An improved autologous blood salvage system is provided in which blood is removed from a patient and may be processed in a manner wherein an anticoagulant solution is for cycled for reuse. Further, the system may be employed for contemporaneous blood filtering and red blood separation. In one embodiment, anticoagulated blood is contemporaneously filtered and defoamed within a rotating processing bowl, while red blood cells are separated, washed and collected within the bowl and an anticoagulant solution is cycled from the bowl for re-use. During a red blood cell removal mode, the flow of anticoagulated blood into the bowl may be suspended/terminated and the bowl pressurized to remove the red blood cells. The improved system provides for the recovery of a high quality red blood cell product, with reduced processing time requirements/user training, and reduced disposable componentry and related costs.

The collection and reinfusion of a patient's own blood, referred to as autologous blood, offers a number of recognized benefits. For example, the use of autologous blood reduces concerns relating to the possibility of disease transmission via donor blood transfusions, referred to as homologous blood, as well as concerns regarding febrile/allergic reactions. Additionally, autologous blood recovery ensures the rapid availability of blood and reduces or eliminates the need for compatibility testing on such blood since the procedure is most typically completed in an operating room. Further, the use of autologous blood provides red blood cells which are generally superior in quality to banked blood and reduces any quantity of homologous blood otherwise needed. The use of autologous blood is also desirous to many patients for psychological and/or religious reasons.
Intraoperative procedures where autologous blood salvage is currently employed include cardiac and vascular surgery. Specialties which employ autologous blood salvage include orthopedics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, solid organ transplants, general surgery, gynecology and trauma.
In a typical blood salvage procedure, blood is removed from or about a surgical site via a hand-held suction device, mixed with an anticoagulant, and transferred to a reservoir for subsequent transfer for batch processing. In connection with such collection/transfer of salvaged blood, the blood is typically filtered to remove debris and defoamed to remove entrained gaseous components (e.g. air) utilizing separate in-line filter devices and defoaming devices through which the salvaged blood is sequentially transferred. During batch processing, the salvaged blood and a wash solution are separately pumped in sequence through a centrifuge to separate red blood cells and achieve a degree of washing. Following processing, the red blood cells are removed from the centrifuge for reinfusion to the patient.
As can be appreciated, in completing a blood salvage operation, it is desirable to utilize an amount of anticoagulant that is sufficient to adequately address clotting to avoid line blockage and to further allow for maximum recovery of red blood cells. On the other hand, too much anticoagulant may result in not only waste and added fluid storage components, but additionally may result in unused anticoagulant being contained with the collected red blood cells, thereby compromising hemostasis upon reinfusion. Of further note, even when an appropriate amount of anticoagulant is utilized, the anticoagulant needs to achieve adequate mixing with the salvaged blood in order to achieve the desired relative concentration. To address this consideration, heparin is often employed since it diffuses quickly and is quite effective in preventing clots in low concentrations. Heparin may cause a number of adverse side effects, however, including, for example, post-operative bleeding from unneutralized heparin rebound, platelet activation, and allergenic reaction. Consequently, an acid citrate dextrose (ACD) anticoagulant may be preferred in many instances. ACD exhibits mixing difficulties, however, and is quite sensitive in relation to achieving the desired anticoagulant/blood ratio.
As to filtration, the desired capability to remove small debris must be balanced in relation to any potential filter plugging implications. That is, as filter pore sizing is decreased, the potential for filter plugging is increased. Such filter plugging presents particular design challenges where, for example, available filtration surface area is limited. Consequently, many blood salvage processes currently employ filters having 120 .mu. openings as opposed to a finer 40 .mu. opening since significant plugging would occur if 40 .mu. filters were employed.
With regard to the filtration, defoaming and blood processing steps in typical blood salvage procedures, the primary objectives are to obtain a high quality and amount of collected red blood cells in the least amount of overall procedure time. In this regard, the above-described separate filtration, and defoaming and steps, the separate red blood cell separation and wash steps on a batch basis, present significant tradeoff limitations between achieving a high-quality blood product and reducing overall procedure time requirements.

Method and apparatus for autologous blood salvage


An energy harvesting interface receives an electrical signal from an inductive transducer and supplies a supply signal. The interface includes an input branch with a first switch and a second switch connected together in series between a first input terminal and an output terminal. The interface further includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected together in series between a second input terminal and the output terminal. A first electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the second switch, detects a first threshold value of an electric storage current in the inductor of the transducer. A second electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the fourth switch, detects whether the electric supply current that flows through the fourth switch reaches a second threshold value lower than the first threshold value. The second threshold is derived from the electric storage current.

As is known, systems for harvesting energy (also known as "energy-scavenging systems") from intermittent environmental-energy sources (i.e., ones that supply energy in an irregular way) have aroused and continue to arouse considerable interest in a wide range of technological fields. Typically, energy harvesting systems are configured to harvest, store, and transfer energy generated by mechanical or thermal sources to a generic load of an electrical type.
Low-frequency vibrations, such as, for example, mechanical vibrations of disturbance in systems with moving parts may be a valid source of energy. The mechanical energy is converted, by one or more appropriate transducers (for example, piezoelectric or electromagnetic devices) into electrical energy, which may be used for supplying an electrical load. In this way, the electrical load does not require batteries or other supply systems, which are cumbersome and present a low resistance in regard to mechanical stresses.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in the form of functional blocks of an energy harvesting system of a known type.
FIG. 2 shows, according to a simplified circuit representation, the energy harvesting system of FIG. 1.
The energy harvesting system of FIG. 1 comprises: a transducer 2, for example of an electromagnetic or piezoelectric type, subject in use to environmental mechanical vibrations and configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, typically into AC (alternating current) voltages; a scavenging interface 4, for example comprising a diode-bridge rectifier circuit (also known as Graetz bridge), configured to receive at input the AC signal generated by the transducer 2 and supplying at output a DC (direct current) signal for charging a capacitor 5 connected to the output of the rectifier circuit 4; and a DC-DC converter 6, connected to the capacitor 5 for receiving at input the electrical energy stored by the capacitor 5 and supplying it to an electrical load 8. Thus, the capacitor 5 has the function of an element for storing energy, which is made available, when required, to the electrical load 8 for operation of the latter.
This type of interface, which operates as a peak detector, presents some drawbacks. The efficiency of the system 1 of FIG. 1 is markedly dependent upon the signal generated by the transducer 2. In the absence of the DC-DC converter 6, the efficiency rapidly drops to zero (i.e., the system 1 is unable to harvest environmental energy) when the amplitude of the signal of the transducer 2 (signal VTRANSD) assumes a value lower, in absolute value, than VOUT+2VTH_D where VOUT is the voltage across the capacitor 5, and VTH_D is the threshold voltage of the diodes that form the energy harvesting interface 4. As a consequence of this, the maximum energy that may be stored in the capacitor 5 is limited to the value Emax=0.5·COUT·(VTRANSDMAX−2VTH_D)2. If the amplitude of the signal VTRANSD of the transducer 2 is lower than twice the threshold voltage VTH_D of the diodes of the rectifier of the energy harvesting interface 4 (i.e., VTRANSD<2VTH_D), then the efficiency of the system 1 is zero, the voltage across the output capacitor 5 is zero, the environmental energy is not harvested, and the electrical load 8 is not supplied.
When the DC-DC converter 6 (of a boost type) is set between the output capacitor 5 and the electrical load 8, it is possible to make up for the drop in efficiency. However, in this situation, the current supplied by the transducer and rectified by the diode bridge is not regulated and is not actively controlled. Consequently, the impedance RLOAD represented schematically in FIG. 2 cannot be matched to the series impedance RS of the transducer 2. This in any case causes a global loss of efficiency of the system 1.
A further solution, which enables active control of the current supplied by the transducer 2, envisages use of an AC-DC converter. This solution, for example proposed by IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, Vol. 25, No. 8, August 2010, pp. 2188-2199 (incorporated by reference), envisages the use of a closed-loop boost converter that exploits directly the series inductance of the transducer and generates a regulated voltage that charges the output capacitor. It is thus possible to supply the electrical load 8 directly by the output capacitor, without the aid of a DC-DC converter 6 of the type illustrated in FIG. 1. The control loop enables the voltage on the output capacitor for being kept substantially constant. However, this solution presents some disadvantages. For instance, if the load requires a supply power that exceeds the maximum power that the output capacitor may supply, the regulated output voltage drops to zero in a substantially immediate way. Furthermore, in this condition, the AC-DC converter is unable to make up immediately for the voltage drop on the output capacitor, harvesting further energy for supply of the electrical load. The energy harvesting efficiency is thus jeopardized.

