A process of stripping a coating according to the invention comprises subjecting a coated substrate to an aqueous medium containing a peroxide and an interfacial mixing agent, and to heating preferably by either ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared (IR) radiation. The substrate is completely stripped of the coating and suffers no damage to itself as a result of the paint debonding/dislodging process. No toxic wastes are generated from this process, nor are particulates associated with air pollution generated. The metal substrates being stripped also do not undergo corrosion or other damage as a result of the described process.

The invention described herein generally relates to processes for stripping coatings from various substrates such as metals, i.e., aluminum and steel; composites such as plastics, carbon-based substrates, ceramic tiles, wood, glass, fiberglass building materials and the like. Paint strippers typically used for removal of polymeric coatings contain solvents, water, surfactants, corrosion inhibitors, and viscosity modifiers. Solvents are typically volatile liquids or low-vapor pressure solvents that are not biodegradable. The surfactants are used to promote wetting and penetration of the coating. Viscosity modifiers are predominantly cellulose derivatives, though finely divided silica, clay and synthetic polymers can be used. Corrosion inhibitors are specific to the stripper composition and for protecting the metallic substrates involved. The more environmentally acceptable paint removers contain low vapor pressure solvents containing ammonia, amines, or organic acids; see U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,675 to Wilkins et al., which relates to a stripping composition containing peroxide. U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,385 relates to a process that uses hydrogen peroxide as the bond release agent for stripping organic coatings.
Automobiles and aircraft are painted to protect the substrates from corrosion and to enhance the cosmetic appearance to help market the product. The prior art has utilized many different compositions and methods for the removal of paint from different substrates. For example, some paint stripping compositions utilized highly caustic, alkaline solutions as demonstrated by Murphy in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,076 and by Sullivan in U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,587. However, caustic solutions aggressively attack most metal substrates such as aluminum, steel, copper, zinc and chromium. The prior art utilizes various other volatile organic solvents, such as pyrrolidones as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,810 and phenyl ethers or ethoxylated alcohols as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,706.
Other known stripping methods use blasting processes with materials like plastics, starches, water and sometimes solvents. These methods not only produce large amounts of waste, which must be treated, but also generate a significant amount of airborne pollutants. With the proliferation of resinous coatings for the protection of metal and composite surfaces has come the need for a method of removing these types of coatings from their substrates without damaging the underlying material. It has been observed, for example, that strong acids are effective in removing these coatings, but their indiscriminate oxidation of the metal substrates makes acids undesirable and unacceptable in the majority of cases.
Several other techniques have been developed in attempts to satisfactorily remove paint coatings. One technique is to debond or dissolve the organic coating in a chemical solvent. While these solvents are often effective for debonding the paint coating from the substrate, they generate chemical waste such as stripping sludges, which result in disposal and pollution problems. Some organic stripping materials such as methylene chloride are effective as stripping agents and do little harm to underlying substrates. However, these chemicals pose additional problems such as toxicity, high volatility and flammability. While efforts have been made to minimize the problems associated with solvents, organic chemicals are still relatively inefficient, requiring large volumes of materials that must be disposed of in an approved manner upon completion of the stripping procedure. For example, conventional aircraft paint removal methods are increasingly under fire from many regulatory agencies, posing a problem for commercial and military operators. Moreover, some solvents such as methylene chloride are suspected human carcinogen agents, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified these solvents as hazardous air pollutants. The costs associated with chemical stripping are astronomical, and the process is labor-intensive, consuming from a few hundred hours to as much as a few thousand hours depending on the aircraft part and the size of the aircraft. In addition, operational costs include special safety apparel, the cost of waste containment/disposal and facility/equipment maintenance costs. In most current practices, operational difficulties include the need for multiple chemical applications to remove the coatings, and a large degree of hand sanding in areas where the coatings remain after the chemical stripping.
More recently, other methods with lower environmental impact have been developed and generally fall into three categories: (a) the use of less toxic chemicals; (b) impact blasting of the paint coating including: plastic media blasting (PMB), laser stripping, aqua jet, CO2-pellet blasting, starch or vegetable media blasting or ice-blasting; and, (c) vaporization of the paint via concentrated heat and/or light energy, e.g., laser stripping. Combinations of these methods also have been evaluated, including the FlashJet process wherein a pulsed xenon flash lamp initially vaporizes the paint coating into a fine ash residue. This residue is subsequently swept by a frozen carbon dioxide-pellet blast into a multistage collection system of filters and activated charcoal scrubber. However, these alternative methods, some of which are at a relatively mature stage of development, are not without problems. For example, the PMB procedure must be done in a closed system because of particulate generation and the potential for air pollution. The use of water as an impact medium as in the ice-blasting procedure, however, partially circumvents this difficulty. In general, the use of high-speed media jets in blasting procedures poses personnel safety and compliance issues. This is true even in the recently developed FlashJet process.
In view of these problems, there is a pressing need to develop novel approaches to paint stripping that are environmentally benign, pose minimal personnel safety problems, and are inexpensive. For delicate substrates of composites and honeycombs (e.g., radomes, helicopter rotor blades), the aforementioned methods like PMB or media blasting are not compatible because they will cause considerable damage to the substrate being stripped.
A laboratory version of a photochemical process for paint stripping has been described in Proceedings of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 98-5, pp. 232–235, 1998). This study showed that the aqueous peroxide medium could be photochemically decomposed by UV light to generate gas bubbles within the polymeric coating. The present invention concerns a improved method for stripping paint based on either UV light and IR radiation in combination, or IR radiation alone. Modifications in the aqueous stripping medium to better facilitate coating debonding are also described.

Process for removing a coating from a substrate


A method of forming a bore through a workpiece with a drill by monitoring drill orientation and bore position; and adjusting drill path as necessary. Adjusted the drill path includes selectively applying an axial impulse to the drill when the drill is in a designated azimuthal orientation. Drill orientation and bore position are monitored with an acoustic transmitter and receiver disposed adjacent an outer surface of the workpiece. The acoustic transmitter and receiver are moved at the same rate at which the drill axially progress through the workpiece, so that they are aligned with the bottom of the bore.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to a method for boring through a workpiece. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of using a gun drill to form a bore in a workpiece, and steering the drill while boring.
2. Description of Prior Art
Elongated bores formed in manufactured articles are typically formed with an elongate drill. One such type of drill is a gun drill that is cylindrical and is fluted along a portion of its length. The cutting edge of a gun drill is generally at a forward end of the flute. Some gun drills have a cutting edge with a V-shaped edge. However, due to many variables, conventional gun drilling has centerline deviations that are not predictable in direction. Due to their shapes, gun drills often have an eccentric second moment of inertia. Moreover, gun drills usually flex, bend, and twist easily, due at least in part to their high length/diameter rations (l/d>100). During the machining process in metal the cutting speed and the feed rate lead to torsion oscillations and twisting. Consequences of deviations in bore centerline are exacerbated when multiple bores are being formed in a particular workpiece.

System and method for forming a bore in a workpiece


As part of handling a large amount of error information generated on a mainframe system associated, for example, with a telephone billing system, a utility software program allows a user to easily process the error information. The information is generated by the mainframe in flat file format and converted into spreadsheet format. This compilation of error messages is then sent electronically as a spreadsheet to an operator responsible for processing the error messages. The utility software automatically opens the spreadsheet and saves then information locally in a relational database. The operator then opens the database and disposes of the error messages. Upon completion, the utility software appends the disposed information to an SQL database residing on a network. The utility software then establishes communication with a mainframe and transfers the error message disposition to the mainframe where this information is merged with the existing error messages and disposed of accordingly.

