The present invention aims at providing bronze alloy for a musical instrument that has high strength and processability and is provided with excellent acoustic characteristics by addition of Zr. The bronze alloy for a musical instrument according to the present invention has a component composition that contains 18% by mass to 26% by mass of Sn, 0.0005% by mass to 0.25% by mass of Zr, and a remainder consisting of Cu and inevitable impurities. Bronze alloy for a musical instrument having high strength and processability is obtained by setting the component composition as described above. Furthermore, from the frequency analysis result shown in FIG. 6A, in Example 13, higher harmonic components increase and low frequency waves also increase as compared with Comparative Example 2, and it is known that the enhancement of sound qualities such as complexity of beat sounds, profound feeling, and audibility is obtained.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bronze alloy for a musical instrument having excellent acoustic characteristics, high strength and improved processability, through micronization of crystal grains by the addition of zirconium (Zr).
Related Background of the Invention
Cu—Sn-based copper alloys containing copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) as main components are known as bronze, and in particular, alloys in which a Sn concentration exceeds 20% by mass is referred to as bell metal from olden times. There are a cymbal and a church bell as traditional instruments, and the enhancement of a sound quality has been achieved by containing silver (Ag) or iron (Fe), from a long time ago.
In Cu—Sn-based copper alloys, the larger a Sn concentration becomes, the more acoustic characteristics are enhanced, but processing thereof becomes difficult. Therefore, when copper alloys in which a Sn concentration is 18% by mass or less are to be processed, a processing method such as rolling or forging is used. When copper alloys in which a Sn concentration exceeds 18% by mass are to be processed, casting processing is used. Until now, when trying to enhance quality of a musical instrument using a copper alloy and to obtain different acoustic characteristics, the improvement in a molding process and a shape of the instrument is carried out. However, copper alloys itself to be used for instruments have not largely improved, and copper alloys having a Sn concentration of 18% by mass or more and having improved processability are not proposed (refer to Patent Literature 1).
The present inventors have proposed the increase of a Sn concentration in a Cu—Sn-based copper alloy to 23% by mass from the viewpoint of putting importance on acoustic characteristics and the addition of titanium (Ti) that is an active metal in order to improve rolling and molding processability (refer to Non-patent Literature 1). It is possible to perform molding processing on a cymbal by enhancing processability of a bell metal material having a Sn concentration exceeding 18% by mass, and thus it becomes possible to develop instruments of high sound quality having a complex and profound sound. The technology of adding Ti that is an active metal to a Cu—Sn-based copper alloy was heretofore practiced by a vacuum melting method, but it becomes possible to realize Cu—Sn-based copper alloys having such a composition by using a manufacturing method that makes it possible to cast a copper alloy by melting a copper alloy material in the air (refer to Patent Literature 2; hereinafter referred to as the "Mizuta system").
The metal structure of Cu—Sn-based copper alloys is an aggregate of crystals, and a part surrounded by a boundary surface of crystals (crystal grain boundary) is referred to as a crystal grain. The dimension of the crystal grain is generally represented by a crystal granularity or a crystal grain diameter. In a Cu—Sn-based copper alloy manufactured by the Mizuta system, although the processability is enhanced, the cross-sectional area of a crystal grain is as coarse as 1 mm2 to 10 mm2, and thus there is a problem in which the alloy is easily broken when being used as cymbals. Namely, it is considered that, since a hot rolling temperature of a Cu—Sn-based copper alloy containing 23% by mass of Sn having almost no processability is set to be high, the processing is performed at the secondary recrystallization temperature and the crystal grain has become coarse. As the result, the metal structure has become easily broken along the crystal grain boundary, and a cymbal may be broken depending on the magnitude of force of striking the cymbal or the method of striking the cymbal. As to the micronization of crystal grains, Patent Literature 3 describes that crystal grains are micronized by adding an element other than the main component such as Zr to a phosphor bronze alloy in semi-melting alloy casting process.

Bronze alloy for musical instrument, and percussion instrument using the same


A light detecting circuit includes a power source circuit, an optoelectronic component, a switch and a Trans Impedance Amplifier (TIA) circuit. The power source circuit provides an electric signal. When the optoelectronic component is biased at a bias voltage, the optoelectronic component generates a corresponding current according to the received light density. The switch has a trigger receiver. After the trigger receiver receives a trigger signal, the switch turns on and the optoelectronic component is biased at the bias voltage. The TIA circuit transforms the corresponding current to a corresponding voltage and then calculates the corresponding voltage to obtain the light density.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a light detecting circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a laser distance measuring circuit, which can reduce the current saturation phenomena by the reflection of inner side of laser.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, distance from an object can be measured with an electronic distance measuring meter. The electronic distance measuring meter needs a reflecting prism or a reflecting sticker to measure the distance more accurately.
A single tube laser distance measuring meter does not need a reflecting prism or a reflecting sticker to measure the distance. The single tube laser distance measuring meter uses a reflecting laser to measure the distance from an object. After the single tube laser distance measuring meter emits a laser beam, the laser beam is reflected from the object surface. The single tube laser distance measuring meter uses an avalanche photo diode (APD) to detect the reflected laser beam and generate responding current. Then, a current to voltage transformer transforms the responding current from the APD to a responding voltage. Next, messages included in the responding voltage are evaluated to determine the distance of an object.
The paths of the emitted laser beam and received laser beam of the single tube laser distance measuring meter are on the same axis. When the laser beam is emitted, the laser beam passes through the prism group in the single tube laser distance measuring meter first. Because the refraction indexes of each prism in the prism group are not the same, a part of the emitted laser beam would be reflected, which results an error in the measurement. The APD receives the reflected part of the emitted laser beam and produces a current saturation phenomenon, which affects the shortest measuring distance of the single tube laser distance measuring meter.
To solve the aforementioned problem, an improved Trans Impedance Amplifier (TIA) circuit to refine the short distance measuring function of the laser distance measuring meter is used. However, if the TIA circuit is implemented, the accuracy of measuring the long distance is sacrificed.

Light detecting circuit, laser distance measuring circuit and light detecting method


A flat or cylindrical screen includes rods and rod-bearing supporting elements. The rods have protrusions in the side walls which are received into inversely shaped recesses in a supporting element. The screen is manufactured by bending the supporting elements open elastically and inserting the rods, whereupon the supporting elements spring back, encircle the rods positively and form a screen mat.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for cleaning pulp suspensions. More particularly, the present invention relates to screens for cleaning pulp suspensions process for manufacturing screen of this kind
Various types of screen are known. For example WO 98/14658 discloses a screen which comprises a number of rods and supporting elements, where the supporting elements have slots. In this case the supporting elements take the shape of a U-shaped profile, which means that part of these rods must undergo plastic deformation in order to secure the rods to the supporting elements. A different kind of screen is known from DE 44 35 538 A1 which discloses rods secured with positive locking by clamping due to plastic deformation of the rod-supporting elements. In addition flat or cylindrical (centripetal or centrifugal) screens are known, where the rods are attached by welding to the rod-supporting elements. This form of fastening, however leads to a series of disadvantages because considerable welding stress is transferred to the components during welding and this causes distortion of the entire screen body. Furthermore, the fastening effect is not always guaranteed because the welds may begin to break up under certain circumstances and in the course of time due to signs of wear. The manufacturing process itself is actually very complicated and time consuming, and it Is very difficult in particular to set the supporting width precisely between two adjacent screen rods.

Screen and process for manufacturing a screen of this kind


A three-dimensional (3D) permute unit for a single-instruction-multiple-data stacked processor includes a first vector permute subunit and a second vector permute subunit. The first and second vector permute subunits are arranged in different layers of a 3D chip package. The vector permute subunits are each configured to process a portion of at least two input vectors. A first contact sub-field of the first vector permute subunit is configured to connect output ports of a first crossbar of the first vector permute subunit, holding an intermediate result of the first vector permute subunit, to a second contact sub-field of the second vector permute subunit. A first contact sub-field of the second vector permute subunit is configured to connect output ports of a first crossbar of the second vector permute subunit, holding an intermediate result of the second vector permute subunit, to a second contact sub-field of the first vector permute subunit.

