Provided are an uplink control receiving method and device, an uplink control sending method and device, a base station, and a user equipment. The method includes: configuring or specifying, for the receiving end, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol for transmitting the uplink control in a transmission unit, the location of the OFDM symbol in which the uplink control is located in the transmission unit and the location of an OFDM symbol in which uplink data is located in the transmission unit remaining continuous; and receiving the uplink control in the configured or specified OFDM symbol.

The new generation mobile communication system, i.e., New Radio (NR), is being researched and standardized, which is also one of current priorities of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
In the currently determined NR system, three typical service types exist in the future. The common services include: enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC). These services have different requirements for latency, coverage and reliability. For example, the eMBB mainly focuses on high peak transmission rate, has a low requirement on latency (no demand for low latency), and has a medium requirement on reliability. The URLLC focuses on low latency and high-reliability transmission, and is very demanding on latency. The mMTC focuses on a large number of terminals, large connection density and requires broader transmission coverage, while has little requirement on latency.
Some wireless data and control structures designed for the 5th generation wireless communication technology (5G) are described below. FIGS. 1 and 2 are structural diagrams of a transmission unit discussed in the early NR technology. As shown in FIG. 1, it can be considered as one basic transmission unit, for example, one Transmission Time Interval (TTI) composed of multiple Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, or one subframe composed of multiple TTIs. The downlink control is control type information related to downlink data, which is sent by a base station to a user equipment (UE). The guard period (GP) is time for implementing transition between receiving or transmitting states. The uplink data is data sent by the UE to the base station. The uplink control is information sent by the UE to the base station, such as downlink data receiving acknowledgement (ACK)/non-acknowledgement (NACK) feedback information, channel state information (CSI), a scheduling request and so on, which is information that the UE needs to send to the base station except the uplink data. FIG. 2 shows a basic transmission unit for downlink data transmission, which, for example, contains downlink control, downlink data, a GP and uplink control. The function of each part is the same as the corresponding part in FIG. 1.
Such basic transmission units are allowed to be aggregated. That is, multiple basic units are connected in series to form a longer transmission unit for data transmission, and in-between transmission units may be data only and contain no control parts.
In one transmission unit, when uplink control is contained, the uplink control is considered to contain one OFDM symbol in the related art, and such uplink control is referred to as short format uplink control. In order to support time division multiplexing of uplink controls of different receiving ends (e.g., UEs) in one transmission unit, a mechanism is also being considered to be introduced to indicate for the UE an OFDM symbol in which the UE's own uplink control is located. That is, multiple uplink controls will be included in one transmission unit, and each uplink control occupies one OFDM symbol.
If multiple uplink controls are included in one transmission unit and each uplink control occupies one OFDM symbol, a receiving end or a sending end can be simply implemented with the highest efficiency only through the combination of the uplink control and the way of configuring the location of a beam.
Possible problems existing when time division multiplexing of multiple uplink controls of different receiving ends exist in one transmission unit will be analyzed below.
It is assumed (only for convenience of description, and the assumed scenario does exist) that in one transmission unit, there are two receiving ends, where the receiving end 1 needs to transmit uplink data and uplink control, and the receiving end 2 only needs to transmit uplink control. It is assumed that the receiving end 1 corresponds to a beam direction 1, the receiving end 2 corresponds to a beam direction 2, and a sending end (e.g. a base station) cannot receive the beam directions 1 and 2 in one OFDM symbol at the same time (which may be caused due to various reasons, for example, the base station only has one radio frequency link). It is assumed herein that each uplink control occupies one OFDM symbol.
If a receiving end 1 transmits uplink data in the uplink data part of the transmission unit in the beam direction 1, in the transmission unit, the uplink control corresponding to the beam direction 2, i.e., the uplink control of the receiving end 2, is configured in an OFDM symbol after and adjacent to the uplink data (i.e., configured in the penultimate OFDM symbol), and the uplink control corresponding to the beam direction 1 is configured in the last OFDM symbol. At this time, the processing of the receiving end 1 becomes complicated. The receiving end 1 herein transmits the uplink data until the antepenultimate OFDM symbol, then the sending is suspended until the penultimate OFDM symbol ends, and then continues to send the uplink control in the last OFDM symbol. At this time, the uplink control of the receiving end 1, due to insufficient adjustment of automatic gain control (AGC) of the receiving end and other reasons, may be subjected to decreased sending performance (after a device starts sending, a power amplifier level needs to climb up for stable sending), and a gap exists in the sending performed by the receiving end 1 (e.g., the gap exists in the penultimate OFDM symbol), making the implementation of the receiving end 1 complicated. The processing of the sending end (e.g., a base station) will also become complicated due to the occurrence of the gap.
Therefore, in the related art, the configuration manner of locations of OFDM symbols for uplink controls of receiving ends may cause complicated processing.

Uplink control receiving method and device, uplink control sending method and device, base station, and user equipment


The present invention is directed to CTGF fragments comprising at least exon 2 or exon 3 of CTGF and having the ability to induce extracellular matrix synthesis, in particular, collagen synthesis and myofibroblast differentiation. The present invention is further directed to methods using said CTGF fragments to identify compositions which modulate the activity of said CTGF fragments and to the compositions so identified. The invention also relates to methods of treating CTGF-associated disorders and diseases associated with the overproduction of the extracellular matrix.