Telephone connections are oftentimes made for data transfer activities, e.g., to transmit a fax or to send an electronic datafile to another computer. The daily, widespread use of telephones requires a telephone service provider (TSP) to maintain a log of its telephone line usage and devise appropriate telephone usage billing mechanisms. Billing or accounting errors may occur when telephone calls are improperly billed, for example, when charges appear on a subscriber's telephone bill for telephone calls that were abruptly terminated without any fault of the subscriber or for telephone calls that were charged at a rate different from the one for which the subscriber initially contracted. A telephone service provider, thus, has to devise schemes to monitor and redress customer grievances for faulty billing.
As part of a streamlined billing and accounting procedure, the TSP may set up a central location or facility that houses service personnel authorized to access customer account data (e.g., for account maintenance or status inquiry) for all the customers in the service provider's network. Such a central processing facility collects the subscriber data from various regional offices and processes them according to the TSP's policy and guidelines. For example, a TSP may provide telephone services in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. The TSP may have regional offices or regional service centers at these locations. In addition to these regional service centers, the TSP may set up a central processing facility at Atlanta, Ga. Therefore, the subscriber data (including, for example, the call records, the account information, the billing data, etc.) from all other regional service centers may have to be sent to the central processing facility for coordination of billing as well as account management.
Furthermore, the central processing facility may be at a location that is physically different from the location of the TSP's regional service center in Atlanta. In other words, the central facility may be in a building different from that for the TSP's regional service center. It is therefore desirable to achieve efficient data transfer between these two locations as well as between the central processing facility and other remote regional centers in view of the enormous data (including call records and billing data) generated within the TSP's network.
As used hereinbelow, a "message" or "call record" is generated and recorded as part of a telephone service provider's billing system each time a communication takes place between two parties through a call that was placed using the telephone service provider's network. Such messages typically appear on a telephone bill sent to the telephone subscriber. The term "error message", as used hereinbelow, refers to a message that falls out of the regular billing stream due to a variety of reasons, for example, when a telephone subscriber complains about an erroneous entry or message on the subscriber's telephone bill. The TSP's customer service representative may remove the message from the subscriber's bill and/or place the message under further investigation by appropriate service personnel. An error message may be generated when conflicting provisions in customer billing guidelines prevent the billing computer system from meaningfully keeping the message in the regular billing stream.
The term "case" is used hereinbelow to refer to a group of error messages that may be grouped together because of a common characteristic or a commonly identifiable error pattern. For example, when a new residential customer subscribes for a phone connection, the telephone service provider may inform the new customer that the customer's telephone line will start "working" (i.e., the customer will be able to receive a dial tone over the telephone line) from a specific date and/or time. This customer account activation information may then reside in a telephone service order (TSO) system in the service provider's mainframe computer for the regional office serving the customer. However, the telephone line in the new customer's residence may have been erroneously left activated by the service provider when the prior resident vacated that place. Thus, even though the telephone line is physically active, the billing system may not "recognize" it as being active until the activation date and/or time arrives. In other words, all telephone calls placed during this period of discrepancy may generate corresponding error messages with a common error pattern. These error messages may then be grouped as a case to facilitate quicker investigation thereof.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art scheme to transfer data from a mainframe computer system 25 in a TSP's regional service center to a central database 27 in a central processing facility. FIG. 1 further shows how error messages are handled by service personnel of the TSP. Billing data (including error messages) as well as customer account information and other data may reside in a regional mainframe computer system 25 in the TSP's network. The mainframe computer 25 may be physically located at a location remote from the central location (e.g., the central processing facility) where an authorized service person (ASP) or operator 29 of the TSP performs data processing, including processing of error messages. The ASP 29 may be located in a facility that houses other operators handling accounting/billing for the TSP.
Initially, the authorized service person 29 obtains printouts of data reports 30 generated by the mainframe system 25. These printouts 30 may contain text in ASCII (American Standards Code for Information Interchange) format. The printouts of data 30 may be sent to the ASP 29 via a third party hired by the TSP to maintain its customer accounts and coordinate the billing procedure. The ASP 29 thereafter begins manual data entry to transfer the data from the printouts 30 to the database 27 established in a local SQL server 32 (e.g., a Microsoft® SQL server) using a keyboard (not shown) or other data entry device for the workstation 34 operated by the ASP 29. The workstation 34 and the SQL server 32 form a client/server relationship for data transfer and database management operations. The steps involved in manual entry of data into the database 30 are discussed hereinbelow with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 outlines the steps involved when the operator 29 manually enters data from data printouts 30 into the database 27 using the workstation 34. The data entry process starts at step 36. At step 38, the operator 29 instructs the operating system (using the keyboard or another data entry device) running on the workstation 34 to execute an enterprise manager program residing in the workstation's 34 memory. Upon execution, the enterprise manager program establishes a link or connection between the workstation 34 and the SQL server 32 at step 40. In other words, data transfer can now be carried out between the workstation 34 and the SQL server 32. At step 42, the operator 29 opens the database 27 in the SQL server 32 remotely from the workstation 34 using the keyboard (not shown) or other data entry device for the workstation 34. Once the database is opened, the operator 29, at step 44, runs a query manager program residing in the workstation's 34 memory. Thereafter, the operator 29 executes an Insert Query command for each data entry on the printed reports 30 and manually enters the data from the printed reports 30 into the database 27. Once all the data on the printouts 30 are entered into the database 27, the ASP 29 closes the enterprise manager program at step 48. This signifies, at step 50, the completion of the manual data entry process.
Instead of storing the data in a central database, e.g., the database 27 in the SQL server 32, the ASP 29 may instead set-up or create a local database, e.g., a Microsoft Access® (MS Access) database, in the workstation's 34 memory. The manual data entry process for the MS Access database is essentially the same as depicted in FIG. 2, except that step 40 is absent in such a situation and the operator 29 opens the database in the workstation 34 instead of a server as in step 42.
The manual data entry process as outlined above is not only cumbersome and error-prone, but a quite inefficient utilization of manpower and computer resources given the ever-increasing demand for telephone services and, hence, correspondingly increasing amount of subscriber account and billing data. Employment of more service personnel to timely complete the data entry task is not a desirable solution given the enormous amount of data being generated by all the mainframe systems in the TSP's network. Further, manual data entry is error-prone given the monotonous and cumbersome nature of the data entry process. Human data operators may not perform at their best when the task is inherently tedious and boring.
As noted hereinbefore, FIG. 1 also illustrates how error messages are handled by service personnel of the TSP. The data reports or printouts 30 may include cases slated for review and investigation by the ASP 29. At the beginning of each case, a summary may be present informing the ASP 29 about the particular case. The summary may include a case-ID associated with the corresponding case. The case-ID may identify, e.g., symbolically or through a numerical code, the error or other salient characteristics common to the error messages contained in the corresponding case. For example, case-ID=60 may signify an invalid account status. The remaining text in the summary may succinctly mention other information, e.g., number of error messages contained in the given case, total amount in error, the name of the telephone carrier (e.g., a long-distance telephone company) that may be fully or partially responsible for the customer account being investigated, etc.
The ASP 29 manually inspects the printouts 30, one printout at a time, and manually identifies the errors from the case-IDs. Thereafter, the ASP 29 initiates error message processing by accessing, through the workstation 34, a CLUE (Correction of Local Usage Errors) system running on the mainframe computer 25. The mainframe computer system 25 is accessed so that the ASP 29 may actually enter appropriate processing notations for the error messages. The processing notation beside an error message may indicate whether the error message is deleted from the regular billing stream (i.e., the subscriber receiving credit for the error message), or whether the error message stays in the billing stream (i.e., the error message in fact does not contain an error and the subscriber is responsible for the amount charged), or whether the error message requires further investigation (e.g., by accessing other systems on the mainframe computer 25).
The CLUE system (not shown) is an application software running on the mainframe computer 25 that stores all error messages that are detected in the corresponding regional billing system of the TSP. The CLUE system includes a database of error messages for the region covered by the mainframe system 25 and functions separately from the regular billing system for that region. The ASP 29 or other operator may first initiate a network connection to the mainframe computer 25 via an emulator program (not shown) in the workstation 34. Once the network connection is established, the ASP 29 may "enter" the CLUE system and start manually keying-in (using the keyboard or other data entry device for the workstation 34) data for the error messages into the CLUE system. For each error message, the ASP 29 may also manually enter the corresponding processing notation (described hereinbefore) in the CLUE system. If no further investigation is needed for an error message, the ASP 29 may either rectify the error according to a predetermined set of instructions and send the corresponding error message to the regular billing system in the mainframe 25 or delete the error message from the CLUE system (and, hence, also from the regular billing stream).
However, in case of a further investigation, the ASP 29 may manually access (through the workstation 34) another system on the mainframe computer 25. For example, if an error message requires ascertaining a customer's telephone line configuration record or customer service record (CSR) (i.e., services selected by the customer on a given telephone line), the ASP 29 may access (through the workstation 34) a BOCRIS (Business Office Customer Records Information System) database (not shown) maintained on the mainframe system 25. On the other hand, if an error message necessitates looking at the customer's previous billing history or changes made to the BOCRIS database for a specific telephone line, then the ASP 29 may access the TSO (telecommunications service order) database (not shown) to retrieve the pertinent information. The ASP 29 may also need to access the GUIDE (Graphical User Interface Design Editor) system running on the mainframe computer 25 that keeps a table that instructs the billing system how to do billing for each phone number (e.g., whether to charge a promotional rate or whether to waive a monthly fee, etc.). Other applications running on the mainframe 25 may also be accessed depending on the error message and depending on the required investigation. Based on the information obtained from one or more of these systems, the ASP 29 manually either deletes the error message from the CLUE database or releases the error message for regular billing. In case of the need for still further investigation, the ASP 29 may place an appropriate notation against the error message in the CLUE system.
The foregoing describes a prior art method where investigators access the CLUE system to manually look up the cases and manually investigate and/or correct the error messages contained therein. A TSP operating in a number of states may face a daunting task of rectifying and/or investigating around 2-3 million cases (i.e., around 25-30 million error messages) per month in a timely fashion. The growth in the telephone industry and human population may generate with them additional subscriber base and, hence, additional telephone traffic. This further increases the already large caseload that each investigator has to manually handle in the TSP's central accounting facility.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for processing a plurality of errors


A first load (L1) is put on the upper leg (606) to create a contact area (619) between the front segment (610) and the front segment (618). The contact area (619) has a center point (601) located a distance (p1) from the front end (602). An upper forward segment (621) pulls away from a lower forward segment (623) immediately adjacent to the front end (602) to create a loop (625a). The first load (L1) is progressively increased to a second load (L2) and the center point (601) is rolled back from the distance (p1) to a distance (p2) from the front end (602). The segments (621) and (623) expand the loop (625a) to a loop (625b).

