The invention relates to a method for detection and prediction of incidents and traffic queues formed by overloading. This is done in real time with use of sensors in a road network. Predictions are used also to reach a faster and more reliable detection. Sensor measurements are also used in the process, where the comparison with expected values are used for successively updating stored parameter values for the involved algorithms. By this, the system can succeedingly adapt itself for changed situations. The strong traffic variations, that are naturally occurring at short time intervals are treated with the use of noise-based methods. By this, there are formed distribution related measures as e.g. the standard deviation, which can be estimated from measurements, and submit a base for estimating probabilities for deviations of a certain size, e.g. related to the standard deviation. Automatic incident detection (AID) is based on determination of the desired false-alarm rate, and the related threshold level. The method includes accumulated measurements. Faster and more reliable incident detections are received with the use of the invented prediction process method.

The invention concerns a method and means for maintaining and using a large capacity at a road network. It includes performing the method during time periods, when there are large traffic volumes and needs for large capacities. The method is focusing on reductions of blockings and risks for blocking of flows on links in a road network. One method step is limiting upstream flow to reduce risks for blocking of a downstrearn link. The method is using several method steps at different levels. Those steps cooperate to make a traffic management possible, which works in real time with traffic network functions.
Traffic volumes are large during rush hours, and there are built up queues at the road network in and outside large cities. It is difficult to get space for more roads and those are expensive to build. By using advanced information technology, the present capacity of the road network can be used more efficient and larger traffic volumes can be managed with less additions of new road capacity.
This matter is reflected by the large interest devoted for ITS, Intelligent Transport Systems. within EU, US and Japan and others during the nineteen nineties.
However there are no solutions known yet, why there are large amounts of money put into research in the field, and various ideas are studied.
Traditionally one has tried to solve capacity problems at the road network, by building more roads or taking actions at those points, where the problems appear. If there are long queues on a road upstream of an intersection, one is trying increasing the passability through the intersection for the cars on the said road. This is the traditional way of regarding traffic problems. The problems are narrow sections at the road network. At those points traffic queues are arisen, and then the solution is regarded to be increasing the capacity at those points.
With more knowledge in traffic and the network characteristics of traffic, the traditional xe2x80x9cpoint orientedxe2x80x9d way of work seems superficial and providing shortcomings. Resulting xe2x80x9csolutionsxe2x80x9d might create larger problems than the problem considered. An example is given as follows.
It is common that there are queues on the entrance roads of large cities during the morning rush hours. A queue might arise at a narrow section, eg at an on-ramp to the entrance road, and one might increase the passability here, e g by adding an extra lane. The resulting increased flow might come to a stop at a xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d narrow section close downstream, whereby queues are created here instead. The queue at this new position might create larger traffic problems than the queue at the first position.
There are needs for a more system oriented way of work to solve traffic problems at road networks.
Methods described in literature are mainly concerning light signal controls of intersections. Most of the methods are point oriented and concern optimising one intersection for increased capacity. There are also various methods connecting controls of a few intersections along a larger traffic xe2x80x9carterialxe2x80x9d to produce a synchronised control of those intersections, a type of xe2x80x9cgreen wavexe2x80x9d. The green wave however is a xe2x80x9csolutionxe2x80x9d that is focusing on one of many aspects for a road network, like the corresponding xe2x80x9cpoint orientedxe2x80x9d way of work. The negative consequencies for traffic can grew large. It is also common to change methods from e g xe2x80x9cgreen wavexe2x80x9d to independent intersection control, depending on the traffic load In those cases a dilemma arises utilising the full intersection capacity. For timeplan controlled intersections there should be a full outflow at green signals from each inlink to the intersection. This can be done if each link contains queues, which supply the whole green periods with passing cars. Queues however are not desired from other points of views. They increase travel times (and drivers"" stomach acidity).
There are intersection controls, which to a larger extent adapt the green time length according to the amount of cars that are on the road. By measuring the flow a bit upstream, one knows if there are more cars arriving, and can increase the green time period correspondingly. In this way more green time can be taken from a link, that doesn""t need its share, to a link that needs more.
In short, there have been large efforts focused on obtaining increased passability through intersections. That is also a natural consequence of the matter, that a light signal controlled intersection only provides 20-40% of the inlink capacity. Variations in capacity depend on the intersection design, the share of left turnings, safety aspects and the used timeplan policy. The present invention also concerns providing large capacities. In the invention however the network orientation is dominating and system oriented solutions are invented. Those solutions consider the network capacity in a management coordinating way. Also in the present invention the capacity of a single intersection is of interest. But then it is related to other requirements and conditions.
The present invention differs already in applying a different problem view on traffic, compared with the traditional one, described above. The invention includes a new way of considering traffic problems, a new way of managing traffic and a new way of solving traffic problems.
We will start looking on some traffic problems, and we start simply with problems related to intersections, as such matters were discussed above.
Example on traffic problems.
Let us choose a light signal controlled intersection.
A link entering the intersection consists of two lanes, which closest to the intersection have been extended with an extra third lane, for those cars turning to the left. This extra lane has got space for five cars in a row. When the signal is green for cars heading straight, it is red for the left turning cars. When the left-turning lane is full of cars the rest of the left turning cars have to queue up in the ordinary left lane, why there only is left one lane for those heading straight. Then the passability is halved, and the cars that don""t get time to pass during the green period, are queueing up in both lanes.
When green for left turnings, those cars in the left-turning lane can pass the intersection. Those cars stopped behind in the queue, cannot pass the queueing cars in front of them and thus cannot utilize the green time for turning left. New cars are let in to the link from the upstream intersection. Those cars add on to the queue. When the light signal turns green again for going straight ahead, the passability once again is reduced, after that the left-tuming lane has been filled. Left-turning cars are blocking the xe2x80x9cstraight aheadxe2x80x9d flow, and xe2x80x9cstraight-aheadxe2x80x9d cars are blocking the left-turning flow. The capacity out from the link is decreasing, and if the capacity and flow in to the link is unchanged, the queue on the link is growing, until the queue is covering the whole link. Then cars from the upstream intersection cannot enter the link, although it is green light for the entrance roads to that intersection. This results in queues of stopped cars on the entrance roads, though the signal is green. Those queues in their turn block those cars on the entrance roads, that are heading for other roads out from the intersection. Thereby the outflows from all three entrance roads can be blocked, and their respective capacity turns to be very low, why the queues on those three links grow very fast and reach their respective upstream intersection, which in its turn is blocked, whereby its three entrance roads will be blocked and so on.
Observe that the blocking effect might give a very large gearing effect concerning the reduction of capacity. Say for instance that the first link (1) in the example above, gets its capacity reduced to ⅔. Upstream entrance road (2), which includes right-turing cars in to the first link, might get further reduced capacity. If right-turning cars consist of 20% of the flow of link (2), and ⅔ can pass into link (1), this at first gives a reduction of the total flow on link (2) of only 20% of ⅓={fraction (1/15)}. But the rest {fraction (14/15)} of the flow cannot pass the intersection freely, because right-turning cars are queueing and blocking one of the two lanes. If the rest, 80% of the original flow, is limited to one lane, the total capacity might be reduced by some further 30%, which might imply that the outflow from the link now is limited to some 20% of the basic link capacity (60% related to the node,xe2x80x94or less if also left-turing and straight-heading cars are blocking each other). That is valid when (2) has got two lanes. On smaller streets with only one lane, the blocking might reduce the capacity with 40%, i e the outflow from the link is small and queues can grow very fast upstream to the next intersection etc.
We see that blockings can cause large capacity reductions in a road network. Capacity reductions are also spread easily from a source on a link to whole areas of the road network. It is not required that there is an accident or a defective car, that causes the blocking. The natural cause at our large traffic volume city-areas, is traffic overloading. The inflow of traffic is larger than the link or the intersection can carry. See the following example.
We study the conditions in a four-road intersection. There is a timeplan for the traffic light control, which has been adapted to the normal traffic case and the normal distribution of traffic flows through the intersection. However the real traffic distribution is varying, and is statistically much different from the average distribution. This fact is remarkable during such short time periods as the green time periods of traffic lights, i e in the order of 30 seconds and below. It means that the integrated flow entering a link (1) from three entrance links (2, 3, 4) statistically might be remarkable larger than the average distribution. If this flow is let into (1), the in-flow is larger than the out-flow from (1), and a queue is built up on (1), with probable blocking consequencies as a result. By limiting the out-flows from (2, 3, 4) by the traffic lights, there are queues on those links instead, with possible blocking of traffic flows as a result. The blockings are decreasing the output capacity from the links, why the queues are extended and the blockings are maintained, and are spread across the network.
To get rid of a blocking, arisen on a link, the flow into the link has to be reduced below the level of the out-flow, and as the blocking has reduced the out-flow, there are substantial reductions required of the in-flow. That reduction of the in-flow to the link means reductions of out-flows for one or more upstream links. Thereby queue build up and blocking might arise on those links, whereby the in-flows to those links have to be reduced and so on.
The invention concerns a solution on the given problem above, blocking of traffic. One part is focused on reductions of in-flows in time, before blockings have arisen. Then there are less corrections required, and actions can be taken locally without larger consequencies for other parts of the network.
We see from the above example that there are not only incidents that are causing traffic problems. But also natural short term variations in traffic flows are sufficient to cause disturbances, which in their turn cause blocking effects. Those might grow large and be spread across the network. And one doesn""t need to prerequisite that something unusual must happen. It is sufficient with the large traffic flows on the roads into the city each morning, for queues to arise here and there. This is not by itself very serious. The large negative consequences are attained, when those queues create blockings. Then the queue growth rapidly increases and new blockings are created. Blockings are spread across the network. The result can be seen at the morning rush hours: When we need the large capacity of the road network the most, the traffic is blocked and the useful capacity is at its lowest level.
When a queue has grown upstream to a node and is blocking the node, it doesn""t help if the node is equipped with some of the above described light signal controls. It doesn""t help showing green light if traffic anyhow cannot move forward.
According to the view of the invention on problems, known traffic concepts and suggestions for solutions are mainly directed at the symptoms of the problems or problems of insignificance. Most of the advanced work done, to fine tune the capacity in light signal controlled intersections, turn unuseful in real overload situations and blockings.
Simply expressed. the traditional methods are based on working downstream with the traffic. E g successively removing narrow sections, whereby the flow is increased downstream, until it is caught by a new narrow passage. This strategy doesn""t reach success, until the whole network is expanded to such a large road capacity everywhere, that traffic, not even when reaching its worst peaks, reaches the capacity limit anywhere. This case is and has been unrealistic to attain for large cities the last decades.
Traffic planners"" usual attitude is xe2x80x9cgiving inxe2x80x9d saying, that they don""t get rid of the queues, because increasing the passability, the traffic increases, and there will be queues anyhow.
According to the invention, the successful strategy is working with management systems in control of traffic, and then working opposite to the traditional way. A main principle is wordking upstream against the direction of the traffic.
Simply stated, the system shall not let through more traffic into a link or through a node than the following link or node can handle. This means that the control requirements are transferred upstream. The out-flow from a link may need to be limited, as a downstream link doesn""t cope with the whole in-flow. But if this link out-flow is made limited, also this link in-flow has to be limited correspondingly, and thereby also upstream links might need to be limited. This upstream feedback of limitations of flows is necessary, to prevent creations of blockings. Blockings also are spreading upstream. So the traffic control has to be faster, and be able to be fed upstream faster than the blockings are spread.
The fundamental principle for traffic control is; don""t let more traffic in than what can pass out. This means consequently, that it is interesting to try to increase the xe2x80x9coutput trafficxe2x80x9d. In such a case more traffic can be put in. The question if more traffic can be put in, however is not that simple just looking at the exit point, which is the traditional way, and as said above might lead to advanced optimisations of e g an intersection control to increase the output from a link.
No, first one has to study the road network downstream. Will that be able to handle the increased inflow, which will be the result of the said increased output flow? If the answer is no, the result of the fine tuning of the said intersection control mightxe2x80x94(not be meaningless), but negative. If it would be carried out, a queue would be growing up to the intersection and block that one. Thereby the intersection obtain still less capacity than what it would have initially, and instead of getting increased output flow, it gets decreased flow. The result thus becomes opposite to what was the purpose.
According to the fundamental principle, the management system shall instead rapidly make upstream feed back of the decreased output, and limit the in-flow to the link by limiting the out-flow of upstream links.
And the management system has to react fast, before queues and blockings have spread further upstream.
It is first when upstream flows have decreased that much, that the queues have begun to decrease and the original blocking has resolved, that the traffic flows can be increased again to the original level.
A prerequisite for increasing the flow at a point is that downstream parts of the road network can handle the extra flow. This is completely according to the fundamental principle and implies that the control requirements are applied in the upstream direction.
The purpose: The invention makes possible the solution of the large traffic problems, which characterise the traffic in the large city areas of today. The invention identifies the major problem and provides a method and means for solution of the major problem.
The invention concerns a method and means to maintain and utilize a large capacity in a road network. It includes performing the method during time periods when the traffic volume and the needs for capacity are large. The method is concentrated on reduction of blockings and risks for blockings of flows on links in a road network. A method step is to limit upstream flows to reduce risks for blocking of downstream links. The method is using several method steps at different levels. Those steps cooperate to make traffic management possible, that works in real time with the network characteristic functions of traffic.