This invention relates generally to the field of growth factors and specifically to fragments of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) and methods of use thereof.
Growth Factors. Growth factors can be broadly defined as multifunctional, locally acting intracellular signaling polypeptides which control both the ontogeny and maintenance of tissue form and function. The protein products of many proto-oncogenes have been identified as growth factors and growth factor receptors.
Growth factors generally stimulate target cells to proliferate, differentiate and organize in developing tissues. The action of growth factors is dependent on their binding to specific receptors that stimulate a signaling event within the cell. Examples of growth factors include platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin like growth factor (IGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-xcex2), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-xcex1), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Each of these growth factors has been reported to stimulate cells to proliferate.
Connective Tissue Growth Factor. CTGF is a cysteine rich monomeric peptide a molecular weight of about 38 kd. As-previously reported, CTGF has both mitogenic and chemotactic activities for connective tissue cells. CTGF is secreted by cells and is believed to be active upon interaction with a specific cell receptor.
CTGF is a member of a family of growth regulators which include, for example, mouse (fisp-12) and human CTGF, Cyr61 (mouse), Cef10 (chicken), and Nov (chicken). Based on sequence comparisons, is has been suggested that the members of this family have a modular structure consisting typically of at least one of the following: (1) an insulin-like growth factor domain responsible for binding; (2) a von Willebrand factor domain responsible for complex formation; (3) a thrombospondin type I repeat, possibly responsible for binding matrix molecules; and (4) a C-terminal module found in matrix proteins, postulated to be responsible for receptor binding.
The sequence of the cDNA for human CGTF contains an open reading frame of 1047 nucleotides with an initiation site at about nucleotide 130 and a TGA termination site at about nucleotide 1177, and encodes a peptide of 349 amino acids. The cDNA sequence for human CTGF has been previously disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,040.
The CTGF open reading frame encodes a polypeptide which contains 39 cysteine residues, indicating a protein with multiple intramolecular disulfide bonds. The amino terminus of the peptide contains a hydrophobic signal sequence indicative of a secreted protein and there are two N-linked glycosylation sites at asparagine residues 28 and 225 in the amino acid sequence.
The synthesis and secretion of CTGF are believed to be selectively induced by TGF-xcex2 and BMP-2, as well as potentially by other members of the TGF-xcex2 superfamily of proteins. As reported in the art, although TGF-xcex2 can stimulate the growth of normal fibroblasts in soft agar, CTGF alone cannot induce this property in fibroblasts. However, it has been shown that the synthesis and action of CTGF are essential for the TGF-xcex2 to stimulate anchorage independent fibroblast growth. See, e.g., Kothapalli et al., 1997, Cell Growth and Differentation 8(1):61-68 and Boes et al., 1999, Endocrinology 140(4):1575-1580.
With respect to biological activity, CTGF has been reported to be primarily mitogenic in nature (able to stimulate target cells to proliferate). CTGF has also been reported to have chemotactic activity. Pathologically, the full-length CTGF molecule has been reported to be involved in conditions where there is an overgrowth of connective tissue cells and overdeposition of the extracellular matrix. CTGF has also been described in the art to be associated with conditions relating to vascular endothelial cell migration and proliferation, and neovascularization. The diseases and disorders relating to these conditions, include, for example, fibrosis of the skin and major organs, cancer, and related diseases and disorders such as systemic sclerosis, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, diabetic nephropathy, and renal hypertension. (See, e.g., Toshifurni et al., 1999, Journal of Cellular Physiology 18191):153-159; Shimo et al., 1999, Journal of Biochemistry 126(1):137-145; Murphy et al., 1999, Journal of Biological Chemistry 274(9):5830-5834; Wenger et al., 1999, Oncogene 18(4):1073-1080; Frzier et al., 1997, International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology 29(1); 153-161; Oemar et al., 1997, Circulation 95(4);831-839.)
CTGF has also been reported to be useful in wound healing and repair of connective tissue, bone and cartilage. In this aspect, CTGF has been described as an inducer of bone, tissue, or cartilage formation in disorders such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis or osteochondrytis, arthritis, skeletal disorders, hypertrophic scars, burns, vascular hypertrophy or wound healing. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,258; Ohnishi et al., 1998, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 30(11):2411-2422; Nakanishi et al., 1997, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 234(1):206-210; Pawar et al., 1995, Journal of Cellular Physiology 165(3):556-565.)
In summary, CTGF has been implicated in numerous fibrotic and cancerous conditions, and has been described to contribute to wound healing. As a result, there is a need in the art to identify useful-methods of modulating the activity of CTGF to treat these various diseases and disorders. Prior to the present invention, there has been no report that regions or domains of CTGF are responsible for signaling different biological activities. Moreover, prior to the instant invention, there has been no disclosure of treating diseases and disorders associated with cell proliferation and/or the overproduction of the extracellular matrix by inhibiting the biological activity of a specific region or domain of CTGF.
The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for the treatment of CTGF-associated diseases, disorders or ailments wherein the deposition of the extracellular matrix is implicated, including, for example, the induction of collagen synthesis and myofibroblast differentiation. More specifically, the compositions of the present invention comprise CTGF fragments comprising the N-terminal region of CTGF. In one aspect, the fragment of the present invention comprises at least a part of exons 2 or 3, or the polypeptide encoded thereby, is not the CTGF fragment disclosed in Brigstock et al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem. 272(32):20275-82, and further possesses the ability to induce synthesis of the extracellular matrix, including, but not limited to, the ability to induce collagen, and myfibroblast differentiation. In a further aspect, the fragment of the present invention comprises between about one-quarter and one-half the length of the full-length CTGF protein.
In one aspect, a fragment of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) polypeptide having the activities as described above is provided. A fragment of the invention includes CTGF having an amino acid sequence encoded by at least exon 2 as set forth in FIG. 3. A fragment may also include an amino acid sequence encoded by at least exon 3 as set forth in FIG. 3. Further, a CTGF fragment of the invention may include an amino acid sequence encoded by at least exons 2 and 3 as set forth in FIG. 3. The invention also provides polynucleotide sequences encoding such fragments.
The present invention further comprises methods of using the CTGF fragments of the disclosed invention to identify compositions which can modulate the activity of said CTGF fragments, wherein such compositions may be used to control normal depostion of the extracellular matrix, such as collagen deposition, as desired. More specifically, the CTGF fragments may be used to identify compositions that may control normal deposition of collagen deposition and myfibroblast differentiation, wherein such composition may be used to inhibit, suppress, or increase the activity of the CTGF fragments of the present invention.
The compositions of the claimed invention further comprise CTGF modulators, for example, antibodies, antisense molecules, small molecules, and other compounds identified by the above methods, which can modulate the activity of the CTGF fragments of the present invention. In one aspect, the present invention provides CTGF modulators that inhibit or suppress the activity of CTGF or the CTGF fragments. In another aspect of the present invention, the CTGF modulators increase the activity of CTGF or the CTGF fragments, for example, in indications wherein the induction of CTGF activity is desirable, for example, in wound healing, tissue repair, and bone repair.
In another aspect of the invention, the methods of the present invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of the CTGF fragment modulators, alone or in combination with one or more compounds, to a patient in need to treat diseases, disorders or ailments wherein the manipulation of collagen synthesis is desired. More particularly, the methods of the instant invention are directed to utilizing the compounds capable of modulating the activity of the CTGF fragments of this invention to modulate collagen synthesis, and consequently, treat disorders related to the overabundance of collagen synthesis, including fibrotic disorders. Preferably, the disorders are of the dermis, the major organ and disorders related to the overproduction of scar tissue.
The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the CTGF fragments of the present invention. Such compositions may be useful in wound healing, bone and tissue repair, wherein the increased activity of CTGF is desirable.

Fragments of connective tissue growth factor that induce extracellular matrix synthesis, collagen synthesis and/or myofibroblast differentiation


A display for a collectible item, such as a coin, in which the collectible item may be rotated relative to the display. In one embodiment, the display comprises a bubble, which can be a semi-rigid transparent material, supported between at least two layers of support material, which can be a rigid material such as card-stock, which are adhered together. The bubble includes a capsule for encapsulating the collectible item, and a flange extending from an outer perimeter of the capsule. The capsule of the bubble is aligned within an opening in the support material so that the collectible item may be viewed. The flange contacts the support layers, and permits the bubble to be rotated within the display. The display also includes an apparatus for rotatably securing the flange between the support layers, which can be a high-gloss heat-resistant coating applied to the support layers over the areas in which the support layers contact the flange. The display can also include a third support layer between the first and second layers. The third layer has an opening that is slightly larger than the flange, so that the flange is located within the opening. The third layer preferably has a thickness that is substantially equal to the thickness of the flange to help minimize the formation of “humps” in the display caused by the added thickness of the flange. Methods for producing such a rotatable display are also disclosed.

A number of techniques exist for mounting and displaying coins. In general, coin displays fall into one of four categories: (1) devices which allow the user to snap an unprotected coin into a paper board cutout that is essentially the same size as the coin (such as a Whitman™ coin folder); (2) hard plastic capsules which encapsulate a coin and allow it to be displayed in a box or album; (3) flexible laminated mylar/polyethelyne and similar packagings which allow a coin to be sandwiched between two layers of material; and (4) coin "bubbles" which generally comprise semi-rigid plastic materials which are vacuum-formed to the size and shape of the coin, and which allow the coin to be encapsulated and mounted on or between other rigid materials, such as two layers of card stock.
With any of these types of displays, and particularly in the case of a display having a coin "bubble," the assembly process must provide careful orientation of the coin within the display packaging, so that in the finished product, the coin is properly aligned relative to the surrounding elements of the display. Proper rotational alignment of the coin within the surrounding packaging of the display is an important consideration for many customers, and even a minuscule rotation of the coin within the display can cause consumer dissatisfaction. Also, because the "ideal" coin alignment is a matter of personal preference, customers are sometimes dissatisfied even when the coins are properly aligned in the display. The problem of maintaining rotational alignment is compounded when multiple coins are provided in a single display. This rotational alignment problem results in a significant increase in manufacturing costs in order to assure consistent quality for the displays.
Attempts have been made to provide a coin display in which the coins are sealed in the product in such a way that the coins can be rotated within the product even after assembly. With these displays, the alignment of the coins can be adjusted by the customer to his or her satisfaction when the product is in the consumer's hands.
This approach does suffer from some drawbacks. For instance, the "bubbles" into which the coins are sealed include concentric flanges which hold the bubble in place between two layers of card stock material. The adhesive used to join the cards together tends to adhere to the flange, which can make rotation of the coin in the display extremely difficult, if not impossible. Also, the flange portion of the bubble adds thickness between the layers of card stock used in the display assembly. This results in the formation of a noticeable "hump" in the card stock surrounding the coin, which is undesirable for many applications. For instance, when these "humps" are present in the coin display, the resultant uneven surface of the display makes manufacturing such displays difficult. The sealing head used to form the laminate structure must often be specially machined to relieve the pressure and distortions caused by these uneven surfaces.
In a rotatable coin display, the layers of card stock surrounding the coin bubble can be adhered to one another using a variety of adhesives, including contact latex-based adhesives, or heat and pressure activated adhesives. Latex-based adhesives have the advantage of being able to be assembled without special equipment. However, the adhesive itself typically contains chlorine, sulfur, or other compounds which, over time, react with the coins and result in their discoloration. Heat and pressure activated adhesives are available which are essentially inert and do not react with the coins, although these adhesives must be activated using special equipment. In addition, the heat and pressure used to activate these adhesives can present significant problems in connection with the lamination of products designed to display coins. Heat affects the bubbles, and frequently causes the flanges to adhere to the card stock. As a result, where the rotatable coin bubbles are desired, it is typically necessary to break the coin bubbles loose from the card stock after the heat and pressure sealing process so that the bubbles will rotate easily. This adds significant costs to the manufacture of rotatable coin displays, and can render large-scale commercial production of such products prohibitively expensive.