Users and developers of elastic shoes and shoe soles are confronted with the problem of back injury and releasing the stored energy in the shoe sole in a manner which improves walking and running economy while at the same time achieving adequate bio-mechanical shoe stability and cushioning. Many shoe manufacturers have concentrated their effort on chock absorption by permanently increasing the thickness of the shoe sole. This has resulted in a slight change of the angle between the ankle and the foot that may weaken the tendons of the foot. This change of the angle may also lead to instability and reduced bio-mechanical effect. In addition, the focus on increasing the chock absorption within the shoe industry has led to yet another problem, namely the fact that the more cushioning put into a shoe the more energy is needed to get out of it.
Many efforts have been made to develop an effective spring mechanism for shoes or shoe soles in order to come to terms with these and other problems. However, the earlier proposed spring designs for shoe soles have not been satisfactory. Despite many elaborate shoe sole solutions, back injuries and other injuries are still common due to poorly designed shoes. Injuries due to poor shoe designs are common in sports and a variety of work activities.
The method and shoe system of the present invention provide a solution to the above-mentioned problems. For instance will it not only provide sufficient chock absorption/cushioning in order to protect users from injuries related to the stresses of prolonged standing, walking and running. It will also, by its function of storing up energy, provide sufficient energy to heave up the user out of the cushioning, i.e. it does not only absorb energy, it also gives back energy. Furthermore, it does so without risking almost immediate fatigue failure of the resilient shoe insert which is the case with corresponding non-progressive inventions. More particularly, the method is for using a shoe system having a resilient shoe insert. A shoe has a shoe insert disposed inside the shoe. The insert has an upper leg and a lower leg connected by a front end with a curvature. The upper and lower legs 506 have a concave segments and end points. A load is put on the insert to compress the end points towards one another. This shortens the effective length of the legs because the legs are in contact at a contact segment. This makes the insert stiffer the more it is compressed. The effective length of the legs is shorter at the outside compared to the inside so that the outside is stiffer than the inside.
Last but not least, at first glance the present progressively resilient shoe insert may look similar to previous non-progressive ones, but it is not. The closer one looks the lesser resemblances, especially when it comes to functions and qualities. For the sake of clarity, even if it may be crude, one could compare with early days of aviation. It was the shape that was the secret then. Without the wave-profile of the wings, there was no way of taking-off with the airplane. One could say the same about the present invention, at least in a transferred sense. It is the specific and unique wave-shape of the present invention that makes all the difference.

Shoe system with a resilient shoe insert


Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for measuring quality of audio. The apparatus includes a distorted signal generation unit, an extraction unit, a distortion level measurement unit, a distortion function generation unit, and a search and measurement unit. The distorted signal generation unit generates a plurality of distorted signals with respect to audio in compliance. The extraction unit extracts a fingerprint and AV information corresponding to the audio and fingerprints and AV information corresponding to the plurality of distorted signals. The distortion level measurement unit measures fingerprint distance differences, and arousal and valence (AV) distance differences. The distortion function generation unit generates a fingerprint distortion function and an AV distortion function. The search and measurement unit measures the quality of the audio by extracting a fingerprint and AV information from query audio and then comparing extraction results with the fingerprint distortion function or AV distortion function.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for measuring the quality of audio and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for measuring the quality of audio using fingerprints and arousal and valence (AV) information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Audio is sound that is output, for example, from a radio receiver or a television set. The measurement of the quality of such audio is essential for compressing the audio, mitigating the noise of a signal corresponding to the audio, or measuring the imperceptibility of audio watermarking.
In general, methods of evaluating the quality of audio may be divided into subjective evaluation methods and objective evaluation methods. The subjective evaluation methods have the disadvantage of being affected by the emotional state of a human who participates in the measurement of the quality of audio, an environmental factor and the like, and the disadvantage of requiring a long period of time and much effort.
Currently, for the above reasons, research into objective methods of evaluating the quality of audio has been conducted.
International Telecommunication Union-R (ITU-R) corresponding to a communication protocol for the radio frequency band publishes 1387, which is a recommendation for a method of evaluating the quality of an audio codec, which is known as Perceptual Evacuation of Audio Quality (PEAQ). However, this objective method of evaluating the quality of audio lacks consideration of the variation of audio over time and a multi-channel, and thus various alternatives have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,453 discloses a technology that identifies an audio sample using a fingerprint representative of the feature of a specific location of a media file affixed with a database index.
Furthermore, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2012-0021174 discloses a technology that searches music using an emotion model that is generated based on the similarity between emotion types.
However, the above conventional methods of evaluating the quality of audio have the disadvantage of always requiring original audio as an input. Therefore, when a large-scale test is conducted or there is no reference audio or no audio information, it is difficult to measure the quality of audio.
As a result, there is a need for a method of evaluating the quality of audio using Arousal and Valence (AV) values that are acquired from audio fingerprints and an emotion model that is used for audio search.

Apparatus and method for measuring quality of audio

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A dual hub take-reel for a tape drive comprises an inner hub operatively connectable to a motor and a flexible leader connected at a first to the inner hub so as to be wound on to the inner hub when driven, to rotate by the motor. An outer hub is disposed about the inner hub and has an opening through which the flexible leader extends. The outer hub is arranged on the inner hub and is selectively freely rotatable about the inner hub or locked against the inner hub to rotate with the inner hub. A locking element is responsive to pressure supplied by a tape wrap to press against the inner hub and lock the outer hub to the inner hub by interaction of an engagement surface against the inner hub.

There are known tape drive mechanisms that thread tape from a single reel cartridge onto a take-up reel. Certain mechanisms utilize a dual hub take-up reel design having an inner hub and an outer hub. The inner hub is concentrically located inside a hollow outer hub. The inner hub is secured rigidly to the motor spindle and the outer hub is free to rotate about the inner hub by a bearing. A flexible leader is fixed to the inner hub, the flexible leader leaving the inner hub surface tangentially and passing through the outer hub through a slotted opening. The flexible leader is attached to a linking body designed to connect and disconnect the end of the tape leader from the single reel cartridge. This slotted opening in the outer hub is configured to allow the leader to pass through, but not the linking body. The configuration of the linking body is matched to the outer surface of the outer hub so that when the linking body is pulled into the outer hub, a continuous cylindrical surface is formed on the outer hub.
As the inner hub rotates, the leader wraps around itself. Tension is maintained in the leader by motor control at the cartridge reel. The tension in the leader prevents the outer hub from rotating. Eventually, the linking body is pulled into the cavity, forming the continuous cylindrical surface on the outer hub. The outer hub now rotates with the inner hub under tension from the leader. This continued rotation wraps tape from the single reel cartridge around the outer surface of the outer hub.
In the above described tape mechanisms it is critical to maintain tape tension at all times. This is normally accomplished by carefully controlling the two reel motors so that their speeds are nearly perfectly coordinated. Depending on which direction the tape is moving, each reel changes roles as supply and take-up. In the case where the dual hub reel is a take-up reel, operation is relatively smooth because the flexible leader is under tension. In the supply role, however, the inner hub attempts to control the outer hub by pushing on a flexible member (i.e., the flexible leader). In order to maintain the necessary tension both in the tape and the flexible leader, the inner hub has to operate as a brake. Acceleration and change in tape direction is limited by the inability to utilize the motor to its full capability, since the motor is only operating as a brake. In the data recording industry, time is very important. Because of that, limitations on acceleration and change in tape direction and increase in access time are particularly undesirable.

Locking dual hub tape reel for tape drives


A checkerboard data pattern is written in a semiconductor memory with a simple arrangement. First, memory cell transistors M00-M77 are erased. A test signal TS is turned to "L," an address ax0 to "1," write signals D0, D2, D4 and D6 to "1." This causes "1" to be written in the memory cell transistors even-numbered in both the rows and columns. Then, the test signal TS is turned to "L," an X address ax0 to "0," write signals D1, D3, D5 and D7 to "1." This causes "1" to be written in the memory cell transistors odd-numbered in both the rows and columns. Thus, the checkerboard can be written with a simple arrangement by activating only the least significant bit ax0 of X addresses ax2-ax0.