The disclosure is generally directed to a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) processor and, more specifically, to a three-dimensional permute unit for an SIMD processor.
A vector permute unit is one of the fundamental functional blocks of a central processing unit (CPU) or processor. A vector permute unit enables a bit-wise or byte-wise exchange of individual bits or bytes within a data word of a processor. In other words, bytes may be permuted in a data word by a permute unit. In particular, a vector permute unit may be used to align and re-sort data into vectors, which may be used as input operands for parallel single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) execution units. As one example, each byte of, for example, two 128-bit wide operands may be permutated into a 128-bit wide result vector byte-wise on byte boundaries. If an operand length is limited to 128 bits, a conventional vector permute unit may only support 128-bit SIMD operations, which is equivalent to four 32-bit operands.
To support future applications of 4-way double precision floating point operations or S-way SIMD 32-bit integer operations, the width of the data paths of a vector permute unit needs to be doubled. For example, two 256-bit input operands may be concatenated to provide a 512-bit wide input vector. The result may then be a 256-bit vector as a consequence of a byte-wise permutation of the source operands into a 32-byte result vector. State-of-the-art extensions to permute units would require that a crossbar be built as combinations of multilevel 8-bit multiplexers. In this case, the number of logic gates may be increased by a factor of four and data paths may suffer from wire length increase and fan-out. In this case, the performance of an extended crossbar supporting 512-bit to 256-bit byte-wise vector permutation may be dramatically reduced. For example, instead of a one cycle operation of the crossbar, latency may increase to three cycles.
A number of conventional approaches have been employed to handle increased data throughput and packaging. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0253085 discloses a 3-dimensional (3D) multi-layer modular computer architecture that improves computer mass, volume, and power densities through the use of 3D layered structures. As another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0119508 discloses a computing system having a stack of microprocessor chips that are designed to work together in a multiprocessor system. The chips are interconnected with 3D through-vias, or alternatively by compatible package carriers that provide interconnections (logically the chips in a stack are interconnected via specialized cache coherent interconnections).

Three-dimensional permute unit for a single-instruction multiple-data processor

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a winch apparatus including two exchangeable and interchangeable gears connecting a motor to a drum, the drum being operative to extend and retract a flexible line. By exchanging and interchanging the gears to effect a change in the ratio of the diameters of the first gear to the second gear, the torque and the linear speed of the flexible line are adjustable, permitting the same winch apparatus to move heavier loads at lower speeds, or lighter loads at higher speeds.

At events such as concerts or theatre productions, winches are commonly used for support, movement and manipulation of performers and various equipment, such as, lighting, sound, scenery and props. Winches are selected based on specifications such as the weight of a load to be moved and the speed at which the load must be moved. Winches with higher torque are needed for heavier loads; however, higher torque winches have lower speeds at which the load may be moved in order to provide the higher torque. Winches with higher speeds are needed for loads which must be moved quickly; however, high speed winches sacrifice torque in order to provide the higher speed. Winches are generally only suitable to provide a particular combination of torque and speed (high torque/low speed, intermediate torque/intermediate speed, or high speed/low torque). As such, additional winches must be kept on hand in the event that a different torque/speed profile is needed. Keeping additional winches on hand is an expensive proposition, as the cost of the spare winches must be considered as well as the cost of maintenance of the spare winches.
What is needed is a winch apparatus and method of adjusting a winch apparatus that do not suffer from one or more of the above drawbacks in the art.