Disclosed in some examples, are optical devices, systems, and machine-readable mediums that send and receive multiple streams of data across a same optical communication path (e.g., a same fiber optic fiber) with a same wavelength using different light sources transmitting at different power levels—thereby increasing the bandwidth of each optical communication path. Each light source corresponding to each stream transmits at a same frequency and on the same optical communication path using a different power level. The receiver differentiates the data for each stream by applying one or more detection models to the photon counts observed at the receiver to determine likely bit assignments for each stream.

Optical communications, such as fiber optic communications utilize a light source at one end that transmits one or more data streams by modulating the data stream into light signals. These light signals pass through a medium such as air or a glass fiber with internally reflective surfaces (a fiber optic fiber) to a receiver which employs a photon detection module to detect the light signals. The detected light is then demodulated back into one or more data streams.
In order to effectively utilize the available light bandwidth, a number of distinct channels may be created by assigning a different light wavelength to each channel. Different data streams may be placed on each channel and transmitted simultaneously over a same medium to a same receiver. This practice is commonly referred to as Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). Some WDM systems allow up to 80 such channels per fiber and per channel bandwidth may be 40 Gbit/second to produce almost 3.1 terabits/second of transmission on a single fiber (not including losses due to overhead).
As a result of this large bandwidth, fiber optic systems are becoming increasingly popular with communication network providers, cloud service providers, and other entities that need to transfer large amounts of data very quickly. In addition to carrying a large amount of data, fiber optics offer other advantages such as: less attenuation than electrical cables—which provides the benefit of utilizing less network infrastructure for longer runs of communication cables; lack of electromagnetic interference; and various other benefits.

Transmitter for throughput increases for optical communications


Aspects of the disclosure relate to a semiconductor device power management system including a semiconductor device of a set of semiconductor devices provided on a substrate, wherein the semiconductor device includes an independent power supply unit.

In recent years, the demand for integrated circuit devices capable of performing a variety of functions is increasing. As an example, in the field of Internet of Things, a single sensor device may contain sensor controllers configured to collect and manage environmental data (e.g., temperature data, humidity data, pressure data), processing units configured to process the collected data (e.g., interpret, sort, and organize the data), and wireless transmission units configured to transmit the collected data to other devices for analysis. Accordingly, in order to satisfy the demand for increasing functionality, an increasing number of semiconductor devices are placed on integrated circuit substrates. As the number of semiconductor devices placed on substrates increases, so too does the need for efficient power supply systems to power each semiconductor device placed thereon.
In conventional power management systems, a single power supply unit is used to provide power to a plurality of semiconductor devices. For instance, circuits and through-silicon-vias (TSVs) may be formed on substrates in order to route the power from the power supply unit to the plurality of semiconductor devices, increasing circuit complexity and limiting the flexibility of the semiconductor devices located thereon. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an invention for a display with an integrated photovoltaic cell in which a single power supply is used to provide power to a processor, a driver controller, a transceiver, an antenna, and other devices.

Semiconductor device power management system

INTERNATIONAL FRONTIER TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY, INC.


Examples herein relate to re-synchronizing data between an upstream volume and a downstream volume, including by communicating data to the downstream volume, from a start point to an end point of the upstream volume, maintaining a first cursor to indicate data, from the start point to the first cursor, that has been communicated to and committed to persistent storage of the downstream volume, and maintaining a second cursor to indicate data, from the first cursor to the second cursor, that has been communicated to the downstream volume and buffered without yet being confirmed as committed to persistent storage of the downstream volume.

Synchronous data replication between data storage volumes is a mechanism for reducing the risk of data loss in data storage as a result of a system failure. Synchronous data replication systems copy data between multiple data storage volumes. If there is disruption to communications between the systems storing the volumes, resynchronization between the volumes may be performed.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


A connection procedure for finding by rearrangement a path for multirate, multicast traffic through an SDH cross-connect with subnetwork connection protection. If no free path for a new payload through the SDH switching hardware is available, the switching procedure looks for a path that is adequate and blocked by the least existing payload capacity. If the hunt is successful, the procedure rearranges the existing connections to make possible a path for the new payload. The procedure does not interrupt the existing connections; thus it is a "hitless" procedure. Connections for existing payloads that must be moved to make way for the new payload are queued and the connection procedure is applied recursively, to each in turn, until the queue is empty.

