Some implementations include using a trained classifier to identify page-turn events in a video. The video may be divided into multiple segments based on the page-turn events, with each segment of the multiple segments corresponding to a pair of adjacent pages in a book. Exemplar frames that provide non-redundant data compared to other frames may be chosen from each segment. The exemplar frames may be cropped to include content portions of pages. The exemplar frames may be aligned such that a pixel is located in a same position in each frame. Optical character recognition (OCR) may be performed on exemplar frames and the OCR for exemplar frames in each segment may be combined. The exemplar frames in each segment may be combined to create a composite image for each pair of adjacent pages in the book, and OCR may be performed on the composite image.

Many books published prior to the adoption of digital publishing may be available only in a paper-based format. A corresponding digital version of such books may not exist, making these books unavailable to individuals who use electronic book (eBook) readers. To create a digital (e.g., eBook) version of books that are only available in paper-based format, the books may be scanned, page-by-page, using a flatbed scanner. However, scanning books page-by-page using a flatbed scanner may be impractical, cumbersome, and/or time consuming. For example, large hardbound books may be difficult to open sufficiently to allow scanning pages using a flatbed scanner. As another example, attempting to use a flatbed scanner to scan documents that are fragile or deteriorating, such as historical documents, may further damage such documents.

Creating an electronic book using video-based input


A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing digital audio signal on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape, which includes a recording and/or reproducing unit, an analog-to-digital convertor, a decimation filter, and noise shaper. The recording and/or reproducing unit records and/or reproduces signal on a recording medium at a speed double relative moving speed of a head and the recording medium at least. The analog-to-digital convertor converts input analog audio signal into digital signal with a sampling frequency which is above the audio frequency band, and sufficiently higher than the maximum frequency capable of recording by the recording and/or reproducing unit. The decimation filter reduces the sampling frequency of the digital signal output from the analog-to-digital convertor, and converts it into digital signal of m-bit (m>n). The noise shaper converts the digital signal from the decimation filter from m-bit to n-bit, and then in requantizing, shapes noise so as to suppress within the audio frequency band, and supplies it to the recording and/or reproducing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an audio signal transmitting apparatus and the method thereof, and more particularly to an improvement of an audio signal transmitting apparatus which is applicable to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an audio signal on a recording medium.
2. Background of the Invention
A digital audio tape recorder generally converts an audio signal into a digital signal and records the signal on a magnetic tape to record and/or reproduce the audio signal with high tone quality.
This digital audio tape recorder samples audio signals input sequentially at a sampling frequency of 48 [kHz] or 44.1 [kHz], and performs analog-to-digital conversion to convert the audio signal into a 16-bit per sample digital signal.
A frequency of 20 [Hz] to 20 [kHz] is known to be the human audio frequency band in general. Accordingly, the digital audio tape recorder selects any of the above sampling frequencies so that the audio signal can be converted into a digital signal at a frequency band almost equal to the human audio frequency band.
The digital audio tape recorder divides the digital signal into specified blocks, adds an error correction code to each block, and interleaves the signal to generate record data.
The tape recorder uses this record data to drive a magnetic head to sequentially record the record data on a magnetic tape.
After converting, reproducing signal output from the magnetic head into binary data, the digital audio tape recorder performs a procedure which is the reverse of that performed in recording, so as to demodulate the original audio signal. Thereby, in the digital audio tape recorder, the deterioration of the tone quality can be effectively avoided in recording and reproducing.
In this type of digital audio tape recorder, a digital audio tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as "double-speed recording and reproducing digital audio tape recorder") has been proposed in which the rotating speed of a rotary drum is set to a value double the normal speed, and also the running speed of a magnetic tape is set to a value double the normal speed, so that an audio signal with a higher tone quality can be recorded and/or reproduced.
In this double-speed recording and/or reproducing digital audio tape recorder, the sampling frequency can be set to a value double the normal sampling frequency of the digital audio tape recorder, thus the recordable and reproducible frequency band can be increased to twice the width of the normal digital audio tape recorder.
Therefore, the double-speed recording and/or reproducing digital audio tape recorder can set the cutoff frequency of an antialiasing filter used to limit the band to a sufficiently higher frequency than the human audio frequency band, thereby, the deterioration of the transient characteristic within the audio frequency band can be substantially reduced compared with the normal digital audio tape recorder.
However, since the number of recordable and reproducible requantizing bits of the double-speed recording and/or reproducing digital audio tape recorder is the same as that of the normal digital audio tape recorder, the former tape recorder improves the frequency characteristic but fails to improve the amplitude characteristic compared to prior art.
If the characteristic of the double-speed recording and/or reproducing digital audio tape recorder can be used effectively and the amplitude characteristic can be improved easily, the tone quality and usability of the digital audio tape recorder may be further improved.
In the digital audio tape recorder which performs recording and/or reproducing at double-speed, a reproduced-data transfer rate is double that of the normal digital audio tape recorder, thus the time required for transfer is doubled if a digital audio interface compatible with digital audio signal is used to transfer reproduced data.
As a further disadvantage, reproduced audio data cannot be transmitted in real time even if the frequency characteristic is improved and the amplitude characteristic enhanced.

Method and apparatus for higher resolution audio signal transmitting


Compositions comprising a mixture of 2-(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole and methylene-bis(thiocyanate) with dimethylamide of a carboxylic acid are disclosed which are synergistically effective compared to the respective components alone in controlling the growth of microorganisms in or on a product, material, or medium. Methods to control the growth of microorganisms and prevent spoilage caused by microorganisms with the use of the compositions of the present invention are also disclosed.

Many of the products, materials, or media referred to above, when wet or subjected to treatment in water, are susceptible to bacterial and/or fungal deterioration or degradation unless steps are taken to inhibit such degradation or deterioration. To control deterioration or degradation caused by microorganisms, various industrial microbicides are used but some of these biocides are of questionable utility because they have undesirable odors, are high in cost, show low degree of effectiveness or create hazards with respect to storage, use or handling.
For instance, the use of such popular industrial microbicides as organomercury compounds, organotin compounds and chlorinated phenols have come under great regulatory pressure in recent times because of their high toxicity and concern about their adverse effect on the environment. Workers in the trade have continued to seek improved biocides that have low toxicity and are capable of exhibiting a prolonged biocidal effect at normal use levels.
Methylene-bis(thiocyanate) can be used alone in low concentrations as low toxicity biocides. However, at low concentrations, methylene-bis(thiocyanate) tends to have a narrow antimicrobial spectrum and fails to completely prevent the growth of microorganisms.
Similarly, 2-(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole (also known as TCMTB) can also be used alone in low concentrations as a biocide. Like the methylene-bis(thiocyanate), TCMTB at low concentrations, tends to have a narrow antimicrobial spectrum and fails to completely prevent the growth of microorganisms at times.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to microbicidal compositions and processes incorporating these compositions that substantially obviate one or more of the problems, limitations, and disadvantages described above and experienced by those working in this art. In particular, the compositions of the present invention are capable of controlling the growth of at least one microorganism, especially fungi, bacteria, or algae, over prolonged periods of time and are safe and economical to use. The present invention is also directed to methods or processes of controlling the growth of at least one microorganism.

Synergistic antimicrobial compositions containing a dimethylamide of a carboxylic acid with mixture of 2-(thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazone and methylenebis (thiocyanate)

Buckman Laboratories International, inc.