Method and means for network control of traffic


A method of automatically dividing the domain of a motion picture is disclosed including the steps of: quantizing at least two sequential picture frames, and simplifying the shapes of the quantized picture frames; obtaining time space slope information from the quantized and simplified picture frames; detecting divides of the picture from the time space gradient information, and obtaining the boundaries between the divides, so as to divide the picture into multiple regions; combining neighboring smaller regions using graph theory, to thereby reduce the number of the divided regions; and dividing the regions into a motionless background object and moving objects, using motion information of the combined regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of automatically dividing the domain of a motion picture into a motionless background region and moving objects and, more particularly, to a method of automatically dividing the domain of a motion picture into a background region and moving objects, using time space gradient information obtained from at least two sequential picture frames.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In a conventional method of automatically dividing the domain of a motion picture, the motion picture is divided into a region consisting of picture elements whose motions are similar, with regard to only motion information of each picture element, so as to code the motion picture at a higher compression rate. However, each of the divided regions cannot be an individual object. Furthermore, the objects whose motions are insignificant are included in the background region or their neighboring regions when they

Method of automatically dividing domain of motion picture using time space slope information

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An analog-to-digital converter circuit for a radar apparatus, the analog-to-digital converter circuit including analog-to-digital converters that are electronically reconfigurable to operate in a multi-channel mode with a first bandwidth by clocking the ADCs in phase with one another, or a single-channel mode with a second bandwidth higher than the first bandwidth by clocking the ADCs out of phase with one another and optimizing the intermediate frequency for the respective mode.

1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate generally to a multi-mode radar system, and more particularly to an analog-to-digital converter circuit for a radar system that is reconfigurable to operate in a multi-channel, narrow/medium bandwidth mode or a single-channel, wide bandwidth mode, and method of operating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Radars generally operate in a narrow to-medium instantaneous bandwidth mode for search and track operations by using waveforms that may be sampled with lower-cost, higher fidelity and higher-bit-resolution, narrow/medium band analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). However, high instantaneous bandwidth capability is often used in radars for wideband tracking, threat discrimination, and clutter mitigation, for example. Accordingly, a radar apparatus capable of operating in both narrow/medium band and wide band with similar performance specifications, at both bandwidths, in terms of number of bits of resolution and signal fidelity, is desired.
Ultra-wideband ADCs may meet overall sampling requirements (i.e., capable of narrow to medium or wide band sampling), but generally compromise on dynamic range, spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and have high power consumption, processing, and cost requirements compared to lower bandwidth ADCs.
Alternatively, physically separate narrow/medium band and wideband channels configured in parallel may provide the desired sampling requirements and measurement fidelity for each mode, but providing these separate channels comes at higher cost, lower wideband signal fidelity, and greater real estate, and does not aid in reducing size, weight, and power (SWaP) of the system, which is also desirable.
Stretch Processing and Frequency Jump Burst methods may also provide some wideband capability while using lower-cost narrow/medium band ADCs, but these methods have well-known shortcomings. For example, Stretch Processing must trade-off range extent to achieve the high bandwidth imaging, and Frequency Jump Burst gives up waveform flexibility.
The challenges of the existing wideband or multi-mode radar technology motivate developing an architecture that reconfigurably supports both wideband and narrowband radar functions, in order to mitigate cost and component redundancies, and ideally mitigate fidelity degradation typical of stand-alone ultrawideband ADCs.

Electronically reconfigurable bandwidth and channel number analog-to-digital converter circuit for radar systems


