An electronic device may include touch input components and associated haptic output components. The control circuitry may provide haptic output in response to touch input on the touch input components and may send wireless signals to the external electronic device based on the touch input. The haptic output components may provide local and global haptic output. Local haptic output may be used to guide a user to the location of the electronic device or to provide a button click sensation to the user in response to touch input. Global haptic output may be used to notify the user that the electronic device is aligned towards the external electronic device and is ready to receive user input to control or communicate with the external electronic device. Control circuitry may switch a haptic output component into an inactive mode to inform the user that a touch input component is inactive.

Electronic devices often include wireless communications circuitry. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas and wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications.
Electronic devices often communicate with other electronic devices. For example, a user may wirelessly share files with another nearby user over a short-range communications link such as Bluetooth® or WiFi®. A user may use his or her mobile device to wirelessly control a household electronic device such as a television.
Communicating with external electronic devices can be cumbersome for a user. The user may have to take several steps to control or otherwise communicate with an external device. The user may not know when the external device is sufficiently close to establish a short-range wireless communications link. There may be multiple devices within range, making it challenging to select the appropriate external device. Touch-sensitive displays may be used to help a user communicate with other electronic devices, but requiring a user to interact with the display may not always be intuitive for the user.

Electronic devices with touch input components and haptic output components


A method for maintaining integrity of data in a redundant mass storage system is provided that includes selecting a plurality of scrubbing selections for a memory system in which each of the scrubbing selections selects a data section on the memory system. The method also includes selecting a respective scrubbing implementation for each scrubbing selection in which each of the scrubbing implementations determines a data check. Another exemplary method is provided for ensuring integrity of data stored in a redundant mass storage system. An apparatus is provided for maintaining data integrity in a redundant mass storage system. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer is provided. The set of instructions include a method for ensuring data integrity in a redundant mass storage system.

Data redundancy is used in data storage systems to protect customer's data against individual component malfunction. If any data portion stored in the system is stored in two or more separate physical copies located at separate components, such as disk drives, then data will not be lost if one of these components fails or malfunctions, since the host can still obtain the requested data from the remaining copy or copies. Mechanisms for ensuring and maintaining data integrity are implemented in such systems.
One approach used for preserving data integrity is known as "scrubbing", typically embodied in software applications that run as background processes and check that all existing copies of data portions are correct and can be safely read. If any copy of the data is unavailable, corrupted, or inaccurate, it is then corrected, typically by being overwritten with data taken from readable and correct copy or copies of the data.
In the known art, scrubbing processes are typically implemented by systematically scanning all data stored in the system, in cycles that may take one or more week before being completed. On the other hand, data that was recently modified is more likely to become corrupted or unavailable.
There is therefore a need for procedures that ensure data integrity in mass storage systems which attend more frequently to data portions that are more likely to be corrupted or unavailable.

Method and apparatus for ensuring data integrity in redundant mass storage systems

International Business Machines Corporation


A radio frequency communication device includes a conductive loop electrically connected to an integrated circuit arrangement and a pair of opposing elongated conductors extending away from the conductive loop.

On average, there are 93,000 daily flights originating from about 9,000 airports around the world. At any given time, there are between 8,000 and 13,000 planes in the air around the globe. There is no sign of a decline in passenger or flight numbers either, where flying in developing markets such as China, India, the Middle East and Africa is rising sharply.
Checked luggage is a multibillion-dollar business for airlines. However, baggage are lost or delayed on a daily basis in air travel. Despite all the investment by the airport authorities and fewer checked bags, the rate of mishandled baggage tracked by the Transportation Department is still around 3.22 of every 1,000 passengers in the United State.

Radio frequency communication device and a method for using thereof

Hong Kong R&D Centre for Logistics & Supply Chain Management Enabling Technologies Limited


Disclosed are a peptide derivative represented by the formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein A, B, C, D, E and F each represent amino acid residues, and satisfy any one condition of (i) A=Ser, B=Ser, C=Ser, D=Leu, E=Met and F=Phe, (ii) A=Ser, B=Ser, C=Ser, D=Trp, E=Leu and F=Phe, and (iii) A=Thr, B=Phe, C=Thr, D=Tyr, E=Lys and F=Tyr; and W, X, Y and Z each represent amino acid residues, and satisfy any one condition of (i) at least one of W and Y is an amino acid residue other than an L-alanine residue or other than an L-cysteine residue, (ii) X is an amino acid residue other than an L-Lysine residue, and (iii) Z is an amino acid residue other than an L-aspartic acid residue; (2) a method for producing the peptide derivative or the salt thereof; and (3) an agent for improving a circulatory function mainly comprising the peptide derivative or the salt thereof, such as a vasodilator or a vasoconstrictor.

The present invention relates to novel endothelin derivatives which are expected to be useful as therapeutic drugs such as agents for improving circulatory functions (for example, therapeutic agents for hypertension or hypotension), therapeutic agents for cardiac or cerebral circulatory diseases (for example, cardiac infarction), and therapeutic agents for renal diseases (for example, acute renal insufficiency); methods for producing the same; and agents for improving circulatory functions mainly comprising the same.
Endothelin (ET) is a vasoconstrictive peptide composed of 21 amino acid residues which was isolated from the culture supernatant of the endothelial cells of porcine aortas and whose structure was determined by M. Yanagisawa et al. in 1988 [M. Yanagisawa et al., Nature 332, 411-415 (1988)]. After that, the research on genes coding for endothelin revealed the presence of peptides similar to endothelin in structure. These peptides are named endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin-2 (ET-2) and endothelin-3 (ET-3), respectively, and their structures are as follows: ##STR2## (All of the amino acids constituting ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3 take the L-form.) (Inoue et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 2863-2867)
The above-mentioned peptides of the endothelin family exist in vivo and have vasopressor activity. For this reason, these peptides are anticipated to be intrinsic factors responsible for the control of circulatory systems, and deduced to be related to hypertension, cardiac or cerebral circulatory diseases (for example, cardiac infarction) and renal diseases (for example, acute renal insufficiency).
If antagonists or agonists of the above-mentioned peptides are obtained, they are considered not only useful for elucidation of the functional mechanism of these peptides, but also they are most likely to be used as effective therapeutic drugs for these diseases. At present, however, no reports are found that an effective antagonist to endothelin has been obtained. Further, it is another subject of the present invention to discover a substance which enhances the activity of endothelin.

Peptide derivatives having vasodilating activity


An electronic document searching system or word searching system which when given an input, expands the input as a function of acoustic similarity and/or word sequence occurrence frequency. Results of the system are alternative input words or phrases. The alternative input words or phrases are output from the system for further processing.

Typically, when conducting a search to automatically retrieve spoken documents from a large repository of audio files, a user enters either a text or spoken query. The most common way to retrieve the spoken documents is to use speech recognition software to transcribe all the audio files in the repository. Once the audio files have been converted to text, standard algorithms for indexing the corresponding textual documents are applied. In response to a subsequent search query, the indexed documents are searched and the most relevant documents are returned to the user.
Over the years, multiple techniques have been developed for combating recognition error and "out of vocabulary" (OOV) problems associated with indexing spoken documents from transcribed audio files. One technique for combating recognition errors is to index multiple hypotheses, or N-best lists, to recover deleted or substituted query terms.
To combat OOV word problems, phoneme recognition can be used rather than word recognition. A phoneme is the smallest phonetic unit in a language that is capable of conveying a distinction in meaning, as the m of mat and the b of bat in English. The transcribed audio files and search query term(s) are converted into phonemes rather than words. This may be accomplished by first generating a word transcription using speech recognition and then for each word, looking up the phoneme pronunciation in a dictionary or generating the phoneme pronunciation using a rule based algorithm. Alternatively, phoneme recognition can be used to directly convert audio to phoneme transcriptions. Several hypotheses of phonemes may be generated for each audio segment.
Phoneme indexing techniques may be improved by: indexing sequences of phonemes; using phonetic confusion matrices to expand the search query and the document representation; combining word and phoneme models.
Word searching and retrieval are also used in other settings, for example spell checking. Typically, a user types characters on a keyboard to create an electronic document. The document may contain a number of spelling errors. To eliminate these spelling errors, a spell correction program compares the words in the document with words in a dictionary. If the word in the document does not correspond to one of the words in the dictionary, an indication is provided to the user that the word may be misspelled. Further, spell correction programs may provide a list of suggested words to replace the misspelled word.
Normal spell correction algorithms are based on how a user confuses one character with another while typing. The algorithm checks character closeness based on a typical "QWERTY" keyboard. The algorithm tries to generate an in-dictionary word by replacing, adding, deleting or transposing one character with another. This is typically done using an edit distance to measure the distance from each of these new hypothesis and the entered word or using lists of common mistakes.