Implementations of SONET/SDH circuit-switchcd cross-connect switching structures may be designed to be non-blocking by providing sufficient hardware resources. (SONET is the North American equivalent of the SDH transmission standard; a reference here to SDH is intended to be a reference to either SDH or SONET.) For example, a three-stage Clos-type switching structure is made non-blocking by providing at least a certain minimum number of middle stage switches. The cost of a switch is proportional to the number of middle stage switches.
Reducing the number of middle switches in the architecture increases the blocking probability. However, if a new connection is initially blocked, it may sometimes be completed by rearranging existing connections. A rearrangement is not allowed to interrupt existing connections. A factor that makes rearranging connections difficult in an SDH signal environment is the multirate and multicast nature of SDH signals.
The 155,520 kbit/s Synchronous Transport Module-1 (STM-1) is the basic building block in an SDH network. An STM-1 signal consists of overhead and payload bytes organized in a 125 microsecond frame structure. The information is conditioned for serial transmission on the selected media (e.g. optical fiber) at a rate synchronized to the network. At each network node where the signal is demultiplexed, information is processed byte-by-byte.
The STM-1 signal uses a so-called Virtual Container (VC)--an information structure defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)--to serve various Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH) data rates. There are several different-capacity virtual containers: a VC-4 signal can transport 139,264 kbit/s; a VC-3 signal can transport either 44,736 kbit/s or 34,368 kbit/s; a VC-2 signal can transport 6,312 kbit/s; and a VC-12 signal can transport 2,048 kbit/s. An STM-1 signal may contain various combinations of different virtual containers, such as a single VC-4, or three VC-3s, or two VC-3s and seven VC-2s. It is perhaps fruitful to liken virtual containers to Russian nesting dolls, to imagine that in an STM-1 signal, lower-capacity virtual containers may be "nested" in larger-capacity virtual containers.
Existing SDH Digital Cross-Connect Systems (DCSs) are usually non-blocking or nearly non-blocking, made so by using complex hardware. One kind of architecture often used for such a DCS is a three-stage Clos-type network, made up of three interconnected switching stages: an input stage, middle stage, and output stage.
In a general SDH network environment, a cross-connect switching system makes connections that differ in three categories.
Unicast or multicast. A unicast connection supports traffic between two endpoints, while a multicast connection supports traffic from one endpoint to a group of endpoints. PA1 Unidirectional or bidirectional. In a unidirectional connection, data flows in only one direction: from a source to one or more destinations. In a bidirectional connection, both endpoints serve as both sources and destinations. Multicast connections can only be unidirectional. Bidirectional unicast traffic appears at a switch as two connections, one for each direction. PA1 Protected or not protected. In SubNetwork Connection Protection (SNCP), unicast data is sent simultaneously on two disjoint paths. If one of the paths degrades or fails, the data may still be correctly received on the other path. For generality, the point at which the connection splits into two streams or joins back into a single stream can occur within the network and is not restricted to the endpoints. Thus, the connection consists of concatenated segments of single streams and disjoint paths. SNCP connections appear at the switch in one of two forms. If the switch is at a split point, then it must support a connection from one input to two outputs. If the switch is at a merge point, then it must support a connection from two inputs to one output. Some further constraints exist regarding the timing relationship between the two streams, such as that the two streams must be synchronized to allow merging to occur properly.
Each stage in a three-stage SDH switching network may have either time, space, or both time and space switching capabilities. An SDH signal is basically time division multiplexing at a byte level. Repositioning virtual containers in the same STM-1 payload is time switching. Moving virtual containers from one STM-1 payload to another is space switching.
Several algorithms for rearranging Clos networks are known, e.g., a routing algorithm for rearranging three-stage Clos networks for single-rate unicast traffic. The most relevant existing algorithm for rearranging Clos networks is Paull's change algorithm. See M. C. Paull, Reswitching of Connection Networks, Bell Syst. Tech. J., vol. 41, pp 833-855, May 1962. In Paull's change algorithm, when the input requested is in input switch I, and the output requested is in output switch O, the algorithm searches for a middle switch m available for the connection request. Sometimes the link from input switch I to middle switch m, and the link from output switch O to middle switch m are free at the same time. Then no rearrangements of existing connections are required.
If there is no middle switch m found, then a rearrangement is necessary. The rearrangement procedure uses two middle switches, A and B, where A is one of the middle switches that is free (unused) from input switch I to a middle stage, but is not free from output switch O to the same middle stage. B is one of the middle switches that is free from output switch O to the middle stage but is not free from input switch I to the middle stage. Freeing up bandwidth through middle switch A or B is possible by swapping some existing connections using middle switch A or B.
The existing procedures work only for single-rate unicast traffic, and do not work with multirate SDH switching. It is not possible to directly modify or extend Paull's change algorithm or any other known algorithm to work with SDH switching. SNCP, a new ITU standardized capability, cannot be implemented inside of existing switching procedures. The SDH multirate signal hierarchy in combination with multicast requirements forecasted in SDH networks do not allow existing procedures to be used. Hardware costs motivate a move toward more complexity in the switching procedure. Desired connection capabilities of SDH unicast unidirectional, unicast bidirectional, unicast unidirectional SNCP, unicast bidirectional SNCP, and multicast render existing procedures highly inefficient or non-functional.

Cross-connect multirate/multicast SDH/SONET rearrangement procedure and cross-connect using same


An apparatus and method for generating an intermediate frequency (IF) to be transferred to a single sideband (SSB) generator which generates carriers using one local oscillator (LO) signal and at least two IF signals that are received. A group signal is generated which includes a non-phase-shifted signal and a phase-shifted signal to a predetermined value with respect to each IF. One of the group signals is selected and transferred to the SSB generator. Accordingly, the SSB generator performs the phase shift on the LO signal alone.

1. Field of the Invention
Systems, apparatuses, and methods consistent with the present invention generally relate to a communication system using a wide band, and more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for generating a radio signal used in a wide-band communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a communication system transmits data to a reception side using a carrier frequency, which requires the generation of the carrier frequency. A local oscillator (LO) is utilized to generate a frequency for data transmission. The data is transmitted using a signal generated by the LO, or, a predetermined procedure is firstly performed when the signal generated by the LO is not a desired signal. The desired signal is generated by performing the predetermined procedure with respect to the signal generated by the LO using a specific signal. Hereinafter, a LO signal denotes the signal generated by the LO.
In a wireless system applying quadrature phase shifting keying (QPSK), a mixer mixes the LO signal and intermediate frequency (IF) signals having a phase difference of 90° with respect to the LO signal so as to generate two signals having 90° phase difference at the same time. In general, a single mixer mixes the LO signal and the IF signal to simultaneously output two signals. Specifically, based on the frequency of the LO signal, one signal having a frequency higher than that of the IF signal and the other signal having a frequency lower than that of the IF signal are output A filter is used to select one of the two output signals. An undesired frequency is removed generally using a band-pass filter to pass only the desired frequency.
However, as the frequency becomes higher, it is harder to implement a narrow-band filter. It is preferred not to use the narrow-band filter since the implementation of the narrow-band filter is hard on an integrated circuit. To overcome these shortcomings, a single sideband (SSB) system is used to selectively generate one desired signal alone. The SSB system is described in detail below.
By Fourier-transforming and frequency-analyzing a signal of which amplitude is modulated, the signal is shifted to frequencies above and below the carrier frequency (IF), to thus generate an upper sideband (USB) and a lower sideband (LSB) carrying the same information. A double sideband (DSB) transmission transmits both of the USB and the LSB, and the SSB transmission transmits only one sideband by removing unnecessary sidebands. Since audio or music does not have signal components in low frequency band, the SSB transmission alone is enough to communicate. Since the signal is transmitted to the reception side in one of the USB and the LSB, the scale of the reception side is reduced and the power consumption is lowered.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional SSB generator, which is described below. The SSB generator includes two mixers 102 and 106 and an operator 108.
The respective mixers 102 and 106 mix the input IF signal and LO signal. The mixed signals are furnished to the operator 108. The operator 108 performs an addition operation or a subtraction operation on the signals. The SSB generator outputs only one signal based on the following Equations.
Let the IF signal input to the mixer 102 be cos(wIFt) and let the LO signal be cos(wLOt). The mixer 102 outputs cos(wIFt)cos(wLOt) by mixing the received signals based on Equation 1. Let the IF signal input to the mixer 106 be sin(wIFt) and let the LO signal be sin(wLOt). The mixer 106 outputs sin(wIFt) sin(wLOt) by mixing the received signals based on Equation 2.
                                          cos                                      (                                                w                  LO                                                t                            )                                                      cos                                      (                                                w                  IF                                                t                            )                                      =                              1            2                                          [                                          cos                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                +                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                            +                              cos                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                -                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                                      ]                                              [                  Equation                                                              1                ]                                                      sin                                      (                                                w                  LO                                                t                            )                                                      sin                                      (                                                w                  IF                                                t                            )                                      =                              1            2                                          [                                          -                                  cos                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    +                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                              +                              cos                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                -                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                                      ]                                              [                  Equation                                                              2                ]
Equation 1 represents the operations of the mixer 102, and Equation 2 represents the operations of the mixer 106.
The operator 108 performs the addition operation with respect to the signals received from the mixers 102 and 106. The following Equation 3 represents operations of the operator 108.
                                                        1              2                                                  [                                                cos                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    +                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                  +                                  cos                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    -                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                              ]                                +                                    1              2                                                  [                                                -                                      cos                                                              (                                                                        (                                                                                w                              LO                                                        +                                                          w                              IF                                                                                )                                                                        t                                            )                                                                      +                                  cos                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    -                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                              ]                                      =                  cos                                (                                          (                                                      w                    LO                                    -                                      w                    IF                                                  )                                          t                        )                                              [                  Equation                                                              3                ]
In Equation 3, the operator 108 generates the LSB signal.
Let the IF signal input to the mixer 102 be sin(wIFt) and let the LO signal be cos(wLOt). The mixer 102 outputs sin(wIFt)cos(wLOt) by mixing the received signals based on Equation 4. Let the IF signal input to the mixer 106 be cos(wIFt) and let the LO signal be sin(wLOt). The mixer 106 outputs cos(wIFt) sin(wLOt) by mixing the received signals based on Equation 5.
                                          cos                                      (                                                w                  LO                                                t                            )                                                      sin                                      (                                                w                  IF                                                t                            )                                      =                              1            2                                          [                                          sin                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                +                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                            -                              sin                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                -                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                                      ]                                              [                  Equation                                                              4                ]                                                      sin                                      (                                                w                  LO                                                t                            )                                                      cos                                      (                                                w                  IF                                                t                            )                                      =                              1            2                                          [                                          sin                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                +                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                            +                              sin                                                  (                                                            (                                                                        w                          LO                                                -                                                  w                          IF                                                                    )                                                            t                                    )                                                      ]                                              [                  Equation                                                              5                ]
Equation 4 represents the operations of the mixer 102, and Equation 5 represents the operations of the mixer 106.
The operator 108 performs the addition operation with respect to the signal received from the mixers 102 and 106. The following Equation 6 represents the operations of the operator 108.
                                                        1              2                                                  [                                                sin                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    +                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                  -                                  sin                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    -                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                              ]                                +                                    1              2                                                  [                                                sin                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    +                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                  +                                  sin                                                        (                                                                  (                                                                              w                            LO                                                    -                                                      w                            IF                                                                          )                                                                  t                                        )                                                              ]                                      =                  sin                                (                                          (                                                      w                    LO                                    +                                      w                    IF                                                  )                                          t                        )                                              [                  Equation                                                              6                ]
In Equation 6, the operator 108 generates the USB signal.
The wide-band communication system uses a plurality of carriers to increase the data transmission amount FIG. 2 illustrates a frequency generator in the communication system which transmits data using the plurality of carriers.
Referring to FIG. 2, one LO signal and a plurality of the IF signals are combined to generate the desired number of carriers. The number of the IF signals is n-ary.
The LO signal generated by the LO is provided to the SSB generator 202. The switch 200 receives the n-ary IF signals, selects one of the n-ary IF signals, and provides the selected signal to the SSB generator 202. The SSB generator 202 performs the same operations as in FIG. 1, to thus output a single signal.
As shown in FIG. 2, the signal provided to the SSB generator 202 is not preset, but is selected from the n-ary signals. The SSB generator 202 performs the phase shift on the received signals by a certain unit. Referring back to FIG. 1, the SSB generator 202 shifts the phase of the received signal to 90°. If the number of the received signals is plural, it is hard to perform the phase shift on each signal.
In general, the SSB generator performs accurately the phase shift on one signal. Accordingly, upon receiving other signals, the SSB generator cannot accurately perform the phase shift. If the SSB generator is constructed to shift the phase with respect to ƒ1 alone, it is infeasible to accurately shift the phase with respect to input ƒn. The inaccurate phase shift results in error components in the signal output from the SSB generator.