A correction to a differential phase measurement used for vehicle attitude determination on nonaligned antenna arrays is determined by calculating a carrier phase angle of carrier signals received by each antenna, and correcting the measurement for the right-hand circular polarization effect on the nonaligned antennas. Accordingly, circular polarization effects of the carrier signals are removed from a nonaligned antenna array, allowing the nonaligned antenna array to be used for vehicle attitude determination.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to using Global Positioning System (GPS) signals received by nonaligned antennas mounted on a vehicle to determine the attitude of the vehicle, and, in particular, to correcting measurements of the GPS signals received by the nonaligned antennas to compensate for the respective orientations of the nonaligned antennas.
This application is based on "Development and Flight Demonstration of a GPS Receiver for Space", a dissertation submitted to the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Committee on Graduate Studies of Stanford University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, by Edgar Glenn Lightsey, February, 1997, UMI Number 9723388, UMI, A Bell & Howell Information Company, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106-1346 USA, 313/761-4700, and which is incorporated herein by reference, and on GPS Based Attitude Determination On Nonaligned Antenna Arrays, by E. Glenn Lightsey, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Bradford W. Parkinson, Ph.D., Stanford University, technical paper, Institute of Navigation GPS-96 Conference, incorporated herein by reference.
2. Background Art
The principles of attitude determination using GPS carrier phase interferometry are well documented in the literature (C. E. Cohen, Attitude Determination Using GPS, Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University, December 1992 and C. E. Cohen, "Attitude Determination," Global Positioning System: Theory and Applications, vol. II, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 1996), pps. 519-537, incorporated herein by reference.
The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for vehicle attitude determination is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,293, "System and method for generating attitude determinations using GPS", issued Aug. 20, 1996, to Clark E. Cohen, incorporated herein by reference.
A method for comparing the relative phase of carrier signals received from Global Positioning System satellites to determine the roll, pitch, and azimuth attitude of ships, aircraft, land vehicles, or survey instruments using a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) optimum solution over a full range of integers and vehicle attitudes is discussed in "Method and Apparatus for Maximum Likelihood Estimation Direct Integer Search in Differential Carrier Phase Attitude Determination Systems", U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,861 to Donald T. Knight, incorporated herein by reference.
The spherical trigonometry of phase angle measurements is disclosed in Spacecraft Attitude Determination and Control, J. R. Wertz, ed., D. Reidel Co., 1978.
Vehicle attitude determination using GPS signals is made, taking into account the differential phase received by, for example, three antennas from the same GPS signals. GPS signal acquisition is described in "Development and Flight Demonstration of a GPS Receiver for Space", id.
Conventional methods of vehicle attitude determination include using the differential phase of the GPS signals received by several different antennas, which are all aligned with each other and pointed in the same direction, relative to the GPS signal being received. In determining the attitude of a vehicle using the differential phase method, an absolute phase of the GPS signal received by one antenna is subtracted from the absolute phase of the GPS signal received by a second antenna, as shown below: EQU .DELTA..phi.=.phi..sub.2 -.phi..sub.1
The above-mentioned equation provides information about how far apart a first antenna is from a second antenna along the GPS signal line of sight. By calculating the differential phase (.DELTA..phi.), common error sources interjected by the GPS signal and by the reception of the GPS signal by the antennas are removed. For example, the GPS signal is a right handed circular polarized (RHCP) signal, and the phase contribution due to this polarization effect is removed by calculating the differential phase of the GPS signal.
Signals broadcast from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites have previously been used to determine vehicle position. Attitude determination of a platform or vehicle using carrier signals has not traditionally been considered a standard GPS measurement, but attitude determination of a vehicle using GPS carrier signals greatly enhances the overall utility of a device sensing GPS signals, and has been performed in recent years. All of the information required for vehicle attitude control, and, further, for autonomous position control and precise timing, is available in a single package at reasonable mass, power, and cost. Accordingly, this consolidation of sensory resources makes the GPS receiver a powerful component for many Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spacecraft applications.
The concept of attitude determination using GPS carrier phase interferometry was first demonstrated by Greenspan, et al, in 1982 (R. L. Greenspan, A. Y. Ng., J. M. Przyjemski, J D. Veales, "Accuracy of Relative Positioning by Interferometry with Reconstructed Carrier GPS: Experimental Results", Proc. Of the Third Intel. Geodetic Symposium on Satellite Positioning, Las Cruces, N. M., Mar. 1982). After several initial demonstrations on platforms, ships, and aircraft during the 1980s (see L. R. Kruczynski, P. C. Li, A. G. Evans, B. R. Hermann, "Using GPS to Determine Vehicle Attitude: USS Yorktown Test Results," Proc. Int. Tech. Mtg., Institute of Navigation (ION), Colorado Springs, Colo., September 1989, and F. van Graas, M. Braasch, "GPS Interferometric Attitude and Heading Determination: Initial Flight Test Results," Navigation, vol. 38, Fall, 1991), the first commercial terrestrial receivers capable of performing 3-axis (x, y, and z) GPS carrier phase-based attitude determination were marketed in the early 1990s. Several algorithmic improvements to the state of the art were made and the accuracy of the attitude determination system was demonstrated through aircraft experiments in 1992 (C. E. Cohen, Attitude Determination Using GPS, Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University, December 1992).
In the present application, "zenith" refers to a direction directly away from the center of the Earth (i.e., "up"), "nadir" refers to a direction directly into the center of the Earth (i.e., "down"). In addition, a master antenna is one from which relative distances and measurements are calculated, and slave antennas are those antennas for which relative distances to and measurements by the master are calculated.
A widely used method of GPS attitude determination is illustrated in FIG. 1, and is referred to as the Carrier Phase Interferometry Method of Attitude Determination. As shown in FIG. 1, two antennas 10 are separated by a known fixed distance, [b].sub.B (also referred to as the antenna baseline vector), expressed in a body referenced coordinate frame `B`. Carrier wave signals 11, such as L1 carrier signals (wavelength .lambda..congruent.19 cm), originate from a GPS satellite 12 along a known line of sight [s].sub.E, expressed as a unit vector in an external reference frame `E`. The known line of sight implies that the position of the GPS satellite 12 and the position of the receiver on which the antennas 10 are placed are at least approximately known. Because the GPS satellite 12 is far away from the antennas 10, the carrier wavefronts 14 are essentially planar.
The range projection of the antenna baseline onto the line of sight vector may be expressed as: EQU .DELTA.r=s.sup.T b (1)
.DELTA.r can be expressed in any units of distance, such as meters, but is more conveniently represented in wavelengths (.lambda.) for this derivation. The superscript T indicates the transpose of the matrix. Recognizing that one carrier phase wavefront is indistinguishable from the next, the true range projection can be expressed in terms of an ideal differential carrier phase measurement: EQU .DELTA.r=s.sup.T b=.DELTA..phi.-k (2)
where .DELTA..phi. is the differential carrier phase measurement (a fractional number between 0 and 1 wavelength) and k is a differential integer that accounts for the integer number of wavelengths in the distance .DELTA.r. For example, if .DELTA.r<19 cm, k=0 regardless of the orientation of b. The minus sign on k results from construction in FIG. 1.
.DELTA..phi. can in general be outside the bounds of one wavelength due to phase wraparound. The integer k is adjusted only at discrete times (such as the first attitude computation), and during other times the integer k is treated as a constant. .DELTA..phi. may therefore contain an integer component as well, after the carrier phase measurement has gone through more than one rotation of 2.pi.; .DELTA..phi. is nonetheless termed the `fractional` carrier phase measurement to distinguish .DELTA..phi. from the integer term k.
Since the baseline vector b is known in the vehicle body reference frame, and the GPS signal line of sight s is known in the external reference frame, the attitude of the body frame may be expressed with respect to an ideal differential carrier phase measurement as: EQU .DELTA.r=s.sup.T b=[s.sup.T ].sub.E A.sub.E>B.sup.T [b].sub.B =.DELTA..phi.-k (3)
where A.sub.E>B represents the 3.times.3 direction cosine transformation matrix from the external reference to the body reference. If the differential integers ("cycle ambiguities") are known, this represents a nonlinear equation that can be solved to obtain the attitude of the antenna platform 10 in the external reference frame. A.sub.E>B has three independent unknowns, meaning that this equation may be theoretically solved if there are as few as three differential phase measurements, for example from three antennas and two GPS signals, provided these measurements span a three dimensional space. However, two GPS signals along the same line of sight would not span a three dimensional space.
Equation 3 is modified to account for real measurements by including two additional terms: EQU [s.sup.T ].sub.E A.sub.E>B.sup.T [b].sub.B =.DELTA..phi.-k-.beta.-v(4)
.beta. is a known calibration constant which is a function of the receiver hardware and the antenna pair in question. .beta. is called the line bias, and represents the electrical line length from the antenna phase center through the cable to the measurement point inside the receiver. In this difference equation, the term line bias actually refers to the differential bias; i.e., the line bias of the slave antenna electrical path minus the master antenna electrical path. The line bias quantity is a function of the GPS antenna/receiver hardware and can be determined in advance and saved using a calibration technique (C. E. Cohen, Attitude Determination Using GPS, Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University, December 1992).
The remaining term, v, is an additive measurement noise term, and includes all noise effects such as multipath, carrier tracking noise, bias drifts, and others. Once again, what is measured in this case is a differential noise between the slave and master antenna; only non-common mode noise sources remain after the differencing operation. Clock offset, for example, is not a differential noise source, since it is common to each antenna. The noise term v has time correlated properties that in some cases may be modeled or calibrated, but in this analysis these effects are treated as measurement error.
Equation 4 is the fundamental GPS differential carrier phase measurement equation. It may be expanded to account for all GPS satellites being tracked (i), across all antenna baselines (j), to accommodate all measurements made during one sample interval: EQU .DELTA..phi..sub.ij =[s.sub.i.sup.T ].sub.E A.sub.E>B.sup.T [b.sub.j ].sub.B +k.sub.ij +.beta..sub.j V.sub.ij (5)
Equation (5), then, is the basic vehicle attitude determination equation. In the above-mentioned equation, .DELTA..phi..sub.ij is the measured differential phase, k.sub.ij is the integer cycle ambiguity, .beta..sub.j is the electrical line bias, and V.sub.ij is the noise. The equation is rearranged so that the fractional carrier phase measurement appears on the left and all other terms are separated on the right. With enough measurements, it is possible to solve for the cycle ambiguities, k.sub.ij, and the direction cosine matrix A.sub.E>B. Although, as previously noted, the attitude may be theoretically determined from as few as three ideal (i.e., noiseless) differential carrier phase measurements, more measurements are required in practice to account for the presence of the measurement noise.
Once the cycle ambiguities k.sub.ij are known, the cycle ambiguities may be removed from the problem of determining the attitude of the vehicle, and if A.sub.E>B is approximately known as (A.sub.E>B).sub.0, a perturbation equation may be developed as follows: EQU (.DELTA..phi..sub.ij).sub.0 =[s.sub.i.sup.T ].sub.E (A.sub.E>B.sup.T).sub.0 [b.sub.j ].sub.B +k.sub.ij +.beta..sub.j (6) EQU .delta..phi..sub.ij =.DELTA..phi..sub.ij -(.DELTA..phi..sub.ij).sub.0 =[s.sub.i.sup.T ].sub.E A.sub.E>B.sup.T [b.sub.j ].sub.B -[s.sub.i.sup.T ].sub.E (A.sub.E>B.sup.T).sub.0 [b.sub.j ].sub.B +v.sub.ij(7)
For sufficiently small perturbations, the attitude matrix A.sub.E>B may be linearized for small rotations about the body axes: ##EQU1## Then ##EQU2## The superscript X indicates cross matrix of a vector. Equation 10 represents a linearized sensitivity equation between the measured differential carrier phase and the perturbation to the initial attitude guess. h.sub.ij is a 1.times.3 row vector that may be thought of as a set of linearized sensitivity coefficients for every measurement equation. For a given sample, all `valid` differential phase measurements (i.e., those for which the cycle ambiguities are known) are stacked into a single linearized vector equation: ##EQU3##
