write location. The method may also include updating, by the computer system, the segment pointer according to a data endpoint of the data in the zone segment.

Cloud-based platforms provide scalable and flexible computing resources for users' data. Such cloud-based platforms, also referred to as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), may offer entire suites of cloud solutions around a customer's data, for example, solutions for authoring transformations, loading data, and presenting the data.
Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) increases storage capacity on hard disk drives by partially overlapping, or shingling, recording tracks. The overlapped tracks may be grouped into zones. By shingling tracks in such a way that a read path is preserved, the tracks may still be read even though they have been partially overwritten. In contrast, as a result of the shingling, while read operations may be still be performed randomly within the zones, write operations will need to be applied sequentially to an entire zone, rather than to a range within the zone.


A reversible thermosensitive recording material has a support and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer formed thereon, capable of reversibly assuming at least two different visible states depending upon the temperature thereof, containing an organic low-molecular weight material and a resin composition in which the organic low-molecular weight material is dispersed, the resin composition including a matrix resin, and a dispersion resin which has a glass transition temperature higher than that of the matrix resin, and having resin aggregates which are separately dispersed in the matrix resin in such a manner that the resin aggregates are associated with the matrix resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reversible thermosensitive recording material, and more particularly to a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of writing (or displaying) information in a reversible thermosensitive recording layer of the recording material and erasing the same information therefrom utilizing the property that the transparency or color tone of the recording layer is reversibly changeable depending upon the temperature thereof.
2. Discussion of the Background
The conventional reversible thermosensitive recording materials have the drawback that a reversible thermosensitive recording layer is easily damaged by the application of heat and pressure thereto when the writing and erasing operations are repeatedly carried out using a thermal head.
To eliminate the above-mentioned drawback, it is proposed that a thermosetting resin (in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-132681); and an electron irradiation curing resin or ultraviolet curing resin (in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-172072) are employed for the formation of a reversible thermosensitive recording layer.
However, when the thermosetting resin is used for the formation of the recording layer, the setting of the recording layer proceeds with time, thereby changing the reversibility of the recording layer.
In addition, when the resin for use in the recording layer is subjected to electron irradiation curing, the curing reaction involves deoxidation. As a result, the color change takes place in the recording layer, and a support under the recording layer is readily corroded when a metal-deposited support is employed.
Furthermore, in the case where the recording layer is formed by curing the ultraviolet curing resin, the image contrast becomes poor after the repeated writing and erasing operations. The reason for such insufficient image contrast is that particles of an organic low-molecular weight material become large, so that refraction happens at the interfaces between the large particles of the organic low-molecular weight material and a binder agent in the recording layer, and therefore, the recording layer tends to be opaque as a whole.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 5-193258, there is disclosed a reversible thermosensitive recording material comprising a support, and an anchor layer and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer which are successively overlaid on the support. According to this application, spacer particles in the form of sphere, branch, and needle are dispersed in the recording layer or the anchor layer in order to prevent the decrease of the milky whiteness degree of the recording layer and improve the durability of the recording layer. Although the durability of the recording layer is considerably improved in fact, the image contrast is still insufficient for practical use.

Reversible thermosensitive recording material


A method of adjusting modulation accuracy corrects an I modulation signal and a Q modulation signal without using special hardware when an accurate 90.degree. phase difference between the I modulation signal and the Q modulation signal is not present. The method comprises setting I component correction .DELTA.i for a plurality of phase differences in advance to an I component corrector in accordance with an I signal, which is converted from digital modulation data in a digital data train by a modulator and an IQ converter of a phase error corrector. The method also comprises setting a Q component correction .DELTA.q for a plurality of phase differences in advance to a Q component corrector in accordance with a Q signal, controlling the I component corrector and the Q component corrector by a phase error correction controller, thereby adding the I component correction .DELTA.i and the Q component correction .DELTA.q to the I signal and the Q signal so as to generate a corrected I signal and a corrected Q signal. Thus the phase difference between an I modulation signal and a Q modulation signal is accurately adjusted to 90.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of adjusting a modulation accuracy whereby, in a digital modulator used in a mobile communication such as the PDC, PHC (personal handy phone system), and the like, the modulation accuracy deteriorated from a phase error of a local signal applied to an orthogonal modulator being a component of the digital modulator is corrected without using a special hardware, and an apparatus of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a construction of a conventional digital modulator. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, the modulator employs the orthogonal modulation circuit to meet the digital mobile communication system using a modulation system such as the .pi./4 shift QPSK (quadriphase shift keying), GMS (Gaussian filtered minimum shift keying), or 16 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation).
The digital modulator in FIG. 4 will now be described.
A modulation data 1A in a digital data train is a data to conform the signal format standardized by the communication system for the PDC, PHS, and the like, which is a digital data train expressed by the logic "1" and "0".
The modulation data 1A is converted into an I signal 1B and Q signal 1C through an IQ converter 12. The conversion rule to convert the modulation data 1A into the I signal 1B and Q signal 1C is determined in accordance with the modulation system such as the .pi./4 shift QPSK.
A modulating local signal 1D being a non-modulated sinewave, on the other hand, is multiplied by the foregoing I signal 1B in a multiplier 16 to produce an I modulation signal 1E, and is at the same time supplied to a phase converter 18 to produce a phase conversion signal 1G with a phase shifted by 90.degree.. The phase conversion signal 1G is multiplied by the foregoing Q signal 1C in a multiplier 17 to produce a Q modulation signal 1F.
An adder 19 adds the I modulation signal 1E and the Q modulation signal 1F to produce a modulation signal 1H as an output from a modulator 20.
The multiplier 16, multiplier 17, phase converter 18, and adder 19 constitutes an orthogonal modulator 11.
And, for the modulating local signal 1D, a sinewave signal in a medium frequency range from 100 MHz to 200 MHz is generally used, and the modulation signal 1H is also a modulated signal in the same frequency range.
Incidentally, the phase conversion signal 1G is required to have the accurate 90.degree. phase shift to the modulating local signal 1D. However in reality, due to dispersion of the circuit elements and wiling length of the phase converter 18, the accurate 90.degree. phase difference is not necessarily secured and errors are included therein. And, if there is an error from 90.degree. in the phase difference between the phase conversion signal 1G and the modulating local signal 1D, the error will deteriorate the modulation accuracy of the modulation signal 1H.
Next, the modulation accuracy will be described with reference to FIG. 5. For example, the .pi./4 shift QPSK modulation system determines four values ("00", "01", "11", "10") in accordance with phase shifts and transmits data. The modulation accuracy is expressed by the effective value of an error between vectors at a signal point. In FIG. 5, a vector error .DELTA.q between an ideal vector A and an actual vector B represents the modulation accuracy.
As described above, the phase conversion signal 1G in FIG. 4 does not necessarily hold the accurate 90.degree. phase difference to the modulating local signal 1D due to dispersion of the circuit elements and wiling length.
Next, the influence on the modulation accuracy when the 90.degree. phase difference is not obtained between the phase conversion signal 1G and the modulating local signal 1D will be described. When the accurate 90.degree. phase difference is not obtained between the I modulation signal 1E and the Q modulation signal 1F, the Q axis is shifted to a Q1 axis and a component D on the Q axis is given by a component D1 on the Q1 axis as shown in FIG. 6.
Here, an error between an ideal vector A produced by the vector sum of the component D on the Q axis and a component E on the I axis and a vector C produced by the vector sum of the component D1 on the Q1 axis and the component E on the I axis will give a degradation on the modulation accuracy.
Consequently, in the orthogonal modulator for the digital signal, it is necessary to set the phase difference between the I modulation signal and the Q modulation signal accurately to 90.degree.. In the conventional exercise, this phase difference is adjusted by means of a variable resistor or variable capacitor, which requires extra circuits and extra adjustment time.