The present invention relates to a method and circuit for testing a semiconductor memory such as EEPROM or flash EEPROM, and, more particularly, to a method and circuit for testing a semiconductor memory by writing a checkerboard data pattern.
Conventionally, a semiconductor memory has been tested using test items such as all bits "1," all bits "0" or a checkerboard (1s and 0s are alternately written in adjacent memory cells on a layout). Since a nonvolatile memory takes about 1 msec per one word for writing, writing time occupies a very high ratio in a test time. Thus, some of tests are simplified to shorten the test time. In this case, checkerboard writing is essential for checking interference between bits. Then, for example, to write a checkerboard in a 128 k byte memory, it takes a very long time of 128 k.times.1 msec=128 sec.
In view of the above, there have been proposed semiconductor memories for which the write time can be shortened (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-334900 and 9-7380).
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a memory cell array disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-334900. The memory cell array constitutes one memory cell with one set of N-channel MOS transistors N11-N12 and one set of memory cell transistors N21-N24. A control gates of the memory cell transistors N21-N24 are connected to a signal line C.sub.G, their sources to a signal line C.sub.L, their drain to sources of the N-channel transistors N11-N14. Drains of the N-channel transistors N11 and N13 are connected to a data select line Y0, drains of the transistors N12 and N14 to a data select line Y1, gates of the transistors N11 and N14 to an address select line X0, gates of the transistors N12 and N13 to an address select line X1.
To write a checkerboard in such memory cell array, all memory cells are first erased (all to "0"), followed by setting even-numbered address select lines X0 to "H," odd-numbered address select lines X1 to "L," and data select lines Y0 and Y1 to "H" to apply a high voltage to the signal line C.sub.G, and to apply the ground voltage to the signal line C.sub.L. This turns on the N-channel transistors N11 and N14 in the memory cell A, thereby electrons being written in floating gates of the memory cell transistors N21 and N24. This would mean that "1" is written in the memory cell A. The memory cell B remains "0."
As such, the memory cell array disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-334900 can write a checkerboard at a time by crossing the address select lines X0 and X1.
However, this memory cell array has a problem that the memory cell array becomes complicated to attain the above arrangement, causing a larger memory cell array area. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of this memory cell array, FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a conventional memory cell array in which address select lines are not crossed, and FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the memory cell array of FIG. 6. In FIGS. 5 and 7, S denotes a through hole. As clearly seen from FIG. 5, the memory cell array in which the address select lines are crossed should have a larger number of through holes to connect crossing address select lines, and has a larger area than the memory cell array of FIG. 7 in which the address select lines are not crossed.
Then, FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a semiconductor memory disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-7380. The semiconductor memory comprises a memory cell array 21 in which a plurality of memory cell transistors are arranged in a matrix, a word line WL connecting to a control gate of a memory cell transistor in each row, a digit line DL connecting to a drain of a memory cell transistors in each column, an X decoder 22 for selecting one word line specified by a row address signal ADr during writing operation, a word line voltage generator circuit 23, a Y decoder 24 and a column select circuit 25 for selecting one digit line specified by a column address signal ADc during the writing operation, and a write circuit 26.
This circuit differs from a conventional one in that further one input is added to a logic gate G23 corresponding to each word line of the X decoder 22 to make an odd-numbered logic gate G23o and an even-numbered logic gate G23e, and that an odd-numbered signal ODr is arranged to be input into an input terminal added with the logic gate G23o, an even-numbered signal EVr to an input terminal added with the logic gate G23e. In addition, further one input is added to a logic gate G43 corresponding to each digit line of the Y decoder 24 to make an odd-numbered logic gate G43o and an even-numbered logic gate G43e. Then, it is arranged that an odd-numbered signal ODc is input into an input terminal added with the logic gate G43o, and an even-numbered signal EVc is added to the input terminal added with the logic gate G43e.
To write a checkerboard in the memory cell array 21, after all memory cells are erased, a write voltage is applied from the word line voltage generator circuit 23 and the write circuit 26 by turning the control signal ACN to "H," the odd-numbered signals ODr and ODc to "L," and the even-numbered signals EVr and EVc to "H." This turns the output of the odd-numbered logic gate G23o to "H" to turn on the odd-numbered N-channel transistor Q22o, thereby the odd-numbered word line WLo becoming 0 V. In addition, the output of the even-numbered logic gate G23e is turned to "L" to turn on the even-numbered P-channel transistor Q21e, thereby the write voltage being applied from the word line voltage generator circuit 23 to the even-numbered word line WLe. On the other hand, the output of the odd-numbered logic gate G43o becomes "H," and the output of the odd-numbered inverter IV42o becomes "L" to turn off the transistor Q5o. The output of the even-numbered logic gate G43e becomes "L," and the output of the even-numbered inverter IV42e becomes "H" to turn on the transistor Q5e, thereby the write voltage being applied from the write circuit 26 to the even-numbered digit line DLe. Thus, "1" is written in all even-numbered memory cell transistors MCee for both the rows and the columns.
Subsequently, a write voltage is applied from the word line voltage generator circuit 23 and the write circuit 26 by turning the control signal ACN to "H," odd-numbered signals ODr and ODc to "H," and the even-numbered signals EVr and EVc to "L." This turns the output of the odd-numbered logic gate G23o to "L" to turn on the odd-numbered P-channel transistor Q21o, thereby the write voltage being applied to the odd-numbered word line WLo. In addition, the output of the odd-numbered logic gate G43o is turned to "L," and the output of the odd-numbered inverter IV42o is turned to "H" to turn on the transistor Q5o, thereby the write voltage being applied from the write circuit 26 to the odd-numbered digit line DLo. Thus, "1" is written in all odd-numbered memory cell transistors MCoo for both the rows and the columns.
Consequently, "1" is written in the memory cell transistors MCee even-numbered in both the rows and the columns and the memory cell transistors MCoo odd-numbered in both the rows and the columns, while "0" is written in the memory cell transistors MCeo even-numbered in the rows and odd-numbered in the columns, and the memory cell transistors MCoe odd-numbered in the rows and even-numbered in the columns.
However, such semiconductor memory has such problem that additional input terminals should be provided for the input terminals for the logic gate G23 of the X decoder 22 and the logic gate G43 of the Y decoder 24 to increase the signal lines ODr, EVr, ODc, and EVc, so that the X and Y decoders become complicated.

Test method and circuit for semiconductor memory


An electronic charging cable assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a power connection end adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical power source and a device connection end adapted to be logically connected to an electronic device. The device connection end is electrically connected to the power connection end. A light source is located at the device connection end such that, when the power connection end is electrically connected to the electrical power source and the device connection end is not connected to the electronic device, the light source is illuminated and, when the power connection end is electrically connected to the electrical power source and the device connection end is connected to the electronic device, the light source is not illuminated. An exemplary electrical circuit used to provide this feature and a method of operating the electronic charging cable assembly are also disclosed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighted USB cable assembly, and, in particular, to a lighted USB cable assembly that has a device connection end that is illuminated when the USB cable assembly is not plugged into an electronic device, and that is not illuminated when the USB cable assembly is plugged into the electronic device.
Description of the Related Art
USB cables are common devices for electrically charged electronic devices. These cables typically have a power connection end that is insertable into a power source, such as, for example, another electronic device, an electrical outlet, or any other source of electrical power. Oftentimes, the USB cables are illuminated at a device connection end to allow user to find the device connection end, and to plug-in an electronic device to the device connection end in the dark. A problem with these cables is that the illuminated end remains illuminated after plugging in the device or, if the illuminated end is de-illuminated, the illuminated end re-illuminates after the electronic device is fully charged. Either of these situations can be annoying to a user who may be trying to sleep in an otherwise darkened room.
It would be beneficial to provide a USB cable assembly that has an illuminated device connection end so that the user can find the device connection end in the dark to be able to plug the device connection end into an electronic device, but that no longer remains illuminated after the device connection end is plugged into the electronic device.

Cable assembly having a device connection end with a light source


The present invention relates to lamotrigine, a useful agent for anti-epilepsia. New crystal forms of lamotrigine containing molecules of the solvent in stoichiometric ratios are disclosed. The present invention also provides processes for preparing the new crystal forms of lamotrigine.

Lamotrigine is known as 6-(2,3-Dichlorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazine-3,5-diamine or 3,5-diamine-6-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazine and has the following chemical formula (I).

Lamotrigine is an anti-epileptic drug of the phenyltriazine class and is chemically unrelated to other existing anti-epileptic drugs. This drug is produced by GlaxoWellcome and is sold under the trademark LAMICTAL®. LAMICTAL® is produced in the form of chewable dispersible tablets and is available in different strengths (from 2 mg to 200 mg).
The crystallographic structure of lamotrigine methanolate is known (Acta Cryst., (1989, C45, 129-132)).
No indication was found in the literature concerning the existence of other types of crystal forms of lamotrigine. There is a need to develop various crystal forms of lamotrigine for better formulation.

Crystal forms of lamotrigine and processes for their preparations


An electronic control unit (ECU) has a memory area in a non-volatile memory that stores a control program in a rewritable manner for controlling a predetermined control object. The ECU also has an operation unit for performing a process according to the control program stored in the memory and for performing a rewrite process to rewrite contents of the control program stored in the memory area when a predetermined rewrite condition is met. The memory area has a plurality of sub-memory areas that are exclusively defined in a non-overlapping manner. From among the plurality of sub-memory areas a read sub-memory area, from which the control program is read by the operation unit to perform the process according to the control program, is different and separate from a rewrite sub-memory area, which stores program contents of the control program that is rewritten by the rewrite process.