Apparatus and method for frequency generation in mobile communication system


In a pump plate (26) of a feed pump, an inlet port (26b) and an outlet port (26c) are formed around a shaft hole (26a) through which a driving shaft is inserted, and a rib (26f), which partitions each of the inlet port (26b) and the outlet port (26c) in the circumferential direction thereof and connects opposite sides (an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side) of each of the inlet port (26b) and the outlet port (26c), is provided. Namely, each of the inlet port (26b) and the outlet port (26c) is divided into two portions in the circumferential direction thereof, by the rib (26f).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feed pump attached to a fuel injection pump applied to, for example, a diesel engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is, as a prior art, for example, a fuel injection pump described below.
The fuel injection pump is provided with a feed pump that draws fuel from a fuel tank and supplies the same to an injection pump main body.
As shown in FIG. 4, the feed pump is composed of a pump element 110 rotated by a driving shaft 100, a pump plate 120 disposed at one end side of the pump element 110 in the axial direction thereof, and a pump cover 130 that covers the other end side of the pump element 110 in the axial direction thereof and an outer periphery of the pump element in the radial direction thereof, and that is combined with the pump plate 120 in a liquid-tight manner; and is fastened to a housing 140 of the injection pump main body by bolts.
The pump element 110 is a trochoid-type pump in which an inner gear 112 having outer teeth is disposed inside an outer gear 111 having inner teeth.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the pump plate 120, a shaft hole 121, through which the driving shaft 100 is inserted, is formed at the center of the plate, and an inlet port 122 and an outlet port 123 that are shaped like an arc are formed around the shaft hole 121. Further, bolt holes 124 and positioning holes 125 are formed on the outer periphery of the pump plate 120.
The pump cover 130 has an outer shape identical to that of the pump plate 120. In the cover, bolt holes and positioning holes are formed in a manner similar to the pump plate 120.
The above-described feed pump is fastened to the housing 140 by inserting a bolt (not shown) into each bolt hole 124 of the pump plate 120 and the pump cover 130, and threading the bolt into a threaded hole (not shown) formed in a side face of the housing 140. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the center of the pump plate 120 is sometimes deformed toward-the pump element 110. As a result, there is a possibility that the drawbacks (1), (2) described below may be caused.
(1) A thrust clearance between the pump plate 120 and the pump element 110 is reduced, so that seizing occurs.
(2) Leakage of fuel occurs at the deformed portion of the pump plate 120, so that a low-speed discharging property is reduced.
The deformation of the center of the pump plate 120 is caused by the reduction of rigidity of the pump plate 120 because of the large (long) inlet port 122 and outlet port 123 that are formed around the shaft hole 121 in the circumferential direction of the shaft hole. Therefore, the increase of the thickness of the pump plate to increase the rigidity of the pump plate 120 can be taken into consideration. However, in this case, demerits such as the increase of material cost, the increase of the size of the pump and the reduction of workability in pressing, occur. Accordingly, a method that causes the thickness of the pump plate 120 to be increased is not required.

Abstract: Therefore, when the feed pump is fastened to a side face of a pump housing by bolts, even if the thickness of the pump plate (26) is not increased, the deformation of the center of the pump plate (26) can be prevented.


An anaerobic digester is fed a feedstock, for example sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant, and produces a digestate. The digestate is dewatered into a cake. The cake may be dried further, for example in a thermal drier. The cake is treated in a pyrolysis system to produce a synthesis gas and biochar. The gas is sent to the same or another digester to increase its methane production. The char may be used as a soil enhancer.

The following discussion is not an admission that anything discussed below is common general knowledge or citable as prior art.
Anaerobic digestion produces biogas as a result of the biological fermentation of volatile solids (VS) supplied with the feedstock. The degree of volatile solids reduction is related to the biodegradability of the feedstock and process conditions in the digester. Important digester parameters or considerations include temperature, pH, food-to-microorganism ratio, organic loading rate, hydraulic and solids retention time, absence of toxic substances at inhibitory concentrations, adequate mixing, and others. The closer these conditions are to an optimum, the higher the VS reduction will be.
Typically, digesters treating complex organic substrates will achieve 60 to 80% VS reduction. With substrates with high fiber content, such as silage or dairy manure, a digester may achieve about 60% VS destruction. Typical digesters treating municipal sewage sludge produced in a wastewater treatment plant usually achieve about 50% VS destruction in 20 day hydraulic retention time (HRT) mesophilic digesters.
The digester sludge, or digestate, produced by an anaerobic digester is a combination of inert solids that were fed with the substrate, recalcitrant volatile solids that could not be degraded biologically, and bacterial biomass that grew as a result of feeding on the degradable portion of the volatile solids fed with the feedstock. A typical digestate solids content is 2% to 10% total solids (TS) or dried solids (DS), depending on the substrate and the type of digester. The digestate may be dewatered mechanically to produce a cake with 20 to 30% solids, depending among other things on the undigested fiber content and the type of dewatering device used.
Pyrolysis is a technique typically used to process solid waste such as wood chips or sawdust. Pyrolysis produces biochar, liquids and gases from a biomass by heating the biomass in a low or no oxygen environment. The absence or deficiency of oxygen prevents combustion. The relative yield of products from pyrolysis varies with temperature. Temperatures of 400-500° C. (752-932° F.) produce more char, while higher temperatures, up to and above 700° C. (1,292° F.) favor the yield of liquid and gas fuel components. Pyrolysis occurs more quickly at the higher temperatures, typically requiring seconds instead of hours. High temperature pyrolysis is also known as gasification, and produces primarily synthesis gas. Once initiated, both processes can be self supporting and produce net energy, not accounting for the energy value of the biomass consumed.
Synthesis gas, also called syngas or producer gas, is a combination of CO, H2 and CO2 that results from the thermal degradation of biomass without combustion, through pyrolysis or gasification. This process occurs typically at temperatures between 500 and 700 deg C. with minimal introduction of oxygen, if any. Other components of syngas are water vapor, methane, light hydrocarbons, particulates and volatile impurities. Syngas has a low heat value, for example 120 to 150 Btu/cubic foot. After adequate cleaning to remove moisture, particulates, tars and impurities, syngas can be used for heat or electricity production with adapted internal combustion engines, boilers, gas turbines, or fuel cells. In some gasification systems, syngas is subject to high temperature steam reformation to produce hydrogen that is either sold as a gaseous fuel or used on site to power fuel cells.
In some cases, syngas is upgraded to methane with chemical catalysts. In one process, a water-gas shift (WGS) step increases the H2/CO ratio of the syngas and is followed by a nickel catalyst supported step that enables conversion from CO and CO2 into methane and water. This process is costly due to the chemical catalyst, its energy demand, and the need to pre-treat the syngas to remove impurities.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Syngas biomethanation process and anaerobic digestion system


