Methods and devices for the secure encryption, enrollment, verification, and decryption of biometric and biographical identification information. The unique sequence of steps and the use of a combination of visible watermarking, invisible-fragile watermarking decoding, invisible-robust extraction, and decryption watermarking and encryption provides multiple layers of protection with four biometric based keys and makes it practically impossible for the information to be tampered with.

This invention pertains to methods and devices for securely encoding and using biometric information as a form of identification.
With the threat of terrorism an everyday reality, border access control has become more important than ever. Traditional paper passports have many shortcomings when it comes to unauthorized modifications for the purpose of defeating security measures. "Enhancement of border security" and "facilitation of free and no resistance movement" of genuine travelers worldwide have become two contradictory objectives. The international community consisting of homeland security and state departments of various nations is working relentlessly to put a system in place to meet those objectives. One of the attempts in this direction is the issuance, adoption, and standardization of a new type of passport in place of conventional ones, known as an electronic passport or "E-Passport". The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is putting a tremendous amount of effort into developing an international standard for E-Passports, while the U.S. Department of State is issuing them. This E-Passport for reliable and accurate and possibly automatic authentication and verification is ideally based on biometric information. The initial deployment of e-passport readers, under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is underway. The U.S. Congress has set a deadline requiring all U.S. ports of entry to implement e-passport readers by Oct. 26, 2006.
Currently, when paper passport and non-biometric based systems are used, the process of verification is often localized and the immigration authority at the port of entry often makes decisions with limited information available. Similarly, the access control in the corporate world or credit/debit/ATM processing centers is susceptible to fraud. The paper passport is susceptible to tampering and the determination that the passport holder is the legitimate owner is cumbersome and error prone.
Typically, the biometric information while digital and electronically stored and transmitted is susceptible to "skimming", "eavesdropping", and "chip cloning". Skimming is the process via which an unauthorized party retrieves the information stored in the host media by scanning its contents and requires physical access to it. On the other hand eavesdropping involves intercepting the information transmitted when the media is scanned at the electronic terminal and requires close physical proximity to it but no actual contact with it. Finally chip cloning refers to the process via which a legitimate media chip is duplicated by unauthorized means for the purpose of creating a forged document or chip. There is a need for development of techniques for protection of biometric information to maintain privacy.
Several attempts have been made to develop the different units of a digital camera with watermarking or encryption capabilities for protecting images and other multimedia data. However, they are not explicitly proposed for biometric information protection. At the same time the few ones available dealing with biometric images or biometric information are inadequate for their protection.
A camera, with the aim of restoring credibility to photographic images using encryption, is described in Friedman 1993. The process described in this work suggests encrypting the picture that is captured by the camera. Thus the protection is just a single layer. The applicability of this camera for biometric binary information is not evident.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,363, a system is presented that can match image characteristics such as fingerprint. Hence, this method uses the sole biometric data, fingerprint, for matching. It does not deal with protection of finger print image, which is the goal of our method invented.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,162, a method is presented for personal identification using fingerprinting images. However, this invention is silent about the protection of the fingerprinting image, which is the essence of our invention.
Patent Application Publication No. US2001/000900370 proposes a camera that captures iris image for security applications. This does not deal with protection of the iris image; this does not provide any protection for the image that is being captured.
Patent Application Publication No. US2002/0080256A1 proposes a camera that can be used for anti-theft or privacy device using an iris image. However, this does not deal with protection of the iris image, and this does not provide any protection for the image that is being captured.
In Mohanty 2003, Mohanty 2004, and Mohanty 2005, a concept of a secure digital camera is introduced that uses a watermarking algorithm for ensuring copyright of the images that is being captured by the camera. This is essentially a single layer protection to the image that is being captured. This is simply not adequate to provide multilayer protection to the biometric information. In the same context the Field Programmable Gate Array ("FPGA") implementation is performed in Adamo 2006. The above concept is further enhanced in Adamo 2006 and Mohanty 2007, using biometric data as images and proposing to store them in the host image. It can provide a maximum double layer protection (through use of encryption and invisible watermarking), but is very much vulnerable to attackers. First it suggests visibly printing the UPC on the picture, which is clearly not acceptable as this information can be used by hackers. It also suggests printing a host image that stores the biometric information on a passport which is again not acceptable as the stored data in it can be susceptible to attacks. This method uses a single key and hence a lesser level of security. The authors suggest using images of biometric data (contrary to binary biometric information) which can be susceptible to signal processing attacks more easily, thus making the recovery process less reliable. Moreover, this form of image hiding inside an image can degrade the image quality as more data needs to be stored to be useful for authentication.
In Blythe 2005, a biometric authentication system in the context of the camera is presented. This uses iris image to address integrity, origin, and ownership issues of the image that is being captured using watermarking and hash function. However, this does not deal with protection of the iris image that it uses for authentication.
On the other hand our invention deals with protection of the image that is being captured at the same time protection of the biometric information that it acquires. Our invention provides multilayer protection to the biometric information, yet another distinct difference. In summary, our invention differs from process, process sequence, what is being protected, applicability, and device structure.

Methods and devices for enrollment and verification of biometric information in identification documents


An adjustable eccentric bracket assembly for a bicycle provided with at least two wedge surfaces in a body member designed to co-act with at least one wedge member having a wedge surface, where upon axial displacement of the wedge member relative to the body member, the wedge member is laterally displaced so as to selectively engage with an inner surface of a shell in which the body member is received.