Method and apparatus for adjusting modulation accuracy of an orthogonal modulation


A magnetic recording medium comprises a nonmagnetic support having provided thereon a plurality of magnetic layers containing a first magnetic layer as a top layer and a second magnetic layer adjacent to the first magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer contains acicular magnetic powder and has a thickness of not more than 1.0 .mu.m; and the second magnetic layer contains sexangular plate-like magnetic powder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic recording medium and more particularly a magnetic recording medium having excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics, improved durability, and reduced dropouts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various magnetic recording media have been proposed for the purpose of increasing-recording density and improving high frequency characteristics.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 4-113510 discloses a magnetic recording medium having a double magnetic layer formed by double coating in order to record low frequency signals and high frequency signals simultaneously. The upper magnetic layer of this magnetic recording medium has a coercive force of 1200 to 2000 Oe, and the lower magnetic layer comprises a Co-containing ferromagnetic oxide. The coercive force of the lower layer is not more than 80% of that of the upper layer. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2-110824 describes a magnetic recording medium having a double-coated magnetic layer, in which the squareness ratio of the lower layer is smaller than that of the upper layer by at least 0.02. Additionally, a magnetic recording medium having a double-coated magnetic layer in which the upper layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 1.0 .mu.m while the lower layer has a thickness of 2.5 to 3.5 .mu.m (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 62-231426) and a magnetic recording medium having a double-coated magnetic layer in which the upper layer to lower layer thickness ratio is 0.4 to 1.0, which were proposed for the same purpose as described above, are also known.
In order to obtain a high output in an attempt to realize a further increased recording density, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 6-4854 proposes a magnetic recording medium having a double-coated layer in which the lower layer comprises a nonmagnetic substance and the upper layer comprises a magnetic substance and has a thickness of not more than 1.0 .mu.m. However, such a magnetic recording medium cannot assure sufficient output characteristics in recording long wavelengths of 2 .mu.m or longer because the thickness of the upper layer is too small. It follows that the magnetic recording medium fails to obtain well-balanced output characteristics over a low-to-high frequency region.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 62-236132 discloses a magnetic recording medium having a double-coated magnetic layer in which an upper layer comprises vertically oriented barium ferrite and a lower layer comprises an acicular ferromagnetic metal oxide or ferromagnetic metal alloy. Because both the upper and lower layers comprise magnetic powder, the magnetic layers, as a whole, have a considerable thickness. As a result, appreciable influences of self-demagnetization are exerted, making it difficult to obtain a high output in the high frequency region as compared with the above-described thin film type magnetic recording media having a magnetic/nonmagnetic layer structure as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 6-4854.


A system includes a processor configured to receive a vehicle identifier identifying a vehicle from a first digital entity. The processor is also configured to digitally obtain a payment account associated with the identifier, responsive to receiving the identifier. The processor is further configured to validate payment rights through input from a second entity, confirming the right to use the account to pay for charging the vehicle and responsive to successful validation, charge the payment account for vehicle charging, following vehicle charging completion.

Public charging stations for plug-in electrified vehicles can vary significantly in their operation, user interface, and payment method. Charging stations may have different manufacturers, and may be operated by different charge providers, each with a unique procedure for plugging in the charge cord, establishing payment, initiating the charge, and informing the user of the charge progress.
In order to initiate a charge at a paid public charge station, some form of identification and payment are typically required. Usually, the payment and initiation are done in one of four ways: tapping an RFID card that is linked to a credit card, activating the charge through a phone application (after selecting the appropriate charger on the app), inserting a credit card directly, or calling a phone number listed on the charger. These methods vary from charger to charger and often require the user to carry several different RFID cards and/or apps on their phone. All of this variability creates complexity and confusion for customers, who are accustomed to the highly standardized and convenient re-fueling process that exists at gas/diesel stations.