Method to expand inputs for word or document searching

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention provides a process for preparing polyester polyols of polyhydric alcohols by mono- or polyesterification of at least one carboxylic acid having at least two acid groups and/or at least one derivative of a dicarboxylic acid with polyhydric alcohols, optionally with the addition of a catalyst, while removing the water of reaction, wherein the polyhydric alcohol used has a formaldehyde acetal content of less than 500 ppm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention describes a process for preparing polyester polyols of polyhydric alcohols by mono- or polyesterification of a dicarboxylic acid and/or an anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid with the corresponding polyhydric alcohols, optionally in a solvent and optionally with the addition of an acidic catalyst, while removing the water of reaction.
2. Description of the Background
Polyhydric alcohols are those compounds which have more than one hydroxyl group, for example from 2 to 6, preferably from 2 to 4, preferably 2 or 3.
Such polyester polyols serve as a precursor for polyurethanes, polyester resins and polyacrylates and are thus used in numerous applications.
These applications require in particular products which are very weakly colored, if at all, and have no inherent odor and high storage stability.
The preparation of polyester polyols from polyhydric alcohols and dicarboxylic acids with the exclusion of water is generally known.
The reactions conventionally take place with catalysis, for example with an acid, or merely by increasing the temperature, with or without vacuum treatment.
Since the polyester polyols of polyhydric alcohols generally cannot be distillatively purified owing to their high boiling points, by-products remain in the target ester and influence the further processing and/or quality both of the target ester and also of the subsequent products.

Method for producing polyesterpolyols of polyvalent alcohols


A spring is connected to an edge section of a sample side of a spindle receiving a force in the Z-axial direction by a first poise coil motor, and a probe is attached to the tip of the spring. The spindle is supported by an internal tube with a spring. The movement of the spindle is enlarged by the spring to be conveyed to the probe, whereby displacement of the probe is amplified. For this reason, a resonance frequency f0 of a system comprising the movable element of the first poise coil motor, spindle, spring, spring and probe can be increased. If the spring is changed to springs in two stages, a resonance frequency f0 of the system can be increased with comparatively compact configuration.

The present invention relates to a probe scanning apparatus for a probe microscope, and more particularly to a probe scanning apparatus for a probe microscope designed to enable a higher resonance frequency of a probe scanning mechanism.
There is an apparatus using a piezo-scanner as one example of a probe scanning apparatus for a scanning type of probe microscope based on the conventional technology. In this piezo-scanner, the relation (impressed voltage-displacement characteristics) between an impressed voltage to an electrode of a piezo element and a displacement rate thereof is non-lineaty, so that the displacement rate can not be made larger. It is also difficult to handle the piezo-element because it is required to impress a high voltage in a range from around hundreds of volts to a thousand volts to the electrode, which requires shielding of the periphery thereof or a protection circuit that reduces the voltage when a cover of the apparatus is opened.
Therefore, the owner of the present invention developed a sample positioning apparatus in which a pulse motor as a coarse adjustment mechanism in the Z-axial direction and screws or the like were replaced with a housing with a viscous body accommodated therein, a heater mechanism, and a poise coil mechanism, and in which a piezo-element as a fine adjusting element in the z-axial direction was also replaced with a spring element, and a patent application for the developed apparatus was filed in Japan under Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 8-25201 and in the United States under Ser. No. 08/800,074.
With this sample positioning apparatus, all the problems relating to the conventional type of piezo-scanner can be eliminated, but there is provided only the apparatus with the coarse adjustment mechanism in the Z-axial direction and the fine adjustment mechanism in the Z-axial direction integrated thereinto, and no consideration is found on the necessity that the scanning mechanisms in the x-axial and y-axial directions should be integrated into those mechanisms. The sample positioning apparatus based on the conventional technology has been used only, and no consideration has been made on the possibility of using it in scanning with a probe.
Then, the owner of the present invention developed the probe scanning apparatus as shown in FIG. 9, for which a patent application was filed in Japan under Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 8-118015 and in the United States under Ser. No. 08/855,543. This probe scanning apparatus has, as clearly understood from the figure, a first poise coil motor comprising a magnet 2 having a shaft section 3, a movable element 4 with a coil 6 wound therearound, and a membrane 5, each mounted in the upper section inside a frame 1. Fixed to the movable part 4 is a spindle 8 extending in the z-axial direction. Placed at the lower edge section of this spindle 8 is a displacement detector 9, and further a cantilever and a probe (chip) 10 are attached to the displacement detector 9.
On the other hand, the frame 1 has a slender pipe section 14 projecting to a sample chamber and a thick pipe section 15 communicated to the section, and an internal tube 13 is supported by a viscous body 17 inside the thick pipe section 15. Also the spindle 8 is elastically supported by first and second springs 11, 12 held by the internal tube. A heating coil 16 is energized to soften the viscosity body 17 at the time of coarse adjustment in z-axial direction of the probe 10.
Attached to an inside section in the side of the frame 1 is a second poise coil motor comprising a magnet 21 having a shaft section 22, a movable element 23 with a coil 25 wound therearound, and a membrane 24. Fixed to the movable element 23 is a spindle 27 extending in the x-axial direction, and a free edge of the spindle 27 is fixed to a portion 15a of the thick pipe section 15 through a fine line 26. Also a third poise coil motor is attached, although it is not shown in the figure, to an inside section in the side of the frame 1 in a different direction by 90.degree. from the second poise coil motor, and the movable element of third poise coil motor and the thick pipe section 15 are connected to each other through a fine line and a spindle neither of which are also not shown in the figure. Then, by driving the second and third poise coil motors, scanning in the x-axial and y-axial directions is executed by the probe 10.
Provided in a position opposite to the probe 10 is a sample base 31 and a sample 32 to be tested is placed thereon. The sample base 31 is placed on a stage 33 for coarse adjustment in x-, y-, z-axial directions.
By the way, in the probe scanning apparatus having the configuration as described above, it is impossible to make higher a resonance frequency f0 of the fine adjustment mechanism in the z-axial direction comprising the first poise coil motor, spindle 8, displacement detector 9, and the probe 10. It is generally known that, in a probe scanning apparatus for a probe microscope, a scanning frequency in the Z-axial direction can be used for observation of a sample only at a range of 1/5 or 1/10 or less of the resonance frequency f0 of the fine adjustment mechanism in the z-axial direction. Accordingly, in the probe scanning apparatus shown in FIG. 9, it is impossible to observe a sample by means of fast scan with the probe because a resonance frequency f0 of the fine adjustment mechanism in the z-axial direction cannot be made higher.
An object of the present invention is to provide a probe scanning apparatus for a probe microscope which can resolve the problems in the conventional technology described above and also make higher a resonance frequency f0 of the probe scanning apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to provide a probe scanning apparatus for a probe microscope in which fast scanning with a probe can be executed at a high speed.

Probe scanning apparatus for probe microscope


A programmable replacement controller that has a number of embedded applications corresponding to a number of OEM vehicle systems and a selected application within the controller can be called to service or activated through the programming feature of the replacement controller.

The ambient conditions in a vehicle are subject to many variables from without and within the vehicle. External conditions, like sun, wind, rain, snow, and frost, influence passage comfort. Internal conditions, like the number and size of passengers, preferences for heating and cooling, compartment size can influence passage comfort. Addressing these ambient conditions is especially difficult when the Original Equipment Manufacture's (OEM) controller becomes defective or inoperative. While OEM replacement controllers may be available, they tend to be expensive and they can be difficult to find in the marketplace for older vehicles. It is sometimes possible to find used controller on the secondary market, such as at salvage yards; however, the second hand market can be risky and there are seldom guarantees as to their performance.
Moreover, suppliers and retailers have to provide a wide variety of replacement controllers for the OEM variety of different vehicles. Different OEM controllers will typically have variations such as different printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) arrangements and optional components such as rear defrost. This variation results in multiple product SKUs that necessitate increased handling and storage space along with increased manufacturing costs.
As a result of these conditions, the marketplace desires a reliable, less expensive option to the OEM replacement controllers. The present invention answers the marketplace need with a replacement controller that can be programmed according to the vehicle application.

Programmable climate controller for a vehicle


A knowledge-based system and method for establishing and managing routes for emergency vehicles. The knowledge-based system and method uses a knowledge base having information useful in establishing and managing routes for emergency vehicles including information on intersections, road segments connecting intersections, expected travel time along the road segments, and dynamic factors that influence traffic flow, and a database for storing routes designed using the information useful in establishing and managing routes. The knowledge-based system also consist of one or more software modules operable to retrieve information from the knowledge base and to perform operations such as designing routes between location involved in emergency response, selecting between such routes, and modifying such routes all using information in the knowledge base.