The front and rear driving sprockets of bicycles are typically coupled by a chain, which must be provided with the correct tension to function properly. However, it is impractical to manufacture highly precise components for providing the correct tension. In addition, adjustability of the components is highly desirable for installation and maintenance of the chain. It is therefore, well known and conventional to provide for fore and/or aft adjustment of the rotational axis of the front pedal crank spindle, on which the front driving sprocket is mounted. Among the adjusting devices known for this purpose are so-called eccentric mounts, in which the rotary axis of the spindle is eccentric to a cylindrical casing that is rotatable among adjusted positions in a shell. The shell is arranged to hold the casing in the adjusted position.
One arrangement for fixing the eccentric in the adjusted position is to use a split shell and two binder blocks, which tighten the shell to clamp the spindle casing in the adjusted position. This design is similar to the way in which the heights of bicycle seat posts are adjustably changed within the seat tube. Another known arrangement is based on a setscrew concept. However, a major disadvantage of both these designs is that both the binder block and set screw designs involve components external to the shell that detract from the appearance of the assembly, as compared to a conventional bottom bracket assembly, and both require extra manufacturing operations, which increase labor costs, such as the costs of splitting the shell and welding or brazing on fittings.
Another concept is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,147 ("the '147 patent") in which an eccentrically mounted spindle that is rotatably adjustable in a sleeve was provided having no external elements. This concept solved a number of the problems mentioned in the prior art. However, the bracket taught in the '147 patent comprises a solid body portion having a single planar wedge surface that is designed to co-act with a wedge. Due to the single planar wedge surface, the overall weight of the bracket is increased. In addition, the relatively large surface area of the single planar wedge surface may contribute to sticking of the wedge to the single planar wedge surface when attempting to remove the wedge therefrom.
Therefore what is desired then is a design that reduces the overall weight of the bracket while maintaining structural rigidity and strength.
It is further desired to provide a bracket that reduces the possibility of the wedge getting jammed in an inserted position such that release is difficult to achieve.
It is still further desired to provide a bracket that may be universally mounted and utilized for both left-handed and right-handed drive trains.


An overhead passing processing circuit in a synchronous multiplex network, with a circuit for extracting predetermined administration and maintenance operating information from multiplexed signals, a crossconnecting circuit for crossconnecting information extracted by the extraction circuit stage, and an insertion circuit for inserting an output of the crossconnecting circuit into a predetermined location in the overhead of the multiplexed signal to be transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to configurations of digital transmission apparatuses and configurations of communication networks using the digital transmission apparatuses, and more particularly to configurations of transmission apparatuses for use in a synchronous digital hierarchy and configurations of communication networks using the multiplex transmission apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's digital transmission networks, the technology of synchronization has been advanced to such a degree that a communication network is synchronized with faster transmission apparatuses employing optical transmission. For functions and configurations of the digital transmission networks and transmission apparatuses, worldwide standards have been established such that a transmission apparatus and/or a communication network may be introduced in conformity to the standards to provide high quality transmission anywhere in the world. Examples of specific standards may include the standard (established in 1988) on a transmission system referred to as "SDH" (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) defined in Recommendation G. 707 and so on by International Telecommunication Union (hereinafter abbreviated as "ITU-T), and the standard (established in 1991) on a transmission system referred to as "SONET" (Synchronous Optical Network) defined in Standard T1.105 by American National Standard Institute (hereinafter abbreviated as "ANSI"), both of which define the configuration of optical synchronous communication systems and functions of transmission apparatuses.
Both SDH and SONET define the processing (transmission, multiplexing/demultiplexing, and so on) of a synchronous multiplexed signal (frame) which comprises a main signal portion referred to as a "Payload" in which digitized main signals are multiplexed, and signals referred to as "overheads", added to the payload, for administration and maintenance operations for a transmission apparatus and communication network. The overheads include pointers which are used to perform stuff controls such as frame phase synchronization and frequency adjustment to provide a transmission system which has a less transmission delay and a higher administration and maintenance operation performance than conventional digital synchronous transmission apparatuses. The overheads added to the frame are classified into a section overhead (SOH) and a line overhead (LOH). The section overhead is used for administration and maintenance operations for each transmission span between transmission apparatuses and regenerators (defined as a section), and generated in an apparatus (including a regenerator), transmitted through a transmission span, and terminated at a next apparatus. The line overhead is used for administration and maintenance operations for each transmission interval between transmission apparatuses which process multiplexed main signals (defined as a line). The line overhead is generated in a transmission apparatus, transmitted through transmission spans and regenerators, and terminated at a next multiplexing apparatus. Examples of transmission apparatuses and networks adopting the above-mentioned SDH or SONET are described in JP-A-4-79628 and JP-A-5-114892.
In a transmission network in conformity to SDH or SONET, multiplexers may be occasionally connected to each other on a transmission line through regenerators. For carrying out the administration and maintenance operations between the multiplexers in such a transmission network, the line overhead is used to transmit and receive data and speech signals necessary to the administration and maintenance operations between the multiplexers. For example, D-bytes referred to as "data communication channels" and E-bytes referred to as "orderwires" of the line overhead are used to transmit and receive such data and speech signals between the multiplexers. Specifically, when a multiplexer on the transmission side inserts data and speech information into D4-D12 bytes and E2 byte of a line overhead and transmits the line overhead onto a transmission line, the line overhead is terminated at a destination multiplexer through the transmission line and regenerators, thereby carrying out the administration and maintenance operations between the multiplexers.
As the number of subscribers increases in the transmission network or as an increased amount of signals is communicated through the transmission network, extension and/or modifications in the transmission network, such as installation of additional multiplexers and replacement to the transmission network to a faster transmission line, may be required for supporting the increase in subscribers and the amount of communicated signals. For example, if the amount of communications increases, the existing transmission network is reconfigured, wherein similar multiplexers to those so far used are additionally installed in the transmission network, and a plurality of faster and larger-scaled multiplexers are introduced for processing signals in place of regenerators to modify the transmission network so that the multiplexers are connected through faster transmission line in the transmission network.
However, the reconfiguration of the transmission networks as mentioned above results in a problem involved in SDH and SONET standards. Specifically, since the line overhead is terminated at each transmitter according to SDH and SONET standards, an overhead outputted from an existing multiplexer may be terminated at an additionally installed faster multiplexer, so that the overhead is not transmitted to a far-end multiplexer which has so far received this overhead. In other words, the reconfiguration results in a lack of the administration and maintenance operations previously performed between the multiplexers before the reconfiguration. Thus, while the transmission capability of the transmission network for transmitting main signals is improved by the reconfiguration of the transmission network, the reconfiguration causes changes in the administration and maintenance operation capability of the transmission network, such as lack of the administration and maintenance operations so far performed between transmission apparatuses. Since administration and maintenance operation information previously provided is no longer available to a craft person dedicated to the maintenance of the transmission network, the craft person may suffer from quite inconvenient situations.