An image processing apparatus for finding reflectivity based on a BRDF model expressing a ratio of reflection of light incident upon one point of a surface of an object to be drawn at the object surface, the image processing apparatus having an operation unit for calculating the reflectivity based on a BRDF model calculated by a quadratic-form matrix expression including a vector comprised of a light source direction vector, a viewpoint direction vector, and a normal direction vector and a matrix determining the characteristics of the BRDF model, thereby able to achieve both a variety of expression power and good operation efficiency when mounted in a programmable pixel shader and further having enough of a compactness to easily cope with a shift-variant BRDF, and a method of the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for realizing three-dimensional computer graphics and a method of the same, more particularly relates to a configuration of a computer graphics apparatus and method for generating more realistic images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the increase in operation speeds and improvement of graphic drawing functions in recent computer systems, computer graphics (CG) for preparing and processing graphics and images by using computer resources has been actively researched, developed, and put into practical use.
For example, three-dimensional graphics generates more realistic, three-dimensional-like two-dimensional high definition images by expressing an optical phenomenon when a three-dimensional object is illuminated by a predetermined light source by a mathematical model, applying shading or gradation to the object surface based on this model, and further adhering patterns.
Such computer graphics is now being increasingly actively utilized in CAD/GAM in the field of development in science, engineering, and manufacture and other various fields of applications.
Three-dimensional graphics is generally comprised of a "geometry sub system" positioned at the front end and a "raster sub system" positioned at the back end.
The "geometry sub system" is the step for performing geometricerations on the location, posture, etc. of a three-dimensional object to be displayed on a display screen.
In a geometry sub system, generally an object is handled as a mass of a large number of polygons. "Coordinate conversion", "clipping", "light source computation", and other geometricerations are carried out in units of polygons.
On the other hand, the "raster sub system" is the step of painting pixels composing the object.
Rasterization is realized by interpolating image parameters of all pixels included inside a polygon based on for example the image parameters found for the vertexes of the polygon.
The "image parameters" referred to here include for example color (generated color) data expressed by the so-called RGB format and z-values for expressing a distance in a depth direction.
Further, in recent high definition three-dimensional graphics processing, also an f (fog) for giving a perspective feeling and a texture t for imparting realness by expressing the feeling of a material and the pattern of the object surface etc. are included as image parameters.
Here, processing for generating pixels inside a polygon from vertex information of a polygon is frequently executed using a linear interpolation technique referred to as a "digital differential analyzer" (DDA).
In a DDA process, an inclination of the data to a side direction of the polygon is found from the vertex information, the data on the side is calculated by using this inclination, and then the inclination in the raster scan direction (X-direction) is calculated, and the amount of the change of the parameter found from this inclination is added to the parameter value of the start point of the scanning to thereby generate the internal pixel.
In such three-dimensional graphics, in recent years, in order to generate more realistic computer graphic images, the illumination model has been improved. On the other hand, research and development are being conducted into the hardware architecture for pursuing real time graphic generation performance.
In general, when trying to improve the realness, the amount of operations increases and the real time property is degraded, while when trying to improve the real time property, simplification of the algorithms is required and the realness is sacrificed. Research and development are being conducted to realize these conflicting requirements simultaneously as much as possible.
Among the newest hardware technologies for pursuing real time graphic drawing performance, there is the technology referred to as a "programmable pixel shader".
A programmable pixel shader imparts the function of programmability to the step of shading performed for every pixel composing a polygon.
By this programmability, a general reflection model referred to as a "bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF)" has started to be mounted, and the possibility of the real time, realistic image generation has appeared. Further, it has also been considered to change the nature of the BRDF so as to impart change to the color of a polygon surface by texture mapping. Such a BRDF having a different nature according to the location on the surface of the polygon will be referred to as a "shift-variant BRDF".
Below, a detailed explanation will be given of a programmable pixel shader, BRDF, and shift-variant BRDF.
Programmable Pixel Shader
A programmable pixel shader imparts the function of programmability to the step of calculation of luminance performed for every pixel.
The technique of the programmable pixel shader is employed in graphic LSIs of GForce3 and GForce4 of NVIDIA Corp. and RADEON 8500 etc. of ATI Corporation.
Using this, a user can devise and write a pixel shader program to realize a shading model having a realness not achieveable by conventional fixed hardware supporting only gouraud shading in a real time execution environment.
For example, when using not only the techniques of gouraud shading, texture mapping, etc. mounted also in conventional fixed hardware, but also the programmable pixel shader, Phong shading, bump mapping, toon shading, environment mapping, etc. can be mounted. Further, an anisotropic reflection model and a part of kind BRDF can be utilized.
When using a programmable pixel shader, a texture memory can be used as a place for storing shading parameters mapped on a polygon.
For example, when there is a shader program utilizing a normal direction, the data is stored in the normal direction in each texel of the texture memory. At the run time, shading can be calculated by using the normal obtained from the texel value. Bump mapping and partial BRDF have been realized by this method.
The mechanism of the programmable pixel shader of the CForce3 and GForce4 of NVIDIA Corp. is shown in FIG. 1.
Basically, this programmable pixel shader is configured by a texture lookup unit 1 and an ALU 2.
Four texture addresses TEX0 to TEX3 are supplied from an upstream programmable vertex shader to the texture lookup unit 1. The texture lookup unit 1 can look up the texels of four elements of RGBA corresponding to four texture addresses at the maximum. The lookup can be executed for four elements in parallel. The results of the lookup are output to the pixel ALU 2.
Further, the programmable vertex shader supplies four elements of two RGBA to the pixel ALU 2. The pixel ALU 2 has special operation units such as register combiners 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 as shown in FIG. 2.
The register combiners 2-1 and 2-2 execute inner multiplication and multiplication, while the register combiner 2-3 executes addition. In the pixel ALU 2, the data is input to the register combiner 2-1 through input maps 2-4 and 2-5, and the data is input to the register combiner 2-2 through input maps 2-6 and 2-7. By this, the multiplication and the inner multiplication can be executed in parallel. Note that the inner multiplication is only three-dimension×three-dimension. The inner multiplication operation can be utilized for the inner multiplication of for example the Phong reflection model and the diffuse reflection model.
The pixel shader program is a program of a few steps which can be defined by the user and executed from the header for every pixel. This program controls the texture lookup unit 1 and the ALU 2.
BRDF
BRDF is a function expressing the ratio of the reflection of the light incident upon one point on the surface at the object surface. This is expressed as a four-dimensional function comprised of directions of the light source and the viewpoint as in the following equation:Io=BRDF(θi, φi, θo, φo)cos θiIi  (1)
The BRDF can be treated as a higher concept of the conventional well known shading models. For example, the following three lighting effects can be thought of as sub sets of BRDF using directions of the viewpoint and the light source as the parameters.
The ambient lighting model is one of the lighting effects determined independently from the directions of the viewpoint and the light source.
The diffuse reflection model is one of the lighting effects determined according to the direction of the light source.
The specular reflection model is one of the lighting effects determined according to the directions of the light source and the viewpoint.
Other than the above description, a shading model having anisotropy and a retro reflection model for reflecting the light to the direction of the light source etc. can be expressed.
In order to most simply express also a general purpose BRDF, four-dimensional data may be used. However, when trying to utilize it industrially, the cost of realization would be high and therefore this would not be realistic. The formats for expression of the BRDF are roughly classified into those of a physical equation, experiential equation, and approximation equation as shown below.
Physical Equation
This is an equation derived from physical principles. The operation is complex in many cases. For example, this includes a Torrance-Sparrow model, a Oren-Nayar model, etc.
Experiential Equation
This is an equation using compact expressions for reproducing conspicuous characteristics which can be perceived by human beings. Visually definite results are obtained. The processing cost is also low. For example, this includes a Phong shading model, polynomial texture maps (Tom Malzbender et al., "Polynomial Texture Maps", ComputerGraphics (SIGGAPH2001 Proceedings), pp. 519–528), a Lafortune-BRDF (E. P. F. Lafortune et al., "Non-Linear Approximation of Reflectance Functions", ComputerGraphics (SIGGAPH1997 Proceedings), August 1997), etc.
Approximation Value, Approximation Equation
This is an equation using various types of base functions and using tabularized data. It is a method considered to compress the data of a four-dimensional table provided in a general purpose BRDF. For example, it includes a Kauzt-BRDF (J. Kautz et al., "Interactive Rendering with Arbitrary BRDFs using Separable Approximations", Proceedings of the 10th Eurographics Workshop on Rendering, pages 281–292, June 1999) model, Wavelet, BRDF using spherical-harmonics, etc.
The Lafortune-BRDF model is BRDF defined by using a generalized cosine lobe.I=ρs[Cxuxvx+Cyuyvy+Czuzvz]″  (2)
An anisotropic specular effect, retro reflection, off specular effect, etc. can be reproduced.
A polynomial texture map is a shading model specializing in its self shadow effect.I=a0lu2+a1lv2+a2lulv+a3lu+a4lv+a5  (3)
The parameters of the model can be obtained from a plurality of images captured by using a dedicated measurement device.
A Kauzt-BRDF model is a BRDF model approximating a four-dimensional table by multiplication of two two-dimensional tables by using normalized decomposition. There is mounting using the programmable pixel shader of NVIDIA Corp. The reproducibility of the feeling of a metal and plastic is good. However, two tables are used, so the required amount of data is large.
Shift-Variant BRDF
A BRDF changing according to the location on the surface will be referred to as a "shift-variant BRDF" or "BTF" (hereinafter, standardized as "shift-variant BRDF"). A shift-variant BRDF is a six-dimensional function. It is also possible to consider as if the two-dimensional parameters expressing the location on the surface of the polygon were used in the BRDF.
Since there are different BRDFs at different locations on the surface, a material having a nonuniform texture can be realistically expressed. For example, this is suitable for expressing clothing, fabric, or skin.
With a programmable pixel shader, by holding the parameters of the BRDF model in a circuit similar to texture mapping and looking up the parameters, the BRDF can be changed in units of pixels. Namely, a shift-variant BRDF can be realized.
For example, the Daubert-BRDF (Katja Daubert et al., "Efficient Cloth Modeling and Rendering", in Rendering Techniques, '01 Proceedings of the 12th Eurographics Workshop on Rendering 2001, Springer Verlag, Berlin) experiments with making a shift-variant BRDF of the Lafortune-BRDF model.
However, the Daubert-BRDF only stores the parameters of Lafortune-BRDF equations in the texels for achieving shift-variance. The coordinate system for evaluating Lafortune-BRDF equations is not made shift-variant, so bump map-like expressions are not possible. An effect dependent upon the direction of the viewpoint is realized by using a cube map. In mounting using a cube map, this effect cannot be made shift-variant. Further, the self shadow effect is not considered at all.
A polynomial texture map calculates luminance by using a two-dimensional equation comprised of six terms as in the above equation 3.
This technique aims at replacement of conventional texture mapping. A table storing six coefficients of the terms in the texels may be used. The self shadow effect is a characteristic feature of this.
The programmable pixel shader, BRDF, and shift-variant BRDF explained above suffer from the following disadvantages however.
The programmable pixel shader imparts programmability to the pixel shader—which was conventionally a fixed hardware circuit—and imparts the flexibility of a general purpose operation unit.
However, in order not to detract from the operation efficiency—the sales point of graphics hardware, priority has been given to efficiency in generalization.
There are restrictions, however, such as the fact that branch commands cannot be used, the lack of orthogonality in the command set, and the limitation of the data type to 8 bits.
The programmable pixel shader mounted in the GForce series of NVIDIA Corp. has a circuit configuration assuming a shading model enabling calculation by looking up texels comprised of four elements from a maximum of four texture maps and several inner multiplication operations or multiplication operations for every pixel.
Various shading models can be mounted, but there are also shading models with poor mounting efficiency or unable to be mounted. Particularly, the processing efficiency of a shading model including many matrix operations is poor. Further, only 16 elements can be obtained at the maximum from four texture maps. This is insufficient for a sufficient supply of matrixes.
That is, it is necessary to predict a shading model which may be utilized in the future as correctly as possible and consider the hardware architecture of the programmable pixel shader having a good balance between efficiency and generality.
There are diverse forms of expression of a BRDF. Each has its characteristic features. The application may select the form of expression of the BRDF in accordance with the objective.
However, for graphics hardware designed giving priority to efficiency and considering the minimum generalization, desirably the corresponding BRDF model is the minimum and thereby obtains the maximum effect. A convenient BRDF model satisfying these contradictory requirements is required.
Further, in order to realize a good shift-variant BRDF, a high expression power, compact BRDF model becomes necessary.
The form of expression of a BRDF having a small number of parameters is suited for a shift-variant BRDF. When the number of parameters allocated to one texel is small, the size of the table becomes smaller by that amount. Conversely, when the number of the parameters is large, the table becomes larger, so a BRDF of a type obtained by combining Kauzt-BRDF or other tables is not suited for obtaining a shift-variant BRDF.

Image processing apparatus and method of same


The present invention relates to myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and exosomes derived therefrom (MDSC exo) and application thereof.

Nosocomial bacterial infections (NBI) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are among the main reasons for death in preterm infants. Both are often caused by bacteria coming from the infected infant's gut. Despite the highly specialized interventions and policies, the rate of infection is still high due to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

Granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (GR-MDSC) accumulate in human breastmilk

Eberhard Karls Universitaet Tuebingen Medizinische Fakultaet


A pharmaceutical active principle delivery system has a pharmaceutical active principle contained in solution or solid form in an excipient gel formed with gelling agents which provide for a pseudoplastic and more or less thixotropic water-dispersible gel which may be packed in a dispenser having a metering pump for delivering therapeutic doses of the composition.

This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition in a package in which the active principle is presented in a gel-form excipient. For several centuries, medicaments have been orally administered as syrups from bottles or in the form of tablets or capsules.
Such presentations are easy to absorb and enable the active substances to be preserved. However, syrups are attended by certain disadvantages, including for example the following:
the high sugar content can be troublesome, for example in diabetics, PA1 the therapeutic dose is not directly accessible, necessitating the use of a measure, for example a spoon, so that the dose administered is not exact, PA1 the method of formulation does not lend itself to the administration of a therapeutic dose in babies and nursing infants who may refuse to take the spoon or may upset the syrup, and PA1 children can take the entire contents of the bottle all at once with the attendant risk of intoxication.
In addition, tablets and capsules are unsuitable for certain patients, for example young children or geriatrics having problems with swallowing.
EP-A-0 379 147 relates to an extrudable gel as a support for an active principle which can be distributed in a pack equipped with a metering pump. The gel in question contains the active principle in solution and comprises a gelling agent based on an algal extract, for example a carrageenate. The fact that the active principle has to be in solution dictates a low concentration with the result that, in the example provided, the administration of a daily therapeutic dose means that the pump has to be depressed 12 to 60 times on 3 or 4 occasions, consuming the product volume of an entire pack, which is an enormous disadvantage. This drawback cannot be rectified simply by increasing the concentration of the active principle because this would adversely affect the stability of the gel, the mass being viscous and non-gelled and the active principle non-solubilized, and its organoleptic acceptability.