Method and apparatus for fuel payment processing


A vehicle interior component configured to be actuated by an inertia force is disclosed. The component may comprise a cover moveable relative to a base between closed and open positions and a latch mechanism to provide a latched state for the cover when actuated by the inertia force and to hold the cover in an unlatched state. The latch mechanism may be configured to change state of the cover from the unlatched state to the latched state when actuated by the inertia force. The cover may comprise the latch mechanism. The latch mechanism may extend from the cover in the latched state. The latch mechanism may form a generally continuous surface with a wall of the cover when unlatched. The latch mechanism may comprise a spring to hold the cover in the unlatched state. The component may comprise at least one of a console; center console; floor console; an armrest.

It is known to provide a vehicle interior component comprising a base with a bin and a cover movable relative to the base to facilitate access to the bin. It is also known to provide a vehicle interior component configured to lock or latch in response to an inertia force such as applied in an impact event.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved vehicle interior component configured for improved functionality and operation comprising features (and combinations of features) as shown and described in the present application including a blocking mechanism for the cover, including but not limited to an improved latch mechanism configured to be actuated by an inertia force.

Shanghai Yanfeng Jinqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd.


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, system and apparatus handling a request for a media-over-packet communication session. The method comprises receiving a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address. Responsive to determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to the network address, the method further comprises determining an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to the network address, the second communication client different from the first communication client; and routing the request to the second communication client using the identifier.

A typical telephony subscriber installs a plurality of telephones in his or her household. For example, s/he may install telephones in various rooms of the household to enable easy reach of the telephone in the case s/he or other dwellers need to answer an incoming call or need to make an outgoing call irrespective of their location within the household. At the same time, these telephones are all associated with a single telephone number and a single telephone line that the subscriber subscribes to and pays for. In this scenario, if one user in the particular household is engaged in an active telephony session using one of the plurality of telephones installed in the household and, if a second incoming call is placed to the household telephone number, in the absence of any special telephony features provisioned in association with the household telephone number, the second incoming call can not be completed and the initiator of the second incoming call will likely get a busy signal or will be connected to a voice mail system.
One existing solution for managing the second incoming call is a feature commonly referred to as "call waiting". Generally speaking, call waiting works in the following manner. If a calling party places a call to a called party which is otherwise engaged, and the called party has the call waiting feature enabled, the called party is able to suspend the current telephone call and switch to the new incoming call, and can then decide which of the two calls to continue with. The main drawback of the call waiting feature is that it only announces the second incoming call to the user who is currently engaged on the active telephony session and it is up to that user to determine how to dispose of the active communication session and the second incoming call.
There is a need in the art for a more flexible method for handling an incoming call, the incoming call destined for a particular telephone number, when an active communication session with the particular telephone number is in progress.

Method, system and apparatus for handling a request for a media-over-packet communication session


A system for detecting defects in paint coatings includes a temperature manipulation apparatus configured to change the temperature of a surface and a coating applied to the surface. The system may further include an infrared sensor for measuring the change in temperature (over time) of the surface and coating and a processor to compare the measured change in temperature of the surface and coating to an expected change of temperature (over time) in order to determine anomalies in the coatings. A self-referencing method of determining defects is also disclosed, wherein surrounding pixels are utilized as a reference in the detection process for calculating the change in temperature of each pixel. In addition, application of the inventive aspects to inspection of adhesion interfaces is also disclosed.

One of the most important methods in high quality automobile and other vehicle or machine production involves the inspection of the exterior appearance (i.e. the quality of the paint finish on a part). Usually, an automobile shell, for example, receives at least four coatings including a protective coat, an adhesion aid coat, a paint coat and a clear coat. Defects occurring in the coating method of a properly prepared surface that may diminish the perceived quality of the exterior paint include, but are not limited to, dust, hair, metallic particles, over spray, incomplete spray, stripping and flake penetration. Inspection for such defects will ensure the exterior quality of the product from the customer's point of view.
Previously, evaluation of the quality of the paint finish was often based on human inspection, which can be a tedious and subjective method and one that requires meaningful skill and training. Other inspection procedures have been based on the use of charge-coupled device (CCD) optical sensors that sense imperfections through light reflected off of the finished surface. However, this technique is not particularly effective for complex, curved and/or hidden geometries (i.e. automobile bodies) because of its sensitivity and dependence on reflection and scattering angles.
In addition, it has been generally known to use infrared cameras to inspect certain products (i.e. semiconductor chips) for surface anomalies or defects. However, such inspection techniques are based solely on the spatial analysis of pixel values with that of known (standard) values without any account for the temporal behavior of the pixel values (e.g., change of temperature over time).
In addition, while other techniques have been utilized to measure the change of temperature over time, such techniques do not compare measured change of temperature of pixels of the same data file to that of surrounding pixels, and therefore fail to efficiently and effectively detect subsurface anomalies. Moreover, many inspection procedures require the need for a known non-defective area within a thermal profile for thermal deviation determinations, and others require continuous acquisition of a sequence of data files. Such procedures can also require operator intervention, significant time requirements, and/or computational complexities not suited for realtime applications.
As such, there is a desire for improved systems and methods capable of inspecting not only surface, but subsurface anomalies in multi-layered paint coatings, and in other related surfaces.

Systems and methods for inspecting coatings, surfaces and interfaces

Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A reclosable pouring element for liquids contained in packagings, in particular liquid food, including a base body, which has a pouring opening, an external thread and a flange for connection to the packaging, a cutting ring, which has a cutting edge and a projection, and a screw lid, which has an internal thread and an actuator, the pouring opening being closed by a barrier film. To achieve improved protection of the barrier film against damage while still having a reliable opening function of the pouring element, it is proposed that the base body has a support wall, on which the barrier film rests.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a reclosable pouring element for liquids contained in packagings, in particular liquid food, with a base body, which has a pouring opening, an external thread and a flange for connection to the packaging, a cutting ring, which has at least one cutting edge and a projection, and a screw lid, which has an internal thread and at least one actuator, the pouring opening being closed by a barrier film.
2. Description of Prior Art
Reclosable pouring elements for food contained in packagings are known from practice in diverse configurations. A typical structure provides three elements: a base body, which is applied to the packaging; a cutting ring, which cuts open the packaging the first time it is opened; and a screw lid, which is used to open and close the packaging.
The base body regularly has a pouring opening. This pouring opening is frequently sealed from the inside of the packaging with a gas-tight and water-tight film, in order to completely seal the packaging and protect the content of the packaging from environmental influences.
The at least one actuator may, in this case, in turn be provided with a thread.
A reclosable pouring element, in which the pouring opening is closed with a barrier film is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,161 B1.
A generic pouring element is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,015 and is described therein FIGS. 9 to 13 as the third embodiment and is known from WO-A1-2007/085106. The pouring element consists of a base body with a peripheral flange, which is connected to the inside of the packaging, a screw lid and a cutting element. The screw lid has an internal thread, which cooperates with an external thread provided on the base body. In addition, the screw lid has an external thread located on the inside, which cooperates with an internal thread provided on the cutting element. The base body has a cylindrical pouring opening, which is sealed by a barrier film in its lower region. When the screw lid is opened for the first time, the barrier film is to be cut open by the cutting element.
The pouring element shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,015 has the drawback that the sensitive barrier film is arranged substantially unprotected and can therefore be easily damaged. On the one hand, the content of the packaging can be pressed from the inside against the barrier film during transportation, so the barrier film could be pushed in or detached. On the other hand, the barrier film could be pressed in the direction of the pouring opening and thus be inadvertently damaged by the cutting element arranged closely above the barrier film.
US-A1-2007/095834 also discloses a reclosable pouring element, in which the screw lid and the part to be removed are not joined together mechanically. In its interior, this pouring element also has a wall as a removable portion. However, this wall which is already known per se is not used to support the barrier film located below, but to attach the opening element configured as a ring pull.

Reclosable pouring element with barrier film and a support wall


The sealing apparatus comprises (a) a heat seal jaw, (b) a heat seal bar having two heaters arranged in parallel, being provided in a front edge of said heat seal jaw and having a working surface, (c) a counter jaw disposed oppositely to the heat seal jaw, (d) a counter rail provided to said counter jaw and having the working surface, (e) a drive means for advancing/retracting the heat seal jaw and counter jaw relatively, (f) a heating means for actuating the heaters while clamping a packaging material by the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working of the counter rail and, (g) a cutter section comprising of a cutter disposed at the position between the two heaters and a resilient counter cutter, and is characterized in that the counter cutter is held by a holding section provided on the working surface of the heat seal bar or the counter rail and projecting from the holding working surface.

In conventional manufacture of packaging container filling liquid food such as milk, soft drinks and like, web-like packaging materials comprising flexible laminate material are in-fed to a filling machine. In the filling machine, the packaging material is sealed along the longitudinal direction, and is formed as tube like shape. While the tube-shaped packaging material is transported downward continually, liquid food is filled up upward. The tube-shaped packaging material is transferred to a seal apparatus, and is transversal-sealed in predefined interval While being clamped by the seal units from both sides, in the seal apparatus. By cutting the transversal-sealed portion, then a plurality of preliminary containers filled up predefined amount of liquid food are formed, and the preliminary container is formed into a final packaging container. The seal units face each other and have a counter jaw and a heat seal jaw disposed with freely forward/backward moving. The counter rail and the heat seal bar are disposed to the counter jaw and the heat seal jaw, respectively.
FIG. 3 is a sketch drawing of a seal apparatus for transverse sealing the packaging material filled up with contents liquid.
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a cutter counter section according a conventional seal unit.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing flap holdings of the container filled up with contents liquid.
In the views, the reference numeral 28 indicates the counter rail, the reference numeral 29 indicate the heat seal bar.
The web-shaped packaging materials 10 in two sheets are clamped between a working surface of the counter rail 28 and a working surface of the heat seal bar 29.
In the working face facing against the counter rail 28 in the heat seal bar 29, the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32, having the predefined intervals up and down, facing the packaging material 10 and having convex projection 77 are disposed.
In this case, the packaging material 10 is clamped with the counter rail 28 and the heat seal bar 29 and is sealed transversally with pushing and heating by advancing forward the packaging material 10 each other.
The packaging material 10 has a laminate structure comprising of a polyethylene layer, an aluminum foil layer, an adhesive layer, a paper substrate and a polyethylene layer in order to outside from inside of the formed packaging container.
Therefore, the packaging materials 10 in two sheets are clamped with the counter rail 28 and the heat seal bar 29, and is heated by impressing seal voltage to the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32 with convex projections 77.
The innermost polyethylene layer in the first portion 10a and the innermost polyethylene layer in the second portion 10b of the packaging material 10 are pushed and melted each other mainly in an area corresponding to the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32.
Impressing of the seal voltage to the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32 is stopped and the corresponding portion of the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32 are cooled.
A seal portion S comprising of the first, the second transverse sealing portion S1, S2 are formed in the portion corresponding to the first, the second induction heaters 31, 32 in the first portion 10a and the second portion 10b.
Subsequently, the seal section S is cut with a cutter section 50, and a container is formed.
In the cutter section, a groove 55 is formed on the working surface of the heat seal bar 29 in order to prevent any deterioration of the cutter 51 when the cutter 51 built-in to the counter rail 28 cuts the packaging material 10 (10a and 10b).
In the conventional seal apparatus, the groove 55 is formed on the working surface of the heat seal bar 29 and/or the heat sea jaw so as not to damage the point of the cutter 51 when the cutter in the counter section cuts the packaging material 10 (10a and 10b). Therefore, however, when the packaging materials 10 are pushed by the working surface of the counter rail 28 and the working of the heat seal bar 29 for the transverse sealing, because of no back pressure of the portion of the packaging material 10 corresponding to the groove 55, the contents liquid remains as stagnant liquid 59 between the packaging materials 10a and 10b corresponding to cutter recess portion 55.
Therefore, the liquid of the stagnant liquid might unsanitarily decompose before consumer's use because the stagnant liquid 59 remains at the section S of the packaging material separated individually.
Moreover, when flap 71 adheres to the container wall in the formation of the container as shown in FIG. 6, an adhesiveness of the flap decrease in case the liquid of the stagnant liquid pollutes the adhesive area.