Multiplex transmission apparatuses, multiplex transmission networks, and operation method therefor


A 4-to-2 carry save adder with a reduction in the delay of outputting the sum and carry bits. The 4-to-2 carry save adder may include a lower order full order coupled to a higher order full adder. The carry save adder may further include a logic unit coupled to the higher order full adder where the logic unit is configured to generate a carry bit to be inputted to the higher order full adder that normally would be generated from the carry save adder located in the previous stage. By generating this carry bit (carry-in bit) in the current stage and not in the previous stage, the delay of the carry-in bit inputted to the higher order full adder is reduced thereby reducing the delay of outputting the sum and carry bits by the higher order full adder.

Carry save adders are often employed in high-speed multipliers, where they generally are able to function more rapidly than "carry propagate" or "ripple carry" adders. A carry save adder is distinguished from other types of adders by the fact that the "carry bits" and half-sum bits (hereinafter referred to simply as "sum bits" for convenience), which result from each addition, are not immediately combined or consolidated but instead are saved separately from each other for subsequent use in the next addition to be performed by the next cascaded carry save adder.
Because a carry save adder does not completely perform the relatively time-consuming process of combining carries with sum bits between successive additions in the multiplication process but instead defers this task until the final cycle of the multiplying operation, they are faster than ripple carry adders.
Typically, carry save adders have multiple inputs, e.g., three inputs, configured to receive multiple numbers, e.g., three numbers, to be added and have two outputs, designated as "sum" and "carry." An example of such a carry save adder is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates what is referred to as a multiple stage "4-to-2" carry save adder 100 that includes multiple carry save adders 101A–B cascaded together. Carry save adders may often be cascaded together where each cascaded carry save adder may be referred to as a stage or cell.
Referring to FIG. 1, as stated above, a multiple stage 4-to-2 carry save adder 100 may include 4-to-2 carry save adders 101A, 101B. 4-to-2 carry save adders 101A, 101B may collectively or individually be referred to as 4-to-2 carry save adders 101 or 4-to-2 carry save adder 101, respectively. 4-to-2 carry save adders 101A, 101B may include full adders 102A–B, 102C–D, respectively, that each receive three inputs and output a carry and a sum bit. Full adders 102A–D may collectively or individually be referred to as full adders 102 or full adder 102, respectively. Full adders 102A, 104C may be referred to as the lower order full adder or carry save adder. Full adders 102B, 102D may be referred to as the higher order full adder or carry save adder.
Referring to 1, full adder 102A of 4-to-2 carry save adder 101A may receive three inputs, designated as A, B and C. Full adder 102A may output a carry and a sum bit, designated as C′out and Sum′. The output, Sum′, may be input to the following full adder 102, full adder 102B, of 4-to-2 carry save adder 101A. Full adder 102B may also receive the inputs designated as D and C′in. The carry C′in may refer to the carry out bit, C′″out, generated by carry save adder 101B (lower order full adder 102C) in the previous stage or cell (next lower order bit). Full adder 102B may output a carry bit and a sum bit, designated as C″out and Sum″, respecively.
4-to-2 carry save adder 101B may be configured similarly as 4-to-2 carry save adder 101A. Full adder 102C may receive inputs A′, B′ and C′ and outputting outputs C′″out and Sum′″. The output, Sum′″, may be inputted to full adder 102D. Full adder 102D may also receive inputs D′ and C′″in where C′″in may refer to the carry out bit generated by the 4-to-2 carry save adder (lower order full adder) in the previous stage or cell (next lower order bit). Full adder 102D may output a carry bit and a sum bit, designated as C″″out and Sum″″.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the input, C′in, to full adder 102B was generated from full adder 102C of 4-to-2 carry save adder 101B located in the previous stage. Since the signal, C′in, is generated from the previous stage, it takes time to propagate to the current stage and input into full adder 102B of 4-to-2 carry save adder 101A. Due to the propagation delay of signals generated from previous stages, such as signal C′in, the outputs generated by carry save adders, such as full adder 102B, are delayed.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to decrease the delay of the carry-in bit inputted to the higher order carry save adder thereby decreasing the delay of outputting the sum and carry bits and improving the performance of carry save adders.

Computing carry-in bit to most significant bit carry save adder in current stage

International Business Machines Corporaiton


A magnetic seal is disclosed for releasably sealing two doors arranged side by side on a thermally insulated cabinet such as a refrigerator or freezer. A retainer gasket is affixed to the inner edge of each door. One of the retainer gasket encloses a magnet and retains the magnet fixed in place relative to the door. Another retainer gasket is affixed to the other door and is formed of a base, a sleeve enclosing a second magnet, and two flexible webs connecting the sleeve to the base. The retainer gaskets and magnets are arranged so that the magnets impart an attractive force on each other and releasably seal the doors. When one of the doors is opened slightly, the magnets are arranged to repel each other and assist in easily opening at least one of the doors. Finally, a magnet having more than two magnetic poles may be used to assist in sealing and opening at least one of the doors.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a thermally insulated container provided with at least two doors, and more particularly to a dual magnetic seal for releasably sealing the edges of two doors of a thermally insulated cabinet.
2. Discussion
Refrigerators and freezers are often assembled having at least two doors located side by side, each door having a hinge along its outer edge and a handle proximate to its inner edge in a "French Door" arrangement. The doors must be releasably sealed when in a closed position to maintain a low temperature inside the cabinet and to prevent heat transfer with the ambient atmosphere. This releasable seal is generally formed as a magnetic gasket at the edge of the door for releasably sealing the edge of the door to a metal pole or bridge between separate compartments of the insulated cabinet.