Anyone who has lived even a short amount of time in a large and densely populated metropolitan area, such as Houston, Texas, has witnessed emergency vehicles caught in traffic jams on clogged freeways or seen such vehicles slow to a snail's pace in crossing intersections for fear that the intersecting motorists may not have heard the sirens over the din of car radios. Survival, health, safety, and security are fundamental concerns shared by nearly the entire global population. Therefore, all who sit in these traffic jams, bemoaning the plight of the ambulance drivers who futilely attempts to have the sea of cars part before them, reflect on their fortune in not being the victim who may be riding in the back of the ambulance or who may not be reached in time.
When an incident occurs and first responders (fire department, police, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)) are dispatched to the scene of the incident, the responders often only have a street address or a general location of the incident. If they are familiar with the area, they may recognize the address; or the dispatcher may be able to provide them with additional information via radio while they are en route. In general, however, first, second or third waves of responders are unlikely to have additional information about the locale (e.g., the urban setting, building and structures, access and lanes), best routes into and out of an area under current conditions (e.g., flooding of low sections of roads), and potential obstacles to traffic (e.g., railroad crossings, roads likely to be jammed at certain times).
Lack of knowledge of the preferred routes under current conditions results in significant loss of critical time and higher risk to the responders en route. These factors can result in response delays and loss of life and property that could be avoided if responders had access to optimal and protected routes to and from emergency situations. This is especially true in medical emergencies. The value of transporting a seriously injured victim to a trauma center as soon as possible is well understood and being able to accomplish this within the "Golden Hour" is a critical factor in survivability.
The Golden Hour is a term used in emergency medicine and refers to the first sixty minutes after an accident or the onset of acute illness. The victim's chances of survival are greatest if he or she can be transported to a hospital within the Golden Hour.
The "Golden Hour" concept comes from the U.S. military experience, especially in the Vietnam War. The fact is that in the case of a severe trauma, nothing can replace surgery (especially in case of an internal bleeding); it is therefore necessary to transport the victim as fast as possible to a trauma center.
Emergency response units can be slowed down by the driver's lack of familiarity with the location, traffic patterns on the way, temporary roadwork, or blocked railroad crossings. Time lost in reaching the site of an incident works against the responders' objective to mount an appropriate response. Time lost in evacuating victims reduces their chances of survival or recovery. In some cases, responding units may be put temporarily out of service or lost due to events such as traffic accidents or flooded roads, resulting in damaged assets, injured personnel, and the inability to respond to an incident.
Thus, it is desirable to supply responders with accurate information of the best possible access and evacuation routes in real time, to have the capability to dynamically redesign and implement such routes to account for the consequences of developing situations, and to have the capability to implement and to protect these routes by controlling traffic control devices to maximize responders' speed and safety and victims' chances of survival.
Furthermore, all parties who can contribute by making a response to an incident must have access to as much information specific to the event as possible and be able to contribute information and their expertise in a timely manner. Today, there is no unified method for capturing, organizing, updating and disseminating the information concerning an incident in a manner by which the information may be useful to emergency response personnel in selecting and managing routes to and from emergency incident locations.
While the past three decades have seen tremendous advances in relevant information technology, such as the widespread deployment of the commercial Internet, availability of portable and wireless devices, and the collection of a vast amount of information, these technologies and information have not been efficiently harnessed to provide better and safer ingress and egress routes for emergency response vehicles. It would be desirable to use these capabilities to provide crisis managers, first responders, and support organizations with incident-specific information (historical, calendar-based, and real-time information) anytime, anywhere, so as to afford response vehicles better and safer access and evacuation routes to and from emergency incident locations.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that there is still a need for an improved method to provide information in regard to road networks, road conditions, and traffic patterns to crisis managers, first responders, and their support organizations, and to make use of the control capabilities for traffic control devices so as to provide responders to emergency events efficient routes to and from incident locations.

System and method for knowledge-based emergency response


Electrical fuses (eFuses) are applied to the task of memory performance adjustment to improve upon earlier fuse techniques by not requiring an additional processing step and expensive equipment. Standard electrical fuse (eFuse) hardware chains provide a soft test feature wherein the effect of memory slow-down can be tested prior to actually programming the fuses. Electrical fuses thus provide a very efficient non-volatile method to match the logic-memory interface through memory trimming, drastically cutting costs and cycle times involved.

Microprocessor chips fabricated with current CMOS technology are designed with great care to comprehend the circuit performance variations that occur as the process shifts from one tolerance extreme to the other. Designers have become accustomed to speak of MOS transistors having maximum drive capability as strong transistors and MOS transistors with minimum drive capability as weak transistors. At both of these extremes, the transistors are within specified process tolerance limits. It is desirable to maximize the useable yield of all functional devices even though different speed performance devices will be produced. Normally the whole performance distribution is salable.
In practice, designs are analyzed according to (a) transistor strength, (b) power supply voltage tolerances, (c) interconnect resistance and capacitance, and (d) operating temperature, among other possible parameters. Logic portions of the circuit must match as closely as possible the memory portions of the circuit and the interface should be optimized on every die as much as practical.
Experience has shown that to optimize overall yield, both memory designs and logic designs should carried out for highest possible speed performance considering all the design parameters. The most effective matching between elements of the logic and elements of memory has been shown to be achievable by adjusting memory performance downward incrementally as necessary to improve to usability of the full performance spread of the logic circuit portions. Hence, memory designers have conventionally designed-in memory trimming circuitry to incrementally lower the speed of the memory function. These memory trimming circuits are generally used to adjust the propagation delays in the read and write control circuits and have in some cases also been applied to adjustment of memory sense amplifier reference elements.
Pervious Techniques for Memory Trimming
Originally, memory trimming was achieved by utilizing spare gates by way of a revision of the chip interconnect pattern. This incurs significant costs and cycle times to produce revised photomask reticles and to complete fabrication of the revised product.
A later technique introduced to make memory trimming more practical laser fuses. Laser fuses built into the die may be blown to achieve many of the desired memory trimming adjustments. However, laser fuses must be large in chip area to ensure dependable laser beam hits.
Electrical Fuses for Programming
Electrical fuses (eFuses) are extremely attractive for this kind of application and have made a great impact on digital processor devices. Originally eFuses were applied to the obvious need for device programmability. The possibility of programming a device to do a specific task efficiently has made modest cost special purpose processors a reality. Many fusible interconnect links are constructed of materials such as deposited amorphous polysilicon.
These electrical fuses (eFuses) in VLSI silicon devices are programmed conventionally by applying a relatively large amount of power to the fuse body to melt and separate the fuse body material. This changes the eFuse resistance from a low pre-blow resistance to a high post-blow resistance. This result can be sensed to determine the state of the eFuse: unblown or blown.

Electrical fuse control of memory slowdown


One embodiment relates to an apparatus for image processing. The apparatus includes a candidate edge chain identifier for identifying candidate edge chains in an image being processed, means for calculating a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed, and a threshold applicator for applying the dynamic chain-based threshold function to the candidate edge chains. The characteristic of the image being processed may be global in that it is determined from the overall image being processed. A system may include an encoder or a decoder, both of which include the above apparatus. Another embodiment relates to a method for image processing. The method determines a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed and applies the dynamic threshold to a candidate edge chain.

It is often desirable to identify and delineate segments of an image. Image segmentation is the process of partitioning an image into a set of non-overlapping parts, or segments, that together constitute the entire image. For example, the segmentation may divide the image into a background segment and a plurality of foreground segments. A foreground segment may, for example, correspond to an object, or a part of an object, in the image. Digital image or video processing may be facilitated by image segmentation.
In order to identify and delineate the segments in an image, the boundaries or edges of the segments may be detected or extracted. Extracting those edges or boundaries between segments using an electronically-implementable edge-detection algorithm or routine is difficult to do accurately for a general case. Such an algorithm must work for a wide range of images with varying amounts of scales and details. To be suitable for applications requiring fully-automated segmentation, the algorithm should not require user guidance or prior knowledge of the image to be segmented.
One technique for edge extraction is referred to as Canny edge detection. The process of conventional Canny edge detection begins with smoothing of intensity values by convolution with a two-dimensional Gaussian function. The smoothed image data is then differentiated to calculate a gradient vector function indicating the rate and direction of intensity change at each point in the image. Then, a non-maxima suppression process determines candidate edge points by eliminating non-maxima points perpendicular to edge directions. Subsequently, point-based thresholding is applied to the candidate edge points. In Canny edge detection, the point-based thresholding uses a hysteresis-type (two level) threshold function. Hysteresis-type threshold function evaluates the non-maxima points using two threshold levels. If a gradient value at a point lies above the upper threshold level, then the point is automatically accepted. If the gradient value lies below the lower threshold level, then the point is automatically rejected. If the gradient value lies in between the upper and lower thresholds, then the point is accepted if it is connected to a high value point. In other words, a chain does not stop until a point is reached that has a gradient value below the lower threshold.
Despite the accomplishments of prior edge extraction techniques, problems remain to be overcome in order to improve the edge extraction. One problem to be overcome to improve edge extraction is the over-identification of edges (i.e., the extraction of too many edges). For example, consider one white shirt on a black background. It may be desired to identify the white shirt as an image segment with a single edge around its boundary separating it from the black background segment. However, folds in the shirt may produce shadowed areas that may cause additional edges to be generated by the edge-detection routine. These extraneous edges may result in the creation of additional segments within the otherwise plain white shirt, or they may be superfluous in that they cannot be connected to enclose a segment.