Abstract: The seal apparatus can improve hygiene and the flap formation of the packaging container.


A method for sorting geographic location points, a method for training a sorting model and corresponding apparatuses are disclosed, which relates to the technical field of big data. A specific implementation solution is: receiving a query request for geographic location points of a vertical class from a user; inputting candidate geographic location point data of the vertical class into a preference model of the user, to obtain a preference score of the user for each candidate geographic location point; inputting the preference score of the user for each candidate geographic location point into a sorting model as one of sorting features of each candidate geographic location point, to obtain a sorting score of each candidate geographic location point; and determining, according to the sorting score of each candidate geographic location point, a query result returned to the user. The present disclosure can integrate preference factors of a user into sorting when the user queries geographic location points of a vertical class, so that query results can meet the user's personalized needs.

Users often have such requirements in the process of using map applications: when they want to find some hotels without a clear focus, they may input POI (Point Of Interest)-type keywords such as "hotel", "inn" and "guesthouse" into the search box; or click a "Hotel" button in a "Find Around" interface to query all hotel-type POIs nearby. The map applications may sort candidate hotel POIs and recommend the hotel POIs to the users based on sorting results.
However, in the existing technology, the candidate hotel POIs are often sorted based on hotel features such as geographic location, hotel evaluation, star rating, price and popularity. For all users, the sorting results obtained based on the same geographic location are the same, which cannot meet the users' personalized needs.

Method for sorting geographic location point, method for training sorting model and corresponding apparatuses

BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.


An exhaust gas purifying filter having a high strength and an excellent efficiency of exhaust gas purification and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. An exhaust gas purifying filter 1 comprises a ceramic honeycomb structure 2 having a surrounding wall 21, partition walls 22 provided in a honeycomb pattern within the surrounding wall 21, and a plurality of cells 23 partitioned by the partition walls 22 and penetrating through end faces 241, 242. If a virtual line 3 is drawn on the end faces 241, 242 of the structure 2 by continuously connecting points at a distance of 1.0 to 3.0 times the cell pitch in the direction toward the center from an inner surface 211 of the surrounding wall 21, not less than 90% of a peripheral area 25 outside the virtual line 3 is blocked with plug material 4.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust gas purifying filter for purifying an exhaust gas, by collecting particulates from the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an exhaust gas purifying filter having a ceramic honeycomb structure acts as an exhaust gas purifying filter, for purifying an exhaust gas, by collecting particulates from the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine.
The ceramic honeycomb structure comprises a surrounding wall, partition walls provided in a honeycomb pattern within the surrounding wall, and a plurality of cells partitioned by the partition walls and, at the same time, penetrating through from one end face of the ceramic honeycomb structure to the other.
In order to improve the efficiency of purification of the exhaust gas purifying filter, it is desired to make the partition walls thinner and to increase the porosity in the surrounding wall and the partition walls. However, if the partition wall is made thinner and the porosity is increased, the mechanical strength of the ceramic honeycomb structure is reduced. Therefore, a problem arises that the end portions of the ceramic honeycomb structure become more likely to fracture when catalysts are provided, when the structure is attached to an internal combustion engine, or the like.
In order to solve this problem, a ceramic honeycomb structure, whose cells in the vicinity of the peripheral portion are filled with plug material, has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent References 1 and 2).
[Patent Reference 1]
Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 63-12658
[Patent Reference 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-246341
However, no definition is given as to the range of the peripheral area to be filled with the plug material in the conventional ceramic honeycomb structure. If the range of the peripheral area to be filled with the plug material is too large, a problem arises that the exhaust gas filtration area decreases and, at the same time, the pressure loss increases. On the other hand, if the peripheral area to be filled with the plug material is too small, it is not possible to secure a sufficient strength of the ceramic honeycomb structure.
Therefore, it is difficult to obtain an exhaust gas purifying filter having a high strength and an excellent efficiency of purification only by filling the vicinity of the peripheral portion with plug material.