Conventionally, an electronic control unit (ECU) is equipped with a flash memory, an EEPROM or the like, which is a rewritable non-volatile memory, for controlling, for example, a vehicle engine and a vehicle transmission. Contents of such rewritable non-volatile memory are electrically rewritable (i.e., data is erasable therefrom and writable therein). Further, a control program stored in such rewritable non-volatile memory is rewritable and replaceable.
A vehicle having the ECU is usually brought to a dealership by an owner of the vehicle for the rewriting of the control program stored in the ECU. That is, the control program is rewritten by a rewrite program at the dealership, under control of a mechanic by using a rewrite device. Such rewrite scheme is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-220519.
However, such rewrite scheme may have to handle various changes, which are expected to occur. For example, various connection channels between the vehicle and a network maybe newly developed and established. Also, more and more vehicles would be shared by many users under management of an organization, instead of solely owned by respective users. Further, programs stored in the ECU would become more complicated and sophisticated, thereby necessitating frequent program updates for coping with security risks and the like.
In view of such changes, it may be desirable to have the user perform the rewriting of the programs, instead of having the user bring the vehicle to the dealership. That is, for the convenience of the user and for countering the security risk, the rewriting of the programs (i.e., may also be designated as "re-program" hereinafter) may be remotely performed.
In consideration of improved user convenience and prevention of mis-operation in the re-program process, the re-program may need to be remotely performed regardless of the operation state of the vehicle, or regardless of the transition from one operation state to the other state. That is, such re-program may need to be performed regardless of the operation state of the vehicle, such as a traveling state or a parking state, or regardless of the state transition from an ignition OFF to an ignition ON.
However, in, for example, a traveling vehicle, a program in the ECU is continuously executed, and the re-program during such a continuous execution of the program may lead to a hang up of the program, such that the program may become uncontrollable due to a "crash" of a computer executing the program.
For instance, a series of processes A, B, and C are controlled by a certain program, among which the processes A and C are designed to use the same data D1. The processes A, B, C may have an incorrect processing result, if (i) the program is designed on an assumption that the same data is used by both of the process A and the process C, (ii) the re-program is performed during the execution time of the process B, and (iii) the data D1 is rewritten to have a different value by such re-program. As a result, the program controlling the processes A, B, C may crash.
Further, the state transition between vehicle operation states may be un-predictable, and the re-program at the time of such state transition may also result in damaged data. For example, in an ECU that stops the power supply for a microcomputer at a time of transition from the ignition ON state to the ignition OFF state, the interrupted power supply for the microcomputer during the re-program process due to the state transition from the ignition ON state to the ignition OFF state may result in an interrupted re-program process and in an interrupted data rewriting in the interrupted re-program process, thereby damaging data and leading to an incorrect operation of the ECU at the next ignition ON time.

Electronic control unit with memory switching and control program rewriting


A circuit breaker contact closing solenoid assembly within an air circuit breaker includes an upper drive link connecting between a lower drive link and the circuit breaker closing prop driver to release the closing prop driver post from the charging ratchet retainer post. Actuation of the circuit breaker closing solenoid rotates the upper and lower links to allow the charging ratchet to rotate and release the charged closing springs and drive the circuit breaker contacts to the CLOSED condition.

Air circuit breakers as described within U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,095,489 entitled "Manual Charging Means for Stored Energy Closing Mechanisms of Electric Circuit Breakers" and 3,084,238 entitled "Ratchet Mechanism for Charging a Closing Spring in an Electric Circuit Breaker" include operating mechanisms that are mainly exposed to the environment. Since the air circuit breakers are rated to carry several thousand amperes of current continuously, the exposure to convection cooling air assists in keeping the operating components within reasonable temperature limits.
Such air circuit breakers are usually provided with a motor operator such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,988 entitled "Ratcheting Mechanism for Circuit Breaker Motor Operator" or a manual handle as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,065 entitled "Means for Charging A Stored Energy Circuit Breaker Closing Device" for charging the powerful closing springs contained within the air circuit breaker operating mechanism.
As described within the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,988, the ratchet mechanism includes a driving pawl coupled with the motor operator for incrementally advancing a ratchet wheel coupled with the circuit breaker operating mechanism. The patent further suggests the use of a holding prop to hold the pawls out of engagement with the ratchet wheel until the closing springs have fully discharged to protect the pawls and the ratchet wheel from potential damage. When the contacts have become closed, the circuit breaker operating mechanism components are exposed to allow an operator to manually release the holding prop in order for the holding pawl to again become operative in recharging the circuit breaker closing spring.
When the circuit breaker closing springs are brought to their fully-charged conditions, it is important that the springs do not become inadvertently discharged while an operator has hold of the charging handle in order to avoid damage to the ratchet mechanism and the associated air circuit breaker contacts. An early arrangement of a latching means to prevent rotation of a closing springs charging handle is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,021 entitled "Air Circuit Breaker". A more recent arrangement is found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/878,596 entitled "Circuit Breaker Operating Handle Torque Compensation Module" filed on Jun. 19, 1997.
With such circuit breakers having their contacts in the OPEN position and the closing springs fully charged, a manual closing button or a remotely-controlled closing solenoid, interacts with the holding prop described earlier, to allow the closing springs to become released from the holding prop and drive the contacts to the CLOSED position.
One purpose of the invention, accordingly, is to describe an arrangement whereby the closing button and the closing solenoid are enabled to displace the holding prop and allow the contacts to become driven to the CLOSED position.

Contact closing solenoid assembly for air circuit breakers


A polymer mesh puff is formed from at least one tube of open cell mesh stretched between a pair of opposing supports. The tube of mesh is bound about a centerpoint by a substantially permanent, non-abrasive mesh binding member. The tube is released from the supports so as to form a plurality of random folds, thereby forming a substantially spherical cleansing implement for use in personal hygiene applications.

Various scrubbing devices are known and available in the art. For instance, balls of polymer mesh have been used to scrub dishes, pans, other household items, and human skin. A scrubbing apparatus used for personal hygiene, commonly referred to as a polymer mesh puff is often used in cleansing the skin. These polymer mesh puffs are typically manufactured from one or more pieces of synthetic open cell mesh which are bound together and manipulated into a plurality of random folds to form a generally rounded shape, or puff. The open cell structure of the mesh advantageously forms a structure which effectively cleans the body, and from which dirt is easily rinsed and which dries relatively quickly. In addition, synthetic material is highly resilient, resulting in a puff which retains its shape throughout use. These puffs are formed by binding a piece of tubular mesh or a sheet of mesh about a centerpoint with a piece of string, and then forming a series of random folds about this centerpoint through various means of manipulation.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,196 to Barnhouse discloses a method for manufacturing a puff from an open cell mesh. A series of mesh sheets are stitched at a common center point and then fed through an alignment ring which separates the sheets into a generally circular profile. The sheets are next cut and compressed such that, during the compression phase, a series of folds are formed. A metallic staple is used to permanently fasten the folds together about a centerpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,744 to Campagnoli, incorporated by reference herein, discloses another method for manufacturing a puff from a polyethylene mesh having a diamond cell structure. The tubular mesh is stretched in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis (i.e. stretched transverse to the theoretical centerline of the tube). The stretched tube is then mounted between a pair of opposing curved supports. The tube is then bound at a centerpoint along its transverse axis and is selectively released from the supports such that the end result is a substantially spherical cleansing implement, formed by a series of random folds of mesh material.
With regard to the structure used for binding the tube of mesh, Campagnoli generically teaches the use of a "plastic strip" for binding. One type of "plastic strip" used for this purpose is a plastic, ratchet type, cable-tie device. These tie devices are typically used for arranging and binding bundles of wires or cables in the electrical industry, binding plants in agriculture, or for closing sacks, bags and similar objects. Typically, these tie devices consist of a toothed band for encircling the objects to be bound and a locking head having a pawl, or similar internal locking structure, for securing the band in place. Although suitable for binding polymer mesh puffs, the use of these tie devices as mesh binding members can pose several problems. These problems include a potential for abrasion and injury (e.g., cutting, scratching or scraping the user) from sharp edges or protrusions on the plastic strip after the tail end of the toothed band is trimmed off.
In addition to the use of plastic strips, it is well known in the art to use a fabric or synthetic cord, such as string or twine, for binding a polymer mesh puff. However, these fabric cords have a tendency to disintegrate or rot over time from the cyclical wetting and drying of the cord during use, and frequently come unraveled resulting in a short useful life of a puff. Cords also come unraveled because of improper knotting during manufacture, and because it is difficult to tie a tight knot and retain tightness as the knot is secured. Polymer mesh puffs which exhibit the above-described characteristics are generally undesirable because consumers become dissatisfied with the products.
Hence, there has been an unaddressed need for a mesh binding member which can permanently secure a mesh puff about a centerpoint without causing injury to the user. More specifically, the mesh binding member should be free of any sharp surfaces which might be capable of cutting, scratching, abrading, or otherwise undesirably contacting the user while adequately encircling and binding the polymer mesh puff so that its shape will be maintained.