Energy harvesting interface with improved impedance matching, method for operating the energy harvesting interface, and energy harvesting system using the energy harvesting interface


The invention relates to a method for transmitting communication data in a communication system (CSY) between a calling first communication unit (IPPA) and a called second communication unit (IPPD), wherein, in a first step a primary connection is set up starting from the first communication unit (IPPA) via at least one node unit to the second communication unit (IPPD) with transmission of addressing data of the communication units (IPPA,IPPD) and node units participating in the setup of the primary connection. Following this, the first communication unit (IPPA) and/or a first node unit disposed along the primary connection which have a valid addressing data element are registered as the ingress node. Furthermore, the second communication unit (IPPD) and/or a last node unit disposed along the primary connection which have a valid addressing data element are registered as the egress node. With the embodiment of a secondary connection (DMC) between the egress and the ingress node via a network which is available in the communication system (CSY), communication data is finally transmitted via the secondary connection (DMC).

In contemporary communication systems it is known how to transmit user data, e.g. for voice or video communication, both by means of what is known as a circuit-switched technology and also via packet-oriented networks. Communication systems which support both a packet-oriented and a circuit-switching transmission technology are referred to in the following as >>convergent<< communication systems. As a result of the use of packet-oriented data transmission methods for communication systems of this type there are frequently losses in the quality of the user data to be transmitted, which losses are due primarily to an alternating conversion between a continuous user data stream and user data packets.
Taking the example of the commonly employed >>Internet Protocol<<, also referred to by the abbreviation IP, communication terminals which operate on the basis of a packet-oriented transmission technology will also be referred to in the following using the term >>IP communication unit<<. In the packet-oriented transmission of user data, for example voice data, the term >>Voice over IP<<, abbreviated to VoIP, is also current.
A convergent communication system typically comprises at least one communication device by means of which, through the use of suitable line/trunk modules, both IP communication terminals and >>classical<< communication terminals, i.e. communication terminals operating according to the circuit-switching principle, can be connected. In this case the communication devices are typically connected to one another and to further, what are referred to as >>remote<< units which for their part make a contribution toward switching and connection control.
In order to handle the conversion between circuit-oriented and packet-oriented transmission technologies, devices known as gateways can also be used in a convergent communication system. In this case a gateway performs a conversion between packet-oriented and circuit-oriented transmission technologies and is frequently disposed between a packet-oriented network and a communication device operating according to a circuit-switching method. Alternatively or in addition, subscriber modules and/or line/trunk modules of the communication devices as well as what are known as >>remote units<< are provided with functions of a gateway.
For remote units, communication devices and also for devices which take part as independent units in a call setup or switching operation in addition to the aforementioned units, the term >>node unit<< will also be used in the course of a more general description.
Furthermore, the term >>communication unit<< using in the following description includes terminals generally involved in a communication, such as e.g. VoIP communication terminals, analog as well as mobile or, as the case may be, cordless telephones, but also data terminals such as computer systems, mobile digital assistants, etc.
A convergent communication system is frequently characterized by a structuring into individual subnetworks, typically with each subnetwork being administered by a communication device or by a remote unit which, for the purpose of transmitting user or, as the case may be, signaling data, operate-according to a different transmission method depending on the respective necessary packet-oriented or circuit-oriented form of connection of the connected communication terminals.
In many cases a number of conversions, each time into the transmission method supported by the respective subnetwork, are necessary for a communication connection between two communication terminals that extends across several subnetworks using heterogeneous transmission methods. Said multiple conversions result in a loss in quality of the user data to be transmitted between the two communication terminals taking part in the connection.

Method for transmitting communication data in a communication system


Disclosed are a secure communication device and a secure communication method using an artificial noise scheme. The secure communication method between a multi-antenna legal transmission device and a multi-antenna legal reception device includes determining a power allocation ratio for a system parameter, by the legal reception device, generating a transmission signal including a secret information message based on the determined power allocation ratio and artificial noise, and transmitting the generated transmission signal to the legal reception device.

Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to a secure communication technology using an artificial noise scheme and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for secure communication, by which secure transmission rate may be improved by transmitting an artificial noise signal together with a secret information message in a multi-antenna environment.
Wireless communication is vulnerable to security threats such as eavesdropping because it is performed through wireless channels that are innately vulnerable to security. In order to solve the problem, two security schemes largely have been suggested. The first scheme is a cryptology based security technology, and the second scheme is a physical layer security technology.
In the traditional cryptology based security technology, a transmitter encrypts a secret information message by using a security key and transmits the encrypted secret information message. Then, in order to decode the encrypted secret information message, a receiver has to carry the security key of the transmitter or a security key corresponding to the security key of the transmitter. In order to utilize an existing cryptology based security technology in this way, a security key has to be shared in advance through a reliable institute. In addition, because the cryptology based security technology provides a security that depends on calculation complexity, it is expected to reach a limit in the near future as the semiconductor and signal processing technologies develop. In particular, if proton computers that are expected to remarkably improve the calculation ability of processors are commercialized, it is expected that most of the cryptology based security technologies will be incapacitated.
Meanwhile, the physical layer security technology interrupts a trial of eavesdropping of an eavesdropper by using the physical features of various physical layer resources, such as wireless channels and thermal noise. In the physical layer security technology, a security key does not need to be shared in advance as in the existing cryptology based security technology and secure communication may be performed regardless of the calculation ability of the eavesdropper.
The artificial noise generating scheme that is one of the representative physical layer security technologies is a technology of selectively deteriorating only a received signal to noise ratio of an eavesdropper when a secret information message is transmitted by using the features of the wireless channels and the multi-antenna based beam forming scheme.

Apparatus and method for secure communication using artificial noise scheme

KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


An electronic device utilizes a method for displaying content on a display of the device during different device operating modes. According to one embodiment, the device (e.g., through its processing subsystem) determines whether it is in an active mode or a sleep mode. If the device is in an active mode, the device illuminates a first portion of the display to display content. On the other hand, if the device is in a sleep mode, the device illuminates a second, substantially lesser portion of the display to display content. In one embodiment, the device display includes a display panel and two disparate backlights positioned behind the display panel. The first backlight is operable to illuminate the first portion of the display panel and the second backlight is operable to illuminate the second portion of the display panel when each backlight is respectively activated by the device's processing subsystem.

Many electronic devices, such as smartphones, cellular phones, tablet and laptop computers, multimedia players, and e-book readers, include displays for displaying content to their respective users. Present-day displays are often constructed using liquid crystal display (LCD) panels and a light-emitting diode (LED) backlight. A front view of one such conventional electronic device 101 (e.g., a smartphone) is illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the electronic device 101 includes, among other things, a display 103 and a plurality of LEDs 105-109 (five shown for illustration) forming part of the display's backlight. When LED backlighting is used, the LEDs 105-109 are typically positioned within the electronic device 101 at one end of the display 103 and, upon being activated by the device's processing unit, illuminate the display 103 to present content 111 generated by the device's graphics processing unit (GPU).
FIG. 2 illustrates an exaggerated cross-sectional view of the display 103 along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. As illustrated, the display 103 includes a printed circuit (PC) board 201, an LED backlight 203 positioned upon the PC board 201, and an LCD panel 205 positioned upon the LED backlight 203. The LED backlight 203 typically includes a reflection layer (reflector) 207 deposited on the PC board 201, a diffusion or light guide layer (light diffuser) 209 deposited upon the reflector 207, and a polarization layer (polarizer) 211 deposited upon the light diffuser 209. The LCD panel 205 is positioned upon and adhered to the polarizer 211. The LED backlight 203 also includes the LEDs 105-109 positioned at one end of the display 103 (in this example, the bottom end). When content is to be displayed on the display 103, the electronic device's processing unit activates the LEDs 105-109, which emit light into an end of the light diffuser 209. The emitted light propagates through the light diffuser 209 and is reflected toward the polarizer by the reflector 207. The reflected and diffused light is polarized by the polarizer 211 to illuminate the LCD panel 205. The illuminated LCD panel 205 then displays any content rendered therein by the device's GPU.
An exemplary display of digital clock content 111 on the electronic device's display 103 with the LEDs 105-109 illuminated is shown in FIG. 3. When the LEDs 105-109 are activated, they illuminate the entire display 103, even though the only content 111 being displayed is a digital clock positioned about one-quarter of the way down from the top of the display 103. Of course, other content, such as photos, icons, text, notifications, alerts, and other graphics, may be displayed at various locations of the display 103, as so desired. However, regardless of what amount of content is to be displayed, electronic device processing units are typically programmed or otherwise configured to activate all the LEDs 105-109 of an LED backlight 203 when displaying any content on the display 103.
Portable electronic devices that include LED backlit displays obtain power primarily from portable power sources, such as rechargeable batteries. Research has shown that displays, including LED backlit displays, consume a significant portion of a battery's power while they are activated. Thus, activating an LED backlit display to display a small amount of content, such as a digital clock, a small number of icons, a thumbnail photo, a notification, an alert, or any other small image, is an inefficient use of battery power. The desire to display only a small amount of content may arise where the electronic device 101 is configured to keep its display 103 always or almost always on, at least to a minor extent, or is awakened during sleep mode to provide a notification or alert to the device user.
To address the power consumption issue, there has been some discussion in the industry regarding independently controlling the LEDs 105-109 of an LED backlight, instead of activating/deactivating them all at once. However, due to the location of the LEDs 105-109 at one end of the display 103, a substantial portion of the display 103 would still be illuminated, and a significant amount of battery power used, even if only some of the LEDs 105-109 were activated to display a small amount of content. Additionally, turning on some, but not all, of the LEDs 105-109 of an LED backlight to display a small amount of content would produce undesirable artifacts across a substantial portion of the display 103.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated alone or relative to other elements or the elements may be shown in block diagram form to help improve the understanding of the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Method and apparatus for displaying content on a display of an electronic device during different device operating modes