Exhaust gas purifying filter with reinforced peripheral area and method for manufacturing the same


A rigging apparatus is provided for an outboard motor in which an attachment member is shaped to be rigidly attached to a housing structure, or cowl, of an outboard motor, without the need for additional hardware such as clamps, brackets, or screws. The attachment member is shaped to receive a threaded sleeve in threaded association therewith so that hoses, wires, and cables can be protected within the threaded sleeve. An attachment member of the rigging apparatus is made to be asymmetrical to avoid improper assembly into an opening of the housing structure of an outboard motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a rigging apparatus for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a device that is partially insertable into an opening in a housing structure of the outboard motor to control the position of several types of conduits, cables, and electrical connecting wires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those skilled in the art of outboard motors are familiar with many different techniques and devices used to assist in rigging the outboard motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,847, which issued to Curtis et al. on Nov. 13, 1990, discloses a through-cowl strain relief assembly for an outboard motor. It is intended to relieve strain on wires, cables, lines or the like which extend between the cowl assembly of an outboard motor and the boat with which the outboard motor is used. The strain relief assembly is preferably disposed within an opening formed in one of the cowl sections and comprises a two-piece member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,021, which issued to Watanabe on Jun. 10, 1997, describes a control for an outboard motor. Embodiments of restraining grommets for use with protective cowling of marine outboard drives are described. The restraining grommet is formed with at least two openings made up of multi-part sections and at least one of which is slitted so as to permit ease of insertion and removal of the flexible element without kinking of them.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,322, which issued to Takahashi on Feb. 6, 2001, describes an operation cable mounting structure for an outboard motor. The outboard motor is provided with an engine covered by an engine cover composed of a plurality of cover elements and formed with a port member having a cable insertion port through which operation cables are guided inside an outboard motor and an operation cable mounting structure is formed to the outboard motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,940, which issued to Dunham et al. on Jul. 10, 2001, describes an outboard motor with centralized rigging. The outboard motor includes a propulsion unit having a powerhead which includes an internal combustion engine, a lower unit including a drive shaft housing fixed to the engine and a propeller shaft joined by the lower unit driven by the engine and having thereon a propeller. A cowling extends over the engine downwardly to the drive shaft housing defining an enclosed space containing the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,724, which issued to Nozawa et al. on Apr. 2, 2002, describes a grommet assembly for an outboard motor. The assembly includes a grommet having a step, a flexible sleeve having a step and a connector configured to engage the step on the grommet and the step on the flexible sleeve. Preferably, the connector is in the form of an annular connector formed of two semicircular members connected to one another.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.


An optical navigation device includes a light source, an image sensor, a navigation unit and a lift detection unit. The light source is configured to illuminate a work surface. The image sensor receives reflected light from the work surface to output an image frame. The navigation unit is configured to filter the image frame and output a filtered image frame. The lift detection unit is configured to calculate a maximum difference of intensities between two adjacent pixels in the image frame, calculate a pixel number of pixels of interest in the filtered image frame, and identify a lift event by comparing the maximum difference with a difference threshold and/or comparing the pixel number with an operating threshold.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally relates to an input device and, more particularly, to an optical navigation device and a lift detection method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image user interface, generally at least one input device is used to interact with a host, such as a personal computer. For example, it is able to use an optical mouse to move a cursor to a specific position and perform the icon selection so as to activate a specific application. According to the user habit, the optical mouse may be lifted off a work surface in order to change the position thereof on the work surface, but the cursor position is not desired to be moved during the optical mouse leaving the work surface. Therefore, it is necessary to stop the displacement detection once the optical mouse is lifted off the work surface.
The lift detection method of the conventional optical mouse is generally to dispose a sensing device, such as an impedance sensor, a capacitance sensor or a pressure sensor on a bottom surface thereof so as to detect the parameter variation before and after a lift motion. However, the additional sensing device can increase both the device cost and the power consumption.
Accordingly, the present disclosure further provides an optical navigation device and a lift detection method thereof that do not need the additional sensing device so as to reduce the cost. In addition, as the lift detection method of the present disclosure is implemented by algorithm, it may cooperate with conventional detection methods thereby improving the practicality.

Optical navigation device and lift detection method thereof


Flicker which occurs when a television camera images an object under illumination of a flickering light source such as fluorescent lamp is minimized without causing sensitivity of a photoelectric conversion element and hence the camera to be degraded under a non-flickering light source. The television camera includes an automatic iris control device, an automatic gain control circuit, a microcomputer, a photoelectric conversion element and an integration circuit for integrating output signal of the photoelectric conversion element for each field period. The microcomputer sets a signal storage time of the photoelectric conversion element to a value by which flicker noise can be restricted when flicker is detected on the basis of a change of an output signal of the integration circuit and sets it to another value when a change of light source is detected on the basis of a change of iris value and gain.