A twisted string actuator system includes a motor generating rotary motion of a rotor and a twisted string comprised of a pair of cords. One end of the twisted string is attached to the rotor and an opposite end of the twisted string is coupled to a load. The cords are twisted about each other for a first section of the twisted string and untwisted for a second section of the twisted string. A cord guide is fixedly disposed between the cords. The first and second sections of the twisted string are on a first side and second side, respectively, of the cord guide. Rotary motion of the rotor in one direction operates to twist the pair of cords on the first side of the cord guide while pulling a portion of the pair of cords from the second side of the cord guide into the first side.

Many applications can benefit from the use of dexterous robotic hands that are capable of performing human-like tasks, such as grasping and manipulating a wide variety of objects. To achieve such versatility, the development of such robotic hands has turned to the use of underactuated fingers because underactuated fingers can self-adapt to wrap around objects, especially unknown objects. Although effective for power grasps, however, underactuation may perform poorly in precision grasps, in which the positions of the fingertips need to be controlled accurately, and where contact points are limited to distal links.


A beverage producing unit includes an infusion chamber with a first infusion chamber portion forming a receptacle for receiving a beverage preparing product and is configured to be movable between a loading position, where the first infusion chamber portion is arranged under a product-loading hopper, and a brewing position, where the first infusion chamber portion is configured to co-act with a second infusion chamber portion to close the infusion chamber. A scraper is arranged and configured to level a product heap projecting from the receptacle during movement of the first infusion chamber portion from the loading position towards said brewing position. The receptacle has a top edge surrounding a receptacle inlet aperture. The top edge is provided with a projection extending from the top edge and configured to prevent product from falling out of the receptacle when passing under the scraper.

Beverage producing devices, such as brewing machines for producing espresso coffee, are well-known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,028 discloses a device for the preparation of hot beverages, particularly coffee, comprising a brewing unit including a brewing chamber with a movable first brewing chamber portion and a second brewing chamber portion, designed to co-act one with the other in order to charge coffee powder in the first brewing chamber portion, closing the brewing chamber and brewing coffee by feeding hot pressurized water through the brewing chamber and the coffee powder contained therein, in order to extract the flavors from the coffee powder.
In these known devices the movable brewing chamber portion usually performs a rotary and translation movement in a vertical plane. In a first loading position the movable brewing chamber portion is placed vertically under a charging hopper, through which coffee powder is dispensed from a coffee grinder into a receptacle formed in the first brewing chamber portion. A certain amount of coffee powder or other bulk beverage preparing product is collected inside the receptacle and forms a conical bulk material heap. When the movable brewing chamber portion pivots from the loading position towards the brewing position, the tip of the bulk product heap is flattened by a scraper, so that the height of the heap is reduced by pushing the bulk material towards the base of the conical heap inside the receptacle before closing the brewing chamber, compacting the product and starting the brewing cycle.
In some conditions, part of the product loaded in the receptacle formed in the brewing chamber portion can fall out of the receptacle and soils the interior of the device in which the brewing unit is arranged. Frequent cleaning of the device becomes necessary.


The present invention provides a processing system for a binary weight convolutional neural network. The system comprises: at least one storage unit for storing data and instructions; at least one control unit for acquiring the instructions stored in the storage unit and sending out a control signal; and, at least one calculation unit for acquiring, from the storage unit, node values of a layer in a convolutional neural network and corresponding binary weight value data and obtaining node values of a next layer by performing addition and subtraction operations. With the system of the present invention, the data bit width during the calculation process of a convolutional neural network is reduced, the convolutional operation speed is improved, and the storage capacity and operational energy consumption are reduced.

The deep learning technology has developed rapidly in recent years. Deep neural networks, especially convolutional neural networks, have been widely applied in fields such as image recognition, voice recognition, natural language understanding, weather prediction, gene expression, content recommendation and intelligent robots. A deep network structure obtained through deep learning is an operational model which contains a large number of data nodes, wherein each data node is connected to other data nodes and the connection relationship among these nodes is represented by a weight. With the increasing complexity of the neural network, in practical applications, the neural network technology causes various problems, such as high resource occupation, slow operational speed and high energy consumption, etc.
In the prior art, in order to solve the above problems, a binary weight convolutional neural network model is applied in such fields as image recognition, augmented reality, virtual reality, etc. The binary weight convolutional neural network reduces the data bit width by binarizing the weights (for example, representing the weight with 1 or −1), thereby greatly reducing the parameter capacity and increasing the operational speed of the network model. The emergence of the binary weight convolutional neural network reduces the hardware configuration required for operating complex systems such as image recognition, and expands the application field of the convolutional neural network.
However, most of the existing applications of the deep learning are realized using a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit or the like. These technologies are low in energy efficiency, and there are serious energy efficiency problems and operational speed bottlenecks when the deep learning is applied in such fields as embedded devices or low-overhead data centers, so that it is difficult to meet the performance requirements of applications. Therefore, it is very difficult to apply the deep learning in small-lightweight devices such as mobile phones and embedded electronic devices.

Processing system and method for binary weight convolutional neural network

Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences


This invention has as its object to implement efficient encoding in correspondence with the characteristics of an image in an arrangement that can transform an input image into a plurality of frequency bands. To achieve this object, an image processing apparatus has generation means for generating a plurality of sample values representing an image, transforming means for frequency-transforming the plurality of sample values into coefficients of a plurality of frequency bands, encoding means for generating first encoded data by encoding the plurality of sample values, and generating second encoded data by encoding the plurality of coefficients obtained by the transforming means, comparing means for comparing the amounts of the first and second encoded data obtained by encoding of the encoding means, and selection means for outputting one of the first and second encoded data in accordance with the comparison result of the comparing means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method for encoding an image, and a storage medium that stores the method.
2. Related Background Art
Since images have a very large information size, the huge data size poses a problem when an image is stored or transmitted. Compression (encoding) of an image reduces the data size by removing redundancy of the image or manipulating values on levels that such manipulations are hard to visually recognize.
Conventionally, as one of still image encoding methods, JPEG internationally recommended by the ISO and ITU-T is known. JPEG will be briefly explained below since it is described in detail in ITU-T Recommendation T.81, ISO/IEC 10918-1, and the like. In JPEG, several kinds of encoding schemes are specified in correspondence with images to be encoded and applications. However, in its basic scheme except for a reversible process, an image is segmented into 8xc3x978 blocks, the blocks undergo the discrete cosine transform (DCT), and transform coefficients are appropriately quantized and are then encoded. In this scheme, since the DCT is done in units of blocks, so-called block distortion is produced, i.e., block boundaries are visible when transform coefficients are coarsely quantized and encoded.
On the other hand, recently, encoding schemes based on the wavelet transform have been extensively studied, and various encoding schemes using this transform have been proposed. Since the wavelet transform does not use block division, it does not suffer any block distortion, and image quality at high compression ratio is superior to that of JPEG.
In the wavelet transform of an image, as shown in FIG. 2, an original image is divided into four frequency bands LL, HL, LH, and HH, and processes for further dividing the lowest frequency band (LL(1)) of these divided bands into four frequency bands, and further dividing the lowest frequency band (LL(2)) of these divided bands are repeated for a predetermined number of times, thus generating 3m+1 (the number of times of wavelet transform) kinds of frequency bands. The number of times of repetitions of the wavelet transform will be referred to as a level count hereinafter, and the respective frequency bands will be referred to as LL(m), HL(m), LH(m), and HH(m) by appending the level count to LL, HL, LH, and HH. For example, the LH component obtained by repeating the wavelet transform twice is expressed by LH(2).
Conventionally, it is often inappropriate to execute the wavelet transform for some types of images to be encoded. For example, as for a multi-valued binary image, limited color image, CG image, or the like, the coding efficiency can be improved when such image data undergoes a compression process as a post process of the wavelet transform before the wavelet transform, rather than the compression process after the wavelet transform.
Even when image data undergoes the wavelet transform, an appropriate number of times of wavelet transform (level count) varies depending on images, area (tile) sizes), characteristics, and the like, and a large number of times of wavelet transform does not always lead to improvement in compression performance.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problems, and has as its object to provide a novel image encoding scheme which can efficiently encode images with various characteristics.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technique for implementing efficient encoding in correspondence with the characteristics of an image to be encoded when an input image is encoded while being divided into a plurality of frequency bands.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising:
generation means for generating a plurality of sample values representing an image;
transforming means for frequency-transforming the plurality of sample values into coefficients of a plurality of frequency bands;
encoding means for generating first encoded data by encoding the plurality of sample values, and generating second encoded data by encoding the plurality of coefficients obtained by the transforming means;
comparing means for comparing amounts of the first and second encoded data obtained by encoding of the encoding means; and
selection means for outputting one of the first and second encoded data in accordance with a comparison result of the comparing means.

Image compression using wavelet data or original image data depending on code amount


A folding table includes legs which are movable between an open, unfolded position and a closed, folded position. A slide plate, having at least one edge wall, is secured to the underside of the table inwardly of the legs. A strut is pivotally secured at one end to the leg. The free end of the strut has a head formed in it which is slidable along the plate edge wall. A locking pin is mounted to the strut head and is urged against the edge wall of the plate. The wall includes an opening which receives the pin to lock the leg in its unfolded position. The end of the strut head opposite the locking pin includes a grip which is operatively connected to the pin. The table is unlocked by urging the grip inwardly. The grip is formed in two halves to define a clip which frictionally receives the leg to lock the leg in its folded position.