A system and method for monitoring vehicular traffic with a laser rangefinding and speed measurement device utilizing a shaped divergent laser beam pattern. In accordance with the present invention, a traffic monitoring device is disclosed which comprises a light emitting diode having a die element producing an asymmetric beam pattern, an aperture for at least partially precluding some portion of the beam pattern in a first direction while allowing the beam pattern in a second orthogonal direction to pass therethrough and a lens associated with the aperture for causing the laser beam exiting the aperture to diverge providing a cone-like beam of laser energy.

The present invention relates, in general, to the field of systems and methods for monitoring vehicular traffic. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring vehicular traffic with a laser rangefinding and speed measurement device utilizing a shaped divergent laser beam pattern.
Police have been using radar and laser speed measurement devices to determine vehicle speed in traffic enforcement operations for many years now. With respect to radar based devices, they generally function such that a microwave signal is emitted toward a moving vehicle and a reflection from the target returned to the device which then uses the determined Doppler shift in the return signal to determine the vehicle's speed. Radar based devices have an advantage over laser based speed guns in that they emit a very broad signal cone of energy and do not therefore, require precise aiming at the target vehicle. As such, they are well suited for fixed and mobile applications while requiring little, if any, manual operator aiming of the device. However, the broad beam of energy they emit precludes their ability to readily distinguish between adjacent vehicles on a multi-lane roadway
On the other hand, laser based speed guns employ the emission of a series of short pulses comprising a very narrow beam of monochromatic laser energy and then measure the flight time of the pulses from the device to the target vehicle and back. These laser pulses travel at the speed of light which is on the order of 984,000,00 ft./sec. or approximately 30 cm/nsec. Laser based devices then very accurately determine the time from when a particular pulse was emitted until the reflection of that pulse is returned from the target vehicle and divide it by two to determine the distance to the vehicle. By emitting a series of pulses and determining the change in distance between samples, the speed of the vehicle can be determined very quickly and with great accuracy.
While laser diodes themselves emit a somewhat divergent beam, laser rangefinders and speed guns have collimated that beam using an aspheric lens to reduce the beam width to on the order of 2 to 3 milliradians. Because of the narrow beam width employed, such devices have heretofore been predominantly relegated to hand held units which must be manually aimed at a specific target vehicle. That being the case, they have not been able to be employed in autonomous applications wherein an operator is not manually aiming the device.
In conventional fixed and semi-fixed uses of laser based speed detection devices, such as overpass mounted applications, it is important that the laser pulses be directed to a single point on an approaching target vehicle inasmuch as the frontal surface angles can vary between, for example, that of the grille (θ1) and the windshield (θ2) Where the distance to the target vehicle as measured by the laser based device is a distance M at an angle φ and the true distance to the target is D, D is then equal to M*(COS φ+SIN φ/TAN(θ1 or θ2)).
Thus, the true distance D can vary, and hence the calculated speed of the target vehicle. Normally, the angle φ is less than 10° and COS φ is then almost 1. This can reduce the calculated speed of the target vehicle, in effect giving a 1% to 2% detected speed advantage to the target vehicle as indicated below with respect to the "cosine effect". However, the cosine effect can be minimized if an accurate tracking trajectory is maintained. On the other hand, it should be noted that the value of SIN φ/TAN(θ1 or θ2) can be greater than a normally acceptable error margin (e.g., 0.025 (2.5%)) and an even larger error can be encountered if the laser pulses are not consistently aimed at a single point on the target vehicle. As used herein, the SIN φ/TAN(θ1 or θ2) portion of the equation is referred to as a geometric error.
Both radar and laser based speed measurement devices can be used to measure the relative speed of approaching and receding vehicles from both fixed and mobile platforms. If the target vehicle is traveling directly (i.e. on a collision course) toward the device, the relative speed detected is the actual speed of the target. However, as is most frequently the case, if the vehicle is not traveling directly toward (or away from) the device but at an angle (α), the relative speed of the target with respect to that determined by the device will be slightly lower than its actual speed. This phenomenon is known as the previously mentioned cosine effect because the measured speed is directly related to the cosine of the angle between the speed detection device and the vehicle direction of travel. The greater the angle, the greater the speed error and the lower the measured speed. On the other hand, the closer the angle (α) is to 0°, the closer the measured speed is to actual target vehicle speed.

System and method for monitoring vehicular traffic with a laser rangefinding and speed measurement device utilizing a shaped divergent laser beam pattern


A generic input device built of Electro-optical camera, sensors, buttons and communication means, provides a measure for operating in absolute and/or relational mode, most software applications on many electronic platforms with display independent of the screen characters.

We are operating in our daily use, large number of electronic platforms that need to be fed with inputs.
Among these electronic devices with displays, we have desktop computers, laptops, TabletPCs, PocketPCs, televisions, cellular phones and the like.
In order to operate/interact with the above devices, a large number of input devices have been invented. Among these devices we have the mouse, trackball, keyboards, remote controllers, active and passive styluses that interact with the screen without having to touch it, resistive screens that need to be touched in order to get the inputs, sensors outside the screen to detect the move of an input device like a stylus, styluses that detect electro-optical wise a pattern imprinted in the screen or on the background of the displayed information etc.
The above input devices can be partitioned in several ways, the first is the partition between absolute and relational devices.
The absolute devices work on the screen itself and include the styluses (active, passive), resistive screen, imprinted pattern and the ones that are being inspected by other outside sensors.
The relational input devices where each movement is relative to the current position and not an absolute position includes the mouse, trackball, keyboard, part of the remote controllers (navigation in equipment menu) etc.
The above input devices can be further partitioned into two other major groups, the first, is the group which doesn't interact directly with the screen and includes the mouse, trackball, keyboard and the remote controller. The second is the group that directly interacts with the screen and is further partitioned into three subgroups:                1. The first subgroup is the one that has built into the screen sensors/elements and includes devices like the passive and active stylus and the resistive screens. For example, such type of devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,435 (Fujita, et al.). The patent discloses A display unit with touch panel includes a press detection switch for detecting a press on a touch panel at a pressure exceeding a predetermined level so as to output a press detection signal, a driving-signal generating circuit responding to the press detection signal to generate a driving signal, a driving portion actuated by the driving signal to drive the touch panel into displacement thereby providing an operator with a tactile feedback, and an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both of a coincidence detection signal from a coincidence detecting circuit and the press detection signal from the press detecting switch, and a gate circuit for inhibiting a passage of the operated-position signal from the operated-position detecting circuit when the AND signal from the AND circuit is not supplied and permitting the passage of the operated-position signal when the AND signal from the AND circuit is supplied. The display unit with touch panel ensures the prevention of operation errors caused by the operator merely sliding his finger on the touch panel or accidentally touching the touch panel.        2. The second subgroup is the one where outside sensors inspect the movement of the input device and includes sensors like cameras and ultrasonic sensors. Such device is disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,009 (Omura, et al.) where, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprises a lighting device for emitting light into an entry area into which an arbitrary pointing body is inserted to perform an entry operation. At least two image pickup devices are provided with a pre-specified space therebetween on a peripheral section of the entry area for picking up images of the pointing body illuminated by the light from the lighting device. Position on the CCD of the image pickup devices where an image of the pointing body is formed is obtained according to output from each of the image pickup devices. Coordinates of the position of the pointing body in the entry area are calculated from these positions.        3. The third subgroup is the one that calculate the input device location by interpreting a pattern imprinted into the screen. This type is sometimes being augmented with other sensors like gyroscopes and accelerometers. U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,594 (Wang, et al.) describes a universal input device. The universal input device provides a common user interface for a variety of different computing platforms including printed documents. Using the present system, one may use the universal input device to control various computing devices as well as capture handwritten electronic ink and have the electronic in be associated with new or stored documents. The technology is based on an imprinted in the screen pattern that can be inspected with UV camera.