The present invention relates to a television camera including an optical system, a photoelectric conversion element and an automatic iris control portion and, particularly, to a television camera capable of restricting flicker noise generated under a flickering light source such as fluorescent lamp and of obtaining an optimum imaging conditions even under illumination of light source other than fluorescent lamp.
In a case where an object illuminated with, for example, a fluorescent lamp is to be imaged by means of a television camera, it has been known that flicker noise is generated due to beat of field frequency of the television camera and frequency-dependent variation of amount of fluorescent light. In NTSC system, for example, the field period is 1/60 sec and flashing period of fluorescent lamp in an area in which commercial power source frequency is, for example, 50 Hz, is typically 1/100 sec. Therefore, when, in such area, an object under illumination of fluorescent lamp is imaged by a television camera, flicker noise having a period of 1/20 sec which is the least common multiple of the both numerical values, that is, having frequency of 20 Hz, is generated. The reason for generation of such flicker noise is discussed in, for example, Japanese Kokai (P) 1-204578 in which a method of reducing the effect of this flicker noise has been proposed. According to this method, flicker noise can be restricted by detecting a flickering period of a fluorescent light source by a flickering period detection circuit of a television camera and controlling a signal storage time of a photoelectric conversion element of the camera on the basis of the detected signal such that the signal storage time becomes an integer multiple of flickering period of the florescent light source.
In this conventional technique, however, there is no consideration made with respect to variation of illumination condition during imaging operation, and therefore, there is undesired sensitivity degradation of the photoelectric conversion element occurred when a light source is switched from a flickering light source such as fluorescent lamp to a non-flickering light source such as incandiscent lamp, or vice versa, during imaging operation. For example, in order to restrict flicker noise when an imaging is being performed with a television camera of NTSC system under illumination of fluorescent lamp in an area in which the flickering period of fluorescent lamp is 1/100 sec, it is necessary to regulate the signal storage time of photoelectric conversion element to 1/100 sec in which case the sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion element is lowered by about 4 dB compared with the imaging with image storage time of the photoelectric conversion element being 1/60 sec for normal non-flickering illumination.
In order to improve an image quality during imaging under fluorescent lamp illumination, it is better to restrict flicker noise while allowing degradation of sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion element. However, when the fluorescent lamp is switched to nonflickering lamp such as incandiscent lamp during imaging, the sensitivity may be degraded by about 4 dB since signal storage time of 1/100 sec is kept as it is.


A method for directly transferring data between devices includes, with a first computing system that is able to wirelessly associate with a computer network, establishing a direct data-link layer connection to a second computing system that is acting as a data sink, and with the first computing system transmitting data to the second computing system over the connection without transferring the data over the network.

As the use of wireless communication technology becomes more ubiquitous, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) are becoming more common. A WLAN includes a number of devices that are connected to each other over a wireless network. A common setup is to have a number of client devices establish a connection to a wireless access point. As these client devices connect to a particular wireless access point, they are associating with a particular network. A device that is associated with a particular network is able to communicate with other devices on that network within the constraints of any security policies which may be in place. However, if a device associated with a particular network desires to communicate with a device outside that network, the communication data will have to be processed by a router.
Oftentimes, a user of a particular computing device will be connected to a particular network and wish to use the services of a device connected to a different network. For example, a user may wish to send a document to a particular printer. However, it may be the case that that printer is associated with a different network than the one with which the user's device is associated. In this case, the user will have to disconnect his or her device from its current network and then associate that device with the same network with which the printer is associated. Alternatively, a network administrator may have set up the network so that certain communications between networks are allowed. However, such a setup consumes network resources.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Directly transferring data between devices

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Systems, methods, software and techniques for generating a milling path for a tool of a surgical system are provided. The milling path is designed to remove a resection volume associated with an anatomical volume. A reference guide is defined with respect to the resection volume. Sections are defined along the reference guide in succession. Each section intersects the reference guide at a different intersection point and is at a specified orientation relative to the reference guide at the intersection point. Each section further intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated to be bounded within each section and defined relative to the resection volume. A plurality of transition segments are generated and each transition segment connects section paths of successive sections along the reference guide.

Robotic systems are commonly used to perform surgical procedures and typically include a robot comprising a robotic arm and an end effector coupled to an end of the robotic arm. Often, the end effector comprises a shaft with a milling burr coupled to the distal end of the shaft.
In a manual mode of operation, the robotic system senses forces/torques manually applied to the end effector by the user. The robotic system commands positioning of end effector to emulate motion expected from application of the sensed forces/torques. In fully autonomous or semi-autonomous modes, the robotic system commands the robot arm to move the end effector along a computer-defined milling path at least partially unassisted by the user. In either mode, a supplemental tracking system, such as optical localization, may be utilized to track positioning of the robot and the surgical site.
Conventionally, the milling path is utilized to remove a resection volume of the anatomy to accommodate insertion of a surgical implant. Although prior techniques adequately remove the anatomy of the resection volume, there are several technical problems associated with the milling planning and execution.
For instance, prior techniques often generate milling paths where the overall path length and milling time are increased. In turn, prior techniques exhibit reduced efficiency and suboptimal run-time behavior.
Moreover, conventional milling paths are not constrained to the hard tissue (e.g., bone). For the legacy method, the path is computed prior to knowing the desired implant placement in relation to the bone, i.e., the path is implant specific and does not take into account the hard tissue boundaries in relation to the implant. Implant specific paths hence need to be designed for the allowable worst case placement (i.e., that of greatest potential bone removal), thus resulting in additional path length not needed for the typical case. Hence, prior approaches, i.e., "implant specific, worst case" milling paths, remove more material than is needed for implant insertion. For example, prior milling paths perform "air-cutting" whereby the end effector is activated, but not engaging the bone. Milling in this fashion causes potential removal of surrounding tissue beyond the intended resection volume. For these reasons, prior techniques are not entirely "patient specific". Such issues are particularly evident in situations where the implant is an onlay/overhang type whereby the implant is located on top of the bone (not placed into depressions of the bone) and partially hangs over the edge of the bone. In such situations, adjacent soft tissue surrounds the overhang region making milling particularly challenging. For example, when intending to machine in a region of restricted access, such as machining posterior femur knee anatomy with the tibia bone nearby, worst-case paths may remove more of the femur bone than necessary. This air-cuffing increases the possibility of the end effector shaft colliding with the nearby tibia bone.
Prior techniques also are limited to pre-operative generation of the milling path, thereby providing little flexibility to make intra-operative modifications to the resection volume and corresponding milling path. Thus, the surgeon would not be able to make intra-operative positioning adjustments to the location of the implant because conventional techniques are not equipped to adjust the resection volume and the milling path on-the-fly. Also undesirable is a situation wherein the path is designed for worst-case implant placement. In this case, the user can adjust the implant, but the path length is sub-optimal since it has been designed for the worst-case bone removal situation. The predefined worst-case path must be used since conventional techniques are not equipped to generate an adjusted milling path on-the-fly.
Furthermore, prior techniques utilize rudimentary linear segments for leading into the main milling path and leading out of the main milling path. Such entry and exit segments can cause unwanted plunge cuts into the anatomy because they abruptly enter the bone with excessive cut depth, rather than smoothly transitioning into the cut.
As such, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for addressing at least the aforementioned problems.