Magnetic seal for refrigerator having double doors


A method for authenticating an individual by use of fingerprint data that involves two different broad steps. The first step is to obtain a biometrics fingerprint signature template (“BFST”) for an individual in an enrollment process by selecting a plurality of bands for the BFST and obtaining a plurality of tracks corresponding to each of the plurality of bands by use of an enrollment frame of a selected finger of the individual, wherein the plurality of bands are spatially referenced to the enrollment frame and can be spatially referenced to a reference barrier. The second step is to authenticate (or not) a candidate finger against one or more BFST in an authentication process in which a swipe direction and an access code for the individual are selected, a plurality of candidate tracks are obtained from the candidate finger through use of the reference barrier in an authentication unit so that each of the plurality of candidate tracks is spatially referenced so as to be within a corresponding one of the plurality of bands, calculating a similarity index for each of the plurality of candidate tracks and each of the plurality of tracks for the band to which the candidate track corresponds by use of a Fast Fourier-transform fingerprint algorithm, and multiplying each maximum similarity index obtained for each of the plurality of candidate tracks to obtain a match index which indicates a match if it exceeds a preselected threshold.

In the complex society that we are living in, there are numerous occasions where individuals have to authenticate themselves by means other than personal recognition. Until recently, a common approach to this has been the issuance of personal identification cards which range in complexity depending on the purpose for which they are to be used. For situations that are deemed only of secondary importance, the cards may merely contain the individual's name, signature and an identification number. Here, the presentation of the card will be proof enough of the user's identity if the card signature matches that of the user's as taken at the time of use. For situations that require a more positive identification, such cards are also provided with the individual's photograph like in the case for driver's licenses and passports.
Unfortunately, these identification instruments have become the common victims of illegal falsification and duplication. The rampant credit card fraud of recent years has certainly accentuated the inadequacy of using such personal instruments to authenticate oneself in many instances. To this end when bank-issued ATM cards were finally accepted and used by the American public in large numbers in the middle 1980's, a new identification means was introduced in what is now called the PIN number or Personal Identification Number which takes the form of an easily-memorable 4-digit decimal number.
Even though superior ways and methods exist for use in identifying or authenticating an individual, particularly those that use one's natural body codes such as faces, fingerprints, retina patterns, irises and voice prints, they have only been deployed to date in highly special circumstances where the absolute security of one's identity warrants the additional complexity. Indeed, the use of fingerprints to identify unique individuals has been around for well over a hundred years. Both "rolled" fingerprint and "flatly placed" fingerprint inked impressions are commonly used and the identification can be classified as "passive" because the individual is not required to perform any finger motions during the subsequent process of identification. As is well-known, in collecting the so-called "rolled" fingerprint impressions, an individual's inked thumb or one of other fingers is rotated from one side of the nail to the other so that the entire pattern area can be printed on paper. Characteristic features or patterns of fingerprints such as "arches", "loops: and "whorls" (referred to as "keys") are routinely employed by fingerprint-identifying technicians to define the fingerprint patterns for easier comparison and identification of them. The so-called Henry classification is often used to determine if two prints are the same even though this system requires a skilled expert to compare the individual characteristics of the prints.
Ample prior art can be found in fingerprint detection apparatus and methodology of using fingerprints for personal authentication and identification. A list of earlier issued U.S. patents relating to the prior art has been presented in the earlier filed applications identified above in the Cross-Reference to Related Applications, and reference to such patents will not be repeated again herein.
There is hardly any doubt that the prior inventions summarized above made significant progress towards simplifying the overall mechanics for the acquisition, classification, comparison and analysis of fingerprints. They have also removed in most cases the subjectivity and ambiguity in the employment of the well-known Henry classification system to determine if two prints is matched. However, there are still many shortcomings today in the use of full fingerprints to identify and authenticate individuals. These shortcomings are briefly discussed as follows.
First of all, there is potentially a privacy issue looming when one is required to use one's full fingerprint in the future as a way to authenticate oneself, especially when the level of security required does not justify the use of such a unique and private identification apparatus. Rightly so, many people today still consider their fingerprints as very private and the mandatory requirement for their use in order to verify themselves in their everyday life is considered as an outright privacy invasion. Imagine starting from a certain date onwards, one is required to identify oneself everywhere one goes and everything that one does with one's fingerprint. Since one's full fingerprint is uniquely and absolutely traceable to oneself, and furthermore, it is kept by Big Brother and many establishments such as banks, hotels, company where one works etc., it is likened to letting somebody know every move that one makes for the rest of one's life. Worse still, when this is coupled with the fact that one's fingerprints are easily "skimmed" and falsified, such as with the use of the so-called "gummy fingers" technique, one's concern about privacy and fraud would no doubt turn into a nightmare. It is commonplace for individuals to casually leave behind their fingerprints in performing their normal daily activities such as the handling of glasses and utensils when eating in restaurants, touching objects of all kinds in public places etc. without ever heeding the potentially serious consequences. The fact is that it is actually quite easy for someone to lift an individual's fingerprints left behind in such instances. This will be likened to the stealing of one's most private personal identity in order to commit all kinds of fraud against the individual without that individual even knowing about it until it is too late. Many people argue that such fingerprint skimming and falsification for committing fraud episodes will never happen. The same was said once to the magnetic stripe credit card fraud in the early 1960's when only a handful of cards were issued. But when the deployment of fingerprints becomes as popular and numerous as magnetic stripe credit cards of today, such skimming and falsification fraud is simply inevitable and the situation is likely to be even worse than magnetic stripe card fraud of today because once one's fingerprint is compromised, there is absolutely no way to rectify it.
Almost all fingerprint analysis methodology developed and in use today relies upon the number of minutiae, their classifications and their spatial coordinates of any two fingerprints as the basis for their "match" or "no match" decisions. Such a methodology requires the use of a full and a reasonably good fingerprint image resolution (>200 dpi) for analysis. Thus, full fingerprint readers used for authentication of individuals today all generate one's full fingerprint image to start whether the sensor is a silicon IC imager (imaging CCD), optical scanner, capacitance array or thermal-detector array imagers. Except for some very expensive optical scanners, all the other fingerprint readers are hardly robust enough to withstand the heavy use and rough handling by the user public, especially in unsupervised situations when there is nobody around to safeguard the proper use and prevent the mishandling of these devices. Accordingly, for fingerprint readers of today, they are either too expensive for wide use applications, or they are simply not robust enough to be practically viable. Common abuses such as ESD (electrostatic discharge), scratching and/or excessive use of pressure, water on the device surface due to condensation of moisture in the air or the use of wet, oily or dirty fingers, all are reasons why these devices have routinely failed lately during extensive field trials, particularly in unsupervised situations.
Thus, despite the deployment of enormous amounts of manpower and resources over the years to the development of fingerprint readers, both in fingerprint analysis software and image generation hardware, there is still a long-felt and urgent need for the availability of a low-cost and robust fingerprint reader for no supervision situation deployments. Furthermore, in order to alleviate the impact of privacy issues and the threat of "gummy fingers" skimming and falsification of one's fingerprints for the purpose of committing fraud, a new methodology utilizing only a subset that cannot be traced back to the full fingerprint, and not the full fingerprint itself, is needed that will eliminate both of these additional potential shortcomings for full fingerprint readers in use today.

Method for authenticating an individual by use of fingerprint data


A device for receiving and re-radiating electromagnetic signals. The device is configured to be attached with a construction supply. The device includes an electromagnetically floating group of resonating sections to form a propagation path to guide electromagnetic energy of the electromagnetic signals from one side of the construction supply to another side of the construction supply. The electromagnetically floating group of resonating sections includes at least a first resonating section and a second resonating section positioned in a near field of the adjacent, first resonating section in the direction of the propagation path. The disclosed embodiments also relates to a method for receiving and re-radiating electromagnetic signals by a device attached with a construction supply.

Aims of the construction industry to build passive and zero energy buildings are leading to a situation in which efficient thermal insulation strongly attenuates the signals of mobile phones and other wireless systems, wherein it may be even impossible to use a mobile phone inside a building. There are many reasons for the attenuation, but one reason that has been detected is the use of so called selective glass panes, that is, windows laminated with a conductive coating.
Energy efficient construction trend aims to reduce heating energy loss from buildings. Depending on the geographic area, energy efficiency concentrates either on keeping the buildings warm at wintertime, or maintaining the cooled air temperature in warmer regions. In each case, control of warm and cold air flow is of interest. This energy efficient construction trend is leading to situations, where electromagnetic signals cannot penetrate inside buildings without significant attenuation. Mobile phones, tablets, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and many other wireless devices rely on cellular connection, and increased signal attenuation may reduce the usability and data rates of such devices.
It may not only be signals of mobile communication networks which should not be attenuated too strongly but also signals of other wireless networks as well may be utilized in communication between inside and outside of a building. For example, different kinds of WLAN-based communication applications such as Voice over WLAN may increase popularity in the future. Thus, reducing signal attenuation may become more and more important issue when designing and constructing buildings.
Buildings made of reinforced concrete may also have quite a strong attenuation of electromagnetic signals due to reinforcing steel nets and/or bars wherein signal strength may be quite heavily attenuated inside the building.
One reason for signal attenuation is the use of so called selective glass panes, that is, windows laminated with an electrically conductive coatings (Low-E) to improve energy effectiveness. Conventionally, signals of wireless systems can enter buildings through windows, but the conductive coatings may cause an attenuation of even tens of decibels, depending on the frequency range. In addition to the windows, electromagnetic signals have previously been capable of passing through walls of buildings, but aluminium coated thermal insulation boards which are commonly used in walls today, efficiently prevent the propagation of signals into the buildings. Electromagnetic signals may also be attenuated by concrete material and reinforce-ments in concrete structures, whereby when passing through such a structure, the signal strength may be reduced too much to be sufficient for the use of e.g. a mobile phone on the other side of the wall.
Energy saving windows utilize glazing that attenuates electromagnetic signal penetration through the window. This creates challenges to operate mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets inside modern buildings without sacrificing wireless data rates. Signal attenuation may be e.g. in the range from 20 to 40 decibels, which can cause significant reductions in practical data rates of mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, or IoT sensors.
Energy efficient windows is not the only field of application where electromagnetic signal penetration inside the building is heavily attenuated. So called smart windows or smart glasses may comprise features such as solar panels or electrochromic surfaces. Solar panels can be used to provide electrical energy, which can be stored, used by an apparatus, or it can also be fed back to the electric power network. The behaviour of an electrochromic glass, on the other hand, can be modified with an electrical, light, or heat control. Such glass can be, for example, dimmed or made fully transparent, or it can be made to change colour. Both solar panels and electrochromic glasses have conductor or semiconductor layers, which further reduce the penetration of electromagnetic signals through such windows.
Attempts have been made to solve this problem by means of, for example, a passive antenna system that comprises two separate antennas and a transfer line connecting these two antennas. However, such transmission line creates a cold bridge through the wall. Cold bridges, or thermal bridges reduce the energy efficiency of walls, but most importantly, these may also promote moisture condensation inside walls, and therefore lead to moisture and mildew problems. A cold bridge is formed in a wall structure when the thermal conductivity of a medium considerably differs from the thermal conductivity of its surroundings. A nail penetrating through a rigid polyurethane insulation board is an example of a cold bridge.
Other attempts include removing parts of the selective glass surfaces to enable electromagnetic signal penetration. These methods, however, reduce the thermal insulation properties of the windows as well as create visually observable defects in the light reflection properties on the surface of the glass. In other words, the glass surface comprises scratches that are visually observable. Moreover, such solutions are prone to performance degradation when metallic window blinds are used. Document WO2013/121103 A1 presents the state of the art in this field. In this approach, areas of the selective surfaces are left uncoated from each selective glass.

Device and method for receiving and reradiating electromagnetic signals


Provided is an H-type monopole isolation antenna. The antenna provides an H-type monopole isolation antenna which can gain a high bi-directional transmitting/receiving isolation between a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna of co-channel/co-polarization by including an antenna symmetrically positioned in right/left sides based on a covering means. A transmitting/receiving isolation antenna for maintaining high isolation between a transmitting signal and a receiving signal includes a cover which includes a conductor; and first and second antennas which are bisymmetrically positioned in right and left parts of the covering means and separately operated as a transmitting antenna or a receiving antenna. The antenna is used in a co-channel bi-direction repeater system.

An isolation technology for separating transmitting/receiving signals in an antenna has been studied for a long time. The conventional isolation technology can be divided into two technologies according to propagation direction.
The first one is a unidirectional repeater, i.e., an antenna technology for receiving a receiving signal in the rear part and transmitting an amplified signal in the front part. This technology is used in a repeater system for co-channel broadcasting and it will be called a unidirectional isolation technology hereinafter. In the antenna technology, the transmitting signal is not transmitted in a direction that the transmitting signal is received, and a repeater for the co-channel broadcasting is used representatively and generally.
Since the unidirectional isolation technology gains high isolation by setting up high-directional antennas in opposition to each other and spacing them from each other, the unidirectional isolation technology has a shortcoming that it requires much space for setup.
Therefore, a broadcasting repeater using the conventional unidirectional isolation technology is used by setting up a receiving antenna in the lower part of a high iron tower and a transmitting antenna in the upper part.
The other conventional technology is a bi-directional isolation technology for re-transmitting in a co-direction. Specifically, there is a bi-directional isolation technology based on polarization.
That is, the technology raises the degree of isolation of the transmitting/receiving signals by generating polarizations of the transmitting/receiving signals.
However, the conventional bi-directional isolation technology has a problem that a distance length should be sufficiently acquired between the receiving antenna, i.e., the horizontal polarization and the transmitting antenna, i.e., the vertical polarization.
Another conventional technology, which is not applied to a practical system, generates the transmitting signal and the receiving signal, whose polarizations are perpendicular to each other, and maintains isolation between two terminals by vertically setting up their feed in a patch antenna. This is revealed in an article by Karode, in IEE National Conference on Antennas and Propagation, pp. 49-52, April 1999).
Also, Hao has realized an isolation technology by differentiating polarization generation of the patch antenna applying a photo band gap (PBG) structure in an article published in IEE, 11th International Conference on Antenna Propagation, pp. 86-89, April 2001).
However, as shown in the result, since the isolation for a co-frequency of the transmitting/receiving signals is very low, the technology is not proper as an antenna for co-channel bi-directional communications in diverse fields of mobile communications, short distance communications, a broadcasting repeater and satellite communications requiring high isolation for the co-frequency.
In the result of the conventional technologies suggested by Karodo and Hao, isolation is not more than about 60 dB although transmitting/receiving frequency bands or polarizations are different from each other.
Therefore, the isolation antenna, which is required for a co-channel wireless Local Area Network (LAN) low output repeater, a Radio Frequency (RF) reader antenna, an antenna for testing Radar Cross Section (RCS), and an isolation antenna capable of co-channel, co-polarization and bi-directional communications which is necessary in co-channel bi-directional communication devices.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


In order to create a device for testing a membrane electrode assembly, by means of which fabricated membrane electrode assemblies can be tested in a non-destructive manner, a first contact device is provided for bringing a first electrode side of the test object into electrical contact, a second contact device is provided for bringing a second electrode side of the test object into electrical contact, the first and second contact devices being electrically conductive at least in the contact area, and the first contact device and/or the second contact device having a plurality of electrically conductive contact segments spaced from one another, and a conductivity measuring device is provided for measuring the conductivity of the test object segmentwise in a location-resolved manner.

A fundamental problem with membrane electrode assemblies, such as the membrane electrode assemblies of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, is the final inspection, as the membrane can be damaged, and owing to the electrode layers on both sides thereof, this damage is not detectable by visual inspection.
A large number of membrane electrode assemblies, for example, in the order of magnitude of 100, are used in a fuel cell stack. One defective membrane electrode assembly can result in failure of the entire stack.
Therefore, it is important to test a fabricated membrane electrode assembly for its operability. It is known to make spot checks on membrane electrode assemblies after production and to electrochemically characterize these. Afterwards, the tested sample is no longer usable.

Device and method for testing a membrane electrode assembly

Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt E.V.


It aims to improve, in a light emitter substrate which has a resistor for connecting electrodes adjacent in a row direction, withstand discharge performance of the resistor. In the light emitter substrate which comprises a substrate, plural light-emitting members which are positioned in matrix on the substrate, plural electrodes each of which covers at least one of the light-emitting members and which are positioned in matrix, and a row-direction resistor which is positioned between the electrodes adjacent in the row direction and connects these electrodes to each other, a row-direction separated distance Gx′ between the electrodes adjacent in the row direction at a connecting portion between the electrodes and the row-direction resistor is larger than a row-direction separated distance Gx between the electrodes adjacent in the row direction at a portion covering the light-emitting members (Gx′>Gx).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitter substrate and an image displaying apparatus which uses the light emitter substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image displaying apparatus which comprises an electron source substrate having plural electron-emitting devices arranged in matrix and a light emitter substrate having plural light-emitting members arranged in matrix and opposed to the plural electron-emitting devices has been known. In the image displaying apparatus like this, the light emitter substrate and the electron source substrate are typically opposed to each other at a gap of about several millimeters, and high voltage of, e.g., approximately 10 kV is applied between these substrates. For these reasons, a discharge occurs easily, and, if the discharge once occurs, a discharging current flows from the whole of a metal back which has been integrally formed, whereby an influence to the electron-emitting devices expands.
Consequently, in order to allow the image displaying apparatus of the above type to have a discharging current control function, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-173094 corresponding to U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0103294 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-185632 corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 1830379A1 respectively disclose techniques for controlling a discharging current by two-dimensionally dividing a metal back and establishing a connection between the divided metal backs by a resistor.
However, if a discharge occurs in a case where further high voltage is applied to improve luminance, a potential difference between the adjacent metal backs increases, whereby there is a possibility that a secondary discharge occurs between the adjacent metal backs. Besides, if the resistor is arranged between the adjacent metal backs, discharge voltage of a material of the resistor is lower than surface discharge voltage between the metal backs according to a kind of the relevant material, whereby there is a possibility that withstand discharge structure is destroyed. In particular, in an ordinary image displaying apparatus to be used for a TV monitor, since a distance between the metal backs adjacent in a horizontal direction (=a row direction) is small, the secondary discharge occurs easily. If the secondary discharge occurs, the discharging current increases, whereby there is a possibility that a damage such as device destruction or the like which is not preferable for image displaying occurs.
To cope with such a problem as described above, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2006-173094 and 2006-185632, it is designed to define resistance in the row direction without arranging any resistor between light-emitting members adjacent in the row direction. More specifically, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-173094 discloses the structure that the metal back divided in matrix and the resistors patterned in matrix are combined, and any resistor is not arranged between the metal backs adjacent in the row direction. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-185632 discloses the structure that the metal backs divided in matrix and striped resistors expanding in the row direction between the metal backs adjacent in a column direction are connected on the column side of the light-emitting members.
However, in the light emitter substrate disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-173094, further improvement is desired in the points of definition of the resistance of the resistor and the discharge voltage of the material. Also, in the light emitter substrate disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-185632, structure of further weakening field intensity applied to the resistor by controlling the secondary discharge between the metal backs adjacent in the row direction is desired.

Light emitter substrate and image displaying apparatus using the same


A system for providing automatically populated display regions showing discovered access points and stations in a user interface representing a wireless communication network deployed in a physical environment. A generated user interface includes a first display region in which access point representations are displayed as corresponding access points are automatically discovered within the wireless network, and a second display region in which station representations are displayed as corresponding stations are automatically discovered within the wireless network. The first and second display regions are provided external to another display region, referred to as the “physical space” display region, in which is shown a representation of the physical space in which the wireless network is deployed. As the access point and station representations appear in the first display region and second display region, the user can manipulate them, for example by drag and drop operations using a computer mouse, in order to place them appropriately in the physical space display region. In response, the disclosed system superimposes the access point and station representations over the physical space representation. The access point and station representations can subsequently be similarly repositioned by the user within the physical space representation.

Wireless communication networks are becoming increasingly common for interconnecting many types of electronic devices. Computer systems of all sizes, personal digital assistants, input/output devices, entertainment system components and other types of home appliances, are all examples of client station devices that are candidates for interconnection using a wireless communication network. Various specific wireless communication protocols have been developed. Examples of existing wireless communication protocols may be found in the family of standards for wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) known as IEEE 802.11, including the 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g wireless communication standards.
Generally, wireless networks include some number of access devices (referred to herein as "access points") that provide network access to some number of wireless client devices (referred to herein as "stations"). For example, an access point in a wireless network may be connected to a wired communication network, and client stations using the wireless network are provided wireless access to the wired network through the access point.
Existing network management systems have significant shortcomings in how they visually represent access points and stations in a wireless network. Access points and stations may be shown as logical devices in a logical network map, without representation of the wireless network's physical environment. Graphical representations of access points and stations may be similar or identical, making it difficult for the user to quickly distinguish between these device types. Users accordingly find it difficult to distinguish between access points and stations within a wireless network. Similarly, when a network device is discovered within the network, the visual representation for that device may be initially displayed directly within a relatively complex logical network map, making it difficult for the user to visually locate the new device in the display. Moreover, after a device has been automatically discovered, the user cannot conveniently place the representation of that device within a representation of the wireless network's physical environment using existing systems.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a new system for representing access points and stations in a user interface showing a deployed wireless network. The new system should allow a user to conveniently identify access points and stations as they are automatically discovered, and to place representations of automatically discovered access points and stations at locations within a representation of the physical environment in which the wireless network is deployed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automatically populated display regions for discovered access points and stations in a user interface representing a wireless communication network deployed in a physical environment


Multiple semiconductor elements in a semiconductor module in which multiple spherical light receiving or emitting semiconductor elements are installed can easily be retrieved, reused, or repaired. In a semiconductor module 60, two segment modules 61 are serially arranged in a storage casing 62. The segment modules 61 are each formed by molding solar battery cells 10 arranged in a matrix of multiple rows and columns, and a conductive connection mechanism serially-connecting the solar battery cells 10 in each column and parallel-connecting the solar battery cells 10 in each row in a synthetic resin with connection conductors 67 protruding at the ends. Conductive corrugated springs 70 and external terminals 76 are provided at the ends of the storage casing 62. The mechanical pressing force of the conductive corrugated springs 70 ensures that the two segment modules 61 are serially connected.

The inventor of the present invention has proposed a spherical semiconductor element having light receiving or light emitting capability that has positive and negative electrodes at opposite positions about the center thereof, and a solar battery module wherein multiple sets of multiple semiconductor elements are serially connected in each set and the multiple semiconductor elements are embedded in a synthetic resin material as set forth in the publication of WO98/15983. In the solar battery module, the semiconductor elements have a spherical form and a spherical pn-junction in the surface. Positive and negative electrodes are provided in the centers of the surfaces of the p-type and n-type regions forming the pn-junction.
The inventor of the present invention has proposed a solar battery module wherein the above spherical semiconductor elements are arranged in multiple rows and columns, the semiconductor elements in each row are connected in parallel by conductive members and solder or conductive adhesive, the semiconductor elements in each column are connected in series by lead members and solder, and they are embedded in a synthetic resin material as set forth in the publication of WO02/35612, WO02/35613, and WO03/017382.
The inventor of the present invention has further proposed a semiconductor module having light receiving or light emitting capability wherein multiple semiconductor elements are embedded in a synthetic resin material as set forth in the publication of WO03/036731.
Recently, solar batteries are increasingly in use as a renewable clean energy source relative to environmental issues such as air pollution and global warming and exhaustion of fossil fuels. Light emitting diodes are also increasingly in use as illumination source from the viewpoint of energy and resource saving. There is also an increasing need of saving resources for materials and reducing production energy consumption.    Patent Document 1: WO98/15983;    Patent Document 2: WO02/35612;    Patent Document 3: WO02/35613;    Patent Document 4: WO03/017382; and    Patent Document 5: WO03/036731.

Light receiving or light emitting semiconductor module


A substrate in which a high-dielectric-constant gate insulator is formed on a silicon substrate with an interface layer film sandwiched in between is housed in a chamber. A mixed gas of ammonia and nitrogen gas is supplied to the chamber to form an ammonia atmosphere, and flash light is applied in the ammonia atmosphere from flash lamps to the surface of the substrate for an emission time of 0.2 milliseconds to one second. This allows the high-dielectric-constant gate insulator to be heated in the ammonia atmosphere and accelerates nitriding of the high-dielectric-constant gate insulator. Since the time for which flash light is applied is an extremely short time, nitrogen will not reach and nitride the interface layer film, which is formed as a base of the high-dielectric-constant gate insulator.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat treatment method and a heat treatment apparatus for applying flash light to a thin plate-like precision electronic substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "substrate") such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate, in which a high-dielectric-constant gate insulator is formed on a base material such as silicon with an interface layer film sandwiched in between, to heat the high-dielectric-constant gate insulator.
Description of the Background Art
Conventional field-effect transistors (FETs) have commonly used silicon dioxide (SiO2) for their gate insulators, but as the gate insulators become thinner along with downsizing of devices, increasing leakage current is becoming an issue. Thus, use of materials (high dielectric constant materials) having higher dielectric constants than silicon dioxide for gate insulators and development of metal gate electrodes, i.e., use of metals for gate electrodes, are proceeding as disclosed in, for example, US2011/0081753.
However, high-dielectric-constant gate insulators formed by depositing high dielectric constant materials contain a large number of defects such as point defects, and such defects can be a cause of leakage current. Examples of methods for reducing defects in the high-dielectric-constant gate insulators include a method for destroying defects through post-deposition annealing (PDA) and a method for inactivating defects by introduction of nitrogen (nitriding).
Nitriding of a high-dielectric-constant gate insulator is generally required to be conducted at high temperatures. However, a lengthy high-temperature processing time can cause nitriding of even the interface layer film such as silicon dioxide, which is formed as the base of the high-dielectric-constant gate insulator, resulting in degradation in the quality of the interface. Following this, problems arise such as a considerable decrease in the mobility of carriers and an increase in equivalent oxide thickness (EOT).

Method and apparatus for heat-treating high dielectric constant film


A camera having an electronic image pickup element and a distance-measuring circuit that uses light signals obtained from light images of a plurality of distance-measuring areas set in a photographing screen to select a main subject and measure the distance to the subject. The camera has a focusing component, operating when the position of the main subject cannot be identified by the distance-measuring circuit, to divide the photographing screen into a plurality of areas to identify an area in which the main subject is present on the basis of a luminance distribution obtained from the areas other than those overlapping the distance-measuring areas. The focusing component focuses a photographing lens on the position of the highest contrast signal while scanning the lens position of the photographing lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to what is called an auto focus technique for cameras which electronically records a subject image obtained by an image pickup element (imager) via a photographing lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an auto focus (AF) function of a camera provided with an image pickup element has hitherto been based on an AF system of focusing a photographing lens by varying the focus position of the photographing lens while determining the intensity of a contrast signal for an image obtained by the image pickup element at each focus position, that is, what is called an "imager AF system." The imager AF requires a calculating process to be executed by obtaining image data at a plurality of focus positions immediately before photographing.
Thus, since the auto focusing based on the imager AF includes an operation of scanning the lens position of the photographing lens, a release time lag from depression of a release button till the start of driving of a shutter tends to be long. Techniques for reducing the release time lag have been proposed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-141985, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-249267, and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 1999-023955; these techniques also use external light AF carried out by a distance-measuring device utilizing an optical system different from the photographing lens.
Another example of the imager AF in which the focus is detected for a plurality of points in a screen has been disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-255450.


The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor package and a method for preparing the same. The semiconductor package includes a lower semiconductor layer, an upper semiconductor layer, a fixturing structure, and a molding layer. The lower semiconductor layer includes an attached region and a fixturing region adjacent to the attached region. The upper semiconductor layer is disposed over the attached region. The fixturing structure is disposed adjacent to the upper semiconductor layer. The fixturing structure has at least one fixturing hole, the fixturing hole has an opening corresponding to the fixturing region, and the opening has a first width. The molding layer covers side walls of the upper semiconductor layer. The molding layer has at least one fixturing protrusion extending into the fixturing hole, the fixturing protrusion has a first expanding portion below the opening, and the first expanding portion has a second width greater than the first width.

Semiconductor devices are essential for many modern applications. With the advancement of electronic technology, semiconductor devices are steadily becoming smaller and smaller while providing greater functionality and including greater amounts of integrated circuits. Due to