Pharmaceutical composition in gel form in a dispensing package


According to this invention, in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, each memory cell for storing 1-bit data consists of two transistors, one transistor constituting each memory cell is formed in a memory cell array consisting of a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines, and the other transistor constituting each memory cell is formed in a second memory cell array consisting of a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a non-volatile semiconductor memory device using a non-volatile transistor in a memory cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory), a memory cell conventionally consists of one transistor, and "1" or "0" level of data is determined by turning on or off a selected memory.
In recent years, a high-speed operation of a semiconductor memory has been required as the processing speed of a CPU is increased. In accordance with this, conventionally, several types of EPROMs capable of performing high-speed operations are disclosed in some literatures. For example, "A 25 ns 16K CMOS PROM using a 4-Transistor Cell" is described in the "ISSCC, DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS" in pp. 162-163 published in the United States on Feb., 1985, "A 23 ns 256K EPROM with Double-Layer Metal and Address Transition Detection" is described in the ISSCC, DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS" in pp. 130-131 published in the United States on Feb., 1985, and "16 ns CMOS EPROM" is issued in the subcommittee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Japan, 1989.
Memory cells known as differential cells are applied to the EPROMs described in the above literatures. In the differential cell, a memory cell consists of at least two transistors. In a data write mode, the two transistors are set in two different states such as high and low states of a threshold voltage depending on an injection state of electrons. In a data read mode, readout potentials from the two transistors are compared by a sense amplifier to read out data.
The differential cell has a larger noise margin than that of a general conventional memory cell consisting of one transistor and operated such that a readout potential from a cell transistor is compared with an intermediate level serving as a reference potential. Therefore, the differential cell is advantageously suitable for a high-speed operation.
A pattern layout of the differential cell will be described below. Conventionally, the differential cell has a layout in which two transistors are arranged to be adjacent to each other.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a read circuit of a conventional EPROM having a differential cell. As shown in FIG. 1, conventionally, a pair of bit lines BL and BL selected by two column selecting transistors 1-1 and 1-2 are arranged to be adjacent to each other. A plurality of bit lines BL are commonly connected to a transistor 2-1 serving as a transfer gate, and a plurality of bit lines BL having the same number as that of the bit lines BL are commonly connected to a pass transistor 2-2 serving as a transfer gate. The pass transistors 2-1 and 2-2 are connected to a sense amplifier 3. In the sense amplifier 3, the potentials of a pair of bit lines BL and BL selected by the column selecting transistors 1-1 and 1-2 are applied, and the potentials are compared with each other to detect readout data from a memory cell (not shown).
In the EPROM with the above arrangement, one memory cell consists of two transistors for respectively storing different signal levels, and the two transistors are arranged to be adjacent to each other. According to this pattern layout, the following problem is posed.
In FIG. 1, column selecting transistors 1-1 and 1-2 are difficult to be arranged. The size of a memory cell is minimized, and a pitch in a column direction has a minimum size. In this state, since two bit lines BL and BL must be parallelly arranged in a direction perpendicular to the column direction, it is very difficult to arrange the bit lines. In addition, even if the bit lines can be arranged as a pattern, since portions 4 where the bit lines cross each other are formed and one of two bit lines must be jumped over the other by using another wiring means such as a diffusion layer, the wiring pattern is complicated. Furthermore, since the wiring resistances of the bit lines are different from each other symmetry of the column selecting transistors is degraded.
With the above arrangement, symmetry of the differential cell is degraded. For example, a differential cell shown in FIG. 2A is known as an interleaved cell, and the interleaved cell consists of two staggered non-volatile transistors. FIG. 2B is an equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 2A. In the memory cell in FIG. 2B, word lines WL are arranged to cross bit lines BL and BL. Since different signal levels must be read out from a pair of transistors to the pair of bit lines, one word line WL is commonly used for a pair of transistors MR and MR which are obliquely adjacent to each other through a source line SL in FIG. 2B.
In general, impurity ions are implanted in the channel regions of two transistors constituting a memory cell to control a threshold voltage, and a predetermined angle is given to the implantation direction upon the ion implantation to form a shallow channel region having good characteristics. For this reason, in an interleaved cell, since directions of implantation in the channel regions of two transistors constituting a 1-bit memory cell are different from each other when the directions are viewed from the sources of the two transistors, the transistors MR and MR, characteristics of which are preferably equal to each other, become different from each other in characteristics.
Since source lines wired to be in contact with the source regions are every several bit lines BL and BL alternately arranged, the positions of the source lines and the corresponding pair of transistors are not symmetrical. This arrangement is formed not only in the interleaved cell but in all differential cells in which bit lines BL and BL are alternately arranged.
As described above, in a conventional non-volatile semiconductor memory device, two transistors constituting a 1-bit memory cell are arranged to be adjacent to each other. Therefore, since a pair of bit lines must be alternately arranged, column selecting transistors are difficult to be arranged, characteristics of two transistors constituting the memory cell are disadvantageously different from each other.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device using a differential cell in a memory cell


A system and method for reducing fan noise by controlling the drive current to the fan motor. In one embodiment the system approximates a linear drive using a number of transistors in parallel and sequentially deploying the transistors. In another embodiment, a scheme is used to activate and deactivate transistors in discrete steps thereby achieving the benefits of the linear controller topology.

The general trend in electronic equipment and products is towards faster and smaller products. As a result, heat dissipation has become an increasing concern as hotter components are placed into smaller packages and form factors. Excessive heat is linked to numerous types of component failures that result in reduced longevity, and partial or catastrophic failure.
There are a number of design parameters that are used to dissipate heat and otherwise cool the electronic components. Heat sinks and heat pipes are used as passive mechanisms to remove heat or at least quietly disseminate the heat. However in many electronic devices, active cooling is required. Fans have proven to be an excellent tool to generate airflow and maintain a satisfactory environment in many electronic products. Larger products or those with greater heat generation sometimes use multiple fans to establish an optimum environment.
There are a number of problems associated with fans, including acoustic noise, power consumption, and reliability. Designers are always trying to optimize fans by balancing various factors for a particular product to establish the lowest power and the least noise while still maintaining a cool environment. It is well established that proper fan speed control not only extends the life of the fan but is more efficient in terms of power requirements.
A common type of fan in electronic products is the brushless DC motor fan. Such fans operate in much the same manner as DC electric motors, and employ a stator/rotor configuration. The brushless DC motor relies on an external power drive to perform the commutation of stationary winding on the stator, wherein the changing stator field causes the permanent magnet rotor to rotate. Electronically commutated brushless DC motor systems are typically used as drives for blowers and fans used in electronics, telecommunications and industrial equipment applications. There is a wide variety of different brushless motors for various applications.
Fans are typically categorized as 2-wire fans, 3-wire fans, and 4-wire fans. The 2-wire fan has power and ground terminals, and is generally controlled by adjusting either the dc voltage or the pulse width. As there is no tachometric signal, there is no simple indication of the fan speed. A 3-wire fan has power, ground, and a tachometric output. A 3-wire fan can be controlled using the same kind of drive as a 2-wire fan such as a variable dc or a low-frequency PWM, and uses the tachometric signal to check fan speed. A 4-wire fan has power, ground, a tachometric output, that can be employed with a pulse width modulated (PWM) drive input. The PWM uses the relative width of on/off pulses in a train to adjust the level of power applied to the fan motor.
In addition to having various types of fans, there are an associated variety of control systems for the fans. While the fan can be operated with no control aspects, it is inefficient and generates considerable noise by simply operating at full speed. Typically, there are two speed control methods, supply Voltage control and PWM at frequencies above 20 KHz. The Low frequency PWM is not generally used in the industry.
The supply voltage controls the DC voltage applied to the fan motor thereby controlling the fan speed. For quieter operation and lower air flow, the voltage is decreased. If more cooling is required, the voltage is increased which increases the cooling capability and also the noise. As is well known in the art, there are limitations to the relationship of fan speed and input voltage such as startup voltage and stalling problems as well as power inefficiencies.
The majority of small personal computer fans employ PWM controls wherein the voltage applied to the fan is either zero or full voltage switched at >20 KHz to eliminate audible noise.
The cooling fan audible noise is an objectionable by-product of moving air to produce convection cooling. There are several major sources of audible noise in fans, including blade noise, "second harmonic cogging", as well as commutation noise. The blade noise and cogging cannot be appreciably influenced by electrical designs. However, it is possible to reduce commutation noise via improved circuit design. A circuit design that slows down the current transitions produces less noise.
As noted, the speed of the fan is one of the factors related to the fan noise. At low revolutions per minute (RPM), for example 1400 RPM, the fan audio noise and RFI noise are typically fairly small. At such lower RPMs, the noise is almost entirely comprised of commutation noise. At higher fan speeds, the blade noise begins to contribute to the total fan noise which typically increases significantly at higher RPMs. The blade noise is generally controlled by mechanical design. It is understood that other fans have different requirements and conditions as well as different blade noise starting points.
There have been many attempts at reducing noise generated by cooling fans. These methods may include both mechanical and electrical techniques that seek to provide proper cooling but at a lower power and noise. For example, the linear drive has been enhanced using operational amplifiers or capacitors for bypassing the motor coil as one mechanism to reduce fan noise. Other implementations describe noise reduction by blade design and other mechanical layouts. High frequency PWM schemes keep the fan noise above the human audible range.
What is needed is an improvement to the fans used for heat removal. Such a system should allow for the benefits of the linear drive control in terms of low noise but without the more excessive power consumption.