Dynamic chain-based thresholding using global characteristics


A method for improving the seismic resolution in the field of petroleum exploration and development, using the steps of: (1) ensuring the depth and the velocity of the low-velocity layer and the high-velocity layer and the characteristic of the frequency spectrum of the seismic wave at the near-surface using the borehole seismic survey; (2) separating the ghost wave from the seismic record in the high-velocity layer using the processing method of the vertical seismic profiling, and improving the SNR of the seismic record of the direct wave at the high-velocity layer using the uphole stacking of the vertical seismic profiling; (3) evaluating the de-convolution operator of the near-surface by the convolution math-physics equation; (4) evaluating the seismic record with high resolution by the de-convolution math-physics equation; (5) providing the band-pass filtering and geologic interpretation to the seismic record with high resolution. Using this method, the apparent dominant frequency may reach 200 Hz and higher, the vertical seismic resolution is improved, and the problem of recognizing the thin layer by the present seismic exploration is resolved.

The seismic record is the recorded result of the seismic wavelet, which is produced by the hypocenter, recorded after the seismic wavelet spreads to the underground and is reflected back to the ground when met by the reflecting boundary. The vertical seismic resolution depends on the dominant frequency of the seismic wavelet, which is affected by the excited condition and spread condition. When the hypocenter of the seismic dynamite is generated, the wave dispersion of the seismic wavelet is improved by the amount of the dynamite or loosed by the stratum at the point of the detonation, therefore the dominant frequency of the seismic wavelet will be lowered. The attenuation, such as absorption, scattering, etc. takes place during the spreading process of the seismic wavelet. The seismic wavelet continues to improve with distortion. In particular, when the seismic wavelet is spreading at the near-surface, the attenuation and the wave dispersion of the seismic wavelet are relatively large. The amount of the attenuation each meter of the near-surface is relatively 500-1000 times higher than that of the high-velocity layer. The attenuation of the seismic wave is different due to the difference of the altitude of the near-surface and the lithology of the stratum.
it is effective to improve the vertical seismic resolution using processing technology, such as the field acquisition of the present high resolution and the static correction, spectra albino, wavelet de-convolution, anti-Q filtering, and the like. However, the apparent dominant frequency cannot be sufficient for the need of recognizing the thin layer in the present seismic exploration, since it can only be improved to around 60 Hz.

Method for improving the seismic resolution


A programmable logic device (PLD) is disclosed, which can efficiently, in a realestate sense, emulate a Mealy state machine. Specifically, there is a PLD which has macrocells which accept signals from two separate logical OR arrays. Where the first array and macrocell produces a latched output signal and the second array and macrocell circuit produces a non-latched output signal.

The introduction of programmable logic devices (PLD) was a true revolution in the hardware design world. It enabled engineers to shrink circuits requiring several devices onto a single device thus simplifying their designs while saving space and power. Traditionally, PLDs have been used in combinational circuits such as address decoders as well as sequential circuits such as bus arbitration schemes. During the last few years, advances and improvements in PLD architectures enabled the devices to grow more complex while addressing the never-ending quest for higher density and faster speeds. Despite these improvements, engineers still face certain problems and limitations when implementing state machine designs with PLDs.
A typical programmable logic device is composed of a user-programmable AND array, a fixed or programmable OR gates or arrays, followed by macrocells comprising output registers, feedback paths to the programmable AND array, and output pads. The existence of a feedback path from the output registers to the AND array makes PLDs ideal candidates for state machine implementations.
There are several basic categories of state machines such as Mealy and Moore machines. FIG. 1 illustrates the basics of a Mealy state machine as follows: a logic circuit 10, inputs 12 from the outside world, current state inputs 14, outputs 16, and next state outputs 18 leading to flip-flops 20.
The main characteristic of the Mealy is that its outputs 16, to the outside world, are a function of both inputs 12 and inputs 14.
It is possible to implement any of the state machines in a PLD; however, there are inefficiencies in implementing state machines with current PLDs.
If a Mealy machine is implemented on a standard PLD, a wasteful two macrocells would be required -- one per state register and one for each output.
The use of an extra macrocell is not an efficient use of the device's realestate resources and is fairly limiting in application. For example, a state machine with four outputs would be constrained to having no more than four state variables in an eight macrocell PLD.
FIG. 2 illustrates that if a Mealy machine is implemented on a standard PLD, a wasteful two macrocells would be required. In operation, inputs 28, lead to both logic circuit 30 and 40, comprising an AND and OR matrix. Logic circuit 30 generates the next state then outputs to register 32, working as memory elements. The output of register 32 is the current state, which is then input to logic circuits 30 and 40. Logic circuit 40 has the current state and inputs 28 as inputs for decoding and then outputting over pads 44. The current state is also used to generate the next state when inputted to circuit 30.
Inefficiencies occur in that pads 34 are by-passed and not used and that flip-flops 42 are likewise by-passed and not used. Specifically, both macrocell 33 and 43 are under-utilized.
As a solution to the aforementioned state machine problem, a two-OR array circuit was designed. One array generates the next state and utilizes the register. A second array calculates the outputs utilizing the current state and the inputs. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a two OR array PLD utilized for implementing a Mealy state machine, and having the following elements: input 50, programmable logical AND array 52, a first programmable logical OR array 54, macrocell 55 having flip-flop 56 and output pad 62, feedback line 58, and a second logical OR array 60.
One skilled in the art will appreciate the advantage of this architecture. Specifically, by implementing two OR arrays, which have a common output pad, the first OR will calculate the current state of the Mealy machine, and the second OR will calculate the outputs in response to the current state and the inputs. Thus, implementing a Mealy state machine by utilizing only one flip-flop and one output pad per state register of the machine.
Therefore, a need exists for a macrocell which can coordinate the outputs from two logical OR arrays for implementing an efficient Mealy state machine, and specifically, the efficient use of output pads and registers/flip-flops.

Programmable logic device macrocell with two OR array inputs


Using gate arrays to create capacitive structures within an integrated circuit are disclosed. Embodiments comprise having a gate array of P-type field effect transistors (P-fets) and N-type field effect transistors (N-fets) in an integrated circuit design, coupling drains and sources for one or more P-fets and gates for one or more N-fets to a power supply ground, and coupling gates for the one or more P-fets and the drains and sources for one or more N-fets to a positive voltage of the power supply. In some embodiments, source-to-drain leakage current for capacitive apparatuses of P-fets and N-fets are minimized by biasing one or more P-fets and one or more N-fets to the positive voltage and the ground, respectively. In other embodiments, the capacitive structures may be implemented using fusible elements to isolate the capacitive structures in case of shorts.

Today, integrated circuits ("ICs") may contain millions of transistors on a single chip, with many critical circuit features having measurements in the deep sub-micron range. ICs are fabricated layer by layer on a semiconductor substrate. Using techniques known in the art of semiconductor fabrication, metal-oxide-semiconductor ("MOS") transistors, bipolar transistors, diodes and other devices are fabricated and combined to form an IC on a substrate. Typically, portions of some of the devices and some interconnections are frequently formed using one or more levels of polysilicon. For example, a MOS transistor gate electrode and a resistor may be fabricated from a layer of polysilicon.
The IC layers are fabricated through a sequence of pattern definition steps that are mixed with other process steps such as oxidation, etching, doping, and material deposition. One or more metal layers are then deposited on top of the base layers to form conductive segments that interconnect IC components. Formation of the metallization layers over the substrate facilitates interconnection of the transistors to form more complex devices such as NAND gates, inverters, and the like. These metallization layers may also be used to provide power supply ground (VSS) and power supply voltage (VDD) to such IC devices.
The metallization layers utilize lines, contacts, and vias to interconnect the transistors in each of the cells as well as to interconnect the cells to form the integrated circuit, such as a processor, state machine, or memory. Lines in adjacent vertical layers often run perpendicular to one another, the adjacent vertical layers separated by a non-conductive passivation layer such as, e.g., silicon oxide. The silicon oxide is etched to form the vias, which interconnect the lines of various metallization layers in accordance with the circuit design. Inputs and outputs of the integrated circuit are brought to a surface with vias to bond the circuits with pins of a chip package. The chip package typically includes an epoxy or ceramic that encloses the integrated circuit to protect the circuit from damage and pins to facilitate a connection between the inputs and outputs of the integrated circuit and, e.g., a printed circuit board.
As stated above, the finished product IC may contain millions of transistors. Many of these transistors may operate with rapid switching rates. The operation of low-power, high-speed integrated circuits may be affected by these rapid switching rates. The extremely rapid switching rates of the transistor and other discrete components that make up integrated circuits typically cause current transients in the power buses of the integrated circuits. These current transients may last for several nanoseconds. Unfortunately, the power supply for the circuit may require much more time, such as several microseconds, to compensate for the transient currents drawn from the power bus by the discrete components. As a consequence, these transient currents from the power bus cause noise in power supply rails. Low gate threshold voltages of the various discrete components in ICs require the power supply bus to deliver a stable voltage, with minimum voltage level variations. Consequently, power supply bus stability, in terms of current response and voltage level fluctuation, is a significant issue in the design of an integrated circuit.
The conventional approach for stabilizing the power supply bus is to insert decoupling capacitors between the power supply bus and the IC circuit elements. Decoupling capacitors placed near power consuming circuits tend to stabilize, or smooth out, voltage variations by utilizing the charge stored within the decoupling capacitor. The stored charge may be thought of as a local power supply, providing power during the times that the discrete components switch rapidly. The net result being that the decoupling capacitors help mitigate the effects of voltage noise induced onto the system power supply bus.
Generally, IC designers may incorporate decoupling capacitance directly on the IC by only a few means, such as using thin oxide capacitance, metal-to-metal capacitance, and junction capacitance. While thin oxide capacitance, such as that associated with device gate oxide, offers the highest capacitance per unit area, it also has higher gate leakage and tends to lower IC fabrication yield due to gate oxide shorts than the other capacitance options.
Today, gate oxide thickness of ICs is merely a few layers of atoms and is approaching fundamental limits. For example, in a typical complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device the gate oxide thickness is often less than two nanometers. Consequently, such a small thickness makes the device susceptible to the effects of gate leakage current from other circuit components coupled with the device. One example is gate tunneling leakage current generated by one or more decoupling capacitors that couple the device to the power bus. Another example is a gate oxide defect causing a short between two plates. Small holes, or other defects in the oxide, often result in gate oxide leakage currents.
Typically, thin oxide structures used to create decoupling capacitance are field effect transistor (fet) based devices with wide device widths and relatively long channels. These structures are generally interspersed with the logic gates of the IC circuit design. Vacant regions of an IC may also be populated with gate array back fill cells, to allow designers to satisfy pattern density requirements and allow engineers to incorporate design changes. Unfortunately, the precise need for decoupling capacitance is not known until the IC circuit design has been placed and routed. Decoupling capacitance needs may disrupt the design process, requiring designers and engineers to rearrange the initial circuit placement to accommodate insertion of the decoupling capacitance structures.
Using deep sub-micron technology to design ICs, combined with the strict need for minimizing leakage currents and the need to have adequate amounts of decoupling capacitance, presents circuit designers with numerous design problems. What is needed is a new apparatus for creating decoupling capacitance using gate array cells while minimizing yield losses due to gate oxide defects, leakage current, and placement disruption.