This equation presents an overdetermined linear system with additive noise whose solution may be obtained by minimizing the residual in the least squares sense (or according to any other appropriate performance index). The solution, .delta..phi., is a 3.times.1 vector correction of small rotations to the direction cosine matrix (A.sub.E>B).sub.0 as defined by Equation 8. The solution may be obtained iteratively using the previous epoch solution as an initial guess.
A typical GPS signal receiver 13 of the prior art, used for navigation and attitude determination, is shown in FIG. 2. The GPS receiver 13 shown in FIG. 2 includes a navigation board 15 and an attitude board 17. As shown in FIG. 2, GPS carrier signals are received by antennas 10, the signal strength is enhanced by pre-amplifiers 19, and delivered to mux 21 through 50 .OMEGA. coaxial cables. The output of the mux 21 is presented to the RF section 23, then is delivered through 6 channels 25 to processor 27 (Motorola 68000). The foregoing aspects of the GPS receiver 13 are based on the Trimble Advanced Navigation Sensor (TANS) Vector, manufactured by Trimble Navigation, Ltd. Output from both processor 27 and processor 29 is then serially transmitted outside of the GPS receiver 13.
The flow of information for differential, carrier phase-based attitude determination is summarized in FIG. 3. Many types of measurements are combined in different ways to produce the ultimate output product, real-time attitude solutions 36. Prior to real-time operation, calibration measurements 16 are taken to determine the antenna line biases and baseline vectors in the body reference frame. This information is then saved for later use. During the real-time operation, the receiver position estimate is obtained from a position fix, if available, or an orbit propagator solution 22.
The GPS satellite position is computed from the broadcast GPS ephemeris 24 and combined with the receiver position 26 to produce the signal line of sight vector, [s].sub.E. This information is collected along with differential carrier phase measurements 20 which are used to resolve the carrier cycle ambiguities. The integer resolution procedure 28 is solved once by conventional methods, and then removed from the attitude determination problem as in Equations 6 and 7. Once the integers are obtained, these values are periodically updated as new measurements are added and real-time attitude solutions are computed in the method of Equations 7 to 13. As long as the sample rate is relatively fast compared to the vehicle dynamics, the previous sample may serve as an initial guess to the next solution. Integrity checks 30 are readily available in the form of the solution residual, and other parameters, during both the bootstrap integer resolution 28 and the real-time attitude solution processes 34.
Equations 6 and 7 assume that the line bias terms .beta..sub.j are known in advance and may be subtracted from the available measurements. In fact, these parameters may not be constants nor well known in advance. An example of a method for determining vehicle attitude is to bypass the need to know the line bias term by double-differencing the carrier phase measurements along the same baseline vector (R. Fuller, S. Gomez, L. Marradi, J. Rodden, "GPS Attitude Determination From Double Difference Differential Phase Measurements," ION GPS-96, Kansas City, Mo., September 1996): EQU .gradient..DELTA..phi..sub.12j =[(s.sub.1 -s.sub.2).sup.T ].sub.E A.sub.E>B.sup.T [b.sub.j ].sub.B +(k.sub.ij -k.sub.2j)+(v.sub.1j -v.sub.2j)(14)
This formulation circumvents the problem of calibrating and/or modeling .beta..sub.j at the cost of a decrease in the number of available total measurements, which are reduced by the double differencing operation. The double-difference measurements are also more noisy than in the single-difference case.
The most common LEO spacecraft attitude determination applications are classified in terms of three types of pointing: Earth referenced, inertially referenced, and spinning. These may be contrasted with typical static terrestrial environments, such as survey applications, and dynamic terrestrial environments, such as aviation or maritime applications.
There are significant differences between terrestrial and space GPS carrier phase based attitude determination, such as motion and visibility, as shown in Table 1.
A substantive difference between terrestrial and LEO space applications concerns the magnitude and the cause of the motion in the carrier phase measurements as recorded by the GPS receiver, and their magnitudes relative to GPS line of sight motion. The cause of relative motion is important to the structure of cycle ambiguity resolution equations. Cycle ambiguity is discussed in Attitude Determination Using GPS, by C. E. Cohen, Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, December, 1992, in Development and Flight Demonstration of a GPS Receiver for Space, id, and herein below.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Comparison of Terrestrial and Orbital GPS Attitude Determination Environments Orbital Application Terrestrial Earth Inertially Type Static Dynamic Pointed Pointed Spinning ______________________________________ Antenna Zenith Zenith Full Sky Pointing GPS Line of 180 degrees per 180 degrees per Sight 360 minutes 45 minutes Motion Vehicle None Several <1 rev. per 0.1- Dynamics deg. orbit = 20 + rev. Per <4 deg. per per min. minute minute Carrier None More Same More Phase Motion Relative to GPS Line of Sight Motion ______________________________________
The other significant difference between terrestrial and space applications, which is addressed by the present invention as explained herein below, is signal visibility.
In terrestrial applications, whether dynamic or static, the antenna array is generally always pointed approximately upwards. The GPS Constellation resides within the hemisphere to which the antenna array points. Even in the most demanding applications, such as aircraft attitude determination during a steep bank, the bank angle rarely exceeds 45 degrees. However, in some terrestrial applications such as mobile communications, even though all of the antennas in the array may be pointed approximately upwards, all of the antennas may not be aligned with each other (pointed in the same direction).
For an inertially fixed or spinning spacecraft, however, there is no hemisphere on the vehicle body that points in the direction of the GPS constellation all the time. The foregoing pointing profiles are shown schematically in FIGS. 4(A), 4(B), and 4(C).
As shown in FIGS. 4(A), 4(B), and 4(C), arrows 38 indicate the direction that the GPS antennas 10 (not shown in FIGS. 4(A), 4(B), and 4(C)) are pointed. In addition, FIGS. 4(A), 4(B), and 4(C) show the relationship between the direction 38 in which the GPS antennas 10 are pointed and the GPS constellation visibility 39.
In FIG. 4(B), an inertially fixed axis that is pointed towards the zenith vector at one time will be aligned with the nadir vector a half orbit later. Even in the case of a nadir pointed spacecraft of FIG. 4(C), there may be transitional or contingency pointing modes where vehicle alignment is not fixed to one hemisphere.
Further, in the case of a vehicle in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), it is often advantageous to tilt the receiving antennas 10 with respect to each other to improve total coverage. In this case, the alignment of the antennas receiving GPS carrier signals must be taken into account when using GPS carrier signals to determine the attitude of the vehicle. However, prior art attitude determination systems using GPS carrier signals have not taken the alignment of the antennas into consideration in determining the attitude of the vehicle.
In "System and Method for Generating Attitude Determinations using GPS", U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,293 to Cohen, the use of a GPS receiver for determining the attitude of a moving vehicle in conjunction with four antennas mounted thereon is described. However, in the Cohen apparatus, all of the GPS antennas are pointed in the same direction, and therefore, look to the same part of the sky.
If the antennas, which exhibit coverage patterns of 180.degree. (i.e., the antennas receive signals from or see through an angle of 180.degree.), are on the ground, the antennas typically are pointed 180.degree. away from the center of the earth and toward the sky (i.e., up), or within 35-45.degree. of up. In the case where the antennas are on the ground, the alignment of the antennas is not an issue, because all of the antennas are pointed in the direction of the local vertical (or up), and there are a plurality of GPS signals broadcasts from the sky, but none from the ground.
FIG. 5(A) shows an example of a prior art antenna array 40 in which all antennas 10 are aligned with each other, and pointed in the same direction. FIG. 5(B) shows the coverage pattern 42 of the antenna array 40 in body coordinates shown in FIG. 5(A). The lighter shades of the coverage pattern 42 shown in FIG. 5(B) indicate regions with more common antenna 10 coverage.
To ensure that at least one antenna 10 is favorably aligned with the GPS constellation 39 (as shown in FIGS. 4(A)-4(C)), regardless of vehicle orientation, the antennas must be pointed in different directions, as shown in FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E).
To provide a larger GPS signal coverage area, nonaligned antennas 10 are provided, as shown in each of FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E). FIGS. 5(C) and 5(D) show, respectively, an antenna array 44 having 4 nonaligned antennas 10 used for navigation, but not for attitude determination, and the coverage pattern 42 thereof. Nonaligned antennas are antennas pointing in different directions.
Further, FIGS. 5(E) and 5(F) show, respectively, an antenna array 44 having 4 nonaligned antennas 10 used for navigation, but not for attitude determination, and the coverage pattern 42 thereof.
The nonaligned antenna configurations shown in FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E) will also greatly reduce the common field of view between each antenna pair. but would provide greater sky coverage for the antenna array.
The nonaligned antenna configurations shown in FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E) will provide for vehicle navigation solution availability regardless of vehicle orientation, but cannot be used for vehicle attitude determination based on differential carrier phase measurements between each of the nonaligned antennas because the measurements must be adjusted using the present invention to account for the phase contribution due to the circular polarization of the nonaligned antennas. This effect is common mode on aligned antennas shown in FIG. 5(A), and therefore has not been previously accounted for.
In Maintaining GPS Positioning in Steep Turns Using Two Antennas, D. H. Lawrence, et al., ION GPS-95, Palm Springs, Calif., September 1995, a derivation of a correction term for nonaligned antenna boresights was applied to absolute carrier phase positioning, but not to differential carrier phase for attitude determination.
Because the antennas 10 shown in FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E) are not aligned with each other, the antennas 10 shown therein cannot be relied upon, without the present invention, for determining vehicle attitude using GPS carrier signals, as explained below.
As shown in FIG. 6, the GPS signal 11 broadcast by satellite 12 is received by antenna 10 at an offset angle .theta.. The effect of the angle .theta. is removed from the differential carrier phase measurement 20 because antennas 10 are aligned with each other and pointed in the same direction relative to, and are at a great distance from, GPS signal 11, in the conventional system.
A problem with the prior art arises when the offset angle .theta., discussed herein above with respect to FIG. 6, is not the same for each antenna receiving the GPS carrier signal, and, accordingly, is not removed during calculation of the differential carrier phase explained above. FIGS. 5(C) and 5(E) each show examples of nonaligned antennas in which the offset angle .theta. would not be the same for each antenna in the array, and, accordingly, would not be removed during conventional calculation of the differential carrier phase.
A problem with the prior art is that the effect of antenna alignment on differential carrier phase measurements is neglected.
A problem of nonalignment of antennas 10 is that the right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antenna phase pattern is not common mode and must be modeled to produce correct differential carrier phase measurements.
A further problem in the prior art is that differential carrier phase measurements from the nonaligned antennas cannot be used for attitude determination, accordingly decreasing the useful results from the nonaligned antennas.
Another problem with the conventional method of determining vehicle attitude arises when a vehicle relies upon signals broadcast from a GPS satellite, since a vehicle such as a spacecraft is orbiting the earth very quickly, and the definition of "up" toward the satellites broadcasting the GPS signals changes. FIGS. 4(A) through 4(C), previously explained, illustrate the relative orientation of antennas 10 to GPS satellites 12 (not shown in FIGS. 4(A) through 4(C), but which are in GPS constellation 39).
Still another problem with the prior art is that a single, uniform set of attitude determination algorithms is not provided that supports all of the very different applications of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite.

Method for attitude determination using GPS carrier phase measurements from nonaligned antennas

United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


An optical projecting system includes a light-splitting unit for splitting composite source light into a plurality of composite light beam components, and a reflective color wheel rotatable about a rotation axis and including a plurality of multi-layer light-reflecting sections for further splitting each of the composite light beam components into a plurality of colored light beam components for subsequent modulation and projection. Each of the multi-layer light-reflecting sections includes a plurality of light-filtering layers stacked along the rotation axis, and each being capable of reflecting light within a predefined distinct wavelength range, and permitting transmission of light outside the predefined distinct wavelength range therethrough. Sequences of the light-filtering layers of an adjacent pair of the multi-layer light-reflecting sections are different from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical projecting system, more particularly to an optical projecting system capable of reducing losses in light energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional optical projecting system includes a light source 1, a light tunnel 2, a transmissive color wheel 3, a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) 4, and a screen 5. The light source 1 is capable of providing source light 101. The light tunnel 2 is capable of receiving, guiding, and focusing the source light 101 to result in focused light. The transmissive color wheel 3 is rotatable about a rotation axis (X1), and includes a plurality of spiral light-filtering components 301 that are distributed around the rotation axis (X1). The light-filtering components 301 of the transmissive color wheel 3 include sequentially arranged red, blue and green light-filtering components (r), (b), (g), as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The red, blue and green light-filtering components (r), (b), (g) allow transmission of red, blue and green light therethrough, respectively. The transmissive color wheel 3 rotates at an extremely high speed about the rotation axis (X1) as the focused light exits the light tunnel 2 so as to filter the focused light into red, blue and green focused light components sequentially and cyclically. The red, blue and green focused light components are subsequently projected toward the DMD 4, which then modulates the red, blue and green focused light components into red, blue and green modulated light components, respectively, and projects them onto the screen 5 so that colored images are presented on the screen 5.
Although the conventional optical projecting system is capable of projecting colored images, the following shortcomings exist during use:
1. As shown in FIG. 2, when the focused light passes through the red light-filtering component (r), only the red focused light component thereof is transmitted toward the DMD 4, while the blue and green focused light components are reflected back to the light tunnel 2. Similarly, when the focused light passes through the blue light-filtering component (b), only the blue focused light component thereof is transmitted toward the DMD 4, while the red and green focused light components are reflected back to the light tunnel 2. When the focused light passes through the green light-filtering component (g), only the green focused light component thereof is transmitted toward the DMD 4, while the red and blue focused light components are reflected back to the light tunnel 2. This results in high losses in light energy, i.e., reduction in light utilization, in addition to presenting adverse effects on brightness of projected images.
2. Although a small portion of the focused light components that are reflected back to the light tunnel 2 by the red, blue and green light-filtering components (r), (b), (g) can eventually reach the transmissive color wheel 3, the focused light components that are reflected back to the light tunnel 2 can cause the light tunnel 2 to overheat such that the service life of the light tunnel 2 is shortened and the quality of the conventional optical projecting system is thus adversely affected.
3. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source 1, the light tunnel 2, the transmissive color wheel 3, and the DMD 4 are aligned along the rotation axis (X1). In addition, the light tunnel 2 extends along the rotation axis (X1) and has a definite length. For these reasons, the conventional optical projecting system is bulky and occupies too much space.
As shown in FIG. 3, another transmissive color wheel 6 is used instead of the transmissive color wheel 3 in a modified conventional optical projecting system. The transmissive color wheel 6 includes three fan-shaped light-filtering components 601, which include red, blue, and green light-filtering components (r′), (b′), (g′) that allow transmission of red, blue, and green light therethrough, respectively. Therefore, as with the red, blue and green light-filtering components (r), (b), (g) of the transmissive color wheel 3, the red, blue, and green light-filtering components (r′), (b′), (g′) of the transmissive color wheel 6 only allow corresponding colors of the focused source light 101 to be transmitted therethrough, with a major portion of the focused source light 101 reflected back to the light tunnel 2 (as shown in FIG. 1).


An apparatus for treating a metal strip after it has exited from a coating container with a liquid coating material, for example zinc is provided. The apparatus includes a blow-off device arranged above the coating container having an air outlet gap for blowing off excess parts of the still liquid coating material from the surface of the metal strip after the passing of the metal strip through the coating container. An electromagnetic stabilizer is arranged above the blow-off device and has a plurality of individual magnets for stabilizing the metal strip after leaving the coating container and the blow-off device. In order to further increase the efficiency of the apparatus, at least some of the magnets of the stabilizer are formed as pot magnets with pot coils.

Such apparatuses are generally known in the prior art, for example from the international patent application WO 2012/172648 A1 and the German patent applications DE 10 2009 051 932 A1, DE 10 2007 045 202 A1 and DE 10 2008 039 244 A1, and from the conference contribution entitled "Electromagnetic strip Stabilizer for Hot Dip Galvanizing Lines," Peter Lofgren et al., held/disclosed at the 97th meeting of the Galvanizers Association, Lexington, Ky., Oct. 16-19, 2005. Specifically, these publications disclose a coating container filled with a liquid coating material. For coating, the metal strip is passed through the container with the coating material. After leaving the coating container, the metal strip passes through a blow-off device or nozzle arranged above the coating container for blowing off excess parts of the still liquid coating material, which adheres to the surface of the metal strip. An electromagnetic stabilizer supported by the blow-off device, also known as a Dynamic Electro-Magnetic Coating Optimizer (DEMCO), is arranged above the blow-off device, to stabilize the strip after leaving the coating container and the blow-off device. The electromagnetic stabilizer generates electromagnetic forces, by which the metal strip is held centrally in a central plane of the entire apparatus; thus, an oscillation of the metal strip during passing through, in particular, the blow-off device is at least reduced.
In practice, however, the disadvantage of these described structures is that the electromagnetic stabilizer is located quite far above the blow-off device. This is disadvantageous in that the stabilizing effect exerted by the stabilizer on the metal strip is only of limited effect on the blow-off device. In addition, the forces to be generated by the stabilizer, which are necessary to stabilize the metal strip in the area of the remote blow-off device, are relatively high in the prior art. Accordingly, the energy required to operate the stabilizer is relatively high. Finally, it is a disadvantage that the stabilizer is located above the nozzle carrier or the traverse, because this makes access to the metal strip in the area of the nozzle carrier considerably more difficult.
This can be remedied by the teaching in accordance with German industrial property rights DE 10 2015 216 721 B3 and DE 20 2015 104 823 U1, which stipulate that the electromagnetic stabilizer must in each case be positioned between the traverse and the blow-off device, and thus even closer to the blow-off device.
It is known from DE 21 37 850 C3 that pot magnets are used for the axially stabilized bearing of a rotating shaft.

Apparatus for treating a metal strip including an electromagnetic stabilizer utilizing pot magnets


Described are devices, methods, techniques and systems for locating a portable services access transceiver (PSAT) for use in aiding emergency “911” services. In one implementation, one or more conditions indicative of movement of a PSAT may initiate a process for obtaining a new estimated location of the PSAT. In another implementation, a location of a PSAT may be determined or updated using indoor navigation techniques.

Field
Embodiments described herein are directed to techniques for locating devices.
Information
Implementation of location based services by network carriers has prompted government regulators to require "911" emergency services in that an emergency distress call from a cellular telephone are to be accompanied with an estimated location of the cellular telephone making the call. To facilitate this feature, a cellular telephone may have capabilities to estimate its own position from acquiring signals from global positioning system (GPS) satellites or from other satellite positioning systems (SPS), or from acquiring signals from terrestrial transmitters using techniques such as observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) and/or advanced forward link trilateration (AFLT). In other examples, a location of the cellular telephone may be roughly estimated by determining a current cell that is serving the cellular telephone, and associating the known location of the serving cell with a location of the calling telephone. In yet other examples, a location of a mobile device in an indoor environment may estimate its location based, at least in part, on acquisition of signals transmitted from local transmitters (e.g., IEEE Std. 802.11 or Bluetooth transmitters).
To expand coverage for mobile telephony subscribers, wireless carrier networks have been incorporating nodes as part of a self organizing network (SON). Such nodes may comprise femto cells which may be installed by homeowners and small business owners to expand coverage where not provided by existing base stations in the wireless carrier network. Like other cellular base stations, a femto cell may support 911 emergency services.

System and/or method of locating a portable service access transceiver


A disk apparatus includes a head that reads information from a disk, a guiding rod that movably supports and guides the head, and a height adjustment portion that is rotatably formed on a base for adjusting the height of the guiding rod, wherein the height adjustment portion includes a height adjustment cam for sandwiching the guiding rod.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a head base unit, and more particularly to an optical head base unit forming a part of an optical apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical disk apparatus has a structure including an optical head base unit. The optical head base unit has an optical head that is movably supported by a guiding rod on a base portion. The height of the guiding rod is adjustable so that the optical head can move parallel to the plane of an optical disk (e.g. CD-ROM) which disk is supported and rotated on a turntable.
FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C show a height adjustment mechanism of a guiding rod 20 of a conventional optical head base unit. The height adjustment mechanism is structured having a coil compression spring member 10 and an adjustment screw member 11. The coil compression spring member 10 disposed on a base plate 21 exerts a force on the guiding rod 20 upward in the direction Z1 so that the guiding rod 20 is pressed against the bottom surface of a flange 11a of the adjustment screw member 11. The adjustment screw member 11 is screwed into the base plate 21. In a case where the adjustment screw member 11 is rotated in a tightening direction with a screwdriver, the guiding rod 20 is pressed downward so that the height of the guiding rod can be adjusted to be lower. In a case where the adjustment screw member 11 is rotated in a loosening direction, the height of the guiding rod 20 can be adjusted to be higher.
Owing to the conventional height adjustment mechanism being structured by the coil compression spring member 10 and the adjustment screw member 11, the conventional height adjustment mechanism has a problem of requiring excess components and steps during assembly.
Furthermore, since the spring force of the coil compression spring member 10 is directed not only upward against the guiding rod 20, but also downward (direction Z2) against the base plate 21, creep or deformation may occur in some cases.


The present invention generally relates to T-cells, such as CD8+ T-cells, CD4+ T-cells, CD3+ T-cells, γδ T-cells or natural killer (NK) T-cells, transfected/transduced with a fusion protein which is recruited by the use of trivalent, bispecific antibody molecule which specifically binds to/interacts with the extracellular domain of the fusion protein. More precisely, the present invention relates to a kit comprising the nucleic acid molecules, vectors and/or the fusion proteins of the present invention and the trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules of the present invention. Further aspects of the inventions are expression vectors comprising nucleic acid molecules encoding the fusion proteins as well as the trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules. Further, a process for the production of the trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules of the invention and a medicament/pharmaceutical composition comprising said trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules are described. The invention also provides the use of said trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules in a method for the treatment of particular diseases as well as a pharmaceutical compositions/medicament comprising said trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules, wherein said trivalent, bispecific antibody molecule(s) is (are) to be administered in combination with transduced T-cells comprising the fusion protein of the invention. The invention also provides a method for the treatment of particular diseases.

Adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) is a powerful treatment approach using cancer-specific T-cells (Rosenberg and Restifo, Science 348(6230) (2015), 62-68). ACT may use naturally occurring tumor-specific cells or T-cells rendered specific by genetic engineering using T-cell or chimeric antigen receptors (Rosenberg and Restifo, Science 348(6230) (2015), 62-68). ACT can successfully treat and induce remission in patients suffering even from advanced and otherwise treatment refractory diseases such as acute lymphatic leukemia, non-hodgkins lymphoma or melanoma (Dudley et al., J Clin Oncol 26(32) (2008), 5233-5239; Grupp et al., N Engl J Med 368 (16) (2013), 1509-1518; Kochenderfer et al., J Clin Oncol. (2015) 33(6):540-549, doi: 10.1200/JCO.2014.56.2025. Epub 2014 Aug. 25). However, long term benefits are restricted to a small subset of patients while most will relapse and succumb to their refractory disease.
Access of T-cells to tumor cells or tissue has been deemed essential for the success of ACT. Thus strategies enabling T-cell entry need to be developed and implemented (Gattinoni et al., Nat Rev Immunol 6(5) (2006), 383-393). The currently most effective method to achieve enhanced T-cell infiltration is total body irradiation, which permeabilizes tumor tissue, remodels the vasculature and depletes suppressive cells (Dudley et al., J Clin Oncol 23(10) (2005), 2346-2357). While this strategy has shown efficacy in clinical trials, its unspecific nature induces severe side effects, limiting its applicability and calling for more specific strategies (Dudley et al., J Clin Oncol 23(10) (2005), 2346-2357).
In addition, the approval of inhibitors such as anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD1-antibodies for melanoma therapy has profoundly changed the treatment landscape and the outcome of patients with metastatic disease (Hodi et al., N Engl J Med 363(8) (2010), 711-723; Robert et al., N Engl J Med 372(4) (2015), 320-330). The combination of both of these modalities bears the promise of more profound responses as illustrated by the progression free survival rates and potentially prolonged overall survival (Larkin et al., N Engl J Med 373(1) (2015), 23-34). However, a substantial amount if not most patients will either not benefit or relapse, calling for additional treatment options.
The value of T-cells for melanoma therapy has been further demonstrated by the use of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), which if combined with total body irradiation induce unparalleled response rates as high as in 77% of patients treated (Dudley et al., J Clin Oncol 26(32) (2008), 5233-5239; Rosenberg et al., Clin Cancer Res 17(13) (2011), 4550-4557). While a number of patients are considered cured, most will relapse and succumb to their disease, indicating the principal sensitivity of most melanomas to T-cell attack but calling for additional strategies to sustain anti-tumoral response and prevent relapse.
It was recently shown that the combination of antigen-specific T-cells transduced with a marker antigen and (a) tetravalent, bispecific antibody molecule(s) enhance(s) tumor-recognition and mediate(s) prolonged tumor control but fail(s) to eradicate the tumor, potentially due to local immune suppression and T-cell exhaustion (WO 2013/113615; Kobold et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 107(1) (2015), 364; Kobold et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 107(8) (2015) 1-10; Kobold et al., Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2(Suppl. 2):P42 (2014)). However, the bispecific antibody molecules as described in Kobold et al., Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2(Suppl. 2):P42 (2014) have neither been completely structurally characterized nor deposited. The strategy as described in WO 2013/113615; Kobold et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 107(1) (2015), 364; Kobold et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 107(8) (2015) 1-10; Kobold et al., Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2(Suppl. 2):P42 (2014) also has the inconvenient, that T-cell therapy is dependent on MHC-restriction and does not allow for additional T-cell stimulation. Further, US 2010/0256340 discloses the construction of trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules. However, US 2010/0256340 nowhere describes the use of (a) trivalent, bispecific antibody molecule(s) as a tool for the specific recruitment of T-cells which were transduced with a fusion protein to a cancer cell. Further, the combination of bispecific antibody molecules with T-cells transduced with a fusion protein has been described (Urbanska et al., Journal of Translational Medicine 12(347) (2014), doi: 10.1186/12967-014-0347-2). However, the sole purpose of the experimental procedure described in the Urbanska et al. publication was to prove that antibody molecules, which were obtained by cross-linking of two monoclonal antibody molecules, targeting the folate receptor fused to CD8, CD28 and CD3z and a tumor associated antigen (CD20 and HER2) would re-direct T-cells against cancer cells. However, the data of Urbanska et al. cannot preclude further generalization of the concept because of the following reasons: 1) no data is provided that any antibody molecule targeting fusion proteins constituted of different extracellular domains fused to T-cell stimulatory domains would be able to activate T-cells; 2) no analysis of the impact of tetravalency on T-cell activation in the absence of tumor cells is provided; 3) no data is provided that trivalent, bispecific antibody molecules would be able to perform similarly or even with stronger capacity T-cell activation. Further, the data shown in the Urbanska et al. publication might be interpreted in such a way that the CD8 domain would be essential for T-cell activation.
Accordingly, the targeted tumor therapy, particularly the adoptive T-cell therapy needs to be improved in order to suffice the needs of the cancer patients. Thus, there is still a need to provide improved means having the potential to improve safety and efficacy of ACT and overcome the above disadvantages.
This need is addressed by the present invention by providing the embodiments as defined in the claims.


A receptacle connector includes a housing having a socket configured to receive a plug connector. The housing includes a cavity having datum surfaces therein. The receptacle connector includes a contact assembly received in the cavity and located in a fixed location relative to the datum surfaces. The contact assembly has a dielectric base holding a plurality of contacts configured to mate with the plug connector received in the socket. The dielectric base has datum surfaces. At least one of the housing or the dielectric base comprising crush ribs forcing the datum surfaces of the dielectric base to engage corresponding datum surfaces of the housing.

The subject matter herein relates generally to high-speed electrical connectors.
Various communication or computing systems use electrical connectors for transmitting data signals between different components of the system. For example, computers may use circuit cards, such as processor or memory modules, that interconnect with one another. A circuit card may be installed in a connector assembly that is mounted on a motherboard, or other system board, to interconnect the circuit card to the motherboard.
The various components may have a plug connector that mate with a receptacle connector. For example, the circuit cards often include a plug connector that is received within a socket of the receptacle connector. The plug and receptacle connectors include electrical contacts that mate together when the plug connector is received within the socket of the receptacle connector. The electrical contacts are positioned close to one another to increase the number of electrical connections available. However, the close proximity requires precise alignment of the card edge and the connector assembly.
A need remains to improve the alignment of contacts in an electrical connector assembly.


The invention is directed to emulsifiable oil suspension concentrate formulations containing cinnamaldehyde (cinnamic aldehyde) and allicin that are effective in protecting plants from pests, especially nematodes, and methods of their use.

Plant parasitic nematodes cause serious economic damage to many agricultural crops around the world. The nematodes in this group are microscopic worms and in general are obligate parasites of plants. They feed mostly on the roots of host plants; however, several genera are known to parasitize above-ground parts including stems, leaves and flowers as well. Almost all the plant species of economic importance are susceptible to infection by some species of nematodes. For example, root knot nematodes (RKN), (Meloidogyne spp.) are capable of parasitizing more than 3,000 species of crop plants.
The symptoms due to parasitic nematode injury vary widely depending on the plant host, the nematode species, the age of the plant, geographical location and climatic and external environmental conditions. In general, an overall patchy appearance of crop plants in a field is considered to be indicative of nematode infestation. More specifically, nematode injury can manifest itself, for example, as galling of the roots (abnormal swelling in the tissue due to rapid multiplication of cells in the cortical region) caused by species of root knot (Meloidogyne spp.) and cyst (Heterodera spp.). Nematodes can also be vectors of plant viruses and are also known to induce disease complexes, predisposing plants to infection by other plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria.
Chemical nematicides, either soil fumigants or non-fumigants, have been in use for many years and are among the few feasible options for countering nematodes. At present, repeated applications of synthetic chemicals to the field are required prior to planting the crop. These chemicals are extremely toxic to non-target organisms besides nematodes and many of them may pose serious threats to the environment. Because of these downfalls, there is a need for effective nematicides with low toxicity.
Plant essential oils, which do not present any known risk to humans or to the environment, are qualified for an exemption as minimum risk pesticides and are listed in 40 C.F.R. §152.25 (b). However, high volatility, phytotoxicity and low water solubility of some oils have limited their use in crop protection.
The nematicidal activity of cinnamaldehyde is known. For example, ProGuard® 30% Cinnamaldehyde Plowable Insecticide, Miticide and Fungicide (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,750,256 B1 and 6,251,951 B1) demonstrates that cinnamaldehyde has nematicidal activity in the presence of a 2% Tween 80 and 6% NaHCO3. However, a disadvantage of this commercial product is that it contains the chemical preservative o-phenylphenol. Further, cinnamaldehyde may result in plant phytotoxicity especially when used at rates high enough to provide nematode protection (500 ppm and above).
Garlic extract may be known to control nematodes, however, the cost of garlic extract is too prohibitive to be a practical solution to nematode infestation of a field. Further, garlic extract formulations are often aqueous and the stability of the active components in aqueous preparations is questionable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,686 ("the '686 patent") suggests a composition comprising cinnamaldehyde, an antioxidant, an emulsifier, and water. However, the '686 patent does not teach or suggest the use of cinnamaldehyde with ailicin formulated together to provide superior nematicdial activity.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a safe, easy-to-use, cost-effective delivery system, so as to improve the biological effectiveness of plant essential oils/plant extracts, for agricultural applications. There is especially need for an effective and environmentally safe nematicide formulation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cinnamaldehyde-allicin formulations and methods of their use


A spark plug includes: a center electrode having at least one first spark surface and extending along a longitudinal axis of the spark plug; and a ground electrode having at least one second spark surface, the first spark surface being situated diametrically opposed to the second spark surface, so that an ignition spark may be generated between the first and second spark surfaces, the center electrode being rotatable coaxially to the longitudinal axis with respect to the ground electrode, and the first and second spark surfaces being inclined in such a way that rotating the center electrode with respect to the ground electrode makes it possible to set a distance between the first and second spark surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spark plug, e.g., a swirl chamber spark plug used for stationary gas engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known swirl chamber spark plugs are primarily used in large gas engines. In these spark plugs, the service life of the spark plug is a decisive economic and technical factor, since the spark plugs themselves and their replacements are relatively expensive. In known swirl chamber spark plugs, the precious metal surfaces of the electrodes, on which the sparks are produced, are designed to be as large as possible. A large amount of costly precious metal must be used in this case, since it is not possible to take advantage of the material thickness. Furthermore, it is not possible to readjust the distances of the electrodes in known swirl chamber spark plugs, since the cap that forms or closes the swirl chamber does not allow access to the electrodes. FIG. 1 shows a swirl chamber spark plug 30 in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A center electrode 3 and a ground electrode 4 are visible. Four spark surfaces 31 are formed on each center electrode 3 and ground electrode 4. Spark surfaces 31 are situated on small precious metal plates. In known swirl chamber spark plug 30, the distance between spark surfaces 31 is neither settable nor readjustable.

Spark plug, in particular swirl chamber spark plug


A dual in-line memory module (DIMM) for use in test includes a memory array with a plurality of memories, a test signal input/output unit, and a normal data input/output unit. The test signal input/output unit is provided in the respective memories to perform an input/output operation of a test signal with an external test mode controller for a test mode operation. The normal data input/output unit is provided in the respective memories to perform an input/output operation of a normal data with an external memory controller for a normal mode operation.

The present invention relates to a dual in-line memory module (DIMM), and more particularly, to a DIMM that can perform a test mode operation using extra input/output (IO) pads.
In fabricating a semiconductor memory device, it is advantageous that the kind of the semiconductor memory device as a final product is determined at a later stage of the fabrication process.
The reason for this is that as the specific kinds of the product are determined later, more operations can be shared in fabricating various kinds of products.
Specifically, such a sharing conception plays an important role in fabricating the semiconductor memory device. In producing the semiconductor memory device based on a few items/mass productions, the efficiency of the fabricating process can be a crucial factor for competitiveness of manufactures.
One of the important specifications of the semiconductor memory device is a bit organization. The bit organization is expressed by x1, x4, x8, etc. This represents the number of memory cells selected by one address.
That is, the bit organization represents the number of memory cells that are simultaneously read or written by one addressing, and the semiconductor memory devices can be differently configured even though they have the same capacity.
For example, in case of an x4 organization, when one address is inputted, four memory cells are accessed and four bit data are outputted. In case of an x16 organization, when one address is inputted, sixteen memory cells are accessed and sixteen bit data are outputted.
Accordingly, a 16M DRAM can have different bit organizations, for example, 16M×1, 4M×4, 2M×8, etc. The 16M×1 bit organization means that the semiconductor memory device has 16M number of 1-bit cells, and the 4M×4 organization means that the semiconductor memory device has 4M number of 4-bit cells. Also, the 2M×8 organization means that the semiconductor memory device has 2M number of 8-bit cells.
In a viewpoint that the bit organization represents the number of memory cells-that are simultaneously read or written by one addressing, the semiconductor memory device can be expressed by an operation mode. Therefore, it should be noted that the bit organization expression and the operation mode expression can exist together.
That is, the x1, x4 and x8 operation modes of the semiconductor memory device may be used to determine how many data pins the semiconductor memory device sealed by packaging will have.
For example, the x1 operation mode uses one data I/O pin or two data pins separated into a data-in pin and a data-out pin.
Likewise, the x4 operation mode uses four data I/O pins or eight data pins separated into data-in pins and data-out pins.
In addition, the x8 operation mode uses eight data I/O pins or sixteen data pins separated into data-in pins and data-out pins.
The operation modes of the semiconductor memory device vary depending on its usage field.
For example, the x16, further x32, organization is used for a semiconductor memory device having high data bandwidth for the fields requiring high performance, for example a graphic field. The x8 and x4 organizations are widely used in PC systems and server systems.
If fabricating semiconductor memory devices having different operation modes depending on the usage fields and different number of data pins, designs during their fabrication must be changed. Therefore, it is contrary to the sharing conception that it is advantageous to determine the specific kind of the product at a later stage of the fabricating process.
Hence, the DRAM does not have the above-described bit organization at a wafer level during its fabricating process, and the DRAM is assembled in the x4 or x8 bit organization during packaging.
Additionally, most of semiconductor memory devices are produced in a system form for the purpose of high capacity and high performance.
In some applications, e.g., a PC system, the semiconductor memory devices are produced in a module architecture, in which they are integrated on a single printed circuit board (PCB), and the memory modules are mounted in slots of the systems.
Among various types of the memory modules, a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) is widely used.
The DIMM can have various shapes and sizes, and a 168-pin, 184-pin or 240-pin DIMM are available.
The most widely used DIMM has the 184-pin configuration. Because the 184-pin DIMM has perfect x64 data buses, data can be transmitted with a 64-bit data bandwidth. Therefore, the 184-pin DIMM is used as main memory in Pentium or higher desktop systems or server systems.
As described above, one DIMM can have the x64 organization at the module level. In this case, sixteen x4 DRAMs or eight x8 DRAMs are mounted on one module. Meanwhile, one module can have an x72 organization at the module level. In this case, the additional eight bits of the x72 DIMM may be used to control data buses and check partial bit error.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional memory controller and a conventional DIMM.
Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of DIMMs 100 and 170 are connected to one memory controller.
Each of the first DIMM 100 and the second DIMM 170 includes nine DRAMs, each of which has eight data pins DQ0 to DQ7 and clock pins CLK1 and CLK2.
In addition, eight bits DQ64 to DQ71 are added to the DIMMs 100 and 170 and used to control data buses and check a partial bit error.
However, it is impossible for the conventional DIMMs 100 and 170 to enter a test mode or a built-in-self-test (BIST) mode and modify the internal structure of the DRAMs.
That is, the internal logic of the DRAM can be modified using a combination of a command and an address, or a defect test can be performed through a timing control. However, the DIMMs 100 and 170 cannot enter a test mode because a command and an address cannot be applied to the respective DRAMs.
In case that the test cannot be performed in the state of the DIMM 100 and 170, if an error that has not happened during the test of the DRAMs occurs in the DIMMs 100 and 170, the cause of the error cannot be found out.

Dual in-line memory module, memory test system, and method for operating the dual in-line memory module


A display device includes a data voltage generating circuit supplied with a data signal and generating a data voltage. The data voltage generating circuit includes a gamma reference voltage generator generating first and second gamma reference voltages and a gray level voltage generator including a plurality of gray level voltage dividers generating a plurality of 2k gray level voltages. The gray level voltage dividers use the first and second gamma reference voltages, wherein one of the plurality of gray level voltage dividers is selected and supplied with the first and second gamma reference voltage. The data voltage is one of the selected 2k gray level voltages corresponding a gray level of a data signal. A display panel displays images using the data voltage.

1. Technical Field
The technical field relates to a display device and, more particularly, to a display device and a driving method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Display devices typically use cathode-ray tubes (CRT). Presently, much effort has been made to study and develop various types of flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panels (PDP), field emission displays, and electro-luminescence displays (ELD), as alternatives to CRT. In particular, LCD devices have been widely used. LCD devices typically provide high resolution, light weight, thin profile, compact size, and low power supply requirements.
Generally, an LCD device includes two substrates that are spaced apart and facing each other with a liquid crystal material interposed between the two substrates. The two substrates include electrodes that face each other such that a voltage applied between the electrodes induces an electric field across the liquid crystal material. The light transmissivity of the LCD device can be changed by adjusting the intensity of the induced electric field to change an alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal material. Thus, the LCD device displays images by varying the intensity of the induced electric field.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an LCD device according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, an LCD device may comprise a liquid crystal panel 130, a gate driver 120, a data driver 110 and a gamma reference voltage generator 100.
A plurality of gate lines GL1 through GLn are extended along a first direction and a plurality of data lines DL1 through DLm are extended along a second direction, where n and m are natural numbers. The gate lines GL1 through GLn and the data lines DL1 through DLm cross each other to define a plurality of pixel regions. A thin film transistor T is disposed in each pixel region and connected to the corresponding gate and data lines. A liquid crystal capacitor CLC is connected to the thin film transistor T.
The gate driver 120 may include a plurality of gate driving integrated circuits (ICs) and sequentially supplies gate voltages to the gate lines GL1 through GLn. The data driver 110 may include a plurality of data driving ICs and supplies data voltages by one horizontal line to the data lines DL1 through DLm.
The gamma reference voltage generator 100 supplies a plurality of gamma reference voltages to the data driver 110 to generate the data voltages.
An image displayed by the LCD device may have 2k gray levels (where k is a natural number). Accordingly, where a data signal (having "k" bits) is supplied to the data driver 110, the data voltage outputted from the data driver 110 may also have 2k gray levels. Thus, to display an image with 2k gray levels, the data driver 110 may use a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to generate 2k gray level voltages and to convert the data signal into the corresponding data voltage.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams of data voltage generating circuits of a related art LCD device.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the data voltage generating circuit includes a gamma reference voltage generator GR in a printed circuit board (PCB) and a DAC in a data driving IC D-IC.
The gamma reference voltage generator GR of FIG. 2A may include a gamma reference serial resistor string, where a plurality of resistors are arranged in series between a source terminal Vcc and a ground terminal. The gamma reference serial resistor string may divide the source voltage to output a plurality of gamma reference voltages VREF0 through VREF10.
The gamma reference voltage generator GR of FIG. 2B may include a plurality of gamma reference serial resistor strings. As shown, each gamma reference serial resistor string has two serial resistors, and the gamma reference serial resistor strings are arranged in parallel. Each gamma reference serial resistor string divides the source voltage and outputs the corresponding gamma reference voltage VREF0 through VREF10.
The DAC may include a gray level serial resistor string, where a plurality of resistors are arranged in series. The gray level serial resistor string is supplied with the gamma reference voltages VREF0 through VREF10 and may further output 2k gray level voltages V1 through V2k. Among the 2k gray level voltages V1 through V2k, the DAC selects the gray level voltage corresponding to the gray level of the data signal Ddata and then outputs a data voltage Vdata.
The DAC may require multiple gamma reference voltages since liquid crystal panel property and liquid crystal property when driving the LCD device may be different from those when designing the LCD. In other words, if the two properties are the same, the DAC outputs the gray level voltages that achieve a desired gamma curve of the liquid crystal panel by using the two gamma reference voltages VREF0 and VREF10. However, in reality, because such properties are sometimes different, the DAC may require multiple gamma reference voltages to achieve the desired gamma curve. Currently, the number of gamma reference voltages is about 9 to 11.
As the DAC requires multiple gamma reference voltages, there may be some problems. As explained previously, the gamma reference voltage generator may be disposed in the PCB and the DAC may be disposed in the data driving IC. Thus, to connect the PCB and the DAC, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) having multiple transfer lines for the gamma reference voltages is used. Additionally, the gamma reference voltages should be supplied to each data driving IC. Therefore, as the number of the data driving ICs increases, the FPCB will have a larger size and more transfer lines for the gamma reference voltages.
Also, as the number of the gamma reference voltages increases, the gamma reference generator will need more circuit elements. Thus, where a related art LCD device has multiple gamma reference voltages to achieve the desired gamma curve, the related art LCD will also have an increased product cost.
Further, as the related art LCD device may have one gray level serial resistor string, the gamma curve will be fixed after the LCD device is completed. Therefore, various gamma curves can not be achieved according to the need of the user or manufacturer.

Display device and driving method thereof


A cushion or pad comprises a first layer of a first synthetic cellular material having a first average cell volume and a second layer of a second synthetic cellular material having a second average cell volume at least ten times greater than the first average cell volume. The first layer is attached to the second layer so that the first layer and the second layer at least partially overlap one another to form a multilayer structure. The layer with the larger average cell volume is a polymeric sheet with at least a substantially planar array of fluid-filled pockets or chambers. The layer with the smaller average cell volume is a foam material with either open cells or closed cells. Further layers of fluid-filled chambers or foam material may be attached to the first two layers.

This invention relates to a cushion or pad. More particularly, this invention relates to a cushion or pad made of a composite material.
Various cushioning and energy-absorbing materials have been used to reduce injury from impact, such as rubber, cellular foams and air-inflated cushions. All of these products reduce the energy transmission from impact or impart some comfort factor such as cushioning materials or mats.
As a rule, the absorbing material is a homogeneous material of a finite thickness. High-density foams will absorb more energy than low-density foams but are heavier and significantly more expensive and more difficult to bend, shape or contour.
In many cases, it is necessary to compromise by using a higher-density material which is more resistant to deformation than a low-density product, at the cost of presenting a less forgiving surface to the body contacting the material. If one attempts to offset the deficiency of a softer and lower-density material, substantial thickness increases are required to offset the deficiencies of the material.

Cushion having multilayer closed cell structure


This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of blackberry plant named ‘DrisBlackThirteen’, particularly characterized by having medium to high productivity, medium-sized, black berries and self-fruitful plants, is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct blackberry cultivar designated 'DrisBlackThirteen' and botanically known as Rubus L. subgenus Rubus. This new blackberry variety was identified in Santa Cruz County, Calif. in December 2009 and originated from a cross between the proprietary female parent blackberry plant 'BP571 (259L4)' (unpatented) and the proprietary male parent blackberry plant 'BP554 (252I5)' (unpatented). The original seedling of the new cultivar was first asexually propagated by tissue culture and root cuttings at a nursery in Santa Cruz County, Calif. in 2009. 'DrisBlackThirteen' was subsequently asexually propagated by tissue culture and root cuttings and underwent further testing at a nursery in Santa Cruz County, Calif. from 2012 to 2014. The present invention has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type through successive asexual propagations.

Blackberry plant named ‘DrisBlackThirteen’


‘SPRolife’ is a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant, classified as a miniature climber. It is primarily identified by its miniature-sized, orange-red and white striped flowers borne in large clusters on long and arching canes with abundant, miniature-sized foliage. The plant can be trained as a climber or allowed to grow freestanding, where its canes will arch and form a large mound or shrub of 5 to 6 feet tall and spreading 3 feet or more from center. The plant has been noted to have very good resistance to powdery mildew.

This present invention relates to a new and distinct, tall (or climbing) variety of hardy and well branched type plant of the miniature rose class. This new variety was created by James A. Sproul at his nursery in Bakersfield, Calif., under conditions of careful control and observation, as a result of crossing the following two rose plants:
The seed parent is 'MACminmo' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,319).
The pollen parent is 'JACpoy' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,015).
The objective in making the cross for 'SPRolife', was to get a more exciting coloring on a disease resistant, striped mini climber than the coloring of 'MACminmo'. The seed parent, 'MACminmo', has above average disease resistance and flowers with red white wide and narrow stripes and flecks borne in pyramidal clusters and flowers averaging 14 petals. It is a miniature shrub with arching canes. The pollen parent, 'JACpoy', is a yellow and orange-red blend, cluster-flowered, compact rose of the miniature class with good disease resistance to powdery mildew and rust.
The present invention, 'SPRolife', has striped flowers, borne in clusters on long arching canes, similar to its seed parent, 'MACminmo', and with similar flower form. New foliage appears "bronze colored" but not as dark as that of the seed parent, with some light green showing through. The coloring of the flowers of 'SPRolife' is red and white with the red being closer to and the same as the orange-red found in 'JACpoy', rather than the red of its seed parent.
Another trait of this new invention is related to the clusters. In spring, there are more clusters on this new invention, similar to its seed parent, 'MACminmo', with many having 20 and more flowers per cluster. Repeat blooming of the plant is in clusters that may be in pyramidal form as found on 'MACminmo' but more of them having only 5 to 7 flowers, as is more common to 'JACpoy'.

Climbing miniature rose plant named ‘SPRolife’