Techniques for patient-specific milling path generation


A method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure includes detecting each angular velocity of rotation of four tires, judging as to whether the tire air pressure is decreased or not based on the detected angular velocity of rotation, and issuing an alarm. The method includes a judgement step for low velocity in which, when the angular velocity of rotation is detected, judgment is made as to whether the tire air pressure is decreased or not; and a judgement step for high velocity in which, when the angular velocity of rotation is detected, judgment is made as to whether the tire air pressure is decreased or not only when the vehicle velocity is higher than a predetermined threshold value and the vehicle is in driven condition.

The present invention relates to a method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure and an apparatus used therefor. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure regardless of whether a vehicle is running at a low velocity or at a high velocity and an apparatus used therefor.
In recent years, as one of the safety devices for the 4-wheel vehicles such as passenger cars and trucks, there have been proposed devices for detecting decrease of tire air pressure, some of which have already been in practical application.
The devices for detecting decrease of tire air pressure are those developed under recognition of the importance thereof mainly for the following reasons. Namely, when the air pressure decreases, the temperature of the tire increases due to increase of deflection. When the temperature increases, the strength of polymer materials used for the tire decreases, leading to bursting of the tire. Normally, it frequently occurs for the driver not becoming aware of the loss of air in the tire by about 0.5 atm. For this reason, an apparatus capable of detecting such loss of air pressure has been desired.
The method of detecting decrease of air pressure in the above-mentioned tire air pressure detecting device includes, for example, one based on the difference of the angular velocity of rotation F1, F2, F3 and F4 (hereinafter, when generally called, referred to angular velocity of rotation Fi) of four tires W1, W2, W3 and W4 provided on the vehicle (tires W1 and W2 correspond to the front left and right tires, and tires W3 and W4 correspond to the rear left and right tires, respectively; hereinafter, when generally called, referred to tire Wi).
According to the method, for example, based on signals outputted from the wheel velocity sensor fitted to the tire Wi, the angular velocity of rotation Fi of the tire Wi is detected on each predetermined sampling period. Here, the detected angular velocity of rotation Fi is all the same, provided that the effective rolling radii of tire Wi (amount obtained by dividing the distance of vehicle advance by 2.pi. when the tire rotates by one turn during free rotation of tire) are all the same, and the vehicle runs linearly.
On the other hand, the effective rolling radii of tire Wi often vary due to the variation of air pressure of the tire Wi. Namely, when the air pressure of the tire Wi decreases, the effective rolling radius becomes smaller than in the case of normal inner pressure. Accordingly, the angular velocity of rotation Fi of the tire Wi in which its air pressure is lowered becomes faster than in the case of normal inner pressure. Therefore, the decrease of air pressure of the tire Wi can be detected by the difference of each angular velocity of rotation Fi.
The judgement equation for detecting decrease of air pressure of the tire Wi by the difference of angular velocity of rotation Fi is, for example, one as shown in the following equation (1) (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 305011/1988 and No. 212609/1992). EQU (F.sub.1 +F.sub.4 -F.sub.2 -F.sub.3)/{(F.sub.1 +F.sub.2 +F.sub.4)/2}(1)
Assuming that the effective rolling radii of the above tires Wi are all the same, the angular velocity of rotation Fi becomes all the same (F.sub.1 =F.sub.2 =F.sub.3 =F.sub.4), so that the judgement value D is 0. Therefore, when the threshold value D.sub.TH1 and D.sub.TH2 are set and the following equation (2) is satisfied, it is judged that there is a tire Wi in which the air pressure is lowered, and when the equation (2) is not satisfied, it is judged that there is no tire Wi whose air pressure is lowered. Further, when it is judged that there is a tire Wi whose air pressure is lowered, an alarm is issued by, for example, a display device. EQU D<-D.sub.TH1 or D>D.sub.TH2 ( 2)
However, with only the judgement of the air pressure decrease based on the above equations (1) and (2), there is a drawback of possibility of erroneous detection, depending on the vehicle running condition. For example, when the air pressure of any one tire Wi of the tires Wi shows decrease in air pressure, accurate detection can be made whether the air pressure is lowered or not if the vehicle is running at a relatively low velocity, while if the vehicle is running at a relatively high velocity with being driven, there is a possibility of erroneous detection to be made. The reason is because the slip rate of the depressurized wheel during the high velocity running is lowered, and the rolling radius increases by the centrifugal force of the tire.
In view of the above circumstances described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure and an apparatus used therefor capable of detecting accurately decrease of tire air pressure regardless of the vehicle running condition, thereby preventing erroneous issuance or non-issuance of alarm (that is, notwithstanding the pressure decrease, no alarm is activated).
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure and an apparatus used therefor capable of detecting accurately decrease of tire air pressure regardless of the vehicle running condition, especially regardless of the vehicle running velocity, thereby preventing erroneous issuance or non-issuance of alarm.

Method for detecting decrease of tire air pressure and apparatus used therefor