The present invention is a method and system for software license management. The License Management System (LMS) is comprised of three components. These three components are the License Client (LC), the License Server (LS) and the Network License Manager (NLM). For the system to function the LC and LS are required. The NLM exists to facilitate and manage concurrent license usage.

The present invention is method and system for software license management. Many other software license management systems are taught or known in the prior art, but each has their own respective shortcomings on which the present invention improves or eliminates in addition to the additional elements taught by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,294 discloses a license management system for software which drives a single computer or a plurality of computers including: an application program for requesting a decision of the number of license which it needs to drive itself and for receiving issuance of the license; a number of license decision unit for determining the necessary number of licenses in accordance with the request from the application program; and a license management unit for issuing the number of licenses which was determined by the number of license decision unit. According to this invention, it is possible to provide a license management system enabling issuance of a license in which the sales strategy of a software maker was considered.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,612 a method and system for providing flexibility to a license management system is disclosed. This license management system permits the concurrent use of multiple copies of a software program over a network comprising a plurality of client workstations, each client workstation having a copy of the software program installed thereon requiring an authorization from one of a plurality of license servers each time the software program is used. For security reasons, the license management system requires that at least the integer majority of the plurality of license servers is active at any time. This method and system allows a change to the number of license servers, but imposes several limitations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,712 teaches a software application wherein the verification and license check out functions which are normally performed by a license server of a network software license system. The encrypted license information is contained in a license token, and is sorted in the database controlled by the license server. In contrast to the prior art where the license server either grants or denies the request after verifying the user's credentials, the license server here finds the correct license token for the software application and transmits the license token to the licensing library.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,143 allows for the electronic management and enforcement of software licenses used only in a network or non-network environment to facilitate product licensing and upgrades. Further, it only accommodates the use of compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM) product distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,412 teaches an improved software license management system wherein a license server initializes a license database by receiving a package license description that includes component license descriptions for component software products in a package. A client computer system can request a license for a component product in a package. A license is granted to the client when the client is allowed to receive the license according to a license policy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,145 teaches a software licensing system includes a license generator located at a licensing clearinghouse and at least one license server and multiple clients located at a company or entity. When a company wants a software license, it sends a purchase request (and appropriate fee) to the licensing clearinghouse. The license generator at the clearinghouse creates a license pack containing a set of one or more individual software licenses.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,141 teaches a software license control system based on independent software registration servers. The registration servers are open to all software manufacturers. On user's computer, a software product asks the user software license control program whether the user has a usage license for the software product. The user license control program checks the license file, received from a software registration server, and answers the software product.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 20020091645 discloses a licensing system comprising an application information database into which a license management server machine stores a license menu containing a function, a term and a number of times and the like for which usage may be approved with respect to software to be usage-approved. A user terminal is capable of accessing the application information database via an Internet network. Therefore, according to this system o, a software license granting technique is provided in which a range of software licensing choices is expanded so that various user needs can be met even with the same single software, and unlawful copying of the software that is approved for use by the user can be eliminated.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 20050102240 discloses a software licensing system includes a license generator located at a licensing clearinghouse and at least one license server and multiple clients located at a company or entity. When a company wants a software license, it sends a purchase request and appropriate fee to the licensing clearinghouse. The license generator at the clearinghouse creates a license pack containing a set of one or more individual software licenses. The license generator digitally signs the license pack and encrypts it with the license server's public key. The license server is responsible for distributing the software licenses from the license pack to individual clients. When a client needs a license, the license server determines the client's operating system platform and grants the appropriate license. The license server digitally signs the software license and encrypts it using the client's public key. The license is stored locally at the client.
Because the system of the present invention is designed to license software it is a natural target for anyone who wants the software and does not want to pay for it. Because this software is a target of "hackers" it must have defenses beyond the ordinary for protecting itself against those who seek to destroy its ability to perform its job of guarding software usage rights as defined by the software company that employs the system of the present invention to safeguard their software. To this end the system of the present invention will always employ the strongest security schema available to it based on the circumstances of the environment in which it is running. To ensure the highest degree of protection the system is designed with multiple layers of security that act independently of the others. While no system is completely secure, the intent of this design is to make the cost of breaking into the system so high as to be impractical.
Therefore it is an objective of the present invention to teach a License Management System (LMS) is, in a best mode, comprised of three components. These three components are the License Client (LC), the License Server (LS) and the Network License Manager (NLM).
It is another objective of the present invention to teach a License Management System (LMS) that, in an alternative embodiment only requires a License Client (LC) and License Server (LS) to properly function.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to teach a License Management System (LMS) further comprised of a Network License Manager (NLM) component that exists to facilitate and manage concurrent license usage and issuance.

System and method for software license management for concurrent license management and issuance


In an artificial hip joint stem of the present invention, a distance between an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion is decreased as separating from an opening part in a sectional view that is parallel to a stem central axis and includes the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion, and both a front wall portion and a rear wall portion have a planar region in a sectional view that is parallel to the stem central axis and includes the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. A stem inserter of the present invention includes a disk-shaped front end part. The present invention also provides an artificial hip joint system including the artificial hip joint stem and the stem inserter, and an artificial hip joint including the artificial hip joint stem.

In order to restore the function of a hip joint deteriorated by disease or injury due to an accident or the like, hip replacement arthroplasty for replacing the hip joint with an artificial hip joint has been carried out conventionally. An artificial hip joint stem (hereinafter generally referred to as "stem") among members constituting the artificial hip joint is the substantially rod-shaped curved member. The stem implanted into a medullary cavity of a thigh bone through the following steps (i) to (iii).
(i) The first step is to make incisions into skin and muscle and resect the head of the thigh bone.
(ii) The next step is to form a first hole serving as a stem shaft and a second hole having the same shape as the stem along the first hole in the medullary cavity of the resulting thigh bone.
(iii) The last step is to implant the stem into the medullary cavity of the thigh bone by driving the stem into the second hole.
The implantation of the stem in the step (iii) among the above steps (i) to (iii) is carried out using a substantially column-shaped stem inserter (hereinafter generally referred to as "inserter") (for example, refer to non patent document 1). That is, in the step (iii), the stem is implanted by attaching the inserter to the stem and then driving the stem into the second hole by striking a rear end part of the inserter with a hammer.
The non patent document 1 describes the configuration that a screw part located at the front end part of the inserter is screw fixed to a screw hole located in a shoulder part of the stem. Therefore, according to the configuration described in the non patent document 1, the substantially column-shaped inserter is screw fixed from the shoulder part of the stem along the longitudinal direction of the stem. Consequently, the driving of the stem is performed only from immediately above the stem. If the stem driving direction is limited to the direction from immediately above the stem, it may be difficult to drive the stem depending on surgical procedure. If the stem is subjected to forced driving from an oblique direction, the stem and the inserter may bite each other. Hence, there are several risks that it may be difficult to separate the stem and the inserter from each other and both may be damaged. This problem occurs notably with the surgical procedure performed in supine position (lying face up), such as direct anterior approach, in which the abdomen of a patient is liable to create an obstacle to the driving.

Artificial hip joint stem, stem inserter, artificial hip joint system including them, and artificial hip joint


A method for data assurance in server consolidation is provided. The method includes collecting an inventory of a plurality of source servers in a desired environment and performance data of such source servers, evaluating and checking a data structure of the performance data, applying predetermined time stamps, checks, and statistic computations to the performance data, and evaluating a data quality of the performance data.