Creating integrated circuit capacitance from gate array structures


A long handled scraper clamped onto a broom and/or dustmop handle.

While a school custodian is sweeping/dusting the floors he comes upon a piece of gum stuck on the floor. There are spit balls on the walls and ceiling that need scraped down as well. The custodian may also find a pencil stuck in the ceiling tile. The custodian must stop what he is doing to take care of his findings. With the Busterduster and Busterbroom, the custodian just pulls off the long handled scraper, scrapes up the object, then continues along sweeping or dusting the floors.
Currently most custodians carry scrapers in their back pockets.
With the current process the custoidan has to bend over to scrape up the gum, or climb a ladder to scrape the spit balls off the walls and ceilings. The extra bending and climbing risk injuries to the custodian and takes away precious time from his job.
It is therefore an object of the invention to aid maintenance workers at scraping up gum and such stuck on floors, walls and ceilings.
It is another object of the invention to provide a broom or mop with a scraper attached.
It is another object of the invention to eliminate work related injuries from bending over and climbing ladders, risking falls.
It is another object of the invention to expedite required work hours saving on overtime pay.


A filtering connection to optical light cable is a body having a hollow bore extending through the body, with a single or multicomponented optical element positioned coaxially in the hollow bore. An interior threaded portion with a standard thread is formed at one end of the hollow bore while an exterior threaded portion with a mating standard thread is formed about the other opposite end of the hollow bore.

This invention is directed to a simple filtering connection to optical light cable. In particular, this invention is directed to a connection device to an optical light cable that converts a light source to a narrower spectral light source.
Medical applications often require specialized light with particular light spectral characteristics. Hospital operating theaters and physicians' offices often contain commercial off-the-shelf broadband wavelength light sources. Such light sources are manufactured by such companies as Karl Storz and Pillin. The light sources typically allows one (or a plurality of) light cables (typically a fiber bundle or liquid core) to be connected to the light output of the light source.
The fiber bundles are connected to the light output by way of a threaded connection. The threaded connection connects the fiber bundle to lead the light output to a given application's instrument for subsequent illuminating use.
A typical conventional fiberoptic bundle connection 1, is shown in FIG. 1. Fiberoptic bundle connection 1 includes a body 2 with a threaded bore 15 having a standard thread 3. Coaxial to threaded bore 15 is an end of a fiberoptic bundle 4 that is fixed to body 2 by a standard fiber connection (SMA).
Standard thread 3 can vary between manufacturers, but within each manufacturer's product line each manufacturer keeps to such manufacturer's standard thread. Accordingly, standard thread 3 is understood to be a standard for a particular manufacture. The present invention is effective for any given standard thread.
The bulb in the commercial light sources are usually a xenon short arc which is very bright in the blue end of the spectrum. However, there are many applications that require a particular light spectral output. As an example, the excitation source for a fluorimeter should include light of only a narrow spectral range so that a particular chemical species can be excited. Another application is in the use of light to test for particular light sensitivities.
Commercial light sources can serve as the excitation source for any fluorimeter if the light output from the fiberoptic cable bundle is filtered to allow only the spectral window of interest to be delivered. For example, the PhotoDynamic Therapy ("PDT") drug Foscan.RTM. needs light at 421 nm.
Presently, such filtering is performed after the light output has been transported by the fiberoptic bundle. The filter must be incorporated into the apparatus, for a particular application, at the delivery end of the fiberoptic bundle. Consequently, complexity and cost is added to each application's apparatus because each application must build in the structure and space for the filter. Further, the filters are often duplicated within such applications that require different tools even though the different tools nonetheless require the same spectral light.

Filtering connection to optical light cable


Various techniques are disclosed for facilitating tracking locations of players and/or wireless communication devices in a casino network. In at least one embodiment, an electronically switched Doppler antenna array may be utilized to detect a first wireless signal from a first signal source. Bearing information may be generated using information from the detected signal. In at least one embodiment, the bearing information may include a first directional bearing to the first signal source. Using at least a portion of the first bearing information, a first location of the first signal source may be determined. According to specific embodiments, the first signal source may correspond to a wireless communication device such as an RFID-enabled player tracking card or gaming chip. In at least one embodiment, a current location of the wireless communication device may be automatically tracked in real-time as the wireless communication device is moved through a first region of the casino.

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to RFID device tracking services implemented in table game environments.
In general, casino operators have an interest in collecting the information relating to their patrons (e.g., players). Conventionally, such information may include player tracking data and other data relating to individual player activities and/or other characteristics.
Conventionally, player tracking may be facilitated by a gaming machine and/or by a reader, such as a card reader or a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader at or near the gaming machine. In some systems, for example, a player swipes his or her player card through a reader at a gaming machine before playing a game at that machine. In other systems, for example, an RFID reader detects an RFID tag embedded within a player card.
In a typical RFID system, the RFID reader includes a microchip and an antenna that transmits electromagnetic waves in an area around the location of the reader. The RFID tag on the player card also includes a microchip and antenna. When the electromagnetic waves from the reader impact the antenna on the tag, a magnetic field is formed. The RFID tag may be passive and draw power from the magnetic field to power the microchip. An active RFID tag is powered by a battery, for example. The microchip at the RFID tag modulates the waves received from the RFID reader and transmits the modulated waves back to the reader. The reader converts the received waves into digital data identifying the tag. The reader may then transmit data to a server to track player loyalty points and/or player location in a gaming establishment.

Radio direction finder for gaming chip and/or player tracking


A template (1) in the form of a thin disc is provided with segmental (3) and circular (4) markings, a central aperture (2), and apertures (5) which coincide with intersecting points on the markings enables centre point based positions to be plotted using the template (1) to assist in the process of circular sewing and embroidery.

The creation of regular sewing or embroidery patterns and designs is artful.
The process is assisted by the use of various types of patterns, templates, rulers and apparatus such as circular sewing attachments.
Whilst such apparatus and implements are helpful the production of regular and consistent results is not always assured and the quality of work remains dependant upon operator skill.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a template to assist the process of circular sewing and embroidery, which will enhance the quality and consistency of the craft.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

Template to assist the process of circular sewing embroidery and the like


This invention relates to a cistem (1010): More specifically, the invention relates primarily to concealed cisterns for toilets having integrated, and preferably adjustable, dual-flushing and odour extraction capability. The cistem (1010) includes a primary chamber (1020) for storing a volume of liquid, a liquid inlet (1026) for the primary chamber (1020) of the cistem (1010) with liquid, an air outlet (1028) for exhausting air from the primary chamber (1020) of the cistem (1010) operatively during filling; and a liquid outlet (30) through which liquid operatively stowed in the primary chamber (1020) of the cistem is dischargeable. The cistem (1010) further includes a fill valve for controlling liquid supply into the primary chamber from the liquid inlet (1026) and a flush valve (60) for controlling flow through the liquid outlet (30). The flush valve (60) comprises of a flush valve seat and a flush plug (1064) being moveable relative to the flush valve seat between an open position, wherein the flush plug (1064) is displaced from the flush valve seat thereby to open the liquid outlet (30) and enable the liquid in the primary chamber (1020) to discharge there through during flushing, and a closed position, wherein the flush plug (1064) is seated on the flush valve seat thereby to close the liquid outlet (30) and prevent the passage of liquid there through. The cistern (1010) also includes at least one actuator (1070) for actuating displacement of the flush plug (1064) from the closed position to the open position, and a controller (1123) for controlling one or more of a group of flushing conditions including: (i) flush type, wherein the cistem (1010) is adjustable between a single flush, dual-flush, on-demand flush or a combination of such flush type conditions; and (ii) flush time, wherein the time of the displacement of the flush plug (1064) by the actuator (1070) for each flush type condition is adjustable.