Disclosed a multi-output type DC/DC converter including: a reactor connected to a direct-current power supply; a first switching circuit composed of switches to apply a current to the reactor; a second switching circuit composed of switches to switch an output from the reactor to any one of output terminals; output voltage detection sections to detect voltages of the output terminals; comparison circuits to compare outputs with a waveform signal of a predetermined frequency; and an output selection circuit to receive inputs form comparison circuits, and to select an output of a comparison circuit, the output having the earliest rise or the earliest fall, so as to generate a control signal pertaining to on and off of the first and/or second switching circuit, wherein a current generated by a discharge of energy accumulated in the reactor is output to any one of the terminals in accordance with the control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching power supply apparatus and a multi-output type DC/DC converter outputting a plurality of voltages from one input voltage, and more particularly to a DC/DC converter provided with a selection circuit for switching output currents according to the level of each voltage output.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a DC/DC converter as a power supply apparatus converting a direct-current input voltage into a direct-current voltage of an electric potential different from that of the input voltage to output the converted direct-current voltage. Moreover, there is a circuit shown in FIG. 9 as a multi-output type DC/DC converter outputting a plurality of direct-current voltages having different electric potentials from one direct-current input. Such a multi-output type DC/DC converter is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication Laid-open No. 2005-117886.
The DC/DC converter shown in FIG. 9 turns on and off a main switch SW0 based on a pulse P1 or a pulse P2, which are output from comparators CMP1 and CMP2, respectively, and the DC/DC converter selectively turns on any one of change-over switches SW1 and SW2 at a predetermined period based on the output of a frequency divider to apply the output current of an inductor (reactor) L to a rectification & smoothing circuit 16a or 16b in a time division method. Thereby, the DC/DC converter outputs direct-current voltages Vout1 and Vout2, which have been converted to voltages having desired levels severally, from a first output terminal OUT1 and a second output terminal OUT2.
Because the multi-output type DC/DC converter as shown in FIG. 9 is configured to switch the output current of the inductor L by the time division method, the multi-output type DC/DC converter has the advantages of being capable of decreasing the number of inductors, and of being capable of attaining the miniaturization of the direct-current power supply apparatus. However, because the multi-output type DC/DC converter of FIG. 9 distributes the output current of the inductor L to the first output terminal OUT1 and the second output terminal OUT2 at a predetermined period (fixed), the multi-output type DC/DC converter has a problem of the difficulty of keeping the desired electric potentials if the current ratio of the loads connected to the respective two output terminals greatly changes.
To put it concretely, for example, there is examined the case where, in a system using a multi-output type DC/DC converter the period of the time division method of which has been designed on the supposition that the ratio of the consumption current of the load connected to the first output terminal OUT1 to the consumption current of the load connected to the second output terminal OUT2 is 2 to 1, the ratio of the consumption current of the load of the first output terminal OUT1 to the consumption current of the load of the second output terminal OUT2 is suddenly reversed to be 1 to 2. In this case, if the period of the time division method is fixed, there is the possibility of producing the situation in which the output voltage Vout2 of the second output terminal OUT2, the load of which has increased, does not reach a desired electric potential, and on the other hand in which the output voltage Vout1 of the first output terminal OUT1, the load of which has decreased, becomes higher than the desired electric potential.


The present invention provides an isolated AZF1 gene sequence, recombinant vectors, and recombinant yeast which are useful in methods of enhanced biofuel production, particularly ethanol production. Methods of bioengineering recombinant yeast with isolated AZF1 gene sequence useful for biofuel production are also provided.

In view of the current state of the biofuel industry, particularly ethanol production based on xylose-containing feedstocks, it can be appreciated that identifying genes related to enhanced biofuel production is a substantial challenge in the field. Accordingly, a need exists in the field to identify additional genes that influence biofuel production in yeast, and, consequently, engineered recombinant strains of yeast capable of increased biofuel yields from commonly-available feedstocks, including xylose-containing feedstocks.

Over-expression of AZF1 improves the rate of anaerobic xylose fermentation in engineered yeast strains

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)


Programming software for mask-programmable logic devices provides a timing estimation to the user for the user's logic design during the compilation stage, notwithstanding that the software is not aware of the ultimate placement and routing of the design, which will be performed by the mask-programmable logic device supplier. The software includes a timing model based on actual delay measurements for different user designs in similar devices.

This invention relates to providing a user of programmable logic with a timing analysis of the user's logic design as early as possible in the user's preparation of the logic design. The invention is applicable to all types of programmable logic device, but is particularly useful in the context of mask-programmable logic devices.
Programmable logic devices, sometimes known as "field-programmable gate arrays" ("FPGAs") are well known. Early programmable logic devices were one-time configurable. For example, configuration may have been achieved by "blowing"—i.e., opening—fusible links. Alternatively, the configuration may have been stored in a programmable read-only memory. These devices generally provided the user with the ability to configure the devices for "sum-of-products" (i.e., "product term" or "P-TERM") logic operations. Later, such programmable logic devices incorporating erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) for configuration became available, allowing the devices to be reconfigured.
Still later, programmable logic devices incorporating static random access memory (SRAM) elements for configuration became available. These devices, which also can be reconfigured, store their configuration in a nonvolatile memory such as an EPROM, from which the configuration is loaded into the SRAM elements when the device is powered up. These devices generally provide the user with the ability to configure the devices for look-up table-type logic operations. At some point, such devices began to be provided with embedded blocks of random access memory that could be configured by the user to act as random access memory, read-only memory, or logic (such as P-TERM logic). More recently, such devices have been provided with specialized functional blocks, such as multipliers and multiplier/accumulator blocks for digital signal processing.
In all of the foregoing programmable logic devices, both the logic functions of particular logic elements in the device, and the interconnect for routing of signals between the logic elements, were programmable. Such devices will be referred to hereinbelow as "conventional programmable logic devices" or "user-programmable logic devices" or "field-programmable logic devices," with the latter not to be confused with the term "field-programmable gate array" which is considered to be a subset of the type of device described by the three foregoing terms.
More recently, mask-programmable logic devices have been provided. With mask-programmable logic devices, instead of selling all users the same device, the manufacturer manufactures a partial device with a standardized arrangement of logic elements whose functions are not programmable by the user, and which lacks any routing or interconnect resources.
To program a mask-programmable logic device, the user provides the manufacturer of the mask-programmable logic device with the specifications of a desired device, which may be the configuration file for programming a comparable conventional programmable logic device. The manufacturer uses that information to add metallization layers to the partial device described above. Those additional layers program the logic elements by making certain connections within those elements, and also add interconnect routing between the logic elements. Mask-programmable logic devices can also be provided with embedded random access memory blocks, as described above in connection with conventional programmable logic devices. In such mask-programmable logic devices, if the embedded memory is configured as read-only memory or P-TERM logic, that configuration also is accomplished using the additional metallization layers.
While conventional programmable logic devices allow a user to easily design a device to perform a desired function, a conventional programmable logic device invariably includes resources that may not be used for a particular design. Moreover, in order to accommodate general purpose routing and interconnect resources, and the switching resources that allow signals from any logic element to reach any desired routing and interconnect resource, conventional programmable logic devices grow ever larger as more functionality is built into them, increasing the size and power consumption of such devices. The routing of signals through the various switching elements as they travel from one routing and interconnect resource to another also slows down signals.
The advent of mask-programmable logic devices has allowed users to prove a design in a conventional programmable logic device, but to commit the production version to a mask-programmable logic device which, for the same functionality, can be significantly smaller and use significantly less power, because the only interconnect and routing resources present on the device are those actually needed for the particular design. In addition, those resources are simple metallizations, so there are no general purpose switching elements consuming space or power, or slowing down signals.
Nevertheless, heretofore the programming of mask-programmable logic devices has been accomplished by the provision to the manufacturer of the user's programming file for the user's logic design as implemented a comparable conventional programmable logic device. The manufacturer would then make its best effort to translate that design into the most efficient possible mask-programmed logic device. However, the manufacturer could not in all cases implement the design as the user would have done.
For example, a user may have wanted the device to operate at a certain frequency of operation. Or the user design may include certain numbers of certain types of components which are available in different numbers in the different devices, so that the user would design the programming differently to account for such differences. The manufacturer could not necessarily deduce such desires from the configuration file. However, heretofore the user would not have had the tools necessary to determine the timing delays that affect frequency of operation, because timing analysis heretofore has been carried out after the place-and-route step, which is performed by the manufacturer. This differs from user-programmable logic devices, where the programming software is "aware" of the final design and can provide timing information to the user.
It would be desirable to be able to provide timing information to a user of mask-programmable logic devices during the user design phase.