Businesses are interested in consolidating software applications that run on individual, often under-utilized, servers onto a smaller number of more highly used ones. Such server consolidation is difficult to do as many technological and business factors need to be taken into account and large numbers of servers are typically involved. Relatively common consolidation projects typically involve the consolidation of a few hundred servers. Thus, the amount of performance data that needs to be gathered for analyzing server utilization and identifying performance bottlenecks in an information technology (IT) system or infrastructure is staggering, causing many users to rely only on summarized performance data (such as average or peak CPU utilization) for the analysis. For example, one approach for gathering performance data of an IT system is to instrument such a system to gather data about usage patterns of its computing resources, such as CPUs, disks, network cards, and memory, in the system servers. Because such performance data is typically gathered at regular intervals and over a period of time, the resulting accumulated data is potentially quite large.
As referred herein, and as understood in the art, information technology, or IT, encompasses all forms of technology, including but not limited to the design, development, installation, and implementation of hardware and software information systems and software applications, used to create, store, exchange and utilize information in its various forms including but not limited to business data, conversations, still images, motion pictures and multimedia presentations technology and with the design, development, installation, and implementation of information systems and applications.
Also, as referred herein, a server is a computer or network of computers. Examples of a server include but are not limited to one or more desktop computers, one or more laptop computers, one or more mainframe computers, one or more networked computers, one or more processor-based devices, or any similar types of systems and devices. Thus, a server includes one or more processors of any of a number of computer processors, such as processors from Intel, Motorola, AMD, Cyrix. Each processor is coupled to or includes at least one memory device, such as a computer readable medium (CRM). The processor is operable to execute computer-executable program instructions stored in the CRM, such as program code of applications, to run the applications. The computer-executable program instructions include code from any suitable computer-programming language, such as C, C++, C#, Java, or the like. Embodiments of a CRM include, but are not limited to, an electronic, optical, magnetic, or other storage or transmission device capable of providing a processor of the server with computer-readable instructions. Other examples of a suitable CRM include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic disk, memory chip, ROM, RAM, an ASIC, a configured processor, any optical medium, any magnetic tape or any other magnetic medium, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read instructions.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A J-shaped vibrating massager and method for manufacture thereof. The J-shaped massager may consist of a J-shaped tubular rod, a head, one or more handles, control means, and vibratory means. Generally, the J-shaped tubular rod may also consist of a J-hook and a barrel. Typically, the head is located at the end of the J-hook opposite the barrel, while the vibratory means may be mounted in the head or anywhere along the length of the J-shaped tubular rod. The vibratory means induces vibrations in one or more portions of the J-shaped tubular rod, generally including the head. The vibrations massage surfaces in contact with the invention. Because the invention is generally J-shaped, a user may reach his or her own back with the head of the J-shaped massager in order to give himself a back massage. The invention may include a variety of tips having different sizes, materials, and shapes.

Massage has been used for many years to soothe or eliminate muscle and joint pains, or simply to relax and refresh a person. Fairly recently, personal massage devices have been introduced to the marketplace to impart to otherwise unskilled persons the ability to give and receive a comforting massage. The vast majority of these massage devices are relatively short, often a foot in length or less. Generally, such devices are relatively linear, with one end serving as a massage head and the other as a handle or gripping surface. Because of the overall length and shape of current personal massage devices, it is extremely difficult for a user to massage his or her own back. Rather, a user may only massage a second person with any degree of success. This greatly limits the utility of most personal massage devices.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved personal massage device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The machine is constituted by a self-propelled truck which comprises a first hammering unit and a second compacting unit. The first unit comprises mutually opposite sets of inclined vibrating hydraulic tools which can be arranged so as to straddle each tie and are adapted to limit the migration of crushed rock from the tamping regions of the ballast, which lie below each tie, to the intermediate ballast regions which lie between two consecutive ties. The second unit is constituted by vibrating plates, which are also actuated hydraulically and are adapted to compact the crushed rock located in the layer above the laying plane of the ties in the intermediate ballast regions and on the heads of the ties. The first and second units are supported by a portal-shaped chassis of the car , are mutually spaced by an extent which is a multiple of the various spacing pitches of the ties of the track, and are arranged so that during working travel of the car the first unit precedes the second unit.

The present invention relates to a self-propelled machine for stabilizing tracks laid on ballast.
After repairs to the geometry of tracks, usually performed by means of tamping, aligning, and leveling machines, ballast settling conventionally occurs when the first trains pass; this settling is characterized by the migration of the crushed rock from the tamping region below each tie towards the upper part of the ballast in the intermediate region and towards the heads which lie externally with respect to said ties.
The enclosed FIGS. 1 and 1a schematically show said settling of the crushed rock which, due to the passage of the trains C on the track BI, migrates partially from the tamping region A below the ties T.sub.1, T.sub.2 . . . , T.sub.n in the upper part of the region B of the ballast which lies between two consecutive ties T.sub.1 -T.sub.2, and simultaneously, due to the hunting of the trains, towards the head regions C (FIG. 1a).
This settling produced by the migration of the crushed rock in the specified direction is followed by a variation in the level of the track in the longitudinal plane (change in the elevation of the rolling plane) and by a deflection of said track in the transverse plane or plane of arrangement (lateral deflection and/or misalignment), with a consequent alteration of the geometric characteristics of the track which is not compatible with the travel comfort and is correlated to the transit speed of modern trains.
The operations for restoring and regenerating railroad ballasts must therefore be followed by one or more track stabilizing operations aimed at preventing the uncontrolled settling of the regenerated ballast produced by the passage of trains.
Track stabilizing machines already exist for this purpose which act by vibration on said track but have several disadvantages, the main one being the generation of intense stresses on the systems for coupling the rail and the tie to each other and the more or less extensive modification of the track laying geometry. Moreover, these conventional machines are necessarily limited in their use, since the intensity of the shaking vibrations transmitted by said machines to the track causes stability problems for the static structures lying adjacent to the railroad, particularly to buildings, bridges, overpasses, underpasses, level crossings, and to the moving elements of tracks such as switches, junctions, and the like, so that said conventional machines are unable to perform adequate work over entire stretches of the railroad.

Self-propelled machine for stabilizing, by hammering and compacting, tracks laid on ballast