This invention relates to folding tables, and in particular, to a mechanism which locks the table in its unfolded position and retains the leg in its folded position
Folding tables are well known in the art. They commonly are used in homes, offices, training rooms, cafeterias, etc. when extra table space is needed. When not needed, the tables are folded up and stored in some unobtrusive manner.
To prevent the table from collapsing during use, folding tables commonly include some mechanism for locking the table legs in their unfolded position Some of these locking mechanisms do not securely lock the legs open and may be prone to folding during use. See for example British Patent No. 2,049,025. Some designs may also lead to accidental finger pinches while unlocking the mechanism. Again, reference may be made to the just mentioned British patent, as well as to Heinzel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,622. Other mechanisms available in the prior art, while suitable for their intended purposes, are complicated in construction or expensive in their manufacture, or both.
To prevent the legs from accidentally unfolding during transportation of the table or while the table is stored, it is also desirable to hold the legs in their closed, unfolded position.


The invention is directed to a method for the prophylaxis or treatment of an animal for deleterious physiological effects such as systemic hypotension caused by nitric oxide production induced by a biological response modifier. Examples of such biological response modifiers include but are not limited to a cytokine and an endotoxin. The invention is also directed to a method for the treatment of septic shock.

Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factor
Endothelial cells have been shown to produce a potent vasodilator known as Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factor (EDRF). Many naturally occurring substances which act as physiological vasodilators mediate all or part of their action by stimulating the release of EDRF. Examples of such substances include acetylcholine, histamine, bradykinin, leukotrienes, ADP, and ATP. Recent studies have identified EDRF as nitric oxide, a short lived, unstable compound (Ignarro et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:9265-9269 and Palmer et al., 1987, Nature 327:524-526).
L-Arginine is the metabolic precursor of EDRF (Schmidt et al., 1988, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 154:213-216). N.sup.G -methyl-L-arginine is a competitive inhibitor of the biosynthetic pathway of EDRF (Palmer et al., 1988, Nature 333:664-666). Administration of N.sup.G -methyl-L-arginine to guinea pigs and rabbits has been shown to increase blood pressure (Aisaka et al., 1989, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160:881-886). Nitric oxide (NO) appears to be synthesized from L-arginine by the enzyme, NO synthase; the coproduct is L-citrulline (Moncada et al., 1991, J Cardiovascular Pharmacol. 17 (Suppl. 3):S1-S9). NO is an endogenous stimulator for soluble guanylate cyclase.
Nitric oxide has been found to be produced by macrophages, endothelial cells, neutrophils, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes, murine fibroblasts stimulated with cytokines, and EMT-6 cells, a spontaneous reurine mammary adenocarcinoma cell line when treated with cytokine (reviewed in Moncada et al., 1991, Pharmacol. Reviews 43:109-142). Specifically, macrophage cells become activated by 12-36 hour treatments with gamma-interferon, bacterial endotoxin and various cytokines (reviewed in Collier and Vallance, 1989, Trends in Pharmacol. Sci. 10:427-431).
Endothelial cells in the presence of gamma-interferon, have been found to secrete large quantities of arginine-derived nitrogen oxides after activation by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or endotoxin (Kilbourn and Belloni, 1990, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 82:772-776). TNF causes marked hypotension in mammals (Tracey et al., 1986, Gynecol. Obstet. 164:415-422; Old, 1985, Science 230:630-632). Additionally, TNF is thought to mediate the vascular collapse resulting from bacterial endotoxin (Beutler et al., 1985, Science 229:869-871). It has recently been shown that arginine derivatives inhibit systemic hypotension associated with nitric oxide production, specifically treatment with TNF, gamma interferon, interleukin-2, and bacterial endotoxin (Kilbourn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,627, issued Jul. 2, 1991; PCT lypplication no. WO 91/04023, published Apr. 4, 1991; and Kilbourn et al., 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87:3629-3632). Nitric oxide overproduction is also thought to be involved in numerous other pathogenic or potentially pathogenic syndromes. For example, some of these syndromes are thought to be associated with malaria, senescence and diabetes. The procedures of the present invention may also be used to prevent, inhibit and/or alleviate such NO-related syndromes.

Inhibition of nitric oxide-mediated hypotension and septic shock with iron-containing hemoprotein

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


The invention proposes a document configured to generate a color image, comprising: a set of pixels printed on or in a substrate, each pixel forming a pattern including an arrangement of sub-pixels of at least two different colors; and an array of lenses disposed opposite the set of pixels so as to generate the color image by focusing or diverging an incident light through the lenses on at least part of the sub-pixels, each lens being positioned, relative to a facing associated pixel, to focus or diverge the incident light on at least one of the sub-pixels of said associated pixel so as to modify the contribution of the respective colors of the sub-pixels of the associated pixel, in a region of the color image generated through said lens, with respect to the pattern intrinsically formed by the associated pixel independently of said lens.

The invention relates to the field of the formation of color images and relates more particularly to a device or an object, such as a document for example, able to generate a customized color image.
The invention finds particular applications in the formation of identity images in identity documents such as official documents: identity cards, credit cards, passports, driving licenses, secure entry badges, etc.
Various printing techniques have been developed over time to perform color prints. The production particularly of identity documents such as those mentioned above require the production of color images in a secure manner in order to limit the risks of tampering by malicious individuals. The manufacture of such documents, particularly at the identity image of the bearer, needs to be sufficiently complex to make reproduction or tampering by an unauthorized individual difficult.
Thus, in a known manner, some official documents for example include guilloches representing a pattern by means of a complex set of printed lines, difficult to reproduce without sophisticated equipment and adequate expertise. Various security elements (hologram, secure inks, etc.) have been developed but these are not always sufficient to prevent fraud, in particular in relation to the significant resources available to some counterfeiters today.
Furthermore, the color image formation techniques used today, in particular in secure identity documents, do not always allow obtaining a satisfactory visual rendering quality. Problems arise in particular when the image formation techniques used are limited in their ability to saturate some colors. In other words, the color gamut (ability to reproduce a range of colors) of the known color image formation techniques is sometimes limited.
When, for example, an identity image is created on a document, it is generally composed of a face surrounded by a light, even white, area constituting the image background. It is not always possible to obtain sufficiently saturated colors on the facial area or on the background, so that this same face placed on a monochrome background for example, and not sufficiently clear, has a satisfactory contrast between this face and the background fully satisfactory for the observer.
There is now a need to securely form customized color images, for example in identity documents, such as those mentioned above in particular. A need exists particularly to allow flexible and secure customization of color images in documents or the like, so that, even if a document is illicitly obtained by an individual, the latter cannot customize the color image as he wishes without being detectable during a proper inspection.
Furthermore, no solution capable of offering an appropriate level of security and flexibility today allows obtaining a sufficient color gamut, particularly to obtain the shades of color necessary for the formation of some high-quality color images, in particular when image areas must have a highly saturated level in a given color or for example a very light identity image background, that is to say totally desaturated and bright.

Document capable of generating a color image


The present invention generally relates to a securing apparatus for a carpenter's square and a method for using the same. The apparatus is especially suitable for securing at least two planar surfaces in a fixed position. More specifically, the apparatus may allow a user to secure at least two planar surfaces in a fixed position to, for example, perform work on the planar surfaces. The present invention allows a user to easily secure a clamp onto a carpenter's square.

The present invention generally relates to a securing apparatus for a carpenter's square and a method for using the same. The apparatus is especially suitable for securing at least two planar surfaces in a fixed position. More specifically, the apparatus may allow a user to secure at least two planar surfaces in a fixed position to, for example, perform work on the planar surfaces. The present invention allows a user to easily secure a clamp onto a carpenter's square.
There are a number of different apparatuses that have been invented to temporarily secure to surfaces together in order to perform work on the surfaces. These inventions include clamps, toggle linkage gripping tools and locking pliers. These tools generally have a few different functions such as, gripping a member so that it can be manipulated or holding two large members, such a wood frame members, at right angles before they are secured together.
U.S. Patent No.: to Johnson relates to an attachment for a carpenter's square which permits the carpenter's square to be self supporting on a flat, horizontal surface. The attachment has an elongated support bar with two clips which may be inserted over a blade of a carpenter's square. This attachment, when inserted on the inner edge of the carpenter's square, facilitates the scribing of a right-angle line to a rounded edge and when placed on an outer edge, permits the square to be free standing.
However, these existing devices fail to provide the benefits of the present invention. More specifically, theses existing devices fail to hold a carpenter's square in a secure position while work is performed on planar surfaces attached to the carpenter's square.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved apparatus for securing at least two planar surfaces in a secure position. In addition, an improved apparatus is needed which can be used in association with common tools, such as a carpenter's square.