Provided is a method for configuring wireless connection settings, a wireless communications apparatus, and a display method, the method being executed by the wireless communications apparatus and including: (a) receiving a first radio signal which includes second configuration information; (b) receiving authentication information for use in authenticating a first device from a second device, the authentication information being uniquely associated with the first device; (c) retaining the authentication information; (d) establishing the wireless connection with the first device, using the second configuration information; (e) transmitting a second radio signal which includes the authentication information, to the first device through the wireless connection established; (f) receiving a third radio signal which includes response information to the authentication information; and (g) transmitting the first configuration information to the first device if the response information indicates that the first device has been successfully authenticated.

Conventionally, in order for a device (a wireless device) equipped with wireless communication capabilities to wirelessly connect to an access point (hereinafter, referred to as "AP.") of a wireless LAN, a service set identifier (SSID) and an encryption key of the AP (or a router incorporating the AP) need to be set to the wireless device. AirStation One-Touch Secure System (AOSS) and Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) are known techniques to simplify the labor of configuring these settings (hereinafter, also referred to as set-up) (e.g., see Patent Literatures (PTLs) 1 and 2).

Method for configuring wireless connection settings, wireless communications apparatus, and display method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


A highly fire resistant construction board is produced by embedding a sheet of expanded metal net in a building board made from a water settable inorganic binder. In a preferred embodiment, the wallboard is made from a combination of gypsum, cement, and a particulate mineral filler such as perlite or vermiculite, and contains an embedded layer of expanded metal net made from a magnesium alloy.

Construction boards known as dry wall, gypsum wallboard, or plaster board, have been used for many years as a fire barrier in buildings, particularly housing. As is well known, gypsum board comprising a cast gypsum core with cover sheets of paper or the like may be manufactured by mixing calcined gypsum with water to provide a slurry, which is deposited in a layer on a cover sheet, such as multi-ply paper. Another cover sheet is placed on top of the slurry, so that the slurry is sandwiched between the two cover sheets which become the facings of the resultant gypsum board. After the slurry core has set, the board is cut to desired size (usually in thicknesses of 1/2" or 3/8") and dried, as in a kiln. In use, the board is applied to walls, ceilings, etc. by means of clips, nails, or adhesives.
Gypsum wallboard of the type described above has certain fire resistant properties, and as a result building codes which require fire resistant construction assemblies in the interest of public safety normally include gypsum wallboard as a component part, to be installed in various parts of buildings. The important part that wallboard plays in the make-up of fireproof buildings is evidenced by the standards that have been set by governmental agencies, building code authorities, insurance companies, and builders and manufacturers associations for the installation and performance of fire resistant wallboard.
In its role as a fire resistant building component, gypsum wallboard on the walls and ceilings is expected to stay in place for some length of time and deter the spread of fire in a burning building. It appears that, when exposed to the heat and flames of a fire, the paper cover sheets first burn off the core. The cast gypsum core calcines to give up its chemically combined water, and the water is slowly released as steam, effectively retarding heat transmission and disintegration of the board for a time as the gypsum is calcined. However, as the gypsum calcines, it loses its inherent set gypsum strength, and as a result there is a substantial shrinkage of the board at sustained high temperature, with consequent cracking. As it shrinks, it progressively pulls away from the supports to which it is fastened and eventually collapses. This allows the fire to spread and attack adjacent parts of the building.
Standard 3/8" gypsum wallboard possesses dimensional stability and strength to resist the high temperatures normally encountered in a burning building for somewhat less than an hour. However, this provides marginal fire resistance which meets established codes only under limited conditions. In order to effect higher ratings, it has been necessary in the past to use extra-thick wallboard which is not only more costly but also more difficult to erect because of its increased weight. As may be expected, there has been a very substantial effort in the industry to produce boards which are not heavier or thicker but which have been modified to provide higher fire ratings.
Thus, for example, a number of U.S. Pat. Nos. (e.g., 2,526,066; 2,681,863; 2,744,022; 2,853,394; 3,616,173; 4,557,973; and 4,564,544) disclose the addition of fibers such as glass fibers, asbestos and mineral wool fibers to the gypsum slurry in the manufacture of the wallboard. The inclusion of these materials is for the purpose of imparting a mechanical binding effect to hold the calcining gypsum together and prevent it from disintegrating when subjected to the heat of a burning building.
Other U.S. Pat. Nos. (e.g., 2,526,066; 2,744,022; 3,454,456; and 3,616,173) disclose the concept of including unexpanded vermiculite in the gypsum slurry, the concept being that the unexpanded vermiculite will expand when the gypsum core is heated, thus offsetting the undesirable shrinkage of the gypsum component. Other patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,394 disclose the concept of including expanded perlite in the gypsum slurry to improve fire resistance and enable production of a dense wallboard having high flexural strength.
The above developments have been valuable contributions, resulting in the production of wallboards having fire ratings in the range between one and two hours. However, in spite of the improvements, the loss of human lives and the destruction of property from fire continues at an unacceptable rate, and there is continued intense effort to find ways of increasing the fire resistance of building materials.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction board which possesses significantly enhanced fire suppressing properties.
It is another object of the invention to produce a construction board containing a lightweight component which serves not only to dissipate the heat of a building fire but also to strengthen and prevent fragmentation of the core material when subjected to fire.
It is a further object to improve the fire resistance of construction board and enhance the integrity of the board to the extent that the need for cover or facing sheets is eliminated.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds.