A method is disclosed which sets a PoC Box service and transmits information on a service identifier by using a standard SIP, a SDP, an XCAP, and a PAP, in order to remain compatible with conventional PoC technology when performing call processing of session connection using a PoC Box. Further, the method stores only pre-designated media in a PoC Box according to a type of media transmitted in consideration of features of a PoC multimedia session.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for connecting a one-to-one or one-to-many push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) session for an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) PoC call service using a PoC Box as a storage system substituted for a general PoC client, and transmitting and managing PoC media after participating in the session.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current PoC technology generally utilizes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or Extended SIP, an application-layer protocol, for controlling Internet multimedia communication (IP telephony) in order to transmit session participation information of PoC group talks, and an Extensible Markup Language (XML) Configuration Access protocol (XCAP) in order to obtain information on a group. The basic definition, structure, and function of a conventional PoC system will be described below on the basis of these protocols.
Significant developments in mobile communications technology and the extension of mobile communications networks have resulted in the development of a vast array of services and applications for use with a cellular phone. Concurrently, there is an increasing demand from cellular phone users for additional services, such as a location, multimedia, and push-to-talk (PTT) services. Among these additional services, the PTT service supports various supplementary functions such as instant messenger and a status display, as well as a group call and a voice call, which are also provided by an existing radio or a trunk radio system (TRS).
Standardization of a PoC service that utilizes the push-to-talk (PTT) function in a mobile communication network is currently taking place. One unique feature of the PoC service that differs from an existing mobile communication service is that a user can participate in a plurality of PoC sessions, and thus, can use a call service while moving among the PoC sessions as desired. This feature is a requirement that is specified in the OMA, which is a forum for specifying mobile communications services.
The PoC service can accompany a service for establishing a group session as in a conference call. Accordingly, the OMA specification defines an XML Document Management (XDM) Client (XDMC) and XDM Server (XDMS) for providing a group list service
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating XDM architecture. Referring to FIG. 1, user equipment (UE) 10 that requests a PoC service is connected to a Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol (SIP/IP) core 30 that supports SIP and IP multimedia via an access network 20. The UE 10 is an XDMC capable of residing in a PoC terminal, and includes an XDMC 12 and a PoC client 11 requesting the PoC service.
The PoC client 11 resides in a PoC user terminal to provide access to the PoC service. The PoC client 11 mainly serves to establish, participate in, and terminate the established PoC session. In addition, the PoC client 11 creates and transfers a media burst, supports an instant personal alert, and authenticates when providing access to the PoC service. Hereinafter, unless otherwise stated, the PoC client 11 is assumed to be the same as a PoC service subscriber.
The SIP/IP core 30 is connected to a shared XDMS 40, a PoC XDMS 50, a PoC server 60, and a presence server 70 in order to support the PoC service. The PoC server 60 has a Controlling PoC Function for maintaining and managing the PoC session, or a Participating PoC Function for participating in the PoC session for a one-to-one PoC call or a one-to-two or more PoC call.
The XDMS can be classified into the PoC XDMS 50, which is specific to the PoC service, and the shared XDMS 40, which is commonly used in a different service enabler. Further, the XDMS includes the Aggregation Proxy 90 that routes a group list relevant request to each XDM server according to a certain rule when receiving the group list relevant request from the XDMC 12. The protocols and details for the XDM, such as creating, modifying and deleting the group list, are well-known among those skilled in the art, and so their detailed description will be omitted herein.
In general, SIP or Extended SIP, i.e., an application-layer protocol for controlling Internet multimedia communication (IP telephony), are mainly used to transmit session participation information of PoC group talks. SIP is a standard defined in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 2543. SIP is an application-layer control protocol that is used to set up, modify, and terminate a session or call for multimedia communication such as video and voice communication. SIP exists over a User Datagram Protocol (UDP)/TCP/IP layer, which supports both unicast and multicast sessions for initiating a session by inviting participants to a multimedia conference with a client/server protocol capable of exchanging SIP Request and Response messages in a request/response fashion.
The SIP Request message provides six functions in RFC 2543: INVITE (Invitation to participate in a session); ACK (Acceptance of an INVITE request); BYE (Termination of a call); REGISTER (Registration with the database of a redirect server by a user agent); CANCEL (Cancellation of a request in a queue); and OPTIONS. The SIP Response message provides status codes including: 1xx (Information response); 2xx (Successful response); 3xx (Redirection response); 4xx (Client Error, Request Failure); 5xx (Server Error); and 6xx (Global Failure).
FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic configuration of a conventional PoC server. The PoC server performs both a Controlling PoC Function (hereinafter CF) to control overall maintenance and management of a PoC session, and a Participating PoC Function (hereinafter PF) for controlling maintenance and management between each PoC session, which will be explained below with reference to Tables 1 and 2.
TABLE 1Controlling PoC Function (CF)Provides centralized PoC session handlingProvides centralized Media distributionProvides centralized Talk Burst Arbitration functionality including talkeridentificationProvides SIP session handling, such as SIP session origination,termination, etc.Provides policy enforcement for participation in group sessionsProvides participant informationCollects and provides centralized media quality informationProvides centralized charging reportsMay provide transcoding between different codecsSupports Talk Burst Control Protocol Negotiation
As shown in Table 1, the PoC server performing the CF (or the Controlling PoC server) manages a PoC session. In particular, the Controlling PoC server receives requests for the floor from PoC clients, arranges an order in which to give the clients the floor, and gives the clients the floor in that order. The Controlling PoC server also distributes a talk burst, for which an arbitrary PoC client makes a request, to all other PoC clients participating in a group PoC call, and provides information of the PoC clients participating in the group PoC call.
As shown in Table 2 below, the PoC server performing the PF (or the Participating PoC server) manages a PoC session between the Controlling PoC server and each PoC client. In particular, the Participating PoC server relays the floor between the PoC client and the Controlling PoC server when the PoC client makes a request for the floor or when the Controlling PoC server gives the floor to the PoC client. In addition, the Participating PoC server relays media between the Controlling PoC server and the PoC client, performs transcoding between different codecs, and filters one of two concurrent PoC sessions according to the choice of a PoC user when there is simultaneous talking in the two active PoC sessions.
TABLE 2Participating PoC Function (PF)Provides PoC session handlingMay provide the Media relay function between PoC client and ControllingPoC serverMay provide user media adaptation proceduresMay provide the Talk Burst control message relay function between PoCclient and Controlling PoC serverProvides SIP session handling, such as SIP session origination,termination, etc, on behalf of the represented PoC clientProvides policy enforcement for incoming PoC session (e.g. accesscontrol, incoming PoC session barring, availability status, etc.)May collect and provide media quality informationProvides participant charging reportsMay provide filtering of media streams in the case of simultaneoussessionsMay provide transcoding between different codecsMay support Talk Burst Control Protocol NegotiationStores the current Answer Mode and Incoming PoC Session Barringpreferences of the PoC client
In the PoC service system described above, the PoC user can input information on groups and their members into a Group and List Management Server (GLMS) through the PoC user's terminal, and can receive information about other PoC users with whom the PoC user can talk through an individual or group list transmitted from the GLMS. Alternatively, in order to create, modify, and manage groups and their members, the information on the groups and their members may be input into the GLMS via a communication network, such as the Internet or an Intranet.
In order to use the PoC call service, the PoC user registers its PoC address with the SIP/IP core 30. The SIP/IP core 30 stores information on the PoC user by request of the PoC user. Accordingly, when another PoC user tries to request the group PoC call, the PoC user registers its information with the SIP/IP core 30 in advance as described above, and requests the group PoC call to its SIP/IP core 30 by using group identification information transmitted from the GLMS.
The SIP/IP core 30 performs addressing and domain locating by using information of the requesting PoC user, and then transfers a PoC call request to a home PoC server 60 with which the requesting PoC user is registered. In regard to the PoC call request, the PoC server 60 prepares to establish a PoC session, obtains each user's information from the GLMS, and then transfers a PoC call request signal to the SIP/IP core 30. When the PoC call request is made to users within an Intradomain, the PoC server 60 performs both the CF and the PF. The PoC server 60 managing the call-requested PoC user requests the PoC call to the PoC user after locating the SIP/IP core 30 by use of the PoC user's information transmitted to the PoC server 60.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating CF and PF blocks of a PoC server. Referring to FIG. 3, PoC clients 111, 121, 131, and 141 provide access to a CF 100 through PFs 110, 120, 130, and 140 respectively, thereby establishing a PoC session. When the floor is granted to a requester qualified as a talker from the CF 100, speech media of the corresponding PoC client is transmitted to each PoC client. The PoC user who is granted the floor cannot appropriately speak until the user confirms information of the participants participating in the PoC group session.
The PoC system required by the OMA has the following features.
First, the terminating side can set up its own answering modes according to the request of a PoC user. The answering modes can be either auto or manual.
If the terminating side is registered in a user list for the auto answer mode, the terminating side can immediately send an answer to the originating side in a corresponding network in place of the manual answer of a recipient. The automatic answer is sent instead of operating the terminal in the network because the PoC server stores the answering mode and the corresponding user list according to a request of the terminal to set the answering mode.
The manual answer mode corresponds to when the user is not included in an automatic answer user list or where the answer is ambiguous, or the recipient sets all users to make the manual answer. In the manual mode, a PoC call request is transmitted to the user's terminal through a terminating network and then a call is connected by acceptance of the PoC user.
Second, the PoC system is divided into two modes, an on-demand session mode and a pre-established (or early) session mode, according to the type of connection with a PoC server within a user's home network. The pre-established session mode is designed so that the PoC user sets a session between a PoC client and a PoC server belonging to a PoC user's home network in advance by the PoC user's request. The pre-established session enables the PoC user to negotiate media parameters to be used with the PoC server in advance, and thus advance rapid session establishment without renegotiating the media parameters to be used in the future between the PoC server and client.
In order to set the pre-established session, the PoC client provides supported media parameters to a Session Description Protocol Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (SDP MIME) body through a SIP INVITE method, and responds to the media parameters provided from the PoC server. The PoC client sends, to the PoC user, identification information of the pre-established session for a response message received from the PoC server, together with a conference Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). When using the pre-established session, it is possible to pre-negotiate such parameters as an IP address, a port number, a codec to be used and a Talk Burst Control Protocol (TBCP) for controlling a talk burst.
The on-demand session mode refers to a state in which the PoC user does not set the pre-established session, and indicates that the PoC user performs a PoC call connecting procedure after receiving an invitation message of another PoC user.
Hereinafter, a process of establishing a PoC session of the PoC system will be described with distinction between the originating side and the terminating side.
First, an originating PoC client A sends an SIP INVITE request message, which includes the SIP address of a recipient to whom the PoC client A desires to talk, to a corresponding SIP/IP core A. The INVITE request message includes information such as a PoC address of the call-requesting client, requested media parameters (because the requested session is based on the multimedia, having various media attribute values such as an audio and video encoding method, a rate and a payload type), and an attribute value informing PoC service and so on, and is forwarded to a PF via corresponding IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) servers (Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF)) in an IMS network through a route query at a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server or Domain Name System (DNS) server. Because the PF, to which a PoC user is connected at a general call request, can be implemented as an entity different from a CF that manages the talk burst of an established session, the INVITE request message forwarded previously is transmitted to the CF via an SIP/IP core of the corresponding network.
A PoC session controlling network including the CF transmits the INVITE request message to the terminating network, and then receives a response message. The SIP response message with which the terminating network responds may be one of a provisional response message of 1XX, a successful response message of 2XX, and an error response message of 4XX, 5XX or 6XX. If an AUTO-ANSWER mode is set, the CF can receive a SIP 183 Session Progress signal and thus perform connection between the PoC server and the PoC client in the IMS network of the call requester. The call acceptance signal of the recipient responds with the SIP 183 Session Process or SIP 200 OK response and is forwarded to the PoC client A via the CF and PF, the PoC servers.
After receiving the 200 OK or 183 Session Progress response from the terminating PoC server, the CF determines that a PoC call is connected and then sends a Floor Granted signal, which gives the talk burst floor to the PoC client A. Granting of the talk burst authority according to the response (200 OK or 183 Session Progress) can be divided into confirmed and unconfirmed. When receiving the unconfirmed response, the CF requires a buffering function.
After receiving the response signal to the INVITE request signal, the originating PoC client A receives the Floor Granted signal forwarding a talk burst transmission enable signal (i.e. a ring back tone) using a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) Control Protocol (RTCP). At this time, the Floor Granted signal is generated from the CF having the authority to arbitrate the talk burst, and transmitted to the corresponding PoC client via the PF, which manages the corresponding PoC client. The Floor Granted signal can be transmitted without passing through the SIP/IP core because it uses a bearer's route rather than the SIP. Finally, the PoC user that confirms the ring back tone transmits a media stream (e.g., voice) using an RTP.
The OMA PoC Release 2 takes into account a PoC Box, which has a function somewhat similar to a conventional multimedia message (MM) Box in order to further extend the PoC service. According to a PoC Box service, on behalf of a client of the PoC user who cannot participate in the one-to-one or group PoC session in real time, a specific physical or logical system (e.g., a PoC Box) participates in a corresponding PoC session, stores media transmitted during the session, and then transmits/reproduces the stored media at the request of the PoC user.
Accordingly, in order to implement the PoC Box service, which is not provided in conventional PoC standard technology, a PoC client is required to prepare for performing methods for requesting the PoC Box service, setting a type of media to be provided with the PoC Box service, and determining whether the PoC Box service is used or not.