A method for characterizing refinery feedstocks according to their corrosivity is provided. The characterization is based on any of: dissociation of acids in the crude, breakup of naphthenic acid molecular associations, and/or dissociation of sulfur compounds in the feedstocks. In one embodiment, the characterization is done via vibrational spectroscopic measurements over a range of temperature, e.g., from ambient to 700° F. The method can be practiced in any of refinery, terminal, and laboratories. It can be used in conjunction with models and hardware to optimize the usage of refinery feedstocks in the blending and valuation of the feedstocks.

Numerous systems and methods have been disclosed to characterize and treat crude oils or refinery feedstocks that contain acids in several forms. The acids in the feedstocks may be organic acids such as carboxylic or naphthenic or mineral acids such as hydrochloric, phosphoric, hydrogen sulfide and various oxidized forms of hydrogen sulfide such as sulfuric acid. Naphthenic acid is a type of organic acid commonly present in acidic crudes. There are publications teaching the treatment and prevention of acid corrosion in petroleum feedstocks with the demineralization and alkali treatment of crude oil, the use of organic corrosion inhibitors, and selection of equipment and materials for handling petroleum feedstocks by alloying metals with anticorrosive additives, such as Cr, Mo, Ni, etc.
Evaluation of corrosivity of refinery feedstocks has typically been done by a classic model considering the Total Acid Number (TAN) of the feedstocks. The TAN number is computed based on milligrams of KOH required to neutralize one gram sample of the crude. If the feedstock has a TAN greater than 0.5, the crude is usually considered corrosive. One traditional approach has been blending high naphthenic acid crudes with low naphthenic acid crudes to a predetermined TAN number, e.g., below 0.5 for crudes or 1.5 for certain side-cuts, such as vacuum gas oil, or by avoiding refining crudes having relatively high quantities of naphthenic acids. US Patent Application No. 2008/0164137 discloses that naphthenic acid corrosivity can be correlated with the chemical composition of naphthenic acids, especially with respect to the ratio between an alpha fraction and a beta fraction of the naphthenic acids
There is still a need for improved methods and systems to characterize refinery feedstocks by their corrosivity characteristics.

Process for characterizing corrosivity of refinery feedstocks


A calibration-inability warning method in an analyzing apparatus determines in advance when the analyzing apparatus approaches a calibration-inability condition prior to entering calibration inability condition. To do so, coefficient ranges are set, and a calibration coefficient is computed. It is then determined whether the calibration coefficient is within a normal calibration range, a calibration-inability range, or a normal calibration range with no allowance. Signals are generated indicating that the calibration-inability condition is approaching when the calibration coefficient becomes a certain value in the vicinity of the calibration-inability range.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a calibration-inability warning method in an analyzing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, for example, in a gas analyzing apparatus, with respect to its sensitivity degradation, errors of the measured values are calibrated at regular intervals by a processor unit such as a computer and the like. If the calibration coefficient determined by computations is within the normal calibration range as shown in FIG. 4, the result, provided that the calibration is normally completed, is outputted. At the same time the calibration coefficient is updated. If the calibration coefficient is outside the calibration range, calibration inability is outputted as ALARM signal to enable repair and adjustment of the analyzing apparatus.
However, even when the sensitivity of the analyzing portion gradually degrades and the calibration coefficient approaches the calibration-inability range, it is not able to be determined, and suddenly a calibration-inability condition exists. The causes for the inability condition must be located, and replacement parts must be procured once such a condition comes into existence. Further, there is apprehension and uncertainty that the reliability of measured values is lost until the repair or the adjustment of the analyzing apparatus has been completed.
Under present circumstances, users dispose of this situation as missing of the measured value (missing data) and failure of the analyzing apparatus. However, in particular with pollution control instruments, the concentration output is sent to a specified control section (for example, government agencies) by a telemeter, and the above-mentioned missing data due to calibration inability may cause serious problems.

Calibration-inability warning method in analyzing apparatus


An inner liner is installed in an outer shell. A breaker panel assembly has four panels and four corners that form a rectangle. The assembly closes an insulation space around the front door opening between the liner and shell. Retainers on the panels engage the liner and shell. Retainers on the corners engage the panels an permit slight movements of the panels. Foam insulation is injected in the insulation space. The breaker assembly complements the inner door contour to minimize the air gap and exposed surface of the door gasket.

This invention relates generally to the field of refrigerators and freezers and specifically to a cabinet having an improved breaker assembly.
Household refrigerator and freezer cabinets commonly include a metal liner installed in a metal shell. The liner and shell define a front opening that is closed by a door. An insulation space between the liner and shell is filled with insulation, such as foam. A breaker panel frames the front opening and closes the front of the insulation space. The insulation space can be filled before or after the breaker panel is installed. Desirable features of the breaker include good insulating properties, strength, durability, ease of assembly, and an attractive appearance when installed. The breaker panel should be easy to install and adapt to dimensional variations of the cabinet resulting from such causes as thermal expansion and contraction or misalignment.

Breaker assembly for refrigerated cabinet


A system, which is used in particular as a fuel injection system for the high-pressure injection in internal combustion engines, includes a fuel distributor and a plurality of fuel injectors. Each fuel injector is situated on a cup of the fuel distributor. At least one of the fuel injectors is fastened to the associated cup by a holding element, which has a supporting surface. The cup has a contact surface on an underside, by way of which the cup is supported at the supporting surface of the holding element by a damping layer. The holding element is attached to the cup. In addition, the fuel injector has a collar, which is braced on the holding element. Because of the damping layer, vibrations are able to be dampened, and the noise transmissions is able to be reduced.

A fuel distributor rail and multiple fuel injectors disposed on the fuel distributor rail are discussed in European patent EP 2 151 572 A2. A collar-shaped element having tabs on both sides, which is placed around an upper fuel nipple of the fuel injector, is provided to connect the fuel injectors to the fuel distributor rail. In addition, a retaining clip is provided, which engages around a cylindrical body of an injector connection of the fuel distributor rail from above, along a longitudinal axis, the tabs of the collar engaging with openings of the retaining clip. This fastens the fuel injector to the cylindrical body of the injector connection.
The design from the European patent 2 151 572 A2 has the disadvantage that, during operation, the fuel distributor rail can be excited to vibrations in the audible frequency range. This is due to noise sources in the fuel injectors, in particular. The structure-borne noise, for example, spreads from the fuel injectors, via the injector connections, the fuel distributor rail and the rail holders, in certain cases also to the add-on structure, from where interfering noise is radiated. These interfering noises may possibly even reach the interior of the vehicle.

System having a fuel distributor and multiple fuel injectors


An apparatus for the cutting, stripping and crimping of a onto a telco cord including a fixed handle having an internal cavity, a movable handle pivotally connected to the fixed handle, and a sliding body pivotally connected to the movable handle and resiliently connected to the fixed handle. The fixed handle has a first receptacle for receiving a common plug and a second receptacle for receiving a plug with an offset latch. The second receptacle has a main opening and a latch opening communicating with the main opening and offset from a center of the main opening. The sliding body has a first crimping block and a second crimping block thereon. The sliding body is slidable within the internal cavity between a non-crimping position and a crimping position relative to a pivotal movement between the fixed handle and the movable handle.

Most telephone technicians have to cut and peel telco cord in order to make it fit so as to be pressed onto a telco plug. Previously, various types of pliers have been proposed and implemented for the peeling and press-fitting of plugs onto telco cord. Some tools can peel telco cord but cannot press-fit the plug onto the cord. Other types of tools can press-fit only one cord onto a plug at a time after the cord has been peeled by other pliers, mainly, because it cannot peel the cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,591, issued on May 5, 1992, to the present inventor describes a pliers for the cutting and peeling of telco cord and for the press-fitting of such cord onto a telco plug. The device of this patent includes a movable handle and a fixed handle. Holes are formed within the fixed handle so as to allow for the plug to be inserted into the hole and for the line to be inserted into the plug for the purpose of crimping. A slidable body is fitted within an internal cavity of the fixed handle so that the sliding body can move upwardly and downwardly relative to a rotatable movement of the movable handle with respect to the fixed handle. A spring serves to connect the sliding body to the fixed handle.
Importantly, in this device, openings are only provided for certain types of plugs. The device is not adapted for receiving those plugs with offset latches. Furthermore, the device includes a cutting mechanism which includes a pair of cutting blades in offset relationship. Experience with the use of such blades have shown that the blades tend to eventually separate so as to cause uneven and jagged cutting of the telco cord. Also, in order to crimp the plug onto the cord, the sliding body includes a pair of crimping blocks. After extended use, it has been found that these crimping blocks tend to move from their original position because of the forces imparted to them. The sliding body was not particularly adapted so as to retain such crimping blocks in a desired position.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for crimping of plugs onto telco cords which includes a means for crimping plugs with offset latches.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the cutting of telco cord which avoids the use of offset blades.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for the crimping of telco plugs which facilitates the ability to repeatedly use the crimping blocks on the sliding body of the device.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device for the crimping, cutting and stripping of telco cords which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and easy to manufacture.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.

Apparatus for the cutting, stripping and crimping of a plug onto a telco cord

No. 9 Ta-Tung St., Industrial District Tu-cheng Hsiang