THIS invention relates to a cistern. More specifically, the invention relates primarily to concealed cisterns for toilets having integrated, and preferably adjustable, dual-flushing and odour extraction capability.
Cisterns for toilets have been around for many years. Early types required that the cistern be fixed at an elevated location relative to the toilet bowl thereby to provide maximum gravitational water pressure to efficiently flush the toilet bowl.
Over the years, and as aesthetics in the bathroom became more of a priority, the cisterns began to move downwardly closer to the toilet bowl, with sanitary ware manufacturers ultimately making matching cistern and toilet bowl sets with the cisterns being mounted directly to the toilet bowl (commonly known as close coupled suites in Europe, and two-piece sets in the United States of America).
With the cisterns moving from high-level to low-level types, the design of such cisterns and their matching toilet bowls required massive refinement to enable efficient flushing with far less gravitational water pressure. This design refinement, together with water conservation concerns leading to the introduction of dual-flushing capability, have led to the development of cisterns that are seemingly overly complicated, with many incorporating some 20+ working and moving parts.
Although there may be good reason for modem cisterns to be seemingly overly complicated, attempts at manufacturing cisterns with more simplified flushing capability have been made. One such example is taught by VUAGNAT in French patent no. 744156, disclosing a pressurised tank having a vent valve, a flush valve, a hydraulic actuator (comprising a piston movable within a cylinder) for opening and closing the flush valve and a control level for controlling the hydraulic actuator.
Water entering the tank from a pressurised source fills the tank, as well as the cylinder of the hydraulic actuator. As water fills the tank, air therein is vented through an upper vent until the vent valve floats upwardly on the water to seat against and close the upper vent. The water filling of the cylinder of the hydraulic actuator causes the piston to extend from the cylinder thereby to force the flush valve to seat against and close a flush outlet.
In use, depression of the control lever opens a purge line extending from the cylinder through which water contained in the cylinder rapidly exhausts, creating a vacuum in the cylinder and causing the piston to retract into the cylinder thereby to enable the flush valve to open and the remaining water in the tank to discharge via the flush outlet.
The disadvantages of the VUAGNAT invention are at least two. The first is that the invention does not appear to make provision for dual-flush capability. The second is that the working parts, and particularly the hydraulic actuator are located inside of the tank, making them susceptible to damage (i.e. corrosion) and cumbersome to maintain and/or repair.
Another example is taught by BAUMANN in French patent no. 1111426, disclosing a pressurised tank having a flush valve, a bell-shaped catch for catching the flush valve, a mechanical actuator for opening and closing the flush valve and a control level for controlling the hydraulic actuator.
Water entering the tank from a pressurised source fills the tank, pressurising the volume of air previously contained therein until the air pressure and water pressure in the tank equalize. As water fills the tank, the bell-shaped catch too fills with water, displacing air previously contained therein through a one-way vent defined in the catch.
In a filled condition, with the tank and the catch filled with water, the flush valve is seated against a flush outlet thereby to close it. In use, depression of the control lever acts to, via the mechanical actuator, dislodge the flush valve from its seated position to enable water stored in the tank to discharge through the flush outlet. BAUMANN in this patent discusses how a dual-flushing is achieved.
By depressing the control lever only partially through its possible full stroke, the flush valve is lifted from its seated position by a height not sufficient enough for it to escape the forces of the water current/suction acting on it as water discharges through the flush outlet. Accordingly, the flush valve, after momentarily being dislodged, re-seats against and closes the flush valve such that only a small volume of water is allowed to discharge.
By depressing the control lever its full stroke, the flush valve is lifted from its seated position by a height sufficient for it to escape the forces of the water current/suction acting on it, thereby to become buoyant and float to the top of the catch, the flush valve remaining at the catch until all of the water in the tank, followed by all of the water in the catch, has been discharged via the flush outlet. With all of the water discharged, the flush valve falls back into the seated condition to close the flush outlet. In this manner, a larger volume of water may be discharged from the tank.
Although the BAUMANN invention provides for dual-flush capability, it appears that such dual-flush capability is controlled by the operator and not automatically by the cistern itself.
In recent times, odour extraction has also become hugely popular, particularly in public toilet facilities. It will be appreciated that odour extraction is tantamount to germ extraction and, with diarrhea believed to be some seven times more contagious in spreading disease as compared to coughing and sneezing, likely to become mainstream.
Current odour extraction systems are typically retrofit systems that vent odour from the toilet bowl direct or indirectly. In the direct system, the toilet bowl is vented to a sewer line (with a self-contained fan) or an overhead extraction duct having a negative pressure. Where overhead extraction ducts are not available, the toilet bowl is vented to the sewer line, which systems require non-return valves to prevent backdrafts pushing unpleasant odours from the sewers back up into the toilet bowl, and/or carbon filters to mask such odours.
In indirect systems, which are currently most common place, the odours from the toilets are required to escape upwardly from the toilet bowls to be extracted through ceiling level extraction grilles. In essence, this forces the odours and bacteria to travel through the breathing space of the users within the toilet facility, which seems inefficient.
In fact, it often happens that in an attempt to ensure that the environment in a toilet facility remains reasonably pleasant, the air-conditioning infrastructure (ducting, fans, etc.) is over designed. This leads to unnecessary capital expenditure and running costs some 25% more than required as a result of wasted and costly make-up air (i.e. unnecessary supply of air-conditioned air).
Masking sprays are often also used in these facilities, however they only mask odour and bacteria. Studies have shown that many of these masking sprays contain harmful chemicals, with more recent research indicating that some of these chemicals contribute to hormonal abnormalities and birth defects. These masking spray cans & bottles end up contributing to waste landfill sites, which is not environmentally friendly.
More recent market research conducted by the inventor has revealed further complications. For example, different regions or countries stipulate different small and large flush volume requirements (i.e. 4 and 6 litre, 3 and 6 litre, 3 and 4.5 litre, 2.6 and 4 litre). Another example is that other regions require application specific flush characteristics, i.e. single flush for commercial applications (with varied volume requirements) and dual-flush for residential applications.
As a result, and due to traditional flush valves still being in general use, manufactures are forced to manufacture a multitude of slightly differing tank and valve configurations to cater for this varied market demand. It will be appreciated that every tank-valve variation requires a custom mounting system and possibly flush plate, again adding to the complexity and cost of manufacturing processes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a universal, simple, hygienic, low-maintenance and preferably concealed type of cistern for toilets and/or other applications having integrated dual-flush and extraction capability.
It is a further object of the present invention that the cistem provides easy adjustment of its operative parameters. For example, its flush volume, to cater for the varying requirements of different countries and regions, and its flush force (i.e. through use of adjustable flow restrictors), to accommodate different toilet bowl designs that are also continuously being designed to perform more efficiently, many requiring less water and less flow force.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to make the cistern "smart", in-line with technology trends and the interconnection of devices through the "internet of things".
This will allow the smart cistern, through a mobile application, to record and transmit usage, maintenance and other data, and enable a user to customise operative parameters.
The invention also aims at being environmentally friendly with lower water consumption as compared to many other cisterns available on the market.


Methods, systems and devices for correlator time delay extraction for wireless acoustic wave devices. A receiver receives an analog signal as a sum of plural different analog coded signals each having a different time delay and matched filters corresponding to the acoustic devices is used to extract the time delay to recover the original plural different analog coded signals. In an embodiment the acoustic devices generate orthogonal-frequency codes signals with block-time-diversity to reduce the cross-correlation “noise” due to multi-codes. The time diversity spreads the tags ensemble energy in time, thereby reducing the time energy density. An estimate of the delay time using the passband frequency phase slope, or in the time domain by using the correlation peak, is obtained.

The use of orthogonal frequencies for a wealth of communication and signal processing applications is well known to those skilled in the art. Orthogonal frequencies are often used in an M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK) system. There is a required relationship between the local, or basis set, of frequencies and their bandwidths that meets the orthogonality condition. If adjacent time chips have contiguous local stepped frequencies, then a stepped chirp response is obtained.
Other orthogonal frequency coding techniques by the same inventor, and assigned to the same assignee, include U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,898 which disclosed a novel spread spectrum coding that uses orthogonal frequency coding (OFC) for surface acoustic wave identification tags and sensors which enables unique sensor operation and identification in multi-sensor environments. The OFC technique provided a wide bandwidth spread spectrum signal with all the inherent advantages obtained from the time-bandwidth product increase over the data bandwidth.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,623,037 issued to the same inventor, and assigned to the same assignee, teaches weighted SAW gratings for coding identification tags and sensors for a multi-sensor environment. In an embodiment, the weighted reflectors are variable while in another embodiment the reflector gratings are apodized. The weighting technique allows the designer to decrease reflectively increases coding diversity.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,623,037 issued to the same inventor, and assigned to the same assignee, teaches UCF-560CIP teaches a method to mitigate code collisions in a wireless multi-tag system, each one of the OFC surface acoustic wave devices generating an orthogonal frequency coded signal for identification
The co-inventors previously published results showing that the cross correlation between differing orthogonal frequency coded frequency chips yield reduced correlation sidelobes compared to conventional Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). The co-inventors have also discussed the use of both frequency division (FD) between tags and time division (TD) of chips in tags. Both of these approaches were considered since each provides greater diversity of coding in a multi-sensor system. Both approaches also provide some measure of orthogonality, based on the implementation technique, over and above that of just OFC coding.
The present invention solves the problem of extracting time delays injected into plural coded signals in a multi-device system that generates and transmits a coded signal in response to an interrogation signal. The analysis assumes all tags of equal signal strength received at the antenna, having a known single range. The present invention uses correlator time delay extraction with matched filters to remove the block time delay to recover each original coded signal.

Correlator time delay extraction for wireless acoustic sensors

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A pneumatic tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 provided with main grooves 3 extending zigzag continuously in the tire circumferential direction, and lateral grooves 4 extending in the tire axial direction. The main grooves 3 include a pair of shoulder main grooves 6. The lateral grooves 4 include shoulder lateral grooves 17 extending from the shoulder main grooves 6 to tread edges Te. The maximum groove width W8 of the shoulder lateral grooves 17 is 0.2 to 0.6 times the maximum groove width W1 of the shoulder main grooves 6.

Pneumatic tires for vehicles such as sport-utility vehicle and four-wheel drive vehicle used in rough terrain as well as on surfaced streets are required to satisfy both of on-road performance and off-road performance. The on-road performance during running on surfaced streets includes wet performance and dry performance. The off-road performance during running in rough terrain includes mud performance and snow performance.
In recent years, such pneumatic tires are further required to satisfy ride comfort performance and noise performance during running on surfaced streets. Therefore, such required performances need to be improved totally, namely, in a well congruous manner.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-011981A (Patent document 1) discloses a pneumatic tire directed to improve mud performance without sacrificing noise performance and steering stability (or dry performance).


A post processing apparatus for automated removal of support material from a three-dimensional objected formed from a build material by selective deposition modeling is provided. The apparatus includes a heated main chamber into which is placed the three-dimensional object with the support material attached and first and second liquid heat transfer medium storage reservoirs. The storage reservoirs reversibly provide liquid heat transfer medium to the main chamber to immerse the three-dimensional object and the attached support material for desired periods of time to meltingly separate the support material from the object.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to solid deposition modeling, and in particular to an apparatus for post processing three-dimensional objects produced by such a modeling technique to remove a non-curable phase change support material from a three-dimensional object formed from a curable phase change build material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the past two decades several new technologies have been developed for the rapid creation of models, prototypes, and parts for limited run manufacturing. These new technologies are generally called Solid Freeform Fabrication techniques, and are herein referred to as "SFF". SFF techniques include stereolithography, selective deposition modeling, laminated object manufacturing, selective phase area deposition, multi-phase jet solidification, ballistic particle manufacturing, fused deposition modeling, particle deposition, laser sintering, and the like. Complex parts are produced using SFF techniques from a modeling material in an additive fashion, as opposed to conventional fabrication techniques that are generally subtractive in nature. For example, in most conventional fabrication techniques material is removed by machining operations or shaped in a die or mold to near net shape and then trimmed. In contrast, additive fabrication techniques incrementally add portions of a build material to targeted locations, layer by layer, in order to build a complex part. SFF technologies typically utilize a computer graphic representation of a part and a supply of a building material to fabricate the part in successive layers. SFF technologies have many advantages over conventional manufacturing methods. For instance, SFF technologies dramatically shorten the time to develop prototype parts and can produce limited numbers of parts in rapid manufacturing processes. They also eliminate the need for complex tooling and machining associated with conventional subtractive manufacturing methods, including the need to create molds for custom applications. In addition, customized objects can be directly produced from computer graphic data in SFF techniques.
Structures are formed in a layer by layer manner by solidifying or curing successive layers of a build material in most SFF techniques. For example, in stereolithography a tightly focused beam of energy, typically in the ultraviolet radiation band, is scanned across a layer of a liquid photopolymer resin to selectively cure the resin to form a structure. In Selective Deposition Modeling, herein referred to as "SDM" a phase change build material is jetted or dropped in discrete droplets, or extruded through a nozzle, to solidify on contact with a build platform or previous layer of solidified material in order to build up a three-dimensional object in a layerwise fashion. Solid object imaging, solid object modeling, deposition modeling, multi-jet modeling, three-dimensional printing and thermal stereolithography have at various time been used synonymously for SDM. Often, a thermoplastic material having a low-melting point is used as the solid modeling material, which is delivered through a jetting system such as an extruder or print head.
There has developed recently an interest in utilizing curable phase change materials in SDM. One of the first suggestions of using a radiation curable build material in SDM is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,515 to Helinski, in which it is proposed to selectively dispense a UV curable build material in a SDM system. Some of the first UV curable material formulations proposed for use in SDM systems are found in Appendix A of International Patent Publication No. WO 97/11837, where three reactive material compositions are provided. More recent teachings of using curable materials in three-dimensional printing are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,962 to Gothait and in International Publication Number WO 01/26023.
However, one of the most fundamental problems associated with SDM processes is the adverse effect resulting from gravitational forces that act on a part during the build process. All SDM processes must deal with gravitational forces. For example, most downward facing surfaces built by SDM processes need special supports in order to stabilize the part during the build process.
One method of supporting the three-dimensional object to counter the gravity problem is to utilize dissimilar materials in the build process. For example, two different solidifying materials can be selectively deposited in a layer-by-layer process, one material for building the part, and the other material for building the support structure. There are some generally recognized methods for removing support material from a SDM object. Three of the methods were initially proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,515 to Helinski. They include removing the support material by physical force, removing the support material by application of heat and removing the support material by chemical means. However, all methods have their drawbacks.
Where the support material is removed by physical force from a different build material, the materials can be carefully selected in order to establish a weak bond joint at their juncture such that the application of an applied force separates the support structure from the part along the joint. Where a single material is used, the point of contact between the supports and the build object can be weakened so the supports are more easily removed. However, the application of applied force to crack or crumble away the support material from the object has limitations, such as marring or damaging the three-dimensional object during support removal or breaking off entirely of delicate features. Additionally it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove the support material for certain geometric configurations, such as in deep cavities or pockets.
A second separation approach is to select a support material having a lower melting point than the material of the formed object. After forming the object and support structure, the temperature of the composite is raised in order to melt out the support structure. This type of approach is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,680 to Almquist et al.
A third approach uses a support material that is soluble in a solvent, but in which the different build material is not so that the support structure is dissolved away after the completed part and its support structure are submersed in the solvent. However, it is problematic with this approach that the solvent eventually becomes saturated with removed support material and must be disposed of, and then replaced with fresh solvent. Additionally, unpleasant and potentially unhealthful odors are produced by the evaporation of the solvent. Thus, implementing this approach may not be user friendly or cost effective.
None of the prior approaches provided a simple and low cost apparatus to effect reliable removal of support structure. Where the build material is an acrylate/wax based curable phase change material, there is a need to develop an apparatus capable of removing a phase change support material dispensed to support a three-dimensional object formed from a curable phase change build material without adversely affecting the three-dimensional object. These and other problems are solved by the design of the present invention.

Post processor for three-dimensional objects


Glasses, a head-up display device and system, and an in-vehicle system for distortion calibration are provided, as well as a distortion correction method. The glasses include a first lens, a second lens, and a correction structure. The correction structure includes first and second standard plates and a polarizers having first and second polarization directions corresponding to the first and second lenses, respectively. The first and second standard plates are configured to enable the head-up display device to generate first and second correction images after receiving first and second distortion images of the first and second standard plates, respectively, based on the first and second distortion degrees of the first and second standard plates, respectively, and on an image to be displayed. The first polarized direction is perpendicular to the second polarized direction.

Head-Up Displays (HUD) result in an image distortion due to optical systems and windshields being off-axis. This distortion can be corrected statically by an image source before leaving the factory. However, when a driver's head movement during actual driving cause eyeglass position to change, projection distortion can also change, causing the distortion compensation set at the factory to sometimes be inappropriate. In addition, due to the windshield manufacturing and installation accuracy error and in-vehicle system vibration, the HUD internal optical component position error can also introduce the distortion which needs to be corrected in a timely fashion.

Distortion calibration glasses, distortion correction head-up display device and system, image display distortion correction method and in-vehicle system


A folding countertop system is used to conceal an appliance and to provide a countertop which functions as a service area or additional usable counter space. The countertop system includes a top shelf which is disposed above the appliance, a drop panel which extends downwardly from the top shelf to an upper surface of the appliance, and a countertop which extends forwardly from the drop panel and rests on the upper surface of the appliance. The top shelf, drop panel and countertop can be folded and stacked when it is desired to use the appliance. The countertop system may also include a skirt which extends downwardly from a forward edge of the countertop to cover the front of the appliance.