Method and system for performing media storage service in push-to-talk over cellular network


A table may be sized and configured to nest with another table to reduce a height of a plurality of stacked tables in a nested configuration. The table may include a table top with a receiving portion disposed at least proximate an intersection of an upper surface and a sidewall. The table top may also include a lip and a lower portion of the lip may include a contact surface that is sized and configured to contact an upper surface of an adjacent, nested table. The lower portion of the lip may also include an engaging portion that is sized and configured to be disposed in a receiving portion of an adjacent, nested table. The contact surface and the engaging portion may be directly adjacent to each other in the lower portion of the lip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to tables and, in particular, to tables that may nest together.
2. Description of Related Art
Many different types of tables are well known and used for a variety of different purposes. For example, conventional tables may include legs that are pivotally attached to a table top and the legs may be movable between a use position in which the legs extend outwardly from the table top and a storage position in which the legs are folded against the table top. Conventional tables with relatively large table tops and folding legs are often referred to as "banquet tables" and these tables are frequently used in assembly halls, banquet halls, convention centers, hotels, schools, churches and other locations where large groups of people meet. These types of tables can often be positioned in an assortment of different configurations and used in a variety of settings. When banquet tables are no longer needed, the table legs can be moved into the storage position and the tables may be more easily moved or stored.
Because most banquet tables have a length between six and ten feet and a width between three and four feet, the required storage area for such tables is quite large even with the legs in the collapsed position. This large storage area may be problematic for businesses or facilities such as hotels, schools and churches because a considerable number of these tables may have to be stored. The large size of conventional banquet tables may also be problematic for manufacturers, retailers and consumers because a number of tables may have to be stored, transported and/or displayed.


This invention relates to a packaging method and device utilizing heat-shrinkable thermoplastic film for bundling a plurality of prepackaged containers which allows for access to a carrying means on the prepackaging. The packaging method and device forms a means of bundling a plurality of containers which have been prepackaged into units. Further, the heat-shrinkable thermoplastic film device forms a protective shielding for the prepackaged containers so bundled.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a packaging method utilizing heat-shrinkable thermoplastic film for bundling a plurality of prepackaged containers which allows access to a carrying means on the prepackaging. The packaging method forms a means of bundling a plurality of containers which have been prepackaged into units. Further, the heat-shrinkable thermoplastic film forms a protective shielding for the prepackaged containers so bundled.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is now common practice to bundle several prepackaged sets of product containing containers into a single package for transportation, storage and sale. Furthermore, there is the need to bundle containers having unique shapes which do not lend themselves to efficient bundling in paper and pasteboard. The packaging device of the present invention is adaptable for use with containers having a variety of shapes. Further, this packaging device can be used with any prepackaged container shape and size and where the containers are fragile, the bundling film is readily adapted to provide protective shielding for the containers.
The older packaging practice of using paper or pasteboard packaging devices has the disadvantage that these paper and pasteboard devices are bulky, expensive and require complicated machinery. Further, these paper and pasteboard devices are subject to disintegration when exposed to high humidity areas or water. The use of plastic bundling devices overcomes these disadvantages. Additionally, the present invention provides protection against abrasion, dirt and damage to the bundled containers.
A method of covering a container, such as a dish or cup, containing a bulk food item is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,655 issued to Dreyfus et al. A method of packaging individual items in a tube of shrinkable film is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,810 issued to Dreyfus. Packaging a plurality of individual items in a tube of shrinkable film is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,187,477 and 3,334,737 both issued to Dreyfus. A method of packaging a plurality of individual items in a shrinkable film envelope is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,266 issued to Dreyfus. However, none of these disclosures teach a method or device for bundling a plurality of prepackaged items into a single unit. Furthermore, none of these teachings disclose how to provide a means to access the carrying means of the individual packages or containers.

Method to access carrying handle on bundle wrapped prepackaged items


The present invention pertains to implantable or insertable medical devices which comprise a substrate and one or more therapeutic-agent-containing regions contain one or more therapeutic agents. In various aspects of the invention, one or more characteristics of such therapeutic-agent-containing regions are controlled. Further aspects of the invention relate to methods of forming such devices and to methods of using such devices.

The in-situ delivery of therapeutic agents within the body of a patient is common in the practice of modern medicine. In-situ delivery of therapeutic agents is often implemented using medical devices that may be temporarily or permanently placed at a target site within the body. These medical devices can be maintained, as required, at their target sites for short or prolonged periods of time, in order to deliver therapeutic agents to the target site.
For example, in recent years, drug eluting coronary stents, which are commercially available from Boston Scientific Corp. (TAXUS and PROMUS), Johnson & Johnson (CYPHER) and others, have been widely used for maintaining vessel patency after balloon angioplasty. These products are based on metallic expandable stents with polymer coatings that release anti-restenotic drugs at a controlled rate and total dose.
Therapeutic agents have also been delivered to vessel walls using balloons. For example, there have been clinical trials showing that in-stent restenosis can be treated using a balloon having a sprayed coating of pure paclitaxel.

Medical devices containing therapeutic agents


A technique for management of workflow configurations is disclosed. In an embodiment, an update in a workflow configuration is received. Further, a list of transactions in a workflow at multiple levels are fetched upon receiving the update in the workflow configuration, the workflow includes the list of transactions and a list of stakeholders associated with the list of transactions. Furthermore, a plurality of clauses at each of the multiple levels are executed to determine a set of eligible stakeholders for performing the list of transactions and corresponding actions. Each of the plurality of clauses are decision control points configured at each of the multiple levels. Moreover, the list of stakeholders and corresponding actions for each of the list of transactions at the multiple levels are dynamically updated based on the set of eligible stakeholders for performing the list of transactions and corresponding actions.

Generally, workflows are computer-implemented representations of real world processes. Workflows assist users with collaboration on documents and management of project tasks by implementing specific business processes on documents and items. Among other cases, workflows also assist organizations with adherence to consistent business processes, and improve organizational efficiency and productivity by managing the tasks and steps involved in specific business processes.

System and method for management of workflow configurations


A method, a terminal, and a storage medium is provided. The method includes: sending, on the first uplink carrier, a random access request to a network device when being out of uplink synchronization on a first uplink carrier in a first uplink frequency range, where the first uplink carrier is a carrier that is determined by the network device in the first uplink frequency range in a paired combination of frequency bands; obtaining, when the random access request on the first uplink carrier fails, a first quantity of failures of the random access request; and determining a first target uplink frequency range in a second uplink frequency range in the paired combination of the frequency bands when the first quantity of failures reaches a preset threshold value, and sending, on a second uplink carrier in the first target uplink frequency range, the random access request to the network device.

In 3G and 4G networks, an uplink coverage capability of a system is poorer than a downlink coverage capability thereof, thereby affecting uplink data transmission. In a 5G network, a gap between the two coverage capabilities is more obvious. Therefore, there is a need to consider that a high frequency band and a low frequency band are combined to be used. That is, when an uplink coverage of the high frequency band is limited, an uplink data is transmitted on an uplink frequency in the low frequency band. The high frequency band may include frequencies such as 28 GHz and 3.5 GHz, and is used to provide a capacity. The low frequency band may include a frequency such as 900 MHz, and is used to provide coverage.
During actual application, 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz and 880 MHz to 915 MHz may be paired for use. For example, downlink data is carried in a frequency range of 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz, and uplink data is carried in the frequency range of 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz and/or a frequency range of 880 MHz to 915 MHz. However, if a terminal operates in the frequency band of 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz and moves to a coverage edge of the frequency band and a base station (BS) does not assign an uplink frequency resource having a wider coverage range (for example, 880 MHz to 915 MHz) to the terminal in time, the terminal is out of uplink synchronization, resulting in a link failure, and causing a call drop. In this case, the terminal is to initiate a reestablishment request on an uplink carrier on which the out-of-synchronization occurs. After the terminal is out of uplink synchronization in a frequency range of 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz, the terminal usually has left an uplink coverage area of the frequency band of 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz. If the terminal continues to initiate the reestablishment request in the uplink frequency range, the terminal may fail to operate, and the terminal needs to continuously apply for a connection reestablishment, which, on one hand, causes power consumption of the terminal, and on the other hand, interrupts a service of the terminal.

Method for reestablishing connection using a RAR in a wireless communication network

CLOUDMINDS (SHANGHAI) ROBOTICS CO., LTD.