A group communication method capable of performing group communication without additional functions provided on a network and with preventing excessive network traffic. Each communication device first transmits an enrollment message. A providing device groups the communication devices, creates a group key specifying the communication devices that are identified as a same subgroup, and transmits the group key to the communication devices. The communication devices receive and store the group key. To transmit distribution data to a subgroup, the providing device transmits the data together with data corresponding to the group key to a selected communication device of the subgroup. When the communication devices recognize the distribution data, the communication devices determine whether to receive the distribution data, based on the distribution data and the stored group key.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a group communication method, a communication device and a management device, and more particularly, to a group communication method, a communication device and a management device for group communication.
(2) Description of the Related Art
IP multicast communication has been widely known as a technique to simultaneously transmit the same data to a plurality of receiving ends.
For the IP multicast communication, a method where a server selects a multicast group comprising member terminals and transmits data to the group has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-134161).
As another technique to simultaneously transmit the same data to a plurality of receiving ends, Push-to-Talk communication has been known, which realizes group communication by half duplex communication.
In the IP multicast communication, a multicast distribution tree is constructed and then multicast data is transmitted. As to the multicast distribution tree, multicast routers are used as routers and connected by unicast between them.
In the Push-to-Talk communication, data is transmitted to the member terminals of a group by unicast.
The above IP multicast service, however, has a drawback in that a network is not easily built because special routers and a unique protocol should be provided on the network.
The Push-to-Talk communication, on the other hand, can realize the service, irrespective of network. However, the unicast communication may cause excessive network traffic when the number of member terminals increases in the group.

Group communication method, communication device and management device


A delay interval is calculated for a processor that attempts to reserve a reserved shared resource in a multiprocessing system. The delay interval is based on the relationship of a requesting processor and a reservation holding processor. Each delay interval is unique without consistent bias against a processor. The requesting processor queries the reservation status of a shared resource without invalidating an existing reservation. If a shared resource is reserved, the requesting processor waits for an amount of time corresponding to the delay interval before again attempting to reserve the shared resource. The present invention substantially reduces arbitration conflicts within multiprocessor systems.

1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for resource arbitration. Specifically, the invention relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for reducing resource contention in multiprocessor systems.
2. The Relevant Art
The processing power of a computing system can be increased by employing multiple processors to share data processing tasks of the computing system. Although each processor may have its own dedicated resources, processors may also share system resources such as cache memory, main memory, communication buses, and peripheral devices. While completing their respective tasks, two or more processors will often concurrently request use of the same resource. For example, a processor may attempt to write data to a line of memory while another processor is concurrently attempting to read the same line of memory. The two processors must then arbitrate access to the line of memory.
Current arbitration methods allow a processor to reserve or secure a resource such as a line of memory. When a second requesting processor attempts to reserve a resource that is currently reserved by a first reservation holding processor, the second requesting processor is denied a reservation. The second requesting processor must make a subsequent reservation request.
In some cases, if a second requesting processor subsequently attempts to reserve a resource before the first reservation holding processor has released the resource, the first processor may lose its reservation and the second processor may be denied a reservation in order to maintain data integrity. Both processors must then arbitrate again for use of the resource. In some cases, multiple attempts to reserve the shared resource may be required in order to resolve the contention and allow each processor to access the shared resource and complete their tasks.
Another current method of arbitrating access to a resource involves calculating a random delay interval for each processor. Calculating a random delay interval reduces processor contention for a shared resource, but requires additional hardware or software complexity and produces an arbitrary distribution of delay intervals.
Still another current method of arbitrating access to a resource is to assign some processors higher priority for accessing a resource, or to lower the priority of some processors. Assigning different priority levels reduces contention, but often is biased against individual processors in the system, preventing all processors from completing their tasks as efficiently as possible.
What is needed is a method, apparatus, and system for reducing the contention for shared resources in multiprocessor systems. What is particularly needed is a method, apparatus, and system that delays a processors attempts to access a shared resource in order to minimize contention. The delay interval would preferably be unique to each processor, calculated with little computational overhead, and unbiased in providing access to resources. Such a method, apparatus, and system would provide efficient access to shared resources in an equitable manner.

Method, apparatus, and system for reducing resource contention in multiprocessor systems

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus, method, and program for measuring the three-dimensional shape of an object by analyzing an optical pattern projected onto the object includes a line sensor and an image analysis unit. The line sensor reads the target object, onto which the optical pattern is projected. The image analysis unit analyzes the optical pattern in the image read by the line sensor based on a spatial fringe analysis method, and the image analysis unit computes the three-dimensional shape information on the target object. The phase of a pixel included in an image taken of the optical pattern is determined based on the brightness values of the pixel and at least one neighboring pixel in the image; thus the height information of the object can be determined. In addition, the height of the target object at a given position can be computed based on how much the phase of the optical pattern projected onto a certain position of the object is shifted from a reference phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus which measures a three-dimensional shape of a target object.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of means for obtaining three-dimensional shape information on an object by image analysis includes a method of analyzing a deformation amount of the optical pattern changed according to the three-dimensional shape of the target object by projecting an optical pattern onto a target object existing in a predetermined imaging visual field. A light-section method, a spatial encoding method, a fringe analysis method can be cited as a typical example. These methods are based on the principle of triangulation. Among others, for the fringe analysis method, there are proposed many techniques such as spatial fringe analysis and temporal fringe analysis, and the fringe analysis method is known as a technique in which high measurement accuracy is obtained.
In these techniques, usually an area camera is used to read the target object onto which the optical pattern is projected. However, when the area camera is used, because the target object does not fit into one imaging visual field, it is necessary that the area camera be moved in both the lengthwise direction and the crosswise direction to take the one imaging visual field while the one imaging visual field is divided into plural portions, which results in the problem that the imaging time is lengthened.
In order to solve the problem, conventionally there is proposed a three-dimensional shape measuring method in which a line sensor is used instead of the area camera (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2002-286433 and 2004-117186 and Fujigaki, et al., "Parallel optical grating projection method in continuous object shape measurement using plural line sensors" Proceedings on fall semestrial conference of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering pp. 1061-1062, 2004). This measuring method is performed by the following steps. The target object onto which the optical pattern is projected is taken by the line camera, the phase of the projected optical pattern is shifted by moving the target object, the target object onto which the optical pattern having shifted phase is projected is taken by another line camera; the above processes are repeated plural times, and the optical patterns included in the plural taken images are analyzed to measure the three-dimensional shape based on the temporal fringe analysis method (phase shift method).
In a three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-117186, the three-dimensional shape is measured by the following method. The target object onto which the optical pattern is projected is taken separately by two line cameras placed at different positions, and the three-dimensional shape is measured from the two taken images based on the stereo method.

Three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus, program, computer-readable recording medium, and three-dimensional shape measuring method


A composite reinforced line pipe is manufactured by aligning first and second pipe segments each having a composite reinforcement wrapped circumferentially about a core, attaching the line pipes at a cut-back portion of their exposed core, wrapping a joint tape circumferentially about the cut-back portion, wrapping a resin reinforcement tape circumferentially about the joint tape, and curing the joint tape and resin reinforcement tape.

This patent application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/354,491, filed on Jan. 29, 2003, entitled, SYSTEM FOR JOINING SECTIONS OF COMPOSITE REINFORCED LINE PIPE.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of composite materials. In particular, the invention relates to long distance pipelines reinforced with a composite wrap for use with high-pressure fluids and gases.
2. Related Art
High pressure fluid and gas transport systems exist for the movement of e.g., natural gas and other fluids from the field to market. All metal pipelines provide a traditional system solution, but are becoming more expensive to manufacture and install as the pressure and distance requirements increase over time. As the pressure requirements increases, so to does the weight per foot of the pipelines. Transport and installation becomes more difficult as the weight of these pipes increases. The pipelines also suffer from vulnerability to physical damage during transport and to catastrophic crack propagation. Other challenges include corrosion due to the environment and stress corrosion caused by reaction of the transported gas or fluid with the material of the pressure vessel or the pipeline material with the external soil.
Traditional practice attempting balance the economics of gas transport and pipe manufacturing focuses on producing stronger and stronger pipe steel with thinner wall thickness and greater diameter. Unfortunately, these stronger steels tend to suffer from increased brittleness, corrosion, and difficulties associated with welding, bending and laying during installation.

System for joining sections of composite reinforced line pipe


The invention relates to a method for high-frequency tuning a high-frequency plug connector, comprising a printed circuit board that has both contact points for high-frequency contacts as well as contact points for insulation displacement contacts. Each contact point for the high-frequency contacts is connected to one respective contact point for the insulation displacement contacts. Capacitive couplings, which cause a near-end crosstalk, occur between the high-frequency contacts. At least one first conductor path, which is connected on only one side to a contact point of an electrical contact, is situated on the printed circuit board that, together with at least one second conductor path, which is situated on and/or inthe printed circuit board, forms a capacitor. At least one frequency-dependent parameter of the device is measured, and this frequency-dependent parameter is compared to a set parameter and, according to on a difference between the two, the conductor path that is contacted on one side is partially removed or completely separated.

EP 0 525 703 A1 discloses a plug connection for computer networks in the domestic area, comprising a male connector part and a female connector part, with a device for crosstalk compensation being arranged in the plug connection, by means of which the crosstalk attenuation between the transmission conductor loop and the reception conductor loop can be increased. For this purpose, a printed circuit board is arranged in the female connector part or in the male connector part of the plug connection between the connections for the plug-in cable and the connections for the wiring, with the conductor routes for the transmission and reception conductor loops being largely physically separated on the printed circuit board. The devices for crosstalk compensation are, for example, discrete components such as capacitors or coils, which are adjustable. The known plug connection has the disadvantage that the discrete components are relatively expensive and large.
DE 100 51 097 A1 discloses an electrical plug connector comprising a plug connector housing, a printed circuit board with two sets of contact elements, with the first set of contact elements being arranged on the front face of the printed circuit board and projecting into an opening in the plug connector housing, and the second set of contact elements being arranged on the rear face of the printed circuit board, and the contact elements in the second set being in the form of insulation-displacement contacts, with the plug connector having a cable manager which has an opening through it and is provided on the front face with guides for conductors which are intended to make contact with the insulation-displacement contacts, with the guides being formed in the area of the insulation-displacement contacts with recessed holders for the insulation-displacement contacts, and in which case the cable manager can be matched to the plug connector housing.
Owing to the increasing bandwidth for data transmission in telecommunications and information technology, the conductors, contacts and conductor tracks have to be designed such that they are highly defined with respect to one another, in order to comply with the required values for the crosstalk attenuation.
This necessitates extremely tight tolerances, which can be complied with only with difficulty during automated manufacturing processes.

Method for high-frequency tuning an electrical device, and a printed circuit board suitable therefor


According to embodiments, a decoloring device includes a heat source unit which decolors images printed on sheets. The heat source unit includes a first heat roller and a first press roller which decolor an image on a first surface of a sheet. The heat source unit further includes a second heat roller and a second press roller which decolor an image on a second surface of the sheet. When the sheet is a non-decolor processing target sheet, the first heat roller and the first press roller, and the second heat roller and the second press roller move away from each other.

Conventionally, an image forming apparatus which prints images on sheets using toner is put into practical use by an electrophotography. The image forming apparatus includes a heat source unit which heats toner for forming an image, and fixes the image to a sheet by pressurizing the sheet. The heat source unit includes heat rollers, press rollers and the like. The heat source unit heats and pressurizes toner of the image formed on the sheet by conveying the sheet sandwiching the sheet between the heat rollers and the press rollers. A method of, when heating and pressurizing toner, conveying sheets without depositing the melting toner on sheets in the heat source unit of the image forming apparatus is adopted.
Meanwhile, a decoloring device which decolors an image printed on a sheet by the image forming apparatus is being proposed. The decoloring device includes a heat source unit including heat rollers and press rollers similar to, for example, the image forming apparatus. The decoloring device requires a higher amount of heat than that of the image forming apparatus to decolor an image formed on a sheet whose images are repeatedly decolored a plurality of times. The heat source unit of the decoloring device needs to maintain high surface temperatures of the heat rollers to secure the heat amount required for decoloring. By keeping higher temperatures of the heat rollers, the decoloring device can reliably decolor images from sheets whose images are repeatedly decolored a plurality of times. However, when, for example, a sheet on which an image is printed using toner which can be fixed at a lower temperature than a normal temperature passes through the heat source unit of the decoloring device, toner on a sheet surface melts and is offset on surfaces of the heat roller or the press roller. When the melting toner is offset on the heat rollers or the press rollers, the toner is offset from the rollers to a surface of a sheet which passes next through the heat source unit and makes the sheet surface dirty in some cases.


An exercise device includes a base and a seat. The base has a pair of parallelly spaced first rods and a second rod extending between the pair of spaced first rods. The seat is mounted on one of the pair of the spaced first rods for a person to be seated thereon and has a pair of elastic cables respectively mounted at two sides thereof. The pair of elastic cables has two handles respectively and securely mounted to free ends thereof. Optionally, a weight element is mounted on the seat. The weight element is configured as a container in which liquid can be selectively stored to vary the weight thereof. Additionally, the exercise device includes a third rod. A first end of the third rod is pivotally mounted to a predetermined position of the second rod of the base and a second end of the third rod is pivotally engaging with a seatback. The seatback also has a pair of resilient cables respectively mounted thereon and having a handle securely connected to free end thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present Invention relates to an exercise device, and more particularly to a foldable exercise device which has multiple functions.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, exercise devices are popularly used in the modern society. Since they are movable and do not occupy a large space, the exercise device enable people to exercise indoors. However, conventional exercise device are generally designed to work out a specific part of the body, such as arms, legs, and abdomen. These exercise devices are not satisfactory for the purpose of building up the whole body. Later, one kind of exercise device with multiple functions has been developed. However, this exercise device always has a complex structure, therefore, it is difficult to operate and has a high cost. Furthermore, this exercise device occupies a large space.
The present invention provides an improved exercise device to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of servo sectors defining a plurality of tracks, wherein the servo sectors are written to the disk by servoing off of spiral tracks. The head is positioned over a target track in response to the servo sectors, and coefficients of a first sinusoid are generated corresponding to the target track, wherein the first sinusoid corresponds a repeatable position error of the head relative to the target track. The coefficients of the first sinusoid comprise a coherent component due to a repeatable runout of the disk and a spiral component due to writing the servo sectors by servoing off of the spiral tracks, where the spiral component varies based on a radial location of the head. The head is servoed over the target track in response to the coefficients.

Disk drives comprise a disk and a head connected to a distal end of an actuator arm which is rotated about a pivot by a voice coil motor (VCM) to position the head radially over the disk. The disk comprises a plurality of radially spaced, concentric tracks for recording user data sectors and embedded servo sectors. The embedded servo sectors comprise head positioning information (e.g., a track address) which is read by the head and processed by a servo controller to control the velocity of the actuator arm as it seeks from track to track.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art disk format 2 as comprising a number of servo tracks 4 defined by servo sectors 60-6N recorded around the circumference of each servo track. Each servo sector 6i comprises a preamble 8 for storing a periodic pattern, which allows proper gain adjustment and timing synchronization of the read signal, and a sync mark 10 for storing a special pattern used to symbol synchronize to a servo data field 12. The servo data field 12 stores coarse head positioning information, such as a servo track address, used to position the head over a target data track during a seek operation. Each servo sector 6, further comprises groups of servo bursts 14, which are recorded with precise intervals and offsets relative to the track centerlines. The servo bursts 14 provide fine head position information used for centerline tracking while accessing a data track during write/read operations.
There are several prior art techniques for writing the servo sectors to the disk, including an external servo writer that writes the servo sectors by controlling the head internal to the disk drive using precise external positioning mechanics, such as a laser interferometer. Other techniques may involve self servo writing the servo sectors by servoing off of a seed pattern, or by propagating the servo sectors across the radius of the disk. In yet another technique, a media writer may simultaneously write the servo sectors to a number of disk surfaces, and then one or more of the servo written disks installed into a production disk drive. A similar technique may use a printing technique (e.g., stamping or etching technique) to servo write the disks which are then inserted into a production disk drive.

Disk drive compensating for radial phase change of repeatable position error due to servo writing from spiral tracks


A regenerative electrical stimulation device comprising a stimulator portion to be surgically implanted in patients and an external controller portion. The implanted stimulator portion provides electrical stimuli of selected parameters to damaged nerve tissue to stimulate regeneration and/or healing of the damaged nerve tissue. The external controller portion communicates with the implanted stimulator portion to turn the stimulator portion on and off, to change the parameters of the electrical stimuli, to recharge the batteries, and to monitor the status of the batteries. The implanted portion has an antenna coil, a receiver, a programmable control processor, rechargeable batteries, and a passive transmitter. The external controller portion has an antenna coil, a control processor, a transmitter, a receiver for receiving the data passively transmitted by the implantable portion, and a display means.

Electrical stimulation of damaged neural tissue as a therapeutic agent has been demonstrated to be effective to restore or improve neural function in some cases. The electrical stimulation of a patient's neural tissue is accomplished by placing electrodes in contact with or in proximity to the neural tissue and applying an electrical potential to the electrodes. This necessitates the intrusion into the patient of, at a minimum, electrodes for the stimulation. Different parameters of neural stimulation may be appropriate for different patients for different types of neural injuries, and for different stages of treatment. Additionally, the appropriate length of time over which the stimuli is to be applied may vary greatly.
To minimize the potential for infection and to allow freedom from external equipment during stimulation, an implantable stimulation device is desirable. The device should have a non-invasive battery replenishment means, should be able to alter the stimulation characteristics while implanted, and should be able to transmit pertinent data out of the body with minimal energy consumption.


A treat dispensing apparatus (toy) for dispensing treats and/or food to a pet. The toy may include for example at least four main tubes extending outward in different directions, each in a straight linear fashion from a central location. The toy may also include one or more exit hole(s) for allowing treat(s) to exit out of the toy via the exit hole(s). In addition, the tubes may be hollow to allow for treats to move back and forth inside the toy until treats are able to exit out when the toy is being thrown, bounced, etc.

In nature, animals hunt or scavenge for food resources. These activities take up a lot of their time and involve great physical exertion such as roaming large areas, chasing and digging; problem-solving; use of their senses of hearing, taste and smell; and social coordination.
In our homes, food is provided to our pets in a bowl or even a slow feeder. This type of eating goes against the fundamental nature of animals by removing a major source of stimulation and activity in their lives. Furthermore, this encourages overeating as our pets as they do not tend to stop eating when they are full.
While slow feeders might slightly increase the time it takes for eating a meal, there is still a need for increase exercise, increase play, increased stimulation, etc. One possible fun and/or humane method to increase exercise and/or increase stimulation and/or reduce the amount of food our animal companions eat is to make eating more challenging by placing dry dog food in a toy which will slowly dispense the dog food that requires being shaken or upended. The pet must then work to get the food out of the toy. This slows down the eating so that the mealtime lasts longer, and the pet eats less. It also challenges the pet mentally and physically.
However, there are only a few options in treat dispensing toys for our animal companions. And, these few options are not well thought out to provide better interaction, more fun, etc.


A system of utilizing a single radio receiver with continuously broadcast GPS signals in order to determine precise relative positioning between two arbitrary positions or to determine current position. The invention includes utilizing changes in the carrier signal as detected by the GPS receiver occurring as a result of the movement from a first position to a second position.

GPS navigation systems include use of a constellation of satellites each of which provides a coded signal which may be picked up by radio receivers in close proximity to the earth. Separate coded signals from a set of satellites may be processed by a receiver for use in determining location as defined by latitude and longitude based upon the code carried by the signals. The operation of the GPS receiver in determining location based on coded signals received from satellites reflects the conventional functioning of such systems.
During the course of time, alternative uses of the GPS satellite system have been developed by various users. One such use of GPS signals is in determining ones spatial orientation as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,792, issued to one of the inventors of the present application, and incorporated herein by reference. The spatial orientation system of the '792 patent requires the use of multiple receivers and is based upon mathematical derivations of phase measurements of the carrier signal.
Although the above referenced spatial orientation system works well as described, it requires the use of duplicative hardware, such as receivers and antenna and the associated control devices for enabling and orchestrating such a system.
Accordingly, it has long been the goal of numerous entities to develop and refine secondary uses for the GPS system that minimize hardware requirements, preferably operable from a single GPS receiver.

Time-relative positioning for static applications


The present invention provides an uplink MU-MIMO method. The method includes: sending, by a user equipment, a sounding reference signal to a base station, so that the base station constructs a precoding matrix according to the sounding reference signal, and generates a first scheduling message according to the precoding matrix; receiving the first scheduling message sent by the base station, where the first scheduling message includes a layer mapping rule and the precoding matrix; generating at least one MAC packet data unit MAC PDU according to the first scheduling message, and sending the MAC PDU, so that multiple user equipments exchange the MAC PDUs; generating an uplink signal after the MAC PDU is processed in various layers; and sending, by using an antenna, the uplink signal to the base station. The present invention greatly improves uplink spectral efficiency of a system.

With the rapid development of mobile communications technologies, mobile communications systems in multiple standards have emerged, such as, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) networks, CDMA-2000 networks, Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) networks, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks. Besides providing voice communications services, generally, these mobile communications systems further provide data communications services; therefore, a user may use the data communications services provided by these mobile communications systems to upload and download various types of data.
At present, there are two types of methods for uploading and downloading data with a data communications service provided by an existing mobile communications system:
in one aspect, in a method for a single user equipment (UE), even though other enhanced communication means are used to improve reliability and/or a throughput rate of data transmission of the user equipment, for example, coordinated multipoint transmission (CoMP) is used to improve reliability of a user equipment at a cell edge, or carrier aggregation (CA) is used to improve a throughput rate of a user, the method has the disadvantage that, once an environment of the user equipment gets worse, the throughput rate and/or the reliability of data transmission of the user equipment will decrease dramatically;
in another aspect, in a method for two user equipments, to solve the foregoing problem, a concept of synthetic communications is put forward, and in synthetic communications, both uplink and downlink data may be forwarded by other user equipments; communication between the user equipments may be implemented by using short-distance technologies, such as WIFI and Bluetooth, and may also be implemented by using Long Term Evolution D2D (LTE D2D); a manner of uplink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) in an LTE system is virtual multiple-input multiple-output (virtual-MIMO), that is, a base station (BS) schedules two user equipments to send, on same time-frequency resources, data of the two user equipments, so as to implement MIMO transmission; disadvantages of the method are that, it is required that channel orthogonality of the user equipments is good, and received signal-to-noise ratios of the two user equipments at the base station cannot differ significantly; otherwise, a user equipment with a poor channel condition may receive strong interference, and therefore, although virtual-MIMO brings a gain, its application scenarios are limited, and moreover the gain is small.
In conclusion, the user needs an MU-MIMO manner which is based on precoding, has a low receiving condition for a user equipment channel, and has high uplink spectral efficiency.


An exercise weight system for providing an adjustable exercise resistance or mass comprises a plurality of individual weights. Each weight includes two spaced plates joined in a rigid manner by at least one interconnecting member. The weights can be nested together in a horizontal weight stack such that a connecting pin inserted through the weight stack can select one or more weights for use as the exercise mass. In one embodiment, the interconnecting member is a channel having overlying front and back walls. A plurality of sets of aligned holes and slots are placed in these walls with each set having a uniquely different hole and slot arrangement. The pin can be inserted through any one set of holes and slots to couple a desired number of weights together for use.

Modern dumbbells have a long and interesting history. The earliest record of a dumbbell was the stone "halters" used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to train their long jumpers. They were carried and dropped at lift off, and it was thought that the sudden release of the halters resulted in the athlete jumping a greater distance.
During the 1700's and 1800's the wooden Indian club (pin) was popular as a gentlemen's physical culture device. These clubs were available in different weights and like the modern fixed weight dumbbell, were complete with a rack for storage. The heaviest Indian club was approximately thirty-five pounds. Considering that the athlete always grasped the club at its end, the use of a thirty-five pound pin was quite a demonstration of fore-arm strength.
The advent of the modern strongman in the late 1800's saw the development of the kettle bell. Like the Indian club, the bell forced the athlete to grasp an unbalanced weight resembling a bowling ball with a handle. Considerable skill, balance and strength was required to lift a kettle bell, the heaviest of which was in the 200-300 pound range.
Early balanced iron dumbbells became available after the turn of the century, with adjustable dumbbells being introduced by Milo Stanborn just before World War II.
Today, dumbbells are generally recognized as the most efficient of strength training devices. They allow extreme flexibility in patterns of movement and allow the athlete to perform a real world training regimen unlike, for example, bungee cord exercises. Therapists like to utilize dumbbells because they reflect of everyday movements and their flexibility allows the patient to train around joint and muscle trauma. Athletes that train with dumbbells enjoy productive gains not available with other training modalities because they require balance and involve synergistic muscle groups to contract during the lift. The necessity to balance the dumbbells and coordinate movement of each hand stress the muscular and nervous system unlike any machine exercise. With machines, a portion of the athlete's musculature can actually relax due to the absence of fully balanced coordination, i.e. one side can push harder than the other.
There are two basic forms of dumbbells: fixed or "pro-style", and adjustable dumbbells. Fixed dumbbells are individually compact, but are typically sold in sets which must be stored on a rack that is bulky and cumbersome. Adjustable dumbbells have historically incorporated plates and locking collars secured to the ends of an extended handle.
Adjustable dumbbells are the most space and cost efficient exercise equipment. However, they are not without some drawbacks. One drawback is the time it takes to change of adjust both dumbbells. Removing and replacing the locking collars and plates is,time consuming, and can be a potential safety hazard if the collars are not securely tightened. Another drawback is that it is difficult to perform a "kickup" due to the protruding end of the handle. Some exercises such as bench presses, inclines and shoulder work typically begin and end with the dumbbells resting on the knees of the athlete. However, this can be unwieldy and painful if the ends of the dumbbells are not relatively flat.
Various adjustable dumbbells have been developed heretofore. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,948,123 and 4,556,690 to Schook, 4,913,422 to Elmore et al, 4,900,016 to Caruthers, 4,880,229 to Broussard, 4,743,017 to Jaeger, and 4,529,198 to Hettick are representative of the prior art in this regard. Each of these references, however, addresses only certain aspects of an adjustable dumbbell, such as releasability, interlocking of the weights, etc.
There is still a need for an adjustable dumbbell of improved construction which is not only compact in size, but also easily and securely comfortable to use without the clutter of loose weights.
Apart from the field of dumbbells, existing exercise machines have long used vertical weight stacks to provide an adjustable exercise resistance or mass. These weight stacks had a selector pin that could be inserted beneath one of the weights in the stack, such that the selected weight and all the weights above the selected weight would collectively comprise the exercise resistance or mass. However, weight stacks that provided a large exercise resistance, on the order of a couple of hundred pounds or so, became extremely tall. Thus, the size and cost of the exercise machine utilizing such a weight stack increased.
In addition, on existing exercise machines with vertical weight stacks, the position of the selector pin varies according to the selected weight. The higher the weight, the lower the pin position within the stack. It is quite difficult on many leg extension machines to insert the selector pin into the lowest weight stack hole from a seated position on the machine. Thus, existing vertical weight stacks and selector pins can be cumbersome and inconvenient to use.
Thus, there is still a need in the field of exercise equipment generally to provide a simpler and more compact weight stack that can be more easily adjusted.


The present invention provides a lipase powder composition which comprises a filter aid(s) and a product obtained by pulverizing a Thermomyces sp.-derived lipase immobilized to a silica carrier(s) into the average particle diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 300 μm. This lipase powder composition improves the lipase activity and operability and, therefore, can be suitably used in the methods for exchanging esters of fats and oils and for esterification.

Lipases are widely used in esterification reactions of various carboxylic acids such as a fatty acid with alcohols such as monoalcohol and polyalcohol or ester exchange reactions between several carboxylic esters. Among them, the ester exchange reactions are important technology including modification of fats and oils of animals and plants and as a method for producing esters of various fatty acids, sugar esters and steroids. When lipases that are fat and oil hydrolases are used as a catalyst in those reactions, ester exchange reactions can be conducted under the temperate condition of room temperature to about 70° C. Therefore, use of lipases can not only inhibit side reactions and reduce energy costs as compared with the prior chemical reactions, but also its safety is high because the lipases as the catalyst are natural products. Further, objective compounds can be effectively produced due to its substrate specificity or positional specificity. However, the lipase activity does not sufficiently develop when lipase powder is directly used in ester exchange reactions. In addition to it, it is difficult to equally disperse basically water-soluble lipases in oil-based raw materials and then to collect them. Therefore, conventionally, it is common that lipases are immobilized to some carriers such as anion-exchange resins (Patent Literature 1), phenol adsorption resins (Patent Literature 2), hydrophobic carriers (Patent Literature 3), cation-exchange resins (Patent Literature 4), and chelate resins (Patent Literature 5), and then used in esterifications and ester exchange reactions.
However, since the lipase activity lowers when immobilizing lipases to carriers, various technologies using lipase powder have been developed.
More concretely, the method has been suggested which comprises the steps of dispersing lipase powder in the raw material containing an ester(s) in the presence or absence of an inactive organic solvent(s); and then conducting the ester exchange reaction so that 90% or more of the dispersed lipase powder particles maintain the particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm in the ester exchange reaction (Patent Literature 6). Further, the method has been suggested to use enzymatic powder obtained by drying an enzymatic solution containing a phospholipid(s) and a lipophilic vitamin(s) (Patent Literature 7).
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho 60-98984
[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho 61-202688
[Patent Literature 3] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 2-138986
[Patent Literature 4] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 3-61485
[Patent Literature 5] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 1-262795
[Patent Literature 6] Japanese Patent No. 2668187
[Patent Literature 7] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2000-106873

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention relates to an apparatus, unit and method for testing image sensor packages, which can automatically test whether the image sensor packages are defective before they are assembled into camera modules. An apparatus for testing image sensor packages according to the present invention comprises a seating unit on which image sensor packages are seated for tests; a testing section having a lens and a light source above the image sensor packages to perform an open and short test and an image test for the image sensor packages; and a controlling and processing unit having a tester module for performing the open and short test and the image test for the image sensor packages. A method for testing image sensor packages according to the present invention comprises the steps of connecting the image sensor packages to a tester module for performing tests for checking whether the image sensor packages are defective; and carrying out an open and short test and an image test for the image sensor packages while irradiating light on the image sensor packages through a lens or blocking the light.

Image sensors are semiconductor devices having the function of photographing images of human beings or objects. The market of these image sensors has been rapidly expanded as they have been loaded into portable phones as well as common digital cameras or camcorders.
Such an image sensor is configured in the form of a camera module and mounted in the aforementioned apparatuses. A camera module comprises a lens, a holder, an infrared (IR) filter, an image sensor, and a printed circuit board. An image is formed by the lens of the camera module, the image formed by the lens is concentrated on the image sensor through the IR filter, and an optical signal of the image is converted into an electrical signal by the image sensor so as to photograph the image.
Among these components, the image sensor for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal is directly mounted as a bare chip on the camera module, or mounted on the camera module after an image sensor chip is packaged.
Among several methods of directly mounting a bare chip of an image sensor on a camera module, a COB (Chip-On board) method which currently occupies 90% or more has problems such as low productivity caused by a unit level packaging scheme, a high defective rate caused by introduction of dust particles during fabrication processes, high investment and maintenance costs of equipment including a clean room having a high degree of cleanness, and limitations on miniaturization. That is, all color filters and micro-lenses are very vulnerable to introduction of dust particles or penetration of moisture because they are fabricated through a photolithographic process after being coated with photoresist. Therefore, according to the COB method, the mounting of the image sensor chip, a wiring operation, the installation of the IR filter, lens and holder, and the like should be carried out in a clean room in which a high degree of cleanness is maintained.
On the contrary, if an image sensor that has been packaged in advance is used, it is possible to solve the aforementioned problems caused when the bare chip is used.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a ceramic leadless chip carrier (CLCC) most frequently used as an image sensor package. In a conventional image sensor package 20 shown in the figure, an image sensor chip 22 is mounted on a ceramic substrate 24 by using epoxy or the like such that the surface thereof faces upward, and the image sensor chip is then covered with a glass cover or glass substrate 21. In order to connect the image sensor chip 22 to the ceramic substrate 24, wires 26 connected to the image sensor chip 22 are connected to connection terminals 27 formed on a floor of the ceramic substrate 24, and the image sensor package 20 is connected to a circuit board by the connection terminals 27.
Another package method is to apply a chip scale package scheme (CSP) to an image sensor chip. This method allows an image sensor chip to be packaged at a wafer level contrary to the chip-on board (COB) method in which an image sensor chip as a bare chip is mounted on a camera module, thereby preventing dust or moisture from penetrating into an image sensing area.
An image sensor package 30 shown in FIG. 2 has been proposed by Schellcase Inc. Specifically, an image sensor chip 32 of which a bottom surface is polished to a thickness of about 100 micrometers is first prepared, an adhesive such as epoxy is coated to form an adhesive layer 34 on a top surface of the image sensor chip with a circuit formed thereon, a glass substrate 31 is then attached to the adhesive layer, an adhesive such as epoxy is then coated to form an adhesive layer 33 on the polished bottom surface, and a glass wafer 35 is then attached to the formed adhesive layer. Then, a dicing blade having a slightly gentle tip angle is used to remove a region between the image sensor chip 32 and the adhesive layer 34, thereby exposing input/output pads of the circuit formed on the top surface of the image sensor chip 32. Further, lateral sides of the image sensor chip 32, adhesive layer 33, and glass wafer 35 are formed to be inclined at a certain angle by using equipment such as a semiconductor wafer cutter (dicing saw). Next, metal wires 36 are formed to extend from the input/output pads of the exposed image sensor chip 32 via the inclined lateral side surfaces to a bottom surface of the glass wafer 35. At this time, the metal wires 36 are formed by forming a metal film from the input/output pads of the exposed image sensor chip 32 via the inclined lateral side surfaces to the bottom surface of the glass wafer 35 and by etching the metal film to form a desired pattern. Finally, connection terminals 37 such as solder balls are formed at ends of the metal wires 36 formed on the bottom surface of the glass wafer 35. The connection terminals 37 will be connected to external terminals or a printed circuit board (PCB). Such an image sensor package available from Shellcase Inc. can be completed to conform to the size of an actual image sensor chip.
As another example of CSP, an image sensor package proposed by the present applicant shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
The image sensor package 40 of FIG. 3 comprises a glass substrate 41, metal wires 44 formed on the glass substrate 41, an insulating film 45 for protecting the metal wires 44, an image sensor chip 42 electrically connected to the glass substrate 41 by flipchip solder joints 43, and connection terminals 47 such as solder balls formed outside the image sensor chip 42 and connected to a printed circuit board. Meanwhile, a dust-seal layer 46 is formed between the glass substrate 41 and the image sensor chip 42 to prevent foreign substances from being introduced into a space defined between the glass substrate 41 and the image sensor chip 42.
An image sensor package 50 for a camera module shown in FIG. 4 comprises a glass substrate 51, metal wires 54 formed on the glass substrate 51, an insulating film 55 for protecting the metal wires 54, an image sensor chip 52 electrically connected to the glass substrate 51 by flipchip solder joints 53, and passive elements 58 and connection terminals 57 mounted on the metal wires 54 outside the image sensor chip 52. Although the image sensor package 50 shown in FIG. 4 has a structure nearly similar to that of the image sensor package 40 shown in FIG. 3, it has a structure in which the passive elements 58, such as decoupling capacitors, required to construct a camera module can be mounted together on the glass substrate and the connection terminals 57 for connection with a printed circuit board are provided on one surface of the glass substrate. Therefore, in case of such an image sensor package, it is basically possible to eliminate a printed circuit board in fabricating a camera module.
An image sensor package is sold as a single component for use in fabricating a camera module, or at least assembled into a camera module on a different fabrication line. That is, an image sensor package is transferred as a separate component to another line or factory and then mounted on a PCB, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) is then attached to the PCB, and a holder and a lens housing are then installed on the PCB, thereby completing a camera module. At this time, the image sensor package 20, 30, 40 or 50 is electrically connected to the PCB via the connection terminals 27, 37, 47 or 57 formed on the bottom thereof. The holder and the lens housing are installed on the PCB to surround the image sensor package 20, 30, 40 or 50, and an JR filter and a lens are installed in the holder and the lens housing such that they are located on the image sensor package.
Generally, the most critical and frequent defect in a camera module is a defect of an image sensor, which is caused by a defect of an image sensor chip itself or introduction of dust into an image sensing area during a process of packing the image sensor chip. That is, if dust particles are introduced into the image sensor package and then stick on the image sensing area, repeatable defects occur in photographed images. Even though dust particles do not stick on the image sensing area, dust molecules moving in the image sensing area are not acceptable because they may cause defects in a non-repeatable manner. Therefore, introduction of dust particles into a package or contamination of the package should be minimized during the process of packaging an image sensor. This is the reason why a line for manufacturing an image sensor package is managed at a higher degree of cleanness than lines for manufacturing other general packages.
It is known that introduction of moisture into the image sensing area degrades the color filter or micro-lens on the image sensor chip. Of course, since it takes much time for such degradation caused by moisture to appear as deterioration in image quality, it does not generally cause troubles. However, in case of products such as digital cameras for experts, which require no change in image quality for ten years or more, there is a need for a package structure capable of minimizing even the introduction of moisture.
In order to determine a defect of an image sensor itself and a defect caused by introduction of dust particles until a camera module is completed, a testing process is essential. Generally, after sensor manufacturers fabricate image sensor wafers, they perform an open and short test, and a probe test for examining whether each pixel operates properly, and then deliver map files, which show whether the sensor wafers and individual sensor chips are defective, to image sensor package manufacturers or camera module manufacturers.
The image sensor package manufacturers perform packaging of image sensors on the basis of the map files delivered from the sensor manufacturers. At this time, since a defect may be caused in an image sensor package by an error in the packaging process or introduction of dust particles, the image sensor package manufacturers perform tests for respective image sensor packages and then deliver them to the camera module manufacturers.
To complete camera modules, such test processes of determining whether image sensors are defective should also be performed. In this case, a conventional test apparatus is constructed to individually test whether image sensors are defective in the finished camera modules that have been subjected to division into separate PCB units and the process of bonding a connection means such as FPC. Therefore, after one camera module has been tested, it is pulled out manually or automatically. Subsequently, another camera module is manually or automatically seated again at a test position and then tested. Theses test procedures should be repeatedly performed. Since this method inevitably has low throughput per unit time, this becomes a factor that greatly reduces overall productivity of camera modules.
As described above, since the most critical and frequent defect in a camera module is a defect caused by introduction of dust into a pixel area of an image sensor, it is not desirable to perform a test process of determining whether an image sensor is defective after an image sensor package has been already assembled into the camera module. That is, it is desirable to determine whether an image sensor package is defective, before it is assembled into a camera module. However, since conventional apparatuses for testing existing CLCC or CSP made by Shellcase, Inc. have the function of testing whether there is a simple electrical defect by connecting the connection terminals 27 or 37 of the image sensor package 20 or 30 to external terminals and applying an electric current to the terminals, it is impossible to perform an image test that is considered to be most significant by camera module manufacturers.

Apparatus, unit and method for testing image sensor packages

Bisan- Dong, Dongan-Gu, Anyang-Si, Gyeonggi-Do


The present invention is a method for accessing a model of a building; selecting a foundation; isolating a plurality of wall panels, wherein the wall panels are comprised of a set of members; selecting a group of the set of members which interface with the foundation, wherein the interface is identified as a connection between a wall member and the foundation; detecting an interface type between the foundation and the wall member, wherein each interface has a predetermined set of requirements; calculating a set of actual values associated with the interface type; comparing the set of actual values with a set of required values and determining the delta of the actual values and the required values; and identifying each interface where the delta is outside a predetermined range.

This disclosure relates generally to building construction and in particular, to the method, computer program, or computer system for providing the quality control of the material for the building construction and determining conflicts within the building construction.
A typical building or structure is comprised of having different components like foundation, walls, joists, trusses, sheathings, and many other components. When these components are connect with each other in a proper form, the structure or building is constructed correctly. Each individual component is used to form a larger assembly or panel. If each component is not the correct specification or dimensions then it leads to conflicts in the assembly process. This results in lost of time, wasted material, and an increase in cost. For example, when constructing wall panels over the foundation, conflicts between the members of the wall panel can occur in overlapping with the reinforcement, wrong placing of anchor bolt locations, insufficient overlap length, and overlap width. Checking each individual member and panel is very time consuming and critical task for the engineer.
During the building construction, the connections and placing of each wall panels is important for a hassle and conflict free construction. The wall panels relative to the other wall panels assists in creating a building that is properly constructed. The assembly of the roof is important to avoid any issues with the building down the road and to keep the occupants safe from the elements. Traditional method of reviewing the constructability checks for each individual wall member panel manually in the detailing software is time consuming and chances of error are more. Also conflict of the wall member with respect to reinforcement in the foundation is very difficult to identify.
Therefore, it is beneficial to assist each of the wall panel to foundation vertical interfaces at the earliest stage to determine where issues exist and preemptively correcting these issues before construction begins.

Method and system for identifying conflicts in a wall and foundation interface


A paste for impregnating a three-dimensional metal sponge porous support, which impregnated porous support is dried to provide an electrode for an electrochemical cell. The paste comprises (i) an electrochemically active material selected from a metal hydride and a metal hydroxide in an amount of from 40% to 60% of the weight of the paste, and (ii) a gel containing xanthan in an amount of from 0.5% to 2% of the weight of the gel. The paste has a yield point greater than the shear stress due to the gravity so that the paste does not flow out of the impregnated support. Also disclosed is a method of making an electrochemical cell electrode, comprising the steps of preparing the above-described paste, impregnating the paste into a three-dimensional metal sponge porous support, and drying the paste. The inventive paste is advantageously retained in the support during the drying step.

Such electrodes can be made by impregnating a three-dimensional porous support with an active mass in the form of a paste made by the active material proper being fed into a gel based on a hydroxycolloid such as carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) or hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). By coating the support and drying the paste, it is possible to obtain a finished electrode structure which can used directly in a cell. The advantage of that type of method lies in the fact that a three-dimensional porous support can be impregnated in a single step, whereas in the prior method of filling a conventional sintered nickel support, impregnation had to be performed in several successive steps in order to fill the support with the right amount of active mass.
However, the method recommended above suffers from implementation difficulties essentially related to the viscosity of the paste during the filling and drying steps. Although hydroxycolloids used up until now give the paste a viscosity well suited to filling, they do not enable the paste to be then held correctly in the support.
An aim of the present invention is to avoid this drawback, and to provide an active mass which is easier to use than known active masses.

Active mass for an electrode of an electrochemical cell, the active mass having a three-dimensional porous support