A system and method provide for precision guiding of agricultural vehicles along a series of adjacent paths to form rows for cultivating a field. In one aspect of the invention the vehicle is moved along a first path while receiving positioning information from a navigational system (e.g., RTK GPS). This positioning information is stored in a processor and is used by the processor to compute a second path adjacent to said first path by calculating piecewise perpendicular offsets from the first path at multiple locations along the first path. The process is repeated to compute a third and subsequent paths so as to cover the field. Because of the offset process, the field may be covered with paths that have varying curvature along their length, while providing substantially no gaps or overlaps in the coverage of the field. In another aspect of the invention, the system may propose alternative paths and the user can intervene by steering the vehicle or using a graphical user interface to select among the alternative paths. A still further aspect of the invention allows for the recording of the paths that provide coverage of a field in the form of a template. This template can then be used to cause the vehicle to automatically steer along a previously calculated path in subsequent operations on the field, and in subsequent years.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for guiding agricultural vehicles during planting, cultivating, spraying, harvesting or other operations.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In modern farming operations, increased efficiencies and yields can be achieved by precision guidance of agricultural vehicles (e.g., tillers, seeders, sprayers and harvesters) over land areas to be cultivated. These precisely guided vehicles allow rows to be tilled in a relatively efficient manner.
The task of precision guidance of an agricultural vehicle involves defining a pattern to be followed by the vehicle, locating and orienting the pattern with respect to the area to be covered, and specifying various physical characteristics of the vehicle and implement, e.g., the width of the implement and the location of the implement with respect to the vehicle. With this information it is possible to define a series of paths for the vehicle to travel in an attempt to cover all cultivatable portions of the area. It is important to farmers to completely cover the area for a variety of reasons. One reason is that in tilling and planting operations, it is important to till and plant the entire area to maximize crop production, but to avoid tilling areas more than once to reduce costs, such as fuel costs, operator and equipment hours, etc. Another reason that is that in using insecticide, herbicide, fertilizer, and other spraying operations, if portions of the area are not covered, it is likely that no produce will grow. Likewise, if an area is covered more than once due to an overlap of paths, too much spray may be laid down on that portion of the area, so that emerging plants are harmed.
While calculating the series of paths needed to cover an area with substantially no gaps or overlaps is relatively straightforward when straight paths and/or concentric circular paths can be used, it is believed that this has not been achieved where the necessary or desirable paths have a curvature that varies along at least some of their length. In practice many fields have irregular shapes and contain obstacles (e.g., rocks and trees), so that geometrically predefined paths cannot readily cover them, and paths whose curvature varies along at least part of their length would be preferable.
Recently, the global positioning satellite (GPS) system and other similar systems (e.g. pseudolites or the GLONASS system) have been used to determine the geographic location of an agricultural vehicle to aid in guidance of the vehicle for efficient processing of an area to grow crops. One type of such a GPS system, referred to as Real Time Kinematics ("RTK"), is a process where GPS signal corrections are transmitted in real time from a reference receiver at a known location to one or more remote moving receivers, e.g. receivers mounted on a vehicle. By using differential corrections, the RTK system provides the most precise GPS positioning and is capable of compensating for atmospheric delay, orbital errors and other variables in GPS geometry. The result is positioning accuracy up to within a centimeter.
The application of GPS technology to farming is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,383 of Keller et al. (the "'383 patent"). According to the '383 patent, a vehicle makes a first pass or form line by causing a GPS equipped vehicle to travel between two locations in the area, e.g. along one edge. A second adjacent form line is calculated as a parallel swathing offset from the first line, where the swathing offset is the width of a spray pattern laid down by the vehicle or the area tilled in one pass. Guidance of the vehicle is aided by a display of a moving map and a light bar. The patent, however, does not disclose the details of the calculation of the swathing offset, and indicates that sub-meter accuracy is sufficient for most applications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,422 of Nichols shows a measurement device integrated with the GPS system to obtain three dimensional position data, as well as roll and pitch angles, and heading.
A prior system called AutoSteer, sold by the AutoFarm division of Novariant, Inc. (formerly known as IntegriNautics Corporation) of Menlo Park, Calif., the assignee of the present invention, uses-RTK GPS to provide precision path guidance to farming vehicles carrying out farming operations. This prior product includes a display that shows the farmer a pattern of paths consisting of a series of parallel straight lines, even for concentric circles. The display shows the next proposed path as represented by a solid line in the series of paths, where the other paths are represented by dashed lines. The user can select a different path by steering towards one of the paths represented by dashed lines, in which case that path will become the proposed path and be displayed as a solid line.
It would be desirable if a system and method could be provided that is capable of guiding farm vehicles with high precision along arbitrary paths having varying curvature along at least part of their length, such that an area to be cultivated is substantially covered without skipping or overlapping portions thereof. It would further be desirable if the vehicle could be steered automatically, if alternative paths could be presented to and selected by the user through an interface that does not involve steering the vehicle, and if the selected sequence of paths could be recorded to form a template for later use on the same field.

System and method for interactive selection of agricultural vehicle guide paths through a graphical user interface other than moving the vehicle


A CRC (cyclic redundancy check) generator circuit (28) generates a first CRC code based on a message. The CRC code is amended to the message, creating a first data packet. Circuitry transforms the first data packet to a second data packet for suitable transmission. Digital receiver circuitry receives the second data packet. A CRC verification circuit compares a received digital CRC code portion of the second data packet to a calculated digital CRC code portion. A message is presented for processing if no error is detected. A CRC-based FEC (forward error correction) circuit receives the message and calculates a digital CRC code from the verification circuit. When an error is detected, the detected error, based on a determination of whether the detected error affects an even number of bits or an odd number of bits, is corrected.

The present invention relates generally to forward error correction (FEC) circuitry and techniques which may be added to an existing digital communication system including a transmitter and a receiver including any CRC (cyclic redundancy check) for error detection.
Conventional forward error correction includes use of a FEC encoder (such as BCH or LDPC in the transmitter to add parity bits. The parity bits are sent via suitable media, which may be a noisy data signal channel, along with a data packet. The corresponding receiver uses a matched FEC decoder and parity bits to correct errors introduced during transmission and to recover the data. (BCH codes form a class of cyclic error-correcting codes that are constructed using finite fields. Binary BCH codes that may be used to correct multiple bit errors. Another advantage of BCH codes is the ease with which they can be decoded by an algebraic syndrome decoding process which simplifies the decoder design using small low-power electronics. A low-density parity-check (LDPC) code is a linear error correcting code used in transmitting messages over noisy transmission channels and can allow the noise threshold to be set very close to the theoretical maximum for a symmetric memoryless channel.)
CRC code is widely used in digital receivers for error detection to detect errors caused by noise or interference occurring with corresponding "original" transmitted data signals. If a "CRC check" fails the CRC detection algorithm procedure because at least one data error is detected, a re-transmission by the transmitter is automatically requested. The message then is resent from the transmitter to the receiver until a CRC check "passes" CRC detection procedure with no detected data errors. CRC checks have been proposed for correcting single-bit errors in special circumstances, as indicated in the articles "Correcting single-bit errors with CRC8 in ATM cell header" (by Freescale Semiconductor Corporation), "Single Bit Error Correction Implementation in CRC-16 on FPGA" (by S. Shukla, N. Bergmann), and "CRC Lookup Table Optimization for Single Bit Error Correction" (by P. Yun).
CRC error detection is based on polynomial division. Specifically, a CRC code of length "n" is equal to the mathematical remainder of a message polynomial M(x) that is multiplied by a value xn and then is divided by a CRC generator polynomial G(x) of order n. In M(x), x is either a 1 or 0, corresponding to the message bit, and the exponent is the order or position of the message bit. An example of a CRC generator polynomial with n=24 isG(x)=x24+x10+x9+x6+x4+x3+x+1.If the division produces a remainder polynomial R(x), then R(x) is equal to the CRC code. The transmitter sends a message T(x)=M(x)×xn+R(x). (In other words, the CRC code is attached to the end of the message.) The associated receiver receives message T(x) along with any subsequently introduced error, which may be represented by an error polynomial E(x). If and only if E(x) is not divisible by G(x), the receiver declares the existence of an error which is represented by the error polynomial E(x).
Prior Art FIG. 1A shows a communication system including a conventional digital transmitter 26 and a conventional digital receiver 12. Digital transmitter 26 receives a data packet on a signal path 30 which is applied to the input of a CRC generation circuit 28. CRC generation circuit 28 generates a CRC code from the message bits and appends that CRC code to the message on signal path 30. The packet that is composed from the message and the CRC code is applied to an input of a digital transmitter baseband circuit 26-3 which performs the necessary modulation and possible channel coding. There typically is a mapping or transformation of the bits (i.e., 0's and or 1's) into "symbols" in transmitter digital baseband circuit 26-3. The output of digital transmitter baseband circuit 23-3 is applied to the input of a digital transmitter front end circuit 26-2 which includes various filters for meeting predetermined spectrum requirements. The output of digital transmitter front end circuit 26-2, which includes groups of bits (e.g., in hexadecimal format) representing the symbols, is applied to a digital to analog converter (DAC) 27, the output of which is coupled to an input of an RF analog transmitter circuit 26-1 which generates an RF signal representative of the information in the data packet, including the message, the appended CRC code, and any errors that have been introduced. The analog output of DAC 27 is input into transmitter RF analog circuit 26-1 which converts them to RF signals and transmits the RF signals via antenna 1. That is, the transmitter analog RF circuitry in block 26-1 modulates the analog output of DAC 27 to represent the analog information generated by DAC 27 in a high frequency RF format which then is transmitted via antenna 1 over the air or other suitable media.
Digital receiver 12 includes an RF analog receiver circuit 12-1 which receives the RF signal transmitted by digital transmitter 26 via receiver antenna 6 or other suitable media and then demodulates the received RF signal and applies the resulting demodulated signal to the input of an analog to digital converter (ADC) 29. The output of ADC 29 is applied to the input of a receiver digital front end circuit 12-2 which includes various noise-reducing filters. The output of receiver digital front end circuit 12-2 is applied to the input of a receiver digital baseband circuit 12-3 which performs demodulation of the signal received from digital baseband circuit 12-3 and possible channel decoding. Thus, the transmitted RF signal is received by antenna 6 of digital receiver 12, and the reverse of the functions performed by circuits 26-1, 26-2, 26-3 in digital transmitter 26 are performed in blocks 12-1, 12-2, and 12-3, respectively, of digital receiver 12. More specifically, the received RF signal is down-converted into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal which then passes through to various filters in receiver digital front end circuit 12-2 to reduce noise. Then the represented symbols are mapped or transformed to binary 1's and 0's by receiver digital baseband circuit 12-3. The foregoing circuitry and the transmission media may introduce errors into the digital information, so the information in the receiver digital baseband circuit 12-3 may be erroneous.
The output of receiver digital baseband circuit 12-3 is applied to the input of a CRC code verification circuit 14 which operates to calculate the CRC from the received message bits and compare a "received CRC code" with a "calculated CRC code", and any mismatch indicates the existence of one or more errors in the received CRC bits being tested. The receiver 12 has "knowledge" of the "boundary" of the message and the appended CRC, either from the message length field embedded in the message or on the basis of a predetermined "agreement" between transmitter and receiver regarding the message length. If the "received CRC code" and the "calculated CRC code" match, the CRC check test is "passed", and the entire data packet is sent for additional processing by a user application. However, if the calculated CRC code and the received CRC code do not match, i.e., if the CRC check test is "failed", then CRC code verification circuit 14 automatically sends a request to transmitter 26 asking it to retransmit the original data packet.
Unfortunately, such retransmissions add delay to the communication, consume additional power in both the transmitter and receiver, and waste channel bandwidth. Furthermore, there typically is a limit to the number of the retransmissions that are allowed. When that limit is reached, the connection established between the transmitter and receiver may be terminated, in which case that connection would need to be restarted, thereby incurring further communication overhead between the transmitter and receiver. For example, in a BLE (Bluetooth low energy) system, if an error is detected the receiver automatically requests the transmitter to resend the data packet as indicated by reference numeral 11 in CRC code verification circuit 14 in Prior Art FIG. 1A.
The overhead of the prior art techniques (for example as shown in above-described FIG. 1A and subsequently described FIGS. 1B and 1C), in terms of delay, power consumed in the transmitter and the receiver, and limitation of channel capacity due to the above-mentioned retransmission of erroneously received packets detected by CRC, may be reduced by introducing error correction capability using the same CRC code that is originally for error detection. Nearly all systems that include a conventional digital transmitter and a conventional digital receiver (generally as shown in Prior Art FIG. 1A) include CRC code generation in both the transmitter and the receiver as part of any error detection system they may have. It should be appreciated that error "detection" involves determining if a received data packet includes any errors, but such error detection does not include "correction" of any errors that may be present in the received data packet.
A message includes a group of bits to be transmitted, and typically includes a "payload" and a control section called the "header" which includes information identifying the receiver and indicating how many bits are in the message. The payload is the message information intended to be received by a user or an application. The CRC code typically is appended or attached to the end of the message. (The term "message" is used herein to refer the bits that need to be sent from the transmitter to the receiver and the term "packet" or "data packet" is used to refer to the message along with the appended CRC. The message consists of the header and the payload.) The CRC code, or simply "CRC", typically is generated as the remainder resulting from division of a message polynomial M(x) multiplied by a value xn and then divided by a CRC generator polynomial G(x). Typically, the CRC generator polynomial is a 16-bit, 24 bit, or 32 bit polynomial, depending on how "strong" or accurate the desired error detection capability should be, and may be generated using a linear feedback shift register LFSR. In Prior Art FIG. 1A, the entire data packet, including the appended CRC code, passes from CRC generator circuit 28 into transmitter digital baseband circuit 26-3.
Prior Art FIG. 1B shows a specific way of implementing both error detection and error correction in a receiver of a transmitter-receiver pair, and is a replica of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,899 entitled "Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) Based Error Correction Method and Device" issued Aug. 18, 2009 to Nieto et al., and incorporated herein by reference. The following description of Prior Art FIG. 1B corresponds to the description of FIG. 2 in the Nieto et al. patent.
Referring to Prior Art FIG. 1B, the error detection and correction block 14 may include a CRC decoder 13 for performing the CRC and forwarding the M message bits to the output 16 if the CRC passes. If an error is detected, a "quality metric unit" 20 assigns a quality metric to each of the N message bits and M CRC bits, and error detection and correction block 14 may further include a comparator 24 to compare the assigned quality metrics to a threshold to select the K bits. The assigned quality metric may be based upon at least one of a Received Signal to Noise Ratio (RSNR) and a Forward Error Correction (FEC) confidence value, for example, provided by the input/receiver 12. The threshold or RSNR can be used to change the number of bits for correction.
Error detection and correction block 14 may include a memory 22 and/or table to store the possible bit error patterns which are preferably single-bit error patterns. Error detection and correction block 14 may determine whether a multiple-bit error has occurred in the N message bits and M CRC bits of the received message based upon at least the M CRC bits and further based upon a failure to match the CRC value with the single-bit error patterns. Error detection and correction block 14, via correction unit 15, corrects the single-bit errors based upon the single bit-error patterns, and corrects the multiple-bit errors based upon a logical combination of a plurality of single-bit error patterns. Single-bit errors may be corrected without reference to the K bits and quality metrics.
One aspect of Prior Art FIG. 1B is the pre-calculation of CRC bits for different single-bit error patterns. The total number of bits transmitted is N+M, N message bits plus M CRC check bits. An N+M element look-up table, e.g. in the memory 22, is used. The index of the look-up table is the position of the single error in the transmitted bit stream. The table element contains the M bit CRC check that would result at the receiver if a bit error was made at that position. The resulting received CRC is checked against all elements of the table to determine if the received bit stream is suffering from a single bit error in any of the positions. A more elaborate approach, described in the '899 patent, utilizes received bit quality metrics combined with the table to determine the most likely error patterns. Quality metrics for different bits that need to be corrected can be added together to determine the cost of correction, and with a comparison to a threshold, it can be determined whether the cost is too high. If so, the error pattern would not be corrected with the approach described herein.
Note that CRC error detection does not itself include error correction. In Prior Art FIG. 1B, the output of receiver 12 corresponds to the output of the receiver digital baseband circuit 12-3 in Prior Art FIG. 1A. The CRC decoder 13 in FIG. 1B decodes the CRC code that was transmitted by the transmitter, and compares it with a quality metric generated by quality metric unit 20. If there is a mismatch, then the system of FIG. 1B attempts to correct the detected error causing the mismatch. The quality metric takes that along with reliability information into account in comparing the received CRC code with the calculated CRC code to determine possible ways the error can occur. The comparison by comparator 24 in FIG. 1B is performed on the basis of groups of CRC code bits. If there is a match of the calculated and received CRC bits each time, it is assumed that the receiver received the bits correctly. Output block 16 can be a buffer that may contain the corrected digital output packet, and it may include multiple erroneous bits. If that is the case, correcting unit 15A reverses or "flips" the states of the erroneous bits, respectively, in order to make the needed corrections.
The technique of FIG. 1B (which is a copy of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,889) relies on the quality metric associated with individual message bits in the digital receiver to identify possible error locations. Unfortunately, the quality metric is generally not a good indicator of error locations in modern digital receivers that typically utilize available maximum likelihood estimation types of algorithms in the demodulation process. As a result, error correction performance in the system shown in above described Prior Art FIG. 1B and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,899 is quite limited.
For facilitating discussion of a system into which the subsequently described invention can be added, a system using the Bluetooth Low Energy standard is used as an example. (The present invention introduces a new way of using the existing CRC capability originally provided in the system transmitter for error detection to further accomplish error correction in the system receiver.) Those skilled in the art know that "Bluetooth" is a registered brand/trademark/certification mark for various wireless communication standards referred to herein as Bluetooth standards. The various Bluetooth standards have been developed and promulgated by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group known as "Bluetooth SIG". The various brands/trademarks/certification marks are owned and licensed to various users by Bluetooth SIG., Inc. for use on and in conjunction with various communication devices. Up-to-date Bluetooth guidelines can be obtained from the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. website "https//www.bluetooth.org/en-us". Proper authorized use of the Bluetooth brands, trademarks, and certification marks is enforced by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. to ensure that the standards are properly adhered to in accordance with the Bluetooth licensing terms and guidelines.
The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) brand/standard/certification mark is now called "Bluetooth Smart". The standard called "Bluetooth 4.0" incorporates the BLE or Bluetooth Smart standard. The term "classic Bluetooth" is used herein to refer to all versions of the Bluetooth standards prior to Bluetooth 4.0. All of the Bluetooth standards are developed by building certification standards/programs around certain parts of the IEEE 802.15.x family of specifications.
A "piconet" is basically a collection of slave/advertisers that are scanned by a master/scanner that could wirelessly connect to another piconet. A "scatternet" is a type of ad-hoc computer network consisting of two or more piconets. The terms "scatternet and "piconet are typically applied to Bluetooth wireless technology. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a feature of Bluetooth 4.0 wireless radio technology aimed principally at low-power and low-latency applications for wireless devices with a short range, up to approximately 160 feet, and facilitates a wide range of applications.
"Prior Art" FIG. 1C shows a conventional BLE scatternet including a piconet A and a piconet B each including a "master" or "master/scanner" device capable of wireless communication with a number of nearby "slave" or "slave/advertiser" devices. Bluetooth low energy (BLE) is the lowest power standard, and using BLE for the advertising of slave devices in a piconet provides the lowest known power consuming mechanism within the BLE standard. If it is desired to have the lowest power radio standard presently available, BLE is considered to be the starting point.
In piconet A, master/scanner 3-1 is capable of wireless communication with advertisers 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, and 5-5 through wireless links 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, and 2-5, respectively. Similarly, in piconet B, master/scanner 10-2 is capable of wireless communication with/advertisers 5-6 and 5-7 through wireless links 2-6 and 2-7, respectively. Slave/advertiser 5-5 in piconet A also communicates with master 10-2 in piconet B through wireless link 7. In piconet A, master/scanner 3-1 can synchronize with any of the slave/advertisers in piconet A, for example as represented by reference numeral 15, to establish wireless link 2-1. After synchronization, master/scanner 3-1 then may perform two-way wireless data communication with the slave/advertiser, for example as represented by reference numeral 17.
In the prior art BLE systems in which each slave can generate a payload of a data packet and communicate with a single master or scanner, each slave typically also generates a CRC code that is included in the data packet. That CRC code is used for error detection, but a retransmission occurs every time an error is detected because no error correction is performed. This is inefficient from the viewpoints of power consumption and bandwidth. In addition, connection between the BLE slave unit and associated BLE master or scanner unit needs to be reestablished if such a retransmission also fails the CRC code check. Note that retransmission is costly in terms of power in both transmitter and receiver and in terms of increased delay. The delay is the amount of time from when the packet is first generated at the transmitter to the time the data packet is correctly received. Therefore, significant benefits could be achieved if it were possible and practical to introduce FEC capability into a BLE receiver using the CRC code that is already specified for error detection in the standard. Such benefits in speed/reliability performance and power reduction would save the substantial amount of RF power otherwise required for retransmissions by both the BLE masters and slaves.
In addition to BLE systems, there is in general an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in various communication systems including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection capability using CRC-based FEC error correction capability.
There also is an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection capability but does not have CRC-based FEC error correction capability, without requiring a FEC encoder or a FEC decoder or circuitry for inserting extra parity bits into the transmitted data packets.
There also is an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection capability but does not have CRC-based FEC error correction capability, without increasing the bandwidth of the communication system.
There also is an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection capability but does not have CRC-based FEC error correction capability, without increasing system speed, and without increasing system power consumption.
There also is an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection. capability but does not have CRC-based FEC error correction capability, and is suitable for use in a BLE communication system.
There also is an unmet need for a way to provide error correction capability in a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver that may include error detection capability but does not have CRC-based FEC error correction capability, without increasing latency due to message retransmissions necessitated by detected but uncorrected bit errors.

CRC-based forward error correction circuitry and method


A method and apparatus of forming coreless rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape involves the use of a mandrel assembly having a specific circumferential tape supporting segment thereon for winding tape. The circumferential tape supporting segment has a tape engaging surface portion that, in a radial orientation, is compressible yet sufficiently stiff to support the tape as it is successively wound about the mandrel to form a tape roll, and that is sufficiently pliant to permit ready axial removal of a wound tape roll from the shaft. The innermost wrap of pressure sensitive adhesive tape about the mandrel is masked by an adhesive liner. That liner is formed from one portion of a liner/tab segment which had been applied to the tape previously, and prior to winding, the tape is severed, and the remainder of that liner/tab forms an end tab on the outermost end of the previously formed coreless tape roll.

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming coreless rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
There are many known methods and apparatus for forming individual spools or rolls of web material. The web material is often supplied in bulk in roll form, which is then unrolled, slit longitudinally and wound into individual strips of web material about a plurality of pre-aligned cores of cardboard or plastic. In the case of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, for example, typical cores are formed of paper, cardboard or plastic. Because it is useful to provide such tape in different widths, an inventory of cores of different widths is thus also required. The winding of tape onto a core necessitates additional material handling (e.g., core loading) during the tape roll production process. In addition, it is imperative during tape roll production that there be no misalignment between the core and the advancing strip of web material during winding. Misalignment can cause tape telescoping during winding or an axial offset winding of the tape onto the core ("off core" winding), both of which can lead to product aesthetic issues and dispensing difficulties.
The use of a core presents additional material inventory scheduling and storage requirements, and results in extra shipping weight and volume for the tape roll product. In addition, the cost of the core itself, particularly for shorter length tape rolls, can represent a significant proportion of the product's cost. Further, the disposal of the core may present waste and environmental concerns when the supply of tape from the core has been depleted. Even if the core is formed from a material or composite that is recyclable, its use requires additional handling by the user in order to be salvaged for reuse or reprocessing. Under certain conditions over time (e.g., variable humidity and temperature), the discontinuity between the different core and wound tape materials can cause deformations to occur in the tape rolls, such as rippling or bulging, which are aesthetically undesirable.
Coreless rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape have been developed, along with processes for winding such rolls. One such process is disclosed in Hall et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,770,542 and 3,899,075. A diametrically expandable and retractable mandrel is used for winding pressure sensitive adhesive tape thereon. Tape winding is initiated on this mandrel by leaving exposed a short segment of adhesive at the leading end of the tape. A next segment of the adhesive on the tape is covered with a backing sheet which presents a non adhesive surface to the mandrel for the remainder of the innermost wrap of tape about the mandrel. After a desired length of tape has been wound into a roll on this mandrel (in its expanded state), the tape is cut, winding stopped and the mandrel diametrically retracted. Rotation in an opposite relative direction between the mandrel and the tape then folds back the short adhesive bearing leading edge segment onto the backing sheet, thereby leaving no adhesive exposed on the innermost wrap of the tape roll. While this process results in a coreless roll of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, it is necessary to periodically stop the advance of web material through the apparatus for indexing purposes during tape roll production, thereby inhibiting high speed and continuous manufacturing of a coreless tape product. In addition, the further processing on the tape roll (rotation reversal of the mandrel relative to the roll) is necessary in order to fully achieve an innermost wrap of the tape roll which is free of adhesive. As mentioned, this process also requires a mandrel which expands and contracts diametrically. A pneumatically expandable mandrel is disclosed, which, of course, requires pneumatic couplings and presents a more complex and expensive mandrel arrangement than desired.

Tape roll liner/tab application apparatus and method

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


An example of a solution provided here comprises receiving as input at least one event (chosen from an event generated by an application probe, and an event generated by a component probe), and providing graphical output based on said inputs, whereby a user correlates a component problem with a performance problem affecting an application. Methods connected with graphics for end to end component mapping and problem—solving in a network environment, systems for executing such methods, and instructions on a computer-usable medium, for executing such methods, are provided.

Various approaches have been proposed for monitoring, simulating, or testing web sites. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,966 B1 (Howard, et al., Aug. 21, 2001), "Method and System for Emulating Web Site Traffic to Identify Web Site Usage Patterns." However, this example addresses substantially different problems (problems of simulation and hypothetical phenomena), and thus is significantly different from the present invention. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,956 (Bryant, et al., Jun. 20, 2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,254 (Maddalozzo, et al., Jul. 28, 1998). Other examples include services available from vendors such as Atesto Technologies Inc., Keynote Systems, and Mercury Interactive Corporation. These services may involve a script that runs on a probe computer. The examples mentioned above do not necessarily provide graphical tools for directing problem—solving efforts toward a component that is causing a problem.
When a problem occurs, lack of useful information can hamper efforts to restore the proper performance of an application in a network environment. These applications may involve many hardware and software components, so it may be difficult to quickly identify a component that is causing a problem. Thus there is a need for tools that quickly identify the cause of an outage at the component level, and properly focus problem—solving efforts for applications in a network environment, including but not limited to web sites and web services.

Graphics for end to end component mapping and problem-solving in a network environment

International Business Machines Corporation


Embodiments of a system and method for distributing network data to multiple nodes in a data communications network is described. Two data communication channels are provided for each node in the network. While one of the communication channels carries routing and flow control protocol messages, as well as data, in both directions between network nodes, the other communication channel is configured to transmit data traffic—and only data traffic—in a single direction from the network data server toward all of the other nodes in the network. By using 100% of the available bandwidth for data traffic only, the speed at which data may be distributed throughout the network is maximized and the performance degradation caused by the congestion, collisions or packet loss that typically occurs in two-way data communication channels is avoided.

Data communications networks are typically comprised of a set of nodes (e.g., computers, routers and/or switches) connected by a set of two-way data communications links (e.g., wires, cable, fiber, microwave or radio wave channels, etc.). In a data communications network, a node is a connection point, either a redistribution point or an end point, for data transmissions. In existing data communications networks, each node in the network (especially if the node is a switch or router) typically requires a programmed or engineered capability to recognize, process and/or forward data traffic to other nodes in the network according to various network routing and flow control protocols designed to allow sharing the bandwidth available in each interface link in the network as data travels in both directions across that interface link.
In a two-way data communications network, routing protocols are used by a device or, in some cases, by software in a computer, to determine the next connection point to which a packet of data should be forwarded toward its final destination. A hardware or software "router," which is typically connected to at least two two-way interface links, determines which way to send each data packet based on its current understanding of the status (e.g., bandwidth available, congestion level, collision potential, etc.) of the links to which it is connected. Thus, routers use routing protocols to determine the route for a data flow and, more specifically, to which adjacent connection points in a network each data packet in the data flow should be sent. A router is often included as part of a network "switch," which is also a network device that selects a path or circuit for sending a packet of data to its next destination.
"Flow control" is the management of data flow between computers or devices or between nodes in a data communications network so that the data is transmitted at an optimum rate and in a preferred order. Too much data arriving before a device or interface link can handle it can cause congestion, collisions and/or queue overflow conditions, the result of which can be that some of the data is either lost or must be retransmitted. In existing data communications networks, flow control protocols are necessary in order to slow down or cease data transmissions across a congested two-way network interface link until the congestion in the two-way interface link eases.
When routing and flow control protocols are used in a data communications network to manage and control data traffic moving in both directions over two-way links (also called "channels"), a significant amount of bandwidth in each two-way data communication channel must be consumed by the many routing and flow control messages that must be moved from node to node around the data communications network along with the actual data. When there is a very large number of nodes in the network, or when there is a sizable number of data requests that must be processed and put through the network, the degradation in actual data transmission speeds resulting from the fact that significant amounts of bandwidth are being used to exchange routing and flow control protocol messages can become unacceptably high.
Accordingly, there is a need for a network data distribution system that maximizes the speed at which actual data may be retrieved and distributed throughout the network. There is a further need for network data distribution systems and methods that use 100% of the available bandwidth in a data communications channel for transmitting actual data. There is still a further need for systems and methods that achieve maximum data transmission speeds without having to account for or worry about congestion, collisions or packet loss in each link.

Network data distribution system and method


Embodiments of the invention provide a light module for a pool cleaner. The light module can include a housing, a paddle wheel, a generator, and at least one light emitting diode (LED). The housing can be removably coupled to the pool cleaner and can include a flow directing portion positioned in a fluid path of the pool cleaner. The paddle wheel can be located adjacent to the flow directing portion and can rotate in response to fluid flow through the fluid path. The generator can be coupled to the paddle wheel and can generate power through rotation of the paddle wheel. The LED can be coupled to the generator and can receive the generated power from the generator to illuminate an area adjacent to the pool cleaner.

Automatic swimming pool cleaners include components for driving the pool cleaners along the floor and sidewalls of a swimming pool, either in a random or deliberate manner, to vacuum debris on and adjacent to the floor and sidewalls. For example, conventional pressure side cleaners and suction cleaners often use hydraulic turbine assemblies as drive systems to drive one or more wheels. Robotic cleaners often include a motor or other mechanical system powered by an external power source to drive one or more wheels.
Although automatic swimming pool cleaners operate with little manual operator interaction, it is sometimes difficult for the operator to quickly determine whether the pool cleaner is operating correctly or efficiently. For example, an operator can see the pool cleaner moving along a swimming pool floor, but not realize that the cleaner is not vacuuming or barely vacuuming until hours or days later when a substantial amount of debris has settled on the pool floor. This may be due to mechanical malfunctions in robotic cleaners, or insufficient suction or pressure in suction-driven or pressure-driven pool cleaners. Furthermore, an operator must wait to watch whether a pool cleaner is moving to determine if it is operating. If the pool cleaner is scheduled to operate at night, the operator must turn on lights inside or around the swimming pool just to see if the pool cleaner is operating. This can be a tedious task that many operators do not pay attention to and, as a result, these operators do not realize their pool cleaner has not been operating until a substantial amount of debris has settled on the pool floor.


An RF/digital signal-separating receiver is provided for GNSS and other RF signals. The receiver includes a first master antenna and a second slave antenna, which are positioned in spaced relation for directional, radio compass applications. First and second downconverters and first and second ADCs are located under the first and second antennas in analog signal areas, which configuration minimizes cross-coupling RF signals from the antennas and reduces noise. The first and second ADSs are connected to respective first and second correlators in a digital signal location, which is centrally located relative to the antennas. The correlators are connected to a microprocessor for computing distances for the received signals, from which the receiver's orientation or attitude is determined. A method of manufacturing receivers with this configuration is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to RF/digital receivers, and in particular to a signal-separating configuration for GNSS multi-antenna directional receivers and a receiver manufacturing method, which provides more accurate data in a more compact and economical size than previous GNSS-based heading devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) guidance and control are widely used for vehicle and personal navigation and a variety of other uses involving precision location and machine control in geodesic reference systems. GNSS, which includes the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other satellite-based positioning systems, has progressed to sub-centimeter accuracy with known correction techniques, including a number of commercial satellite-based augmentation systems (SBASs).
GNSS guidance devices currently come in a variety of forms and function in a variety of different ways. For instance, the typical commercial GNSS guidance device located in a standard vehicle contains a receiver, an antenna, a graphical interface to instruct the vehicle operator where to go, and a processor, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), for running calculations and processing requests.
Other uses for GNSS guidance include using the GNSS device as a bearing device or directional receiver, i.e., a multi-antenna directional receiver. The GNSS system can be used to determine heading information for a host system, such as a vehicle or a piece of equipment. Typically a GNSS directional receiver has a centrally-located receiver and two or more separated antennas with low noise amplifiers (LNAs) to detect the phase differences among the carrier signals from GNSS satellites in various constellations, of which at least four satellites are visible at any given time for calculating GNSS-based position and heading fixes. Given the positions of the satellite, the position of the antenna, and the phase difference, the orientation of the two antennas can be computed. Additional antennas may be added to provide multiple readings with respect to each satellite, allowing three-dimensional (3D) position and heading solutions for the GNSS-equipped vehicle. A GNSS directional receiver is not subject to magnetic declination as a magnetic directional receiver is, and doesn't need to be reset periodically like a gyrodirectional receiver. It is, however, subject to multipath effects, which susceptibility is addressed by the present invention.
A potential performance-related receiver design problem relates to cross-coupling between the radio frequency (RF) signals from either or both of the two antennas: the master and the slave. This creates an error in the heading and position as the cross-coupled signal appears as a delay in time which smears the correlation peak and makes it more difficult to resolve the exact range to the satellite. This can also create a reduction in signal to noise ratio (SNR) if the cross-coupled signals cause a cancellation effect.
Another potential performance-related receiver design problem relates to digital signals being inherently noisy for RF as they have fast rising edges which have high harmonics content. These high harmonics can land in either the intermediate frequency (IF) or the RF frequency bands and increase the noise, thereby impairing the tracking of the desired signals. Still further, routing of the RF coaxial cables can create significant interference as they can pick up the digital harmonics and impair the signal tracking. If these signals are digital (especially low-voltage differential signal (LVDS)) they will not be as sensitive to picking up noise. Moreover, LVDSs do not generate as many emissions as normal single-ended digital signals. Different drivers exist for creating and receiving LVDSs.
The present invention addresses the RF-digital signal interference problems with previous GNSS receivers. Heretofore, there has not been available a signal-isolating GNSS receiver with the advantages and features of the present invention.

RF/digital signal-separating GNSS receiver and manufacturing method


A miniaturized light valve with a surface area on the order of several centimeters may be successfully formed using a composite substrate and an opposing substrate which has thereon an electrode and which is bonded to the composite substrate at a predetermined gap therefrom. An electro-optical material, such as a liquid crystal compound, is confined within the gap. The composite substrate includes a single crystal layer of a semiconductor material provided on a lower level insulation layer. The single crystal layer is formed with a source region, a drain region, and a channel region of a MOS transistor, and a gate insulation film is provided on the single crystal layer in alignment with the channel region. Further, a gate electrode is provided on the gate insulation film. The composite substrate further includes a pixel electrode on the upper major surface of an insulation layer deposited over the MOS transistor and in contact with the drain region. The single crystal semiconductor thin film is limited to 0.3 microns in thickness resulting in a light valve characterized in that a parasitic channel and a bipolar action in the MOS transistor are eliminated for the purpose of suppressing an increase in the OFF current, or leakage current caused by incident light radiation onto the transistors.

The present invention generally relates to light valves having a liquid crystal layer confined between a pair of substrates, and more particularly to a light valve of the foregoing type with carrying MOS transistors having a single crystal semiconductive channel forming region provided on a semiconductor layer as switching elements for selectively applying a voltage signal to the liquid crystal layer to activate individual picture elements.
Conventionally, light valves of the active matrix type LCD are known. In the light valve of the foregoing type, thin film transistors are formed on an amorphous or polycrystal silicon layer that is deposited on a glass substrate, for individually switching liquid crystal pixels. As an amorphous silicon layer or polysilicon layer can be deposited easily on a glass substrate by a CVD process, the active matrix type LCD having the foregoing construction is suitable for realizing a light valve having a large display area.
On the other hand, the conventional light valves that use an amorphous silicon or polysilicon layer have a drawback in that miniaturization of transistor elements and increase of the integration density is difficult, although such a device is suitable for constructing a large area LCD device of the direct-view type. These problems have made it impossible to produce a high resolution transmissive type or projection type, displays, such as a light valve.
In order to overcome the foregoing problem associated with the light valves that use an amorphous silicon or polysilicon layer, a light valve was proposed recently that uses a single crystal semiconductor layer formed on a carrier layer of an insulating material. In the foregoing device, a number of MOS transistors are provided on the single crystal semiconductor layer as switching transistor elements. When a single crystal layer of silicon is used for the single crystal semiconductor layer, one can achieve an improved operational speed together with an increased integration density for the switching transistor elements.
FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a composite semiconductor substrate wherein a single crystal semiconductor layer is provided on a carrier layer. In FIG. 4, elements such as the liquid crystal layer, the substrates opposing each other across the liquid crystal layer, the polarizers provided adjacent to the substrates, and the like, are omitted from the illustration.
Referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that a single crystal semiconductor layer 25 as well as a device isolation region 32 are formed on an insulation layer 31 that is provided on a carrier layer 29 of an insulating material, with a bonding layer 30 interposed between the layers 29 and 31. In the single crystal semiconductor layer 25, a source region 21 and a drain region 22 are formed by doping an impurity element, and a gate insulation layer 26 covers the upper surface of the layer 25. Further, a gate electrode 24 is provided on the gate insulation film 26. Thereby, the source region 21, the drain region 22, the gate insulation film 26 and the gate electrode 24 form a MOS switching transistor element 20. Further, in correspondence to the source region and the drain region, a drain electrode is provided such that the drain electrode acts as a source electrode 27 as well as a pixel electrode 28. Further, the entire structure is buried under an insulation layer 33, and a semiconductor composite substrate having a planarized surface is formed. Typically, silicon oxide is used for the insulation layer 31 while a single crystal, or monocrystalline, silicon is used for the single crystal semiconductor layer 25.
In the light valve having the foregoing construction for the switching transistor elements, however, there occurs a problem in that OFF leakage currents tend to increase in the MOS transistor made of a signal crystal semiconductor when light irradiates the transistor, which problem does not exist in a transistor made of a poly or amorphous semiconductor material.