Input device and method of operation thereof


A method and apparatus for simultaneously rendering multiple scanlines. Using a scanline approach to rendering, multiple scanlines may be rendered simultaneously through the use of parallel rendering means. The rendering of multiple scanlines in parallel is enabled by creating scanline independence. Scanline independence is achieved by interpolation through direct evaluation of object information. During the rendering process each of the rendering means vertically interpolates to identify a span corresponding to the scanline being rendered. A span is identified by it's X, Y coordinates on a scanline. The scanline being rendered provides the Y-coordinate. Vertical interpolation generally involves the step of deriving the X-coordinates for the endpoints of the span and comprises the steps of: identifying active edges of the object, calculating a relative interpolation weight for each active edge and solving a linear interpolation function using the relative interpolation weight and the leftmost X-coordinate of the active edges and the rightmost X-coordinate of the active edges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer controlled display systems, in particular, devices for rendering pixels for displaying 3-dimensional graphical images.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the processing capability of computer systems has grown, so have the ways of displaying data generated by the computer systems. Many vocations now use computer systems as a fundamental tool. For example, in the area of architectural design, 3-Dimensional graphical images (or 3-D images) of buildings or other structures are dynamically created and manipulated by a user. A computer system is able to capture and process data in order to display the 3-D image, in a time that is much faster than could be done manually. As computer hardware technology has advanced, so has the development of various methods, techniques and special purpose devices for rapidly displaying and manipulating 3-D images.
A 3-D image is represented in a computer system as a collection of graphical objects. Generally, there are two known approaches to providing high performance generation of 3-D images. A first approach focuses on rapidly drawing the graphical objects that comprise the 3-D graphics image. This approach is referred to hereinafter as the object approach. The object approach embodies a hidden surface removal algorithm commonly known as the screen Z-buffer algorithm. A second approach looks to processing the graphical objects with respect to the scanlines on which they would appear on a display. The second approach is referred to hereinafter as the scanline approach. The two approaches involve certain trade-offs. These trade-offs include cost, performance, function, quality of image, compatibility with existing computer systems and usability.
As mentioned above, a 3-D image will be represented in a computer system as a collection (or database) of graphical objects. The database may have been created through the use of any of a number of commercially available application software packages. The database may be in any of a number of standard graphics formats (e.g. PHIGS or GKS). It is common that the 3-D graphical objects are polygons (e.g. triangles) or some other high level object. The process of transforming a collection of graphical objects into a 3-D image is termed rendering. Literally, the rendering process takes object information and converts it to a pixel representation. It is in the rendering process where the object and scanline approaches differ.
In the object approach, the majority of the function related to the rendering process is performed by specially designed graphics accelerators. These graphics accelerators perform the necessary operations to create the pixel representation of the objects. The pixel representation may then be used by a display system to "draw" the graphical object on a display screen. A schematic of the object approach is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a general purpose host computer 101 is used to maintain and create a 3-D Object Database 102. As described above, the 3-D Object Database contains the 3-D Objects which comprise the 3-D image. Coupled to the host processor 101 is a system frame buffer 106. The system frame buffer 106 is further coupled to the display 105. The system frame buffer 106 contains the data, e.g. RGB values, for each pixel in the display 105.
The primary components of the object approach are embodied in the graphics accelerator processor 103 and the screen Z-Buffer 104. The graphics accelerator processor 103 performs various graphical functions such as transformations and clipping. The screen Z-Buffer 104 is used for hidden surface removal. During the rendering process for a graphical image, the rendered pixels are transferred to the system frame buffer 106.
Using the object approach, each of the 3-D objects in the database 102 is rendered individually. Using a triangle object as an example, the rendering process generally involves the following steps, and is illustrated in FIG. 2a-2c:
1. Derive a 2-D triangle from the graphical object definition. The transformation step, as illustrated in FIG. 2a, results in a triangle 201 with vertices A 202, B 203 and C 204. PA0 2. Perform any necessary clipping of the object. Clipping refers to removing portions of the object that are not within the bounds of a predetermined viewing area. PA0 3. Generate horizontal spans for the object. A horizontal span refers to a portion of the object that intersects a scanline. A span is comprised of one or more pixels. For example, in FIG. 2b, see span 209. Typically this occurs through a linear vertical interpolation of the object. PA0 4. Generate values for each of the pixels in the span. This process is commonly referred to as horizontal interpolation. FIG. 2c illustrates horizontal interpolation. This step will include such functions as shading of the pixels, hidden surface removal and storing the pixel values into a screen RGB frame buffer. PA0 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the object has been rendered. PA0 6. Repeat steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 until all the objects have been rendered.
The Step 1 derivation of a 2-D triangle is needed in order to map into the two-dimensional coordinate systems that are typically used by known display systems. The third coordinate of a 3-D graphical object is depth (e.g. "Z value"), and is used to determine whether or not the object is behind another object and thus out of view (i.e. hidden).
Vertical interpolation, as described in Step 3 above, is illustrated in FIG. 2b. Vertical interpolation is typically performed in the following fashion. First, active edges are determined. An active edge is defined as an edge of the object that intersects a scanline that is being processed. A span is defined as the pixels on the scanline that would connect the two intersection points of the active edges. The triangle 201 is comprised of edges 205, 206 and 207. The edge 205 is defined by the segment connecting vertices A 202 and B 203, the edge 206 is defined by the segment connecting vertices A 202 and C 204 and the edge 207 is defined by the segment connecting vertices B 203 and C 204. Generally, for any particular scanline, there will be 2 active edges. The exception being when an edge is horizontal. For example, in FIG. 2b, for scanline 208, the active edges are 205 and 206. Thus, for scanline 208, there is a span 209 for object 201.
The next step is to determine the coordinates of the end-points 210 and 211 of span 209. First it must be understood that each active edge is simply a line. Thus, the difference between successive points in the line are linear. As the vertical ordinate is simply the current scanline, only the horizontal ("X") value need be calculated. Typically, this is done using a forward differencing calculation. In forward differencing a constant, say .DELTA.p is determined that is between each horizontal coordinate (e.g. using the formula .DELTA.p=P1-P0/Y1-Y0, where P1 and P0 are pertinent pixel values, such as "R" of RGB, at Y1 and Y0 for the respective end-points of an edge). Thus, the horizontal coordinate value may be determined by simply adding .DELTA.p to the previous corresponding coordinate value. It is known that using forward differencing makes other techniques of improving rendering performance, e.g. parallel processing, more difficult.
A non-desirable aspect of the forward differencing technique is that a high number of bits are required to be stored and propagated in order to retain the necessary numerical precision needed for graphics applications. This is a tradeoff to eliminating certain operations, namely division operations, that would otherwise be required in the vertical interpolation process.
Referring to FIG. 2c, shading the pixels in span 209 is then performed. Shading refers to establishing the values for the pixels comprising the span 209. The coordinates of the successive pixels on the span may be determined through the means such as a counter. Horizontal interpolation to determine shading values for each of the pixels may occur using either linear interpolation or perspective corrected interpolation. In any event, as the values for a pixel 212 are determined, the values for subsequent pixels, e.g. pixel 213 can be estimated through horizontal interpolation.
As noted above, the object approach generally utilizes the screen Z-Buffer algorithm. The screen Z-Buffer algorithm provides for hidden surface removal. Hidden surface removal is necessary for the display of 3-D images, since the surfaces in view depend on the vantage point from the viewing direction and refers to the "hiding" of areas of an object that are "behind" another object. The hidden surface removal Z-Buffer algorithm is known in the art and requires a local frame buffer. The screen contains the pixel values of objects as they are rendered. As the location of any object may be anywhere on the screen, the local frame buffer must have enough storage to support the display of all pixels on the display. Once all the objects have been rendered, the local frame buffer is transferred to the system frame buffer for display.
The Z-Buffer method utilizes the fact that each object has an attribute, typically called a Z-value, which is a 3rd dimensional ordinate. A low Z-value indicates that the object (or portion of the object) is closer to the viewer than an object with a high Z-value. The Z-Buffer stores a Z-value for each pixel on a display. During the rendering process, the Z-value of a pixel being processed is compared to Z-value in a corresponding location in the Z-buffer. If the Z-value of the pixel being processed is smaller than the value in the corresponding location in the Z-buffer, then the Z-value of the pixel being process is placed in the corresponding location in the Z-buffer. Additionally, the pixel value of the pixel being processed will be placed in the screen frame buffer, since it is now the "closest" to the viewer.
Some of the tradeoffs of object/z-buffer rendering include: the requirement of Z-buffer memory, screen frame buffer memory (in addition to a system frame buffer), and the difficulty in building a modular type of system due to a constraint of the Z-Buffer memory needing to be close to the screen buffer. As a result of such hardware requirements, the object approach can be a costly approach.
In the scanline approach the 3-D image is rendered a scanline at a time, rather than an object at a time. Thus, all objects intersecting a particular scanline are processed before writing to the scanline location in the frame buffer. The scanline approach utilizes two passes. In the first pass, 3-D objects are transformed into 2-D objects and a scanline object activation list is built. In the second pass, each of the scanlines are rendered. The flow of the scanline approach is illustrated in FIG. 3a. As in hardware rendering, transformation of the 3-D objects into 2-D objects occurs, step 301. Concurrent with the step 301, an Object Activation Database is built, step 302. The steps 301 and 302 comprise the first pass.
The Object Activation Database provides, for each scanline, a list of objects which first become active on that scanline. By becoming active, that object may be displayed on that scanline. This typically occurs by identification of the highest point of an object (i.e. its lowest Y-coordinate), and assigning it to the activation list of the corresponding scanline. The relationship of the Object Activation Database to the displayed objects is illustrated in FIG. 3b. In FIG. 3b a display screen 320 is 9 scanlines high. The scanlines 0-8 are numbered from low to high down the left hand side of the display screen 320. Objects A 321, B 322 and C 323 are to be displayed on the display screen 320. It is apparent that Object A 321 has a highest point 326 (which is on scanline 5), Object B 322 has a highest Point 324 (which is on scanline 1) and Object C 323 has a highest Point 325 (also on scanline 1).
Still referring to FIG. 3b, the resulting Object Activation List Database 329 is illustrated. As the points 324 and 325 are on scanline 1, a scanline 1 entry 327 contains the corresponding objects, namely Object B 322 and Object C 323. Additionally, a scanline 5 entry 328 contains the Object A 321.
Referring back to FIG. 3a, once the Object Activation Database 329 is generated and all the 3-D Objects have been transformed, an Active Object List is created, step 303. The Active Object List provides a source of identifying for the scanline being processed, the objects which are active (i.e. portions of which are displayable on that scanline). The Active Object List may contain either descriptive information of the 2-D object (e.g. coordinate information and shading parameter values) or may contain information defining the active edges of the 2-D object (also including shading parameter values). FIG. 3c illustrates the contents of an Active Object List 340 with respect to the screen and Object Activation List 329 of FIG. 3b. In Active Object List 340, a scanline 1 entry 341 contains the objects B and C. The objects B and C remain as an entry for scanlines 2-5. In scanline 5 entry 342, object A is included (as this is where the object A is first displayed). As objects B and C are no longer displayed after scanline 5, they are not in a scanline 6 entry 343. The entries for scanlines 6-8 are comprised solely of object A. Rendered Screen 345 illustrates how the objects would be rendered.
Referring back to FIG. 3a, once the object Activation List is created, the rendering process begins, step 304. As with hardware rendering, the next steps include 1) vertical interpolation, to determine the coordinates (and shading parameters of the coordinates) of a horizontal span that corresponds to a particular object on a particular scanline, and 2) horizontal interpolation, for determining the individual pixel values for the pixels within the span. Vertical interpolation occurs for every active object on a scanline. Once the coordinates for the horizontal span and corresponding shading parameters have been determined, vertical interpolation is completed and horizontal interpolation begins. When all the pixels in the span have been shaded, horizontal interpolation for the span is completed. This shading process is embodied in step 304. Step 304 is repeated for all the objects on the active object list. Finally, a test is made to determine if the last scanline has been processed, step 305. If the final scanline has not been processed, the active object list is updated to reflect the active objects for the next scanline, step 306. The step 306 is generally identical in function to step 303. If the last scanline has been processed, the processing for that graphical image is complete. The steps 303-306 comprise the second pass.
An important distinction between the vertical interpolation process in the scanline approach and the object approach is that in the scanline approach portions of multiple objects are rendered at one time. Thus, appropriate storage is required to retain all the forward differencing information that will be used as all the objects are being interpolated. For example, if 10 units of storage are required for storing the forward differencing information for one object, 50 units of storage are required for storing the forward differencing information for 5 objects. Additionally, since forward differencing is being used, there is an inter-scanline dependence so that the scanlines must be processed in sequential order.
Scanline rendering provides benefits over object rendering that include eliminating the need for a frame Z-Buffer and a screen RGB Buffer, each of which usually are the size of the display.
A known system that utilized scanline rendering in combination with a pipelined object approach is discussed in the publication "Computer Graphics Principles and Practice Second Edition" by Foley, VanDam, Feiner and Huges published by the Addison Wesley Publishing Corporation at Pages 885-886. The system described provides separate processing units for creating an Object Activation Database, Active Object List, Visible Span Generation (i.e. Vertical Interpolation) and Pixel Shading (i.e. Horizontal Interpolation). However, the system as described did not provide for parallel pipelines.
A parallel pipeline system was described in the aforementioned "Computer Graphics Principles and Practice Second Edition" publication at Pages 899-900. The system described utilized a technique termed object-parallel rasterization. In this system multiple objects are processed in parallel.
The tradeoffs discussed above were often premised on an idea that it is desirable to minimize the number of computations that need to be performed. An example is the forward differencing technique for linear interpolation. In order to minimize division operations, a larger amount of data must be moved and stored through the system. With the maturation of semiconductor technology, the cost of circuitry to perform logic operations has decreased. Thus, it has become viable to design systems that utilize processing power and minimize memory. This is especially desirable when space is a consideration, since storage tends to take up a sizable amount of valuable space on an electrical circuit.
As described above, known rendering systems typically perform a high number of linear interpolations. It would be desirable to provide a method and means where these linear interpolations may be performed in an efficient manner.
Known high quality 3-D rendering systems are inherently expensive and incapable of incorporating new functionality without significant re-design of the inherent architecture of the rendering system. It would be desirable to provide a rendering system that is scalable to user needs. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interpolation means that does not present the bandwidth and data storage requirements associated with forward differencing based techniques.
It is a further object of the present invention to increase rendering performance of graphical images through the rendering of multiple scanlines, without requiring a multiple increase in data bandwidth requirements.

Method and apparatus for simultaneously rendering multiple scanlines