Many homes have a designated room or laundry area where a washing machine and dryer are located. Owners of such homes are thus provided with a convenient place for doing laundry which is out-of-site of visitors. However, not all homes have a sufficient space for laundry rooms or designated wash areas. In smaller homes, the washing machine and dryer are sometimes located in one of the living areas of the home. For example, it is quite common to find the washing machine and dryer located in the kitchen of a home.
When appliances, such as a washing machine and dryer, are located in a living area of the home, it is common to conceal the appliance behind folding doors. In some homes, the use of folding doors to conceal the appliance are not practical, or are too expensive. Thus, some persons have no alternative but to leave the appliances exposed to full view.
Another problem associated with the use of appliances in smaller homes is that the appliances take up a relatively large amount of space which might otherwise be used for other purposes. For example, the location of the appliances in the kitchen of a small home reduces the amount of space available for cabinets and counters. Thus, homeowners are often forced to choose between having the appliance, or having additional cabinets and counters.

Shelving system for concealing an appliance


A bipolar transistor having enhanced characteristics is fabricated by etching a base mesa, which is formed below an emitter mesa (upper emitter layer) and a base electrode, so as to have jut regions on the edges of its generally rectangular region. A mask film, e.g., insulating film, is formed to cover the rectangular region and jut regions, and the base layer is etched by use of the insulating film as a mask to form a base mesa. Consequently, abnormal etching can be prevented from occurring along the base electrode and emitter mesa on the edges of the area where the base electrode and emitter mesa confront each other, and an increase in resistance between the base layer and the emitter layer can be prevented, whereby the bipolar transistor can have enhanced characteristics.

The present invention relates to a bipolar transistor (semiconductor device), and, more particularly, to a technique which is applicable effectively to a bipolar transistor having mesa-type semiconductor layers.
Studies are under way on bipolar transistors having a collector layer, a base layer and an emitter layer formed in this order in a transistor region on a semiconductor substrate, with remaining areas being etched off. These bipolar transistors, which have a collector, base and emitter layers of a trapezoidal cross section (shape of a "mesa"), are called mesa-type bipolar transistors.
Also studies are under way on bipolar transistors formed of a compound semiconductor of the III-V groups, such as gallium-arsenic (GaAs). Such a compound semiconductor is characterized by having a higher mobility as compared with Si (silicon) and by enabling the formation of semi-insulating crystal and mixed crystal to create hetero junctions.
For example, a hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT: Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor) based on the use of gallium-arsenic is a bipolar transistor which is formed of GaAs for the base layer and which has a different semiconductor, such as InGaP (indium-gallium-phosphor), for the emitter layer. Using the hetero junction (different junction) to make the emitter forbidden band width of base-emitter junction larger than that of the base can improve the transistor characteristics, such as providing a larger current gain.
Patent document 1 discloses a hetero-junction bipolar transistor having a reduced base-emitter capacitance. The base electrode (1) and emitter electrode (2) of this transistor have rectangular patterns, and they are formed over a rectangular base layer (5).
[Patent document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2001-230261 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2)

Bipolar transistor and a method of manufacturing the same


Disclosed is a high-sensitive and super-high contrast silver halide photographic material suitable to use in photomechanical process. The material comprises a support having thereon having at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and another hydrophilic colloid layer, wherein at least one of the emulsion layer or the other hydrophilic colloid layer contains a hydrazine derivative and a redox compound capable of releasing a development inhibitor by oxidation and further contains at least one hardening agent represented by formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and n represents 0 or 1.

In the field of photomechanical process technology, photographic materials with excellent original-producibility, stable processing solutions and simplified replenishment systems are required for the purpose of dealing with diversified and complicated print forms.
Originals employed in line work processes are often composed of phototypeset letters, hand-written letters, illustrations and halftone image photographs. Accordingly, an original may contain a plurality of images having different concentrations and different line widths in combination. Photomechanical cameras and photographic materials suitable for finishing the images from such originals with good reproducibility as well as image-forming methods applicable to such photographic materials are earnestly desired in this technical field. On the other hand, for the photomechanical processes used for producing catalogs or large-sized posters, spread or choke of half-tone photographs is widely effected. In the photomechanical processes using enlarged halftone image, the screen ruling would be coarsened to give blurred photoprints. As opposed to this, in the photomechanical processes for using reduced halftone image, fine dots with an enlarged ratio of lines/inch are to be photographed. Accordingly, an image-forming method with a much broader latitude is desired for the purpose of maintaining the reproducibility of halftone gradation in photomechanical processes.
As the light source for a photomechanical camera, a halogen lamp or xenon lamp is employed. In order to obtain sufficient photographic speed to the light source, the photographic material to be employed in the photomechanical process is generally ortho-sensitized. However, it was found that the ortho-sensitized photographic materials are much more influenced by the chromatic aberration of lens and therefore the quality of the images formed is frequently worsened by such an influence.
As a system of satisfying the demand for the broad latitude, a method is known where a lith-type silver halide photographic material composed of silver chlorobromide (having a silver chloride content of at least 50% or more) is processed with a hydroquinone-containing developer where the effective concentration of the sulfite ion therein is extremely low (generally, to 0.1 mol/liter or less). A line work or halftone image is obtained, having a high contrast and a high blacking density where the image portions and the non-image portions are clearly distinguished from each other. However, the method has various drawbacks. Specifically, since the sulfite concentration in the developer employed in the method is low, development is extremely unstable to aerial oxidation. For the purpose of stabilizing the activity of the processing solution, various means are tried. But the processing speed is extremely slow, and the working efficiency is poor at present.
Accordingly, an improved image-forming system is desired, which is free from the instability of the image formation in the above-mentioned development method (lith-development system) and which may be processed with a processing solution having an excellent storage stability to obtain photographic images having super-high contrast photographic characteristics. One example is a system of forming a super-high contrast negative image having a gamma value of more than 10, proposed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,166,742, 4,168,977, 4,221,857, 4,224,401, 4,243,739, 4,272,606 and 4,311,781. There, a surface latent image-type silver halide photographic material containing a specific acyl hydrazine compound is processed with a developer which has an excellent storage stability and which contains a sulfite preservative in an amount of 0.15 mol/liter or more, under a pH value of from 11.0 to 12.3.
The proposed image-forming system is excellent in that an image with a sharp halftone dot image quality is formed, the process proceeds stably at a high speed, and the reproducibility of the original used is good. However, a further improved system with a further elevated original reproducibility is still desired for the purpose of satisfactorily dealing with diversified print forms.
JP-A-61-213847, JP-A-64-72140, JP-A-2-287532, JP-A-2-293736, JP-A-2-301743 and JP-A-2-304433 (The term "JP-A" as used herein means as "unexamined published Japanese patent application") each mention a photographic material containing a redox compound capable of releasing a photographically useful group by oxidation for the purpose of improving the quality of the image to be formed thereon.
JP-A-62-222242, JP-A-62-237443, JP-A-62-237444, JP-A-63-296033 and JP-A-1-187542 each mention a silver halide photographic material containing a hydrazine compound, in which the swelling rate and the kind of the hardening agent to be therein play an important role in improving the photographic characteristics and the image quality and in preventing formation of black peppers.
European Patent Application No. 452848A discloses that swelling of the emulsion layer in a photographic system containing a redox compound capable of releasing a development inhibitor by oxidation is important for the image quality of the system. In the system, however, there is the problem that the image quality as well as the long-time storage stability against the formation of black peppers often deteriorate, depending upon the selected hardening agent or the water content in a gelatin layer.


An artificial barrel cactus consisting of a plurality of sickles; and a plurality of welds laterally interconnecting and radially arranging the sickles about a vertical axis.

Barrel cacti, genus Ferocactus, are typically spherical or cylindrical. Such cacti have prominent radially arranged and vertically or longitudinally extending ribs. Horizontal cross sections of such ribs are typically "V" shaped and the apexes of the ribs are typically armed with sharp spines. Immature barrel cacti are typically spherical, while mature barrel cacti may assume a more cylindrical shape, ranging in height between four and eleven feet. Barrel cacti are typically long lived and their unique shape makes them highly desirable for use in landscaping and decoration of outdoor lawn and patio spaces.
In North America, barrel cacti grow only in Southern Arizona, Southern New Mexico, Southern California, Southern Nevada, Southwestern Utah, West Texas and Mexico. In more northerly, less arid areas of North America, Barrel cacti tend to suffer water damage, yellowing and rotting or bloating and cracking. Notwithstanding, barrel cactus are desirably utilized for decorative landscaping regardless of climate. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mechanically simply constructed and economically constructed artificial barrel cactus.
The instant inventive artificial barrel cactus solves problems and serves needs as described above by providing for a novel and unique combination of radially arranged sickle elements, for forming a structure which portrays or suggests in three dimensions the appearance of a natural barrel cactus.