Light valve having a semiconductor film and a fabrication process thereof


One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method of simulating a weather pattern for use in a simulator environment. The method includes receiving an input corresponding to a desired weather event and determining a set of weather parameters pertaining to the desired weather event. The method further includes searching a weather event database for a matching weather event. The weather event database includes weather data for a plurality of weather events. The method includes identifying the matching weather event. The matching weather event includes at least a portion of the set of weather parameters pertaining to the desired weather event. The method includes receiving weather data corresponding to the matching weather event. The method further includes creating a model of the matching weather event.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of aviation simulators. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to simulating weather events in an aircraft simulator.
Airline trainers, pilots, and military trainers desire the ability to be trained or to train pilots and other aircraft operators in realistic environments. The simulation of weather radar returns and weather models are typically used as part of the aircraft simulation process. Accurate simulation of weather patterns and events are important to both the training of pilots and aircraft operators and to the development of new algorithms for improving weather radar performance.
Achieving weather models for use with aircraft simulators is presently a time consuming and cumbersome task that often results in inaccurate, imprecise, and/or non-realistic weather simulations during simulated flights. Weather simulations are presently achieved by searching archived weather data, manually viewing the weather data, and manually illustrating multiple layers of weather contours at various points of time to illustrate a three-dimensional progression of a weather event (e.g., a storm cell). A computer then processes the contours into data for aircraft simulator visuals for simulator displays. Other weather simulations are achieved by inputting a series of desired weather event details into a super-computer for processing. The super-computer processing results in data for aircraft simulator gauges and visuals for simulator displays. Both types of weather simulation techniques can be time consuming, manually intensive, and often generate unrealistic weather visuals on simulator displays.
Therefore, there is a need for providing accurate and realistic weather simulations for flight simulators without the time consuming process of manual transcribing of weather patterns and the unrealistic visuals. There is also a need for a search tool that searches historic weather data to locate realistic weather events for aircraft simulators.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.


A pallet-type support frame for transport and storage containers for liquids having an inner plastic container and an outer metal jacket has a sheet metal bottom for supporting the inner container. The bottom has a shape matched to the drainage bottom or the flat bottom of the inner container. Anti-slip support elements are arranged on the underside of the bottom such that the support frame rests with the support elements on gripping arms of a transport device. Alternatively, an anti-slip coating is provided on the underside of the bottom. The coating is engaged by gripping arms of the transport device when the support frame is transported. The support elements or anti-slip coatings are made of a material that is matched to a material of the gripping arms such that a friction coefficient as great as possible is provided between the support elements or anti-slip coatings and the gripping arms.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pallet-type support frame for transport and storage containers for liquids that comprise an inner container of plastic material and an outer jacket comprised of a metal grid or sheet metal, wherein the support frame is designed for being handled by a forklift, storage shelf operating device or similar transport means and comprises a bottom of sheet metal supported on corner legs and central legs and configured for supporting the inner container that is provided with a closable filling spout and a discharge spout to be connected to a drainage fixture. The inner container has a drainage bottom and the bottom of the support frame is matched to this drainage bottom and slopes from the longitudinal edges in the direction toward the center axis of the bottom and/or from the rear edge to the forward edge, or the bottom of the support frame is provided with a flat bottom that is matched to the flat bottom of the inner container.
2. Description of the Related Art
When transporting a support frame of the aforementioned kind disclosed in German patent DE 100 62 088 C2 together with a filled or empty liquid container supported thereon by means of a forklift, there is the risk that the support frame with liquid container can slip from the fork arms of the forklift and impact on the ground when maneuvering curves, when braking, when loading a transport vehicle with the container and unloading the container from a transport vehicle as well as when accidentally hitting an obstacle located along the travel path. Especially when transporting several stacked transport and storage containers with a forklift, this can lead to dangerous situations when the container stack supported on the fork arms of the forklift topples.

Pallet-type support frame for transport and storage containers for liquids


Given the important role of protein kinases in pathways affecting cellular growth and invasion, we have analyzed 340 serine/threonine kinases for genetic mutations in colorectal cancers. Mutations in eight genes were identified, including three members of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway; the alterations in the latter genes each occurred in different tumors and did not overlap with mutations in PIK3CA or other non-serine-threonine kinase (STK) members of the PI3K pathway, suggesting that mutations in any of these genes had equivalent tumorigenic effects. These data demonstrate that the PI3K pathway is a major target for mutational activation in colorectal cancers and provide new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Tumors of the colon and rectum are a major health problem: in 2002 alone, a million new cancer cases occurred in the world, resulting in ˜590,000 deaths. Half of the population of the United States will develop at least one benign colorectal tumor, and in one-tenth of these, the tumors will eventually become malignant.
Although genetic alterations in tyrosine kinases (TKs) have been firmly implicated in tumorigenesis, only a few serine/threonine kinases (STKs) are known to be mutated in human cancers1-4. There is a continuing need in the art to identify genes which are mutated in cancer and which may be good candidates for pharmacological intervention.


In a method of aligning a wafer, which is capable of precisely and rapidly aligning the wafer, and a wafer alignment apparatus using the method of aligning the wafer, a first wafer is aligned to form a first template pattern corresponding to an image of the first wafer. Image data of a second wafer is inputted. A kind of the second wafer is different from that of the first wafer. A second template pattern is formed by transforming the first template pattern in response to the image data of the second wafer. The second wafer is then aligned in response to the second template pattern. Accordingly, the template pattern is formed using the image data to align the wafer although wafers having different images are inspected, thereby rapidly forming the template pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of aligning a wafer and a wafer alignment apparatus for performing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of aligning a wafer, which is capable of precisely and rapidly aligning the wafer, and a wafer alignment apparatus for performing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
During various semiconductor manufacturing processes, a wafer is aligned at a predetermined location. These semiconductor manufacturing processes may include an inspection process for inspecting a surface of the wafer, a photolithography process, an electric die sorting (EDS) process, and others. In particular, the wafer should be accurately aligned in the inspection process so that a precise image is displayed on inspection equipment. The inspection process may be performed during or after the semiconductor manufacturing processes. The wafer should be rapidly inspected to improve a productivity of the semiconductor device.
The wafer may be aligned in an exposure unit in a photolithography process so that the semiconductor has a narrow line width. When the wafer is accurately aligned, the exposure unit prints a pattern on a surface of the wafer.
In a conventional method of aligning an exposure device, primary data is stored, and a wafer is introduced into the exposure device to form an image of the entire wafer, thereby forming an image file. The wafer is exposed using the image file. In accordance with this conventional method, however, a wafer having an image that is different from the stored image may not be rapidly inspected.
When a wafer having a different image is to be aligned, the whole surface of the wafer having the different image must be scanned to form a template pattern after the wafer having the different image is introduced into the wafer alignment apparatus.
Thus, when a kind of the wafer is changed, the whole surface of the wafer is scanned, thereby decreasing the productivity of the semiconductor device.

Method for aligning a wafer and apparatus for performing the same