A computer system with high-speed memory devices includes error checking logic that monitors the number and/or frequency of memory errors. The number and/or frequency of soft memory errors is provided to control logic in a memory controller, which intelligently modifies the frequency of memory calibration cycles based on the detected memory errors. Thus, in response to an unacceptable number of memory errors, the memory controller may increase the frequency of calibration cycles. The memory controller may include error checking logic that monitors memory errors on multiple memory channels, if multiple memory channel are provided, to enable the memory controller to modify calibration frequency on a channel-by-channel basis.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to memory systems that include high speed memory devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to memory systems, such as Direct Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM), that require calibration cycles to insure proper operation. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a memory system that includes error checking and correction logic, and which adjusts the frequency of calibration cycles based on the number of memory errors detected by the error correction and checking logic.
2. Background of the Invention
Almost all computer systems include a processor and a system memory. The system memory functions as the working memory of the computer system, where data is stored that has been or will be used by the processor and other system components. The system memory typically includes banks of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuits. According to normal convention, a memory controller interfaces the processor to a memory bus that connects electrically to the DRAM circuits. While DRAM circuits have become increasingly faster, the speed of memory systems typically lags behind the speed of the processor. Because of the large quantity of data that is stored in the system memory, it may at times be a bottleneck that slows down the performance of the computer system. Because of this disparity in speed, in most computer systems the processor must wait for data to be stored (xe2x80x9cwrittenxe2x80x9d) and retrieved (xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d) from DRAM memory. The more wait states that a processor encounters, the slower the performance of the computer system.
The main memory provides storage for a large number of instructions and/or a large amount of data for use by the processor, providing faster access to the instructions and/or data than would otherwise be achieved if the processor were forced to retrieve data from a disk or drive. However, the access times of conventional RAMs are significantly longer than the clock cycle period of modem processors. To minimize the latency of the system, various high-speed memory devices have been introduced to the market. An example of such a high-speed memory device is the Direct RDRAM device developed by Rambus. See xe2x80x9cRAMBUS Preliminary Information Direct RDRAM(trademark)xe2x80x9d, Document DL0060 Version 1.01; xe2x80x9cDirect Rambus(trademark) RIMM(trademark) Module Specification Version 1.0xe2x80x9d, Document SL-0006-100; xe2x80x9cRambus(copyright) RIMM(trademark) Module (with 128/144 Mb RDRAMs)xe2x80x9d Document DL00084, Version 1.1, which are incorporated by reference herein. As indicated in the Rambus specifications, the Direct RDRAM memory is capable of transferring 1.6 GB per second per DRAM device.
Each Direct RDRAM device typically includes 32 banks, with 512 rows per bank, although other size RDRAM devices may be available. Depending on the size of the RDRAM device, each row (or page) typically has either 1 kilobyte or 2 kilobytes of memory storage capability. The Direct RDRAM devices are arranged in channels, with each channel currently capable of supporting up to 16 Direct RDRAM devices. One or more Direct RDRAM devices may be packaged in Rambus In-line Memory Modules (RJMMs). Multiple channels may be provided in a computer system to expand the memory capabilities of the system.
While Direct RDRAM and similar memory devices are theoretically capable of operating at very high speeds, they exhibit certain severe operating constraints that can significantly degrade performance. To achieve the high operational speeds, the memory devices have very precise timing requirements, with very little margin or tolerance for deviation. Parameters for read transactions will be discussed briefly to illustrate some of the timing issues.
As shown in FIG. 1, the Direct RDRAM couples to a memory controller (which includes a Rambus ASIC Cell or xe2x80x9cRACxe2x80x9d) via two clock signal lines, three Row signal lines, five Column signal lines, and two data busses. The clock lines include a Clock-to-Master (CTM) line, and a Clock-from-Master (CFM) line that are used to synchronize signals to the memory controller and from the memory controller, respectively. The Row signal lines and Column signal lines form part of a control and address bus (RQ bus) that typically includes eight lines. The Row signal lines (ROW2 . . . ROW0) are used primarily to control row accesses in the memory, while the Column signal lines (COL4 . . . COL0) are used primarily to control column accesses. The data busses include a DQA (DQA8 . . . DQ0) and a DQB data bus (DQB8 . . . DQO), that couple to sense amps on opposite sides of the memory banks.
The three Row lines identify which of the 512 possible rows is addressed by presenting nine row bits (R8 . . . R0) in three subsequent half clock cycles (29=512), as shown in FIG. 2. The device row (DR) bits (DR3 . . . DR0) identify which of the 16 possible memory devices is targeted, while the five Bank row (BR) bits (BR4 . . . BR0) identify which of the 32 banks is targeted in that device. Similarly, and as shown in FIG. 3, the five Column lines identify which of the 64 possible columns is being addressed by presenting 7 column bits (C6 . . . C0) in two subsequent half cycles. The device column (DC) bits (DC4 . . . DC0) identify which of the memory devices is targeted, while the five Bank column (BC) bits (BC4 . . . BC0) identify which of the 32 banks is targeted.
Referring to FIG. 4, a read transaction is performed on a Direct RDRAM device by asserting an Activate command in a ROWA (row activate) packet on the Row signal lines. The Activate command identifies the device, bank and row address of the targeted memory location. A time period tRCD later, a Read command is issued in a Column operation (COLC) packet on the Column signal lines. The Read command identifies the device, bank, and column address of the targeted memory location. Thus, the Activate command and Read command in conjunction identify the specific memory location being accessed, with the Activate command identifying the row, and the Read command identifying the column.
A time period tCAC after the Read command, a read data dualoct (16 bytes) is returned by the targeted memory device. The time period tCAC includes one to five cycles of round-trip propagation delay on the channel. According to current Rambus specifications, the tCAC period may be programmed to a range of values that vary from 7 tCYCLE to 12 tCYCLE. The particular value selected for tCAC depends on the number of RDRAM devices on the channel and the RDRAM timing bin so that the round trip propagation delay is equalized for all memory devices. Thus, based on the programmed timing parameters, the memory controller expects that during read cycles, all memory devices will return read data within a specified number of clock cycles after the Read command is asserted. Failure to return data in accordance with these timing parameters will cause data corruption, and may result in failure of the memory system.
The above timing parameters for a read transaction is just one example of the critical nature of timing in a high speed memory device, where the delay of a few nanoseconds can result in poor performance. Unfortunately, high-speed memory devices such as Direct RDRAM have proven highly susceptible to temperature and other environmental conditions such as humidity. If such conditions change during operation, the round-trip propagation delay of the signals propagating between the memory controller and the memory devices will be affected. If the actual propagation delay varies from the programmed delay, data may be corrupted.
In an attempt to resolve operational problems with high speed memory devices such as RDRAM, the memory controller may be designed or programmed to perform certain calibration cycles on a periodic basis. Thus, for example, memory controllers used with Direct RDRAM memory device perform current and temperature calibrations on a periodic basis. For current calibrations, a current calibration cycle is performed to every DRDAM device once every tCCTRL interval to maintain the IOL current output within its proper range. As shown in the example of FIG. 5, four Column extended operation (COLX) packets are asserted by the memory controller with a Calibrate (CAL) command. These Calibrate commands cause the RDRAM to drive four calibration packets Q(a0) a time period tCAC after the CAL command on the DQA4 . . . 3 and DQB4 . . . 3 wires. In addition, the TSQ bit of the INIT register is driven on the DQA5 wire during the same interval as the calibration packets. The TSQ bit indicates when a temperature trip point has been exceeded, as measured by temperature sensing circuitry. The last COLX packet from the memory controller includes a SAM command, concatenated with the last CAL command, that causes the RDRAM to sample the last calibration packet and adjust its IOL current value.
The Calibrate command must be sent on an individual basis to each RDRAM device so that calibration packets from other devices do not interfere with the calibration. Consequently, a current control transaction must be transmitted every tCCTRL/N period, where N represents the number of RDRAMs resident on the channel. After each current calibration transaction, the device field Da of the address a0 in the Calibrate command is incremented.
Temperature calibration similarly is conducted on a periodic basis. As shown in FIG. 6, the temperature calibration sequence is broadcast once every tTEMP interval to all the RDRAMs on the channel. The TCEN and TCAL are row opcode field commands in a ROW operation packet. These commands cause the slew rate of the output drivers to adjust for temperature drift. During the quiet interval, tTCQUIET, the devices being calibrated cannot be read, but can receive write transactions.
Thus, while Direct RDRAM is designed to calibrate memory devices based on current and temperature calibrations, these calibrations are performed on a rigid schedule to meet certain minimum timing requirements. In addition, these calibration cycles require long periods of idle time, during which no read cycle is permitted to the memory devices being calibrated. This idle time can add significant latency to any queued read cycles. Currently, the idle time for a Direct RDRAM temperature calibration cycle (the period defined for tTCQUIET) is a minimum of 350 ns for a 800 MHz memory device (which is 140 clock cycles).
Because of the sensitively of the high-speed memory devices, many memory controllers are implementing error checking and correction (ECC) logic to improve the reliability of the high-speed memory devices. The ECC logic may be used to monitor the number of soft and hard memory errors that occur during memory operations. In some instances, computer manufacturers may offer warranties which require the manufacturer to replace a memory module when the number of errors exceeds a predefined threshold. Because of the sensitivity of the high-speed memory modules, the number of memory errors may be due to clock skew errors that result from environmental conditions. Thus, memory modules may be replaced unnecessarily because of excessive errors that result from changing environmental conditions. In addition, the high occurrence of memory errors may be perceived by customers as indicating that the computer system is unreliable, due primarily to the sensitivity of the high-speed memory modules.
It would be desirable if a system could be developed that would provide greater flexibility in modifying timing parameters of memory components based on the occurrence of memory errors. It would also be advantageous if the memory controller was capable of making intelligent decisions regarding memory operating conditions based on the occurrence of memory errors. Despite the apparent advantages such a system would offer, to date no such system is available.
The present invention solves the deficiencies of the prior art by implementing an intelligent memory controller that monitors the number of memory errors detected by error checking and correction (ECC) logic. According to the preferred embodiment, the memory controller preferably includes the capability of adapting the operation of the memory system in response to the occurrence of an excessive number of soft memory errors by changing the frequency of the calibration cycles. If the number and/or frequency of soft memory errors is high, the memory controller increases the calibration frequency to minimize the number and frequency of memory errors. If conversely, the number and frequency of memory errors is very low, the memory controller may decrease the frequency of the calibration cycles to minimize idle time while the calibration cycles are performed.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the memory system includes a memory controller that receives signals from ECC logic that indicated the number of memory errors that occur during a defined period. The memory controller uses these input signals from the ECC logic to dynamically determine calibration frequencies, thus adapting quickly to any changes in the environment. If the number of memory errors is low, calibration may not be necessary, and therefore may be deferred to improve memory performance. Conversely, if the number of memory errors is high, a calibration may be scheduled. The calibration periods also may be varied depending on the number of errors over a particular time period.
In the event that multiple memory channels are implemented in the computer system, ECC logic may be provided with each channel to detect the number and frequency of memory errors. Each of the ECC logic devices provide an output signal to a control logic that indicates the number of error detected by each EEC logic device. The control logic monitors these signals from the ECC devices, and modifies the calibration frequency for each memory channel, as necessary, to maintain the number of memory errors within an acceptable level.

Method and apparatus for scheduling and using memory calibrations to reduce memory errors in high speed memory devices

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.


An integrated sensor assembly provides multiple sensing modalities to monitor an agricultural environment, and may be employed in or used with controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems to control and maintain improved growth conditions for various plants. In one exemplary implementation, an integrated sensor assembly includes sensors to monitor parameters important to plant growth, such as a natural light sensor, an air temperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor, an air flow sensor, a carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor, and a remote infrared (IR) temperature sensor. The sensors are mounted onto a single circuit board, which is then placed inside a housing for protection from the ambient environment. The housing can include one or more openings and apertures to facilitate sensing with protective covers where appropriate. A USB port can be included to supply electrical power and transfer of data to and from the integrated sensor assembly (e.g., to provide plug-and-play functionality).

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is the process of growing plants in a controlled environment where various environmental parameters are monitored and adjusted to improve the quality and yield of the plants grown. Compared to conventional approaches of plant cultivation, CEA may enable year-round production of plants, insensitivity to variable weather conditions, reduce pests and diseases, and reduce the amount of resources consumed on a per plant basis. A controlled agricultural environment is typically enclosed, at least in part, by a building structure such as a greenhouse, a grow room, or a covered portion of a field in order to provide some degree of control over environmental conditions. Additional control systems may be deployed to adjust various environmental parameters including lighting, temperature, humidity, nutrient levels, and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. For example, one or more artificial lighting systems are often used in such controlled agricultural environments to supplement and/or replace natural sunlight that may be obstructed by the building structure or insufficient during certain periods of the year (e.g., winter months).

Integrated sensor assembly for LED-based controlled environment agriculture (CEA) lighting, and methods and apparatus employing same


In a half-duplex communication system in which additional delays in the communication channel may cause a message collision between a message and a response, a collision detector is utilized to prevent and detect message collisions. The collision detector determines if a response may be transmitted from the communication device while it is receiving the current message. If no response is expected, the collision detector is placed into a train mode. If a response is possible, the collision detector is placed into the monitor mode. In the monitor mode, the collision detector monitors the communication channel and determines if a message collision has occurred during transmission of the message. A detection of a message collision causes retransmission of the message or possibly a new message at a later time after it has been determined that the communication channel is clear.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data transmission. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel and improved methods for preventing and detecting message collisions in a half-duplex communication system.
II. Description of the Related Art
In a half-duplex communication system, multiple communicating devices are connected to a single communication channel. One such system is a fax communication system in which two fax machines send messages across a telephone line. Half-duplex devices such as fax machines are capable of only transmitting or receiving messages at any particular instant. These devices cannot transmit and receive data simultaneously. If two devices transmit signals toward each other simultaneously and neither device is listening, the devices will not receive the other""s message. This event is known as a message collision.
Most half-duplex communication systems are designed to minimize message collisions to improve the quality of the communications. These systems employ a variety of schemes to avoid message collisions. Some of these schemes require a certain quality in the communication channel. As the communication channel deteriorates, there may be an increased likelihood of message collisions. Other schemes use special timing and synchronization to avoid message collisions. For these schemes, increased delays in the communication channel may cause the system to fail.
A fax communication system is an example of a half-duplex communication system which relies on the timing and synchronization between the two communicating fax machines to avoid message collisions. The fax machines communicate with each other through a standard public switched telephone network (PSTN) channel which has known channel quality and delay characteristics. When a non-standard PSTN channel, such as a digital communication system or a satellite link, is inserted between the two fax machines the increased transmission delays can cause the fax interactions to fail because of message collisions.
A digital communication system or satellite link is incorporated with the half-duplex communication system to extend the range of coverage, allow mobility in the communicating devices, and increase interconnectivity between different communicating devices. An exemplary digital communication system which can be used in conjunction with a fax communication system is a wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) system operating in the cellular or personal communication system (PCS) band or a GLOBALSTAR satellite communication system. These digital communication systems have inherent processing delays resulting from the large amount of digital signal processing and from transmission delays. These digital communication systems also employ central base stations to combine or multiplex signals from many communicating devices into a common transmission signal. The resultant overall delay can be both intolerably long and unpredictable.
Throughout the specification of the present invention, a syntax structure is maintained to clarify the discussion of the invention. In describing communications between two devices, the term xe2x80x98messagexe2x80x99 is used to denote a communication from a source device to a destination device. This xe2x80x98messagexe2x80x99 may or may not be retransmitted by the source device. The term xe2x80x98responsexe2x80x99 is used to denote a communication from the destination device to the source device as the result of the earlier transmitted xe2x80x98messagexe2x80x99.
In a half-duplex communication system which utilizes a timing and synchronization scheme to avoid message collision, a source device desiring to communicate with a destination device on the same channel initiates the communication by sending out a message and waiting for a response from the destination device. After a predetermined length of time passes, if no response is received, the source device retransmits the message. This process is repeated for a specified number of times or until a response is received.
For a standard Group 3 fax communication system, the timing and synchronization between fax machines conform to behavior as specified in xe2x80x9cITU-T Recommendation T.30: Procedures for Document Facsimile Transmission in the General Switched Telephone Networkxe2x80x9d, hereinafter referred to as the T.30 fax protocol. The T.30 fax protocol uses a number of modulation techniques for transmission of forward message data. In particular, parameter negotiation and handshaking between fax machines is accomplished using the modulation technique specified in xe2x80x9cCCITT Recommendation V.21: 300 bps Duplex Modem Standard for use in the General Switched Telephone Network (GSTN)xe2x80x9d. The handshaking establishes the proper mode of communications between the fax machines.
For a T.30 fax system, a calling fax machine initiates a call by dialing the called fax machine and sending a calling tone (CNG). The called fax machine detects the incoming call and sends a called station identification tone (CED) back to the calling fax machine. The called fax machine then sends its digital identification signal (DIS) to the calling fax machine to inform the calling fax machine of its capabilities. Upon detection of the DIS signal, the calling fax machine sends a digital command signal (DCS) to inform the called fax machine of the capabilities the calling fax machine plans to use.
Other messages in addition to the above described initiation signals also take place between the fax machines during a call. For example, the training signals, information messages and termination messages are also part of a typical fax call.
A calling fax machine and a called fax machine send many messages between each other during a call. Messages are sent from either the calling fax machine or the called fax machine at various stages in a fax call. Since both calling and called fax machines can initiate messages, the discussion below describes the communications in terms of a source fax machine that initiates a message to a destination fax machine and a destination fax machine that reacts with a response back to the source fax machine without reference to calling or called fax machines. Some of the messages by the source fax machine must be repeated if no response is received for these messages.
The T.30 fax protocol specifies the procedure which must be followed when initiating a call between the fax machines. For example, the sequence and format of the CNG, CED, DIS, and DCS messages are specifically defined. The T.30 fax protocol also defines the messages which must be repeated if no response is received. Therefore, by monitoring the message format and having a priori knowledge of the signaling sequence, it is possible to determine which message will be repeated. A repeated message can be determined by analyzing the message and the state in a fax call in which it is received, as per the T.30 fax protocol.
To accommodate for unfavorable channel conditions, the T.30 fax protocol requires that certain unanswered messages between fax machines be repeated. If the source fax machine sends such a message to the destination fax machine, the source fax machine expects a response from the destination fax machine within a specified period of time. If no response is received after the specified period of time, the T.30 fax protocol requires the source fax machine to retransmit the message. The retransmissions continue until a response from the destination fax machine is received or an excessive number of attempts have been made.
The DIS and certain messages between the fax machines are repeated at a specified repetition interval if no response is detected. The T.30 fax protocol defines the shortest repetition interval within which a retransmission is allowed. For example, the T.30 fax protocol specifies the repetition interval for a fax machine operating in automatic mode to be 3.0 secxc2x10.45 sec. This means that a fax machine conforming to the T.30 fax protocol should not retransmit a message within 2.55 sec of the prior message. Therefore, if such a fax machine receives a response within the shortest repetition interval of 2.55 sec, no collision will occur.
Under this T.30 fax timing scheme, long transmission delays in the communication channel can cause message collisions. In one scenario, the source fax machine transmits a message to the destination fax machine and, because of the transmission delays, the response from the destination fax machine takes more time than the repetition period to reach the source fax machine. Since the source fax machine does not receive the response in time, it retransmits the message. If the response from the destination fax machine arrives at the same time the source fax machine is retransmitting the message, a message collision results and the response will not be received by the source fax machine.
In an exemplary fax communication system which utilizes a standard PSTN communication system, the communication channel is typically an RJ-11 interface. The RJ-11 interface is known in the art and is composed of a pair of wire for carrying a differential signal. The use of a differential signal improves performance because of the superior noise immunity over a single-ended signal. The RJ-11 interface carries all communications between the fax machines on the same wire pair.
The 2-to-4 wire converter, a hybrid circuit also known in the art, is used to decouple the messages and responses on the RJ-11 interface. The 2-to-4 wire converter is composed of one differential pair of wire on the primary side and two differential pairs of wire on the secondary side. The differential pair of wire on the primary side connects to the RJ-11 interface which, in turn, connects to a destination fax machine. The two differential pairs of wire on the secondary side connect to a forward channel and a reverse channel. The forward channel carries messages from a source device to the destination fax machine through the 2-to-4 wire converter. Likewise, the responses from the destination fax machine are coupled to the reverse channel through the 2-to-4 wire converter. Ideally, only messages should appear on the forward channel and only responses should appear on the reverse channel. Because of imperfections in the implementation of the 2-to-4 wire converter, small but distorted versions of the messages appear on the reverse channel and vice versa. A collision prevention/detection circuit must be able to operate with these known imperfections in the 2-to-4 wire converter.
The inability to account for unpredictable and long delays renders the communications between Group 3 fax machines on non-standard PSTN communication channel unreliable. A method is needed to detect message collisions regardless of the amount of channel delay and regardless of the source of the interfering signal.
The present invention is a novel and improved method for detecting message collisions in a half-duplex communication system. A 2-to-4 wire converter is interposed between the present invention and the communication device. A message on the forward channel is routed to the communication device through the 2-to-4 wire converter. A response from the communication device is routed to the reverse channel through the 2-to-4 wire converter. Because of imperfections in the 2-to-4 wire converter, a portion of the message on the forward channel also appears on the reverse channel.
It is an object of the invention to detect message collisions in a half-duplex communication system by utilizing an echo canceller based collision detector. During the training period, a message is transmitted to the communication device on the forward channel. Because of imperfections in the 2-to-4 wire converter, a portion of the message appears on the reverse channel as an echo. The message is also passed through an adaptive filter to produce an estimate of the echo. During the training period, the echo canceller monitors the error signal between the echo and the estimate of the echo and adjusts the frequency response of its filter to minimize the error signal. During the message transmission period, the adaptive filter is fixed and the echo canceller measures the error signal. If a response appears on the reverse channel during transmission of the message, the invention declares that a message collision has occurred and outputs a status signal indicating the condition.
It is another object of the invention to detect message collisions in a half-duplex communication system by utilizing a signal parameter estimator. During the training period, the signal parameter estimator measures the spectral energy of the echo on the reverse channel. The signal parameter estimator then creates a set of threshold values based on the measured energy of the echo. During the message transmission period, the signal parameter estimator compares the measured spectral energy of the signal on the reverse channel and compares the measured values to the set of threshold values. If the measured values fall outside the threshold range, a message collision is declared and the signal parameter estimator outputs a status signal indicating the condition.
The foregoing, together with other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will become more apparent when referring to the following specification, claims and the accompanying drawings.

Methods for preventing and detecting message collisions in a half-duplex communication system


A carrying case (either a soft case or a hard case) is taught that includes a section or compartment for receiving a personal digital assistant device that allows for access to the controls in view of the display without removing the device from the carrying case when the case is opened. Additionally, the carrying case is provided with a second compartment independent of the section or compartment for receiving the personal digital assistant device. The second compartment is adapted to receive an ancillary device such that when a user desires to use the ancillary device, the user removes the ancillary device from its compartment and also removes the personal digital assistant from its compartment and interconnects the two to allow for operation of the ancillary device. However, when the user desires to use the personal digital assistant alone, it is only necessary to open the carrying case and operate the personal digital assistant without having to remove it from the carrying case. Means are therefore provided for retaining the personal digital assistant in the carrying case when the carrying case is opened.

The present invention relates generally to carrying cases for consumer electronics and, more particularly, to carrying cases for personal digital assistant devices and ancillary devices adapted to be used in conjunction with personal digital assistant devices.
The use of personal digital assistant devices (sometimes referred to as personal data assistant devices or PDAs) such as the Palm Pilot(copyright), is becoming quite prevalent. Carrying cases for these personal digital assistant devices are generally designed to receive the device itself plus, perhaps, the note pad and one or two writing implements. With the growing popularity of personal digital assistant devices, ancillary devices designed to physically interface with personal digital assistant devices have been developed. For example, a digital camera accessory (Kodak Palm Pix(copyright) camera) is available which is adapted to interconnect with a Palm Pilot(copyright) such that a user operating the controls of the Palm Pilot(copyright) can capture images using the camera accessory, and store the images in the memory of the Palm Pilot(copyright).
Generally, users will only want to connect ancillary devices to the personal digital assistant when the ancillary devices are to be used. For example, the PDA is only occasionally used with the camera accessory to capture images, and is more often used by itself, to retrieve phone numbers, make or check calendar entries, etc. Thus, a carrying case is needed which allows for independent storage of the personal digital assistant device and at least one ancillary device therein. In particular, when the ancillary device is an accessory digital camera, the carrying case needs to securely hold and protect the delicate camera components, such as the lens. Prior art cases for cameras are known which have independent storage for cameras and ancillary devices such as telephoto lenses and flashes. However, such prior art cases for cameras are not designed to allow use of the camera while it is in the carrying case.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a carrying case for a personal digital assistant device and an ancillary device, such as a digital camera accessory, that includes independent storage of each device therein while allowing use of the personal digital assistant device without removing it from the carrying case.
Briefly stated, the foregoing and numerous other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon a review of the detailed description, claims and drawings set forth herein. These features, objects and advantages are accomplished by providing a carrying case (either a soft case or a hard case) that includes a section or compartment for receiving a personal digital assistant device that allows for access to the controls and view of the display without removing the device from the carrying case when the case is opened. Additionally, the carrying case is provided with a second compartment independent of the section or compartment for receiving the personal digital assistant device. The second compartment is adapted to receive and securely contain the ancillary device such that when a user desires to use the ancillary device, the user removes the ancillary device from its compartment and also removes the personal digital assistant from its compartment and interconnects the two, to allow for operation of the ancillary device. However, when the user desires to use the personal digital assistant alone, it is only necessary to open the carrying case and operate the personal digital assistant without having to remove it from the carrying case. Means are therefore provided for retaining the personal digital assistant in the carrying case when the carrying case is opened.

Carrying case for personal digital assistant device and ancillary electronic device


A cooling fan (12) generating a cooling air in a suctioning direction, a radiator (20) provided by facing the cooling fan (12) and cooling an engine coolant by passage of the cooling air, and an oil cooler (21) arranged in parallel with the radiator (20) so as to be in parallel with respect to a flow direction of the cooling air and cooling a hydraulic oil by passage of the cooling air are provided. On a suction side of the cooling air with respect to the radiator (20) and the oil cooler (21), a cooling-air adjusting member (26) for adjusting a ratio of a cooling air amount to be supplied to the radiator (20) and a cooling air amount to be supplied to the oil cooler (21) is provided.

In general, a hydraulic excavator as a typical example of a construction machine is composed of an automotive lower traveling structure, an upper revolving structure rotatably mounted on the lower traveling structure, and a working mechanism tiltably provided on a front side of the upper revolving structure.
Here, the hydraulic excavator includes a small-sized hydraulic excavator for performing a work in a narrow work site or the like where obstructions are present on the periphery. This small-sized hydraulic excavator is called a small revolving-type excavator or a rear small revolving-type excavator, for example. These small-sized hydraulic excavators are configured such that a counterweight is formed having an arc shape and is arranged at a position close to a revolving center so that, when the upper revolving structure operates to revolve, its rear side is substantially accommodated in a vehicle width of the lower traveling structure.
The upper revolving structure of the small-sized hydraulic excavator is composed of a revolving frame forming a support structural body, an engine mounted on a rear side of the revolving frame and driving a hydraulic pump, a cooling fan generating a cooling air in a sucking direction by being rotated/driven by the engine, a radiator provided by being faced with the cooling fan and cooling the engine coolant by passage of the cooling air generated by the cooling fan, and an oil cooler for cooling the hydraulic oil by the cooling air. The radiator and the oil cooler are arranged in parallel with respect to a flow direction of the cooling air so that the both can receive the cold cooling air (see, Patent Document 1, for example).

HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.


A method for detecting a glycoprotein using a solid support is disclosed where the glycoprotein is oxidized by periodate, polyacrylic polyhydrazide which is a copolymer having repeating units possessing a hydrazide group and repeating units possessing hydroxyl groups is coupled to the oxidized glycoprotein and a glycoenzyme or radioactive compound containing aldehyde groups or activated ketone groups is coupled to the polyacrylic polyhydrazide which allows for detection of the glycoprotein. The glycoprotein may be directly attached to the solid support or may be bound to an antigen which is immobilized on the solid support.

In many research, industrial and clinical laboratories there is a growing need for indentification of a single protein present in a complex protein mixture. This is most often achieved by one or two-dimensional electrophoretic separation of proteins followed by Western blotting. Here Western blotting includes transfer of proteins to a suitable membrane, reaction with antibodies specific for one particular protein and visualization of the antibodies bound to that protein. The visualization of antibodies is done in an indirect way, that is through a signal generated by a label attached to the antibody molecule. The label is very often an enzyme but other molecules producing a suitable signal, such as fluorescent dyes or radioactive compounds, are also in use. There are several ways to couple a label to an antibody, and the properties of the resulting conjugate are greatly dependent on the coupling method used for its preparation (reference 1).
In addition to detection of a single protein, it is sometimes necessary to identify a certain class of proteins. This can be achieved through a common determinant of these proteins. For example, glycoproteins can be detected through the carbohydrate chains that are covalently linked to the protein part of the molecule. Thus, the intact carbohydrate chains can be detected by means of proteins, such as lectins, glycosidases or glycosyltransferases, that recognize those monosaccharides that are present in the glycan chains (reference 2). A more general approach involves a modification of the carbohydrate chains followed by their detection through a group introduced by the modification. It is obvious that such a group must not be present in an intact protein or glycoprotein molecule. Aldehyde groups are easily and conveniently generated in the sugar chains, either chemically or enzymatically, and then detected by means of a hydrazide reagent and a suitable label (reference 2).
Antibodies, that is immunoglobulins, are also glycoproteins. Therefore, their carbohydrate chains can be used to introduce a label. This approach is very attractive because the carbohydrate chains of antibodies are apparently not directly involved in the binding of an antigen. Several reports have appeared describing preparation of such conjugates (references 3 and 4). In one report (references 5) it was claimed that an enzyme was coupled to the sugar portion of the antibody, but the procedure described was later found unsatisfactory (reference 6). We have found that aldehyde groups introduced into IgG can be used to cross-like the carbohydrate chains present on each of the two IgG heavy chains (reference 7). The cross-linking reaction by dihydrazide molecules was much more favorable than the reaction of dihydrazides through only one hydrazide group. This finding has indicated that it is difficult to introduce free hydrazide groups into IgG by using a dihydrazide. As demonstrated in this invention, that can be readily achieved by polymeric hydrazides which therefore serve as a bridge to the label.

Polyacrylic hydrazides and their applications as glycoprotein reagents


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for providing a programmable inverse discrete cosine transform, wherein the transform coefficients are loaded into a memory area of a core transform device and a variety of coding standards can thereby be handled by the same programmable core device. The core device is configured to process a certain sized data block, and the incoming source blocks are converted to conform to this size. After transformation, the proper sized result can be extracted from the transform device output. A switchable speed-up mode provides for 4-point transforms, rather than 8-point transforms. Alternatively, the invention also provides for dedicated transform hardware to be switchably used in conjunction with programmable transform hardware, depending upon the type of coding being used, and the speed of inverse transform desired.

A wide variety of multimedia devices is incorporating the ability to receive and process picture data. Multimedia devices that use picture data generally need to encode and decode the data in order to transmit and receive the encoded data across various transmission mediums. Picture data is generally displayed as a set of pixels to fill the display screen. Processing of the overall set of pixels is performed on a block-by-block basis, with each block often referred to as a macroblock.
Depending upon the complexity of hardware desired, a wide variety of transformation techniques can be used in association with processing the data block for display on a device. One commonly used video transform technique includes the use of an inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT). In general, MPEG2 uses only IDCT. MPEG4 uses the same transform as MPEG2 (i.e., DCT, IDCT) for video texture, except that MPEG4 uses "Discrete Wavelet Transform" for still texture. Still other standards (i.e., H26L, Realvideo) might use different transformation techniques, such as a linear transformation, or the like.
FIG. 1A shows an example block diagram 100 of certain elements of a transmitter and receiver device that uses this transformation technique. The transmitter 102 first shows the pixel block 104 upon which these operations will be performed. This pixel data enters a discrete cosine transform (DCT) 106. The DCT converts a block of data from the spatial domain to the frequency domain, so that it can be processed more readily.
FIG. 1B shows an example of the frequency domain for a set of data being plotted versus the spatial frequency for a two-dimensional (2D) video array. FIG. 1C shows a representative set of such pixels, wherein the variation of information between each pixel indicates the spatial frequency. The curve in FIG. 1B indicates that, in general, pixels in a given area do not tend to have a great amount of variation between them. Therefore the frequency domain is shown to have a higher concentration for lower spatial frequencies. In light of this representative tendency of the pixel data, one technique that is commonly employed is to discard the higher spatial frequency data above a certain level, as shown by the shaded area 150. By discarding this upper frequency data, a lower bit rate on the transform coefficients can be achieved.
Referring again to FIG. 1A, a scan pattern is thereafter applied to the converted data in block 108. This block 108 is also shown to include and perform the quantizer operation on the data. Once quantized, the data is processed by a variable length coder (VLC) 112 (or the like) into a bit pattern for transmission.
On the receiving end, the receiver 120 is shown to include counterpart elements to the transmitter. A variable length decoder (VLD) 122 (or the like) receives the coded bitstream and provides a decoded bitstream. An inverse scan pattern and inverse quantizer are applied in block 124. An inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) 128 is thereafter applied to transform the data from the frequency domain back to the spatial (or time) domain. This transformation provides the resulting pixel block data 130 for use by a display device.
FIG. 2 shows another representative block diagram 200, wherein the IDCT is incorporated as part of the overall decoder. A generalized decoder block 202 is shown receiving a coded signal 204. A variable length decoder 206 (or the like) receives this coded signal and provides a variable length decoded signal. An IQ block 207 is thereafter applied to the output of the VLD to provide inverse quantization. An IDCT 208 is thereafter applied to the output of the IQ block to provide inverse transform information. The transformed information is then used by certain frame reconstruction operations, shown generally as block 210. A decoded signal 212 results and can be used by a display device to show the picture data.
Many different types of data signals might need to be processed, and each might require a different transform operation. For instance, MPEG2 (and MPEG4) video data will generally require a different set of transform operations (and transform coefficients) than H26L, or other coding formats. As a result, a video decoder that is capable of handling different coding formats will generally require different implementations of the IDCT to handle each format. FIG. 3 shows a representative prior art example 300 of a multi-transform implementation. In this example, the transform data 302 is evaluated in block 304 that is used to detect the data type. Depending upon the number of coding schemes accommodated, a different IDCT is provided for each data type. A switching network 305 can used to select the IDCT and might consist of hardware and/or software switching devices. IDCT 1 (306) is used to provide inverse transform data 1 (307). IDCT 2 (308) is used to provide inverse transform data 2 (309). The IDCT devices continue through IDCT n (310), which is used to provide inverse transform data n (311).
One problem with this type of prior art implementation is the need for multiple implementations of the IDCT. Given the requirement for speed in processing many video applications, this transformation block is often implemented as a separate hardware component for each type of transform needed. While such dedicated hardware might provide more overall speed, the need for multiple implementations increases the overall hardware requirements. For microchip implementations, any increase in hardware can prove to be problematic, as the footprint of the microchip is limited. Additionally, the use of more hardware and switching elements will usually require more power to be consumed.
Instead, what is needed in the field is a generalized IDCT that can be used to process many different types of data. This generalized IDCT should require only a certain amount of hardware that can be used, in a programmable manner, to transform many different data standards. The programmable hardware might also be augmented using certain dedicated transformation hardware, as needed for different applications. The programmable transformation device should incorporate techniques that allow for the processing of different sized data blocks, according to the various standards.

Inverse discrete cosine transform supporting multiple decoding processes


A dryer section of a paper machine which is provided with at least one intermediate calendering nip and includes several successively arranged wire groups. The dryer section primarily or exclusively has groups with single-wire draw in which heated drying cylinders are arranged in an upper row and reversing suction cylinders or reversing suction rolls are arranged in a lower row below the upper row. The groups with single-wire draw also have a drying wire which runs along a meandering path over the drying cylinders and reversing suction cylinders or rolls so that the reversing suction cylinders remain inside the loop of the drying wire. In one representative embodiment, at a drying cylinder situated inside the group with single-wire draw or in connection with the last drying cylinder in the group, a free space is arranged in which a calender roll is arranged to form the calendering nip together with the drying cylinder in the group with single-wire draw through which a paper web to be dried is passed and, thus, calendered inside the dryer section.

As known from the prior art, in a dryer section of a paper machine, single-wire draw or twin-wire draw or various combinations of the same are employed. In single-wire draw, so-called "normal groups with single-wire draw" are used, in which drying cylinders are arranged in an upper row and reversing suction cylinders or rolls are arranged in a lower row below the upper row of drying cylinders. In this case, the dryer section is open toward the bottom, for example, to enable easy removal of broke. In so-called "inverted groups with single-wire draw", the drying cylinders are arranged in a lower row and the reversing suction cylinders or rolls are arranged in an upper row above the lower row of reversing suction cylinders or rolls. In this case, it is a recognized drawback that the inverted groups are closed toward the bottom and, for example, there are problems associated with the removal of broke because it cannot be arranged to take place by the force of gravity (which is how it is done in "normal groups with single-wire draw").
In the past, in the dryer section of a paper machine, so-called breaker stacks (intermediate calenders) were employed quite commonly, which stacks are usually arranged between groups with twin-wire draw (which will be discussed below). These breaker stacks have been largely abandoned, partly because of runnability problems, and partly because their us causes an increase in the length of the dryer section in the machine direction since, between a breaker stack and the wire groups preceding and following it, it was usually necessary to provide relatively long unsupported draws of the web. Such draws are susceptible to fluttering and web breaks and are also problematic in view of the threading of the web.
In recent years, some breaker stacks arranged inside dryer sections have been suggested, which stacks are formed between heated drying cylinders and particular calender rolls. With respect to this prior art, reference is made, as an example, to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,168, to published German Patent Application No. DE 4,407,405 A1 (which corresponds to English-language Canadian Patent Application No. 2,143,912), and to a press section marketed by Black Clawson--Kennedy Inc. under the trademark "HYDRA NIP".TM.. It is not known if a patent or patent application in respect of the latter press section has been filed or issued. With respect to the prior art, reference is made further to Japanese Patent Application No. 56040/1992 (published application No. 222691/1993), in the name of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
In FIG. 5 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,168, an arrangement is illustrated in which a first nip of intermediate calendering is formed in connection with the first cylinder in the first group with twin-wire draw in a multi-cylinder dryer, and a water-receiving felt of the press section of the paper machine is passed through this first nip of intermediate calendering. A second nip of intermediate calendering is formed in connection with the first lower cylinder in the second group with twin-wire draw. It is a drawback of the arrangement of intermediate calendering known from this U.S. patent that in the group gap in which an intermediate calendering nip is used, the web will have a very long unsupported draw, and further, it is a disadvantage that the group gap makes the dryer section remarkably longer in the machine direction. The U.S. patent also does not suggest any solutions for carrying out intermediate calendering in modern dryer sections in which groups with single-wire draw and closed draw of the web are applied.
In FIG. 1 of the German Patent Application No. DE 4,407,405, an arrangement of intermediate calendering is illustrated in which an intermediate calendering nip is arranged in connection with the last drying cylinder in an inverted group with single-wire draw. The arrangement of intermediate calendering in accordance with the German patent application involves the drawback that the group gaps in which intermediate calendering is applied become relatively long and spacious in the machine direction and thereby unduly increase the length of the dryer section in the machine direction. Moreover, in the German patent application, an arrangement of intermediate calendering is described as being applied in connection with an inverted group with single-wire draw and in group gaps between such an inverted group and a normal group with single-wire draw only. As such, the German patent application does not suggest any solution for intermediate calendering in dryer sections in which exclusively groups with single-wire draw or various combinations of such groups and groups with twin-wire draw or combinations of such groups and so-called hybrid groups are employed.
In particular in connection with modernizations of paper machines, for example in order to increase their running speed, it is also necessary to increase the drying capacity of the dryer section. The prior art arrangements of intermediate calendering mentioned above, with the exception of that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,168, are not suitable for modernizations of paper machines, because they increase the length of the dryer section and/or reduce the drying capacity.

Dryer sections with intermediate calendering in a paper machine


An electronic device and method of managing a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) are provided. The electronic device includes a memory configured to store at least one instruction; and a provisioning manager connected to the memory, wherein the instruction related to an operation performance of the provisioning manager is configured to search for an accessible communication service provider network on the basis of a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) where a profile relating to a communication service connection of at least one communication service provider network is not installed and collect at least one communication service provider information on the basis of the found communication service provider network.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) management of an electronic device, and more particularly, to a SIM management method and an electronic device supporting the same, which allow a user to determine a communication service related communication service provider according to the user's preference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, existing electronic devices support communication functions. An electronic device uses a SIM in order to support a communication function. The SIM may be mounted in a predetermined area of an electronic device and managed after being authenticated by a communication service provider.
An additional SIM may be manufactured and supplied to an electronic device manufacturer. The electronic device manufacturer may mount the supplied SIM in an electronic device and then, sell it to a communication service provider. If a user wants to purchase an electronic device, a communication service provider may sell it to the user after loading into the electronic device a profile relating to a communication service management function of the electronic device.
In terms of the above-mentioned electronic device's distribution structure, if a user acquires an electronic device separately or acquires an electronic device regardless of a communication service provider (for example, purchases an electronic device on the open market), it is impossible to load a profile relating to a specific communication service provider to provide a communication service to the acquired electronic device.

Subscriber identification module management method and electronic device supporting the same


A cable padlock having a thin flexible cable, with a key attached to one cable end and a locking mechanism for receiving and securing the key attached to the other cable end, preferably of a combination or permutation type. The key and locking mechanism are constructed of lightweight materials such as aluminum, providing for a lightweight, compact, and potentially inexpensive padlock. A mechanism for detaching the cable from the locking mechanism by application of a master key is provided to allow an administrator of a facility utilizing a number of the locks to remove each lock without needing to lookup each lock's unique combination. The lock is accordingly useful in prisons, institutions, and other secured facilities where there are concerns that a traditional heavier lock could be used as a makeshift weapon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable locks, and particularly to cable locks used in secure facilities where there is a risk of residents utilizing heavy, portable objects as weapons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Secure institutions such as prisons, schools, and hospitals often have means for residents to store personal property, such as lockers, storage cabinets, or foot lockers. These storage facilities are typically secured by using a padlock of some sort, operable either by key or combination. The locks most commonly employed at present are constructed primarily from hardened steel, which increases the weight of the padlocks, and results in a rigid structure. One popular model weighs close to six ounces despite being less than three inches in length. This poses a security problem itself: the relatively heavy weight and rigid structure of the locks allows them to be effectively used as weapons by residents, either as a projectile or by placing the lock inside a sock to form a makeshift bludgeon.
A cable lock, with its flexible cable, greatly reduces the rigid structure of a traditional padlock and thus reduces the potential for injury if the lock is used as a projectile. Combination-operated cable locks are known in the prior art, being typically utilized to temporarily secure bicycles and other moveable objects to a stationary object. However, such locks typically have cables or chains several feet in length and of at least ¼″ in diameter to accommodate a variety of objects being secured, and to enable such objects to be secured to stationary objects of varying size and shape. The length and diameter of these cables renders them heavy and typically impractical or unusable for securing lockers and other containers in institutional settings such as prisons, schools, and hospitals.
Alternatively, lightweight cable locks having a rigid plastic body are known in the prior art, and are typically used by travelers to secure luggage. Such locks may have a significant length of retractable cable, which poses its own danger in an institutional setting as a weapon. Furthermore, the plastic bodies of these locks are not usually impact or tamper resistant, which diminishes their security.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,560 illustrates a padlock possessing a composite plastic body, which reduces weight. However, the padlock still possesses a rigid structure by virtue of its hardened steel and dense plastic structure, which increases the risk of injury if the lock is thrown. It also is key-operated, which present the added problem of keys that secured residents have to keep, with the risks of loss or theft.


A MEMS device with a thin piezoelectric actuator is described. A substrate with a first surface has a crystalline orientation prompting layer on the first surface. A piezoelectric portion contacts the crystalline orientation prompting layer and has an orientation corresponding to the orientation of the crystalline orientation prompting layer. A dielectric material surrounds the piezoelectric portion. The dielectric material is formed of an inorganic material.

The present disclosure relates to forming actuators for microelectromechanical systems.
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have an electrical component, where an electrical signal actuates or is generated by actuation of an actuatable structure in the MEMS. A MEMS device typically has actuatable mechanical structures formed in a semiconductor substrate using conventional semiconductor processing techniques. The MEMS device can include a single structure or multiple structures. For example, in a microfluidic device, multiple fluidic chambers and actuators can be formed in a single MEMS device die. A MEMS device with multiple structures is described in U.S. Publication No. 2005-0099467.
In devices with multiple structures, such as multiple individual actuators and associated mechanical structures, it can be desirable for the actuators to have very uniform properties. That is, it is desirable for the actuator of each structure to have uniform properties when compared with the actuator of other structures across the device. Such uniformity can ensure that when the same signal is applied to each actuator, the same result is achieved at each mechanical structure.


A submicron contact opening fill using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) TiN liner/barrier and a high temperature, e.g., greater than about 385° C., physical vapor deposition (PVD) aluminum alloy layer that substantially fills the submicron contact.

A contact in a semiconductor integrated circuit allows electrical connection between metal conductors and circuit elements, e.g., transistors, in the semiconductor integrated circuit substrate. Generally, an oxide layer is deposited or otherwise formed on the substrate. A hole is formed in the oxide layer, and then filled with a conductive material, e.g., a via, to provide the electrical connection between the circuit elements and the metal conductors.
One technique currently used to form contacts involves using physical vapor deposition (PVD) to deposit a refractory metal, such as MoSix or TiN as a barrier to prevent electro-migration, followed by a 200° C. to 450° C. PVD AlSiCu deposition. This technique, however, does not produce consistently filled contacts, or provide required electro-migration resistance at the newer submicron contact size and circuit element current densities.

Submicron contact fill using a CVD TiN barrier and high temperature PVD aluminum alloy deposition


Some embodiments of a portable medical device, such as an infusion pump, can receive an external reference signal (e.g., a radio, cellular and/or satellite signal) to provide an automatic time-setting and maintenance operation. In these circumstances, the medical device can maintain accurate time and date information even in the event of a power interruption, a time-zone change and/or an internal clock error, for example. In this manner, the portable medical device provides safe operation and added convenience to the user.

Medical devices are commonly implemented to provide medical treatment to a patient. Pump devices, for example, are commonly used to deliver one or more fluids to a targeted individual. As one specific example, a medical infusion pump device may be used to deliver a medicine to a patient as part of a medical treatment. The medicine that is delivered by the infusion pump device can depend on the condition of the patient and the desired treatment plan. For example, infusion pump devices have been used to deliver insulin to the vasculature of diabetes patients so as to regulate blood-glucose levels. Such treatment plans include scheduled dosages of a particular medicine. The dosage amounts can vary depending upon the time of day.


Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring contrast sensitivity. In one method, a person is presented with a test pattern having several test areas. In a first test cycle, one of the test areas contrasts with (for example, is darker than) the other test areas. The person being tested indicates which test area the person perceives as contrasting with (darker than) the other test areas. This is repeated a number of times for the other test areas, with the level of contrast staying the same but with a different test area becoming the contrasting (darker) test area. In subsequent cycles, these steps are repeated, with decreasing levels of contrast. The contrasting test area may, for example, appear as a solid, as a pattern such as two contrasting vertical bars, or as an animation such as a sinusoidal frequency grating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to testing vision, in particular to testing contrast sensitivity.
2. Background
A number of qualities or functions are used to describe how good a person's eyesight is. One such function is "visual acuity," which can be described as the ability to resolve or distinguish details of objects, as determined by the smallest object that a person can identify at a specified distance. Visual acuity can be measured by what many people think of as the most common eye test: reading with one eye at a time a chart having several lines of letters, typically with one large letter (such as a capital "E") on the top line, and additional lines having an increasing number of letters that decrease in size. Normal visual acuity is generally referred to as 20/20 vision, meaning that a particular person sees clearly at 20 feet what humans can normally see clearly at 20 feet. Someone with 20/40 vision can see clearly at 20 feet what people normally can see clearly at 40 feet.
Another aspect of eyesight or vision is the "visual field" or "field of vision," which can be described as where a person can see, or the full extent of the area visible to an eye that is fixed, or fixating, straight ahead. Visual field is usually expressed as angles measured in degrees from a point of fixation. Horizontally, normal visual field from a point of fixation is about 95 degrees toward a person's temple and about 60 degrees toward a person's nose; vertically, normal visual field is about 50 degrees above and 65 degrees below the point of fixation.
Yet another visual function is "contrast sensitivity," which can be described as the ability to see a difference in contrast between an image and the background of an image. For example, black writing on a white billboard normally presents a high contrast that someone with normal vision can see easily. On a very foggy day, the black writing and the white background can appear grayish and be more difficult to see. Someone with good contrast sensitivity might be able to see the writing on the billboard well enough to read it through the fog, while someone else with poor contrast sensitivity may be unable to do so.
In addition, contrast sensitivity is fundamental to visual acuity and visual field. Thus, contrast sensitivity is increasingly recognized as an important, perhaps the most important, visual function in determining how well individuals can perform the activities of daily living such as reading, doing housework, watching television, and getting around from place to place. This makes tests for contrast sensitivity increasingly important.
But previously known methods of testing contrast sensitivity exhibit several disadvantages. Tests in which a person is asked to read letters (e.g., the Pelli Robson test) depend upon the person's ability to resolve objects—that is, the person's visual acuity. For individuals with poor visual acuity, such tests have a decreased ability to determine contrast sensitivity. For example, certain eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, affect the central portion of the eye's retina, which is where resolution is highest and is used in activities such as reading. Thus, for someone afflicted with such an eye disease, a test for contrast sensitivity that includes reading letters will be confounded by relying heavily on resolution (i.e., visual acuity), thus providing an inaccurate measure of contrast sensitivity. In addition, such a contrast sensitivity test may be difficult or impossible to administer to illiterate persons.
Some other previously known contrast sensitivity tests ask a person to stare at a fixed point while small bursts of light (or similar illumination or animation) appear in the person's peripheral vision. For example, a person may be asked to stare at a fixed point on a computer screen while small, animated "bursts" are displayed at various peripheral points on the screen. But such contrast sensitivity test tests depend on the person's visual field: for individuals with constricted visual fields, such tests have a decreased ability to determine contrast sensitivity. For example, certain eye diseases, such as glaucoma, can affect peripheral vision. Therefore, for someone afflicted with such an eye disease, a test for contrast sensitivity that includes peripheral bursts of illumination will be confounded by relying heavily on visible area (i.e., visual field), again providing an inaccurate measure of contrast sensitivity.


An eductor assembly is provided that includes a primary nozzle, a cooler plenum, and a surge plenum. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the primary nozzle is configured to accelerate and discharge turbine exhaust gas therefrom and the cooler plenum surrounds the primary nozzle and includes at least a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The surge plenum partially surrounds the primary nozzle and the cooler plenum and includes at least a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The surge plenum fluid outlet axially aligns and is coterminous with the cooler plenum fluid outlet.

Auxiliary power units ("APU"s) are gas turbine engines that are used in aircraft to provide electrical and pneumatic power for various equipment therein. Typically, APUs are located in the aft section of the aircraft, such as in the tail cone, and are isolated from other sections of the aircraft by a firewall. During operation, APUs may produce exhaust gas. In some aircraft, the exhaust gas is directed through a nozzle and an exhaust duct, and out the aircraft through an exhaust opening. In some aircraft configurations, the APU nozzle may communicate with an eductor system that uses the APU exhaust gas to draw and direct other gases through the aircraft.
Many eductor systems include a dual plenum configuration. For example, in some systems, a first plenum is used to draw gas across an oil cooler (referred to herein as the "oil cooler plenum"), while a second plenum is used to direct surge flow gas to the exhaust duct. The two plena are typically tandemly arranged. In one conventional configuration, the APU nozzle is surrounded by the two tandemly arranged plena, and the oil cooler plenum is placed in a location forward of the surge flow plenum. In another conventional configuration, the oil cooler plenum is placed aft of the surge flow plenum. In still another conventional configuration, the oil cooler plenum circumscribes the APU nozzle and the surge flow plenum is disposed downstream of the oil cooler plenum and APU nozzle.
Although tandemly-arranged eductor systems, such as those described above, are useful, they do suffer from certain drawbacks. For example, these tandem plena may not fit within converging aircraft tail cones, or "blade tails", which have recently been incorporated into new aircraft designs to lower operating costs and increase aircraft fuel economy. Specifically, tandem plena may be too long and bulky. to be placed in these blade tails and may interfere with the walls of the blade tail. To better accommodate the plena, some designs move the APU forward to place the plena in a wider portion of the tail cone. However, these configurations may not be desirable because the distance between the forward fire wall and the APU may not be sufficient to allow removal of various line replacement units ("LRUs") during repair and overhaul of other tailcone components.
Hence, there is a need for an oil cooler and surge flow plenum system that may be disposed in a blade tail. Additionally, it is desirable for the system to be lightweight and relatively compact. Moreover, there is a need for a system that, when installed, provides a sufficient distance between the forward firewall of the tailcone and the APU to allow removal of LRUs during repair and overhaul of other tailcone components.

Compact, light weight eductor oil cooler plenum and surge flow plenum design


Described is a mechanism for exposing a volume shadow copy of a shared volume over a network to a remote client. A shared volume is accessed at a client computing system having a root. A volume shadow copy (or “snapshot”) of the volume is identified as a child resource of the shared volume. The child resource representing the snapshot may be hidden from ordinary view by default. To access the snapshot, a user may access the child resource as if it were an ordinary file or directory on the shared volume. Advantageously, the user need not mount a new volume representing the snapshot volume, but rather the user may directly access the snapshot.

Client/server network environments have become ubiquitous. It is routine today for client computing systems to connect over a network to file storage resident on a server. There are also many different computing architectures and platforms being used in today's computing environments.
Competition among network hardware and software providers drives them to offer more and more sophisticated services in conjunction with their products. For instance, simple backup and file restore capabilities are becoming a common offering. Today, many network servers offer the ability for a user of network storage to roll back the state of the storage to the way it was at some previous time. This ability makes simple the act of remedying lost data in the case of some unforeseen accident that falls short of a hardware failure. For example, a user of a network system may one day realize that a file on his server has become corrupted, or for some other reason would simply like to revisit the state of his files at some prior point in time. Volume shadow copies (also called "snapshots") are used today for specifically that purpose. Volume shadow copies are essentially a view of the state of a volume at some earlier time. Volume shadow copies have become a common mechanism for rolling back the state of a volume. Throughout this document, the terms volume shadow copy and snapshot may be used interchangeably.
One drawback of existing server technologies is that to access a volume shadow copy in a client/server environment, the snapshot must be mounted at the client machine. This procedure typically requires a user to be logged into the client machine with sufficient privileges to mount a volume, which may typically require administrative privileges. The convenience of volume shadow copies is diminished if a user must locate an administrator or other user with sufficient privileges each time he desires to access a snapshot.
Another drawback to these technologies is that mounting a different volume to expose each shadow copy of a share tends to pollute the namespace. In other words, if multiple shadow copies of a shared volume are mounted, the user may be confused by having several different versions of what appears to be the same volume.
An adequate mechanism for exposing shadow copies of a shared volume to clients in a networked environment has eluded those skilled in the art.

Mechanism for exposing shadow copies in a networked environment


A transfer apparatus is provided for the transport of transfer objects such as glass substrates or semiconductor devices in which cleanliness and secure transport are of major concern. A plurality of air nozzles inject air through the plurality of air nozzles to hold a transfer object in place above or below the plurality of air nozzles without the plurality of air nozzles making contact with the transfer object. The plurality of air nozzles are positioned perpendicular to the transfer object to stop and/or engage the transfer object in a rest position. The plurality of air nozzles are inclined to a specified angle to move the transferred object in a desired direction. Advantageously, because the transfer object is moved without physical contact between the structure of the air nozzles and the transfer object, the transfer is secure, clean, and efficient.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus, and particularly to a transfer apparatus for transferring a large size glass substrate.
(b) Description of Related Art
In general, a transfer system or apparatus utilizes a conveyor apparatus to move a transfer object by placing the transfer object onto a conveyor which works in conjunction with an operating roller connected to an operating motor.
The conventional conveyor system uses the operating motor to provide power to move the transfer object and a chain, a gear, or a belt for the purpose of power transfer. Disadvantageously, the belt or chain may break or wear out causing maintenance problems and manufacturing delay.
Furthermore, since dust is generated due to the driving of a motor, the motor is arranged apart from the remainder of the conveyor system so as not to affect the transfer objects, such as semiconductor devices or liquid crystal displays ("LCDs"), in which cleanliness is an important issue. Therefore, because the motor is isolated from the place where the object is transferred, the operation is made more difficult, the system is more complicated, and the cost is increased.
Dust problems also arise with the use of gears. For a conventional apparatus, since one motor should drive a plurality of driving axes, a medium for transferring power, such as a gear, is required between each driving axes, which causes the dust problems indicated above.
If a motor and a conveyor belt are used, a noise problem also arises. The noise from machinery disturbs the operator or administrator, which decreases operation efficiency.
A transfer system or apparatus can be utilized to transfer glass substrates used in manufacturing liquid crystal displays ("LCDs"). An LCD is one of the most popular flat panel displays, which includes two panels provided with two kinds of electrodes generating an electric field and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The LCD displays images by controlling light transmittance, and the control of the light transmittance is performed by applying voltages to the electrodes to generate electric fields which change the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules.
The panels of an LCD can be transferred to processing devices used in the manufacturing process by using the transfer system. Conventionally, a plurality of glass substrates are transferred to a processing device using a cassette, a stocker, and an indexer. However, as glass substrates are getting larger, the conventional transfer system using the cassette, stocker, and indexer becomes harder to use and manage due to inflexibility and unwieldiness.
Various conventional transfer apparatuses such as conveyors, robots, stockers, AGVs (automatic guided vehicles), etc. have been enlarged in order to accommodate enlarged glass substrates. However, disadvantages remain with conventional systems and apparatus, such as generation of static electricity, decreased yield accompanied by contamination, and generation of cracks due to the contact between the glass substrate and the conveyor belt. Thus, there is a need in the art for a transfer apparatus that is flexible and clean and that transports objects securely without damage.


A power amplifier negates a memory effect and is applied a linearizer using a digital predistortion system even in an inexpensive device. The power amplifier compares an input signal power against a sampled component of an output power, and provides predistortion to the input signal power so as to minimize a difference as a result of the comparison. The power amplifier comprises a gain lookup table storing a gain coefficient value corresponding to a temperature address determined for an input power; a phase lookup table storing a phase coefficient value corresponding to the temperature address determined for the input power; a transversal filter, which is input with the input power, and which outputs the temperature address; and a coefficient multiplier modulating the input signal using a gain coefficient value and a phase coefficient value, which correspond to the temperature address and which are read out from the gain coefficient lookup table and the phase lookup table.

In recent years, most wireless communication systems have come to employ digitalized, high-efficiency transmissions. When a linear modulation system is applied to wireless communications, technology for curbing nonlinear distortion by linearizing amplification characteristics of a power amplifier and reducing adjacent-channel leakage power is important, especially on a transmitting side. Further, when using an amplifier with poor linearity and attempting to enhance power efficiency, technology for compensating for the resulting nonlinear distortion is essential.
To compensate for such nonlinear distortion, a distortion compensation apparatus, which applies predistortion (a distortion compensation value) corresponding to the nonlinear distortion generated by the power amplifier to a signal on the input side is known (for example, Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-189685, Patent Document 2: PCT International Publication No. WO2003-103163, and Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-101908).
This distortion compensation apparatus sets a distortion compensation value corresponding to a signal level to be amplified in a distortion compensation table beforehand, reads a corresponding distortion compensation value from the distortion compensation table in accordance with the input signal level, and applies this value to the input signal.
In a mobile device for a TDMA system, the uplink signal here constitutes a burst mode. Thus, the temperature of the mobile device power amplifier drops in a transmission signal stop state, and the temperature rises once again at the leading edge of a burst.
Then, the respective parameters of the power amplifier (power amplifier AM/AM: output amplitude fluctuation relative to an input amplitude, AM/PM: output phase fluctuation relative to an input amplitude, carrier leakage in orthogonal modulator, DC offset in orthogonal demodulator, and so forth) fluctuate as the result of a temperature fluctuation, giving rise to nonlinear distortion. Furthermore, the temperature rise and temperature drop in the above-mentioned power amplifier have characteristics, which are manifested by temporal delays in input signal changes due to the cumulative effects of heat. The relationship between the characteristics of temperature fluctuations like this and power amplifier output characteristics is known as the memory effect.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing another example of the memory effect in such an amplifier. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis shows the relationship between input power (amplitude) A and the junction temperature K of an amplifying semiconductor power device. For example, when a large input power (amplitude) input in the past transitions until it reaches the smaller present input power (amplitude) A at time T1 (solid line), the fluctuation in temperature (broken line) lags behind the change in input power due to the accumulation of heat, and is the state of temperature K1 for the most part. By contrast, at time T2, the small input power transitions to rise up to the present input power A, but the fluctuation in temperature (broken line) is a low temperature K2 state.
That is, the temperatures K1, K2 differ at times T1, T2 even though the amplitude level is the same. This shows that the temperature does not ordinarily coincide with the heating value (proportional to power consumption) corresponding to an amplitude level due to the build up of heat in the metal surrounding the power device. This is referred to as the thermal memory effect.
Because the temperature accumulation (memory) at the time of the past input power remains like this, setting a (linearized) distortion compensation value corresponding to an input power (amplitude) value in the distortion compensation table does not enable adequate compensation for distortion. Consequently, if temperature fluctuations are taken into account, it becomes impossible to use a compensation table in which the same compensation value is set for the same input amplitude, requiring a different compensation method from that used when there is no memory effect.
That is, based on the relationship shown in FIG. 1, the distortion compensation values set in the distortion compensation table at different times T1, T2 for the same amplitude A can be the same when the memory effect is not a factor. Meanwhile, the junction temperature of a semiconductor amplifying device at time T1 can be expected to be higher than at time T2. Therefore, the AM/AM and AM/PM characteristics of an amplifier, which makes use of a power device having characteristics for which temperatures will differ in conformance with these times, will change in accordance with the temperature as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, A represents the AM/AM characteristic, and B represents the AM/PM characteristic. The AM/AM characteristic A is characterized in that gain diminishes in the area where the input level increases, and displaces in the direction of arrow a when the temperature rises. Conversely, the AM/PM characteristic is characterized in that phase rotation increases when the input level increases, and furthermore, displaces in the direction of arrow b in which the phase increases even more when the temperature rises.

Power amplifier with distortion compensation circuit


System and method embodiments are provided for extending Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) with Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) server capability. An embodiment method for network discovery and selection (NDS) includes receiving, at an ANQP proxy, query for network discovery information from a user equipment (UE), forwarding the query to an ANDSF including an indication for a service provider associated with a domain of users, receiving information associated with the service provider from the ANDSF, and forwarding the information associated with the service provider to the UE.

WiFi is becoming an important component for cellular operators to help them meet market demand and increase their competitive edge. Cellular operators are motivated to integrate WiFi access into their existing cellular networks, and many available mobile devices have dual mode (WiFi and cellular) capability. The WiFi Alliance is defining a Hotspot 2.0 specification to help dual mode or WiFi-only devices to better select the correct WiFi network that is owned by the operator to which it is subscribed or has a roaming relationship. This network selection technology is based on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11u standard. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) also defines several mechanisms for a mobile device to determine and select a wireless local area network (WLAN) via policies that may be statically pre-configured by the operator on the device, also referred to as user equipment (UE). Such policies may also be dynamically set by the operator via the Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) within the network.
When a user chooses to connect to a WiFi network, the user device uses IEEE 802.11u Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) to discover different features and available services of the WiFi network. The device then proceeds to the authentication process. To connect to a cellular network, a UE interacts with an ANDSF in the network, e.g., through the WiFi network, to get a network selection policy from the cellular network. Currently the ANQP server and ANDSF are two independent entities, although they are related to each other since ANDSF configures the UE WiFi network selection policy, and the UE uses the policy to query (e.g., using ANQP) the right information in the WiFi network. While WiFi access is being further integrated into cellular networks, there is benefit to integrate the ANQP server into ANDSF as they are both policy servers for network selection, e.g., to simplify and speed up the network discovery process.

System and method for ANDSF enhancement with ANQP server capability


A toilet odor removal system which uses an overflow tube in the water tank and a float valve to open and close an opening in the overflow tube for water overflow purposes and for odor removal purposes respectively. The overflow tube extends through a side wall of the water tank to an exhaust system.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for removing odor from a toilet bowl.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Patent No. 4-108928(A) discloses a toilet which employs an exhaust system coupled to the rim flush duct for removing odor from the toilet bowl. It also discloses use of the overflow tube in the water tank as part of the odor exhaust system. The upper end of the overflow tube however, is always exposed to the water in the tank which could reduce the suction and result in the tank water being exposed to the odor.


This disclosure relates to a system for scanning crops. A line scan distance sensor measures a distance of the crops from the sensor and generates distance data indicative of the distance of the crops from the sensor at a measurement angle. A mover system moves the line scan distance sensor or the crops perpendicular to the distance of the crops from the sensor. A rotary encoder associated with the mover system generates movement data indicative of a movement of the distance sensor or the crops perpendicular to the distance of the crops from the sensor. A data collector associates the distance data from the distance sensor with relative positioning data based on the movement data from the rotary encoder and stores the distance data associated with the relative positioning data on a data store. The system allows accurate relative spatial alignment of sequential line scans. As a result, an extremely high resolution in the direction of movement can be achieved.

Selective breeding comprises the determination of crop traits as phenotypes and selecting those crops with desired traits for further propagation. Crop traits may include biomass and canopy height and the determination of biomass and canopy height may involve destructive testing and/or LIDAR measurements. LIDAR measurements are performed by directing a laser beam at the crop and measuring the return time of the reflection off the crop. Based on the return time a distance to the LIDAR sensor can be determined, which, in turn, can be used to estimate biomass and canopy height.
Current LIDAR crop scanners use GPS to record multiple locations while scanning the crop. For example, Pittman et al. disclose a modified golf cart fitted with a LIDAR sensor and GPS configured to output spatial data at a rate of 10 Hz (Jeremy Joshua Pittman, Daryl Brian Arnall, Sindy M. Interrante, Corey A. Moffet and Twain J. Butler. "Estimation of Biomass and Canopy Height in Bermudagrass, Alfalfa, and Wheat Using Ultrasonic, Laser, and Spectral Sensors". Sensors 2015, 15, 2920-2943).
Chen discloses systems for LiDAR Remote Sensing of Vegetation Biomass (Chen, Q. Lidar remote sensing of vegetation biomass. In Remote Sensing of Natural Resources; Wang, G., Weng, Q., Eds.; CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group: Boca Raton, Fla., USA, 2013; pp. 399-420.). Chen further discloses that the 3D coordinates of laser returns collected at individual scanning positions are local and relative to the scanners. Further, according to Chen the individual datasets have to be georeferenced to a common coordinate system based on features visible to multiple positions, which is not a trivial task. To make it more difficult, ground-based LiDAR systems can acquire data with point densities 100-1000 times higher than the average point density of airborne small-footprint LiDAR systems. Such massive volumes of data pose a significant challenge in developing fast, automatic, and memory-efficient software for data processing and information extraction.
Biber et al. disclose an autonomous agricultural robot comprising a 3D MEMS LIDAR providing a full scan at 59×29 pixels across the field of view of 50×60 degrees (Peter Biber, Ulrich Weiss, Michael Dorna, Amos Albert. Navigation System of the Autonomous Agricultural Robot "BoniRob". Workshop on Agricultural Robotics: Enabling Safe, Efficient, and Affordable Robots for Food Production (Collocated with IROS 2012), Vilamoura, Portugal). A RANSAC algorithm is used to fit a Hessian plane equation to the data. The detected plane is then refined by a Least Squares fit. Number of inliers and residuals of the Least Squares are then considered to detect failed ground detection. Also, a Kalman filter tracks the state of the plane over time. If the ground detection failed the state is just propagated. Depending on the field the detected ground can correspond to soil or the canopy. Also the thresholds for plane detection have to be set according to the application. Further, as a side effect of ground detection it is possible to derive the height and the tilt angle of the scanner so only the x/y position of the scanner are defined manually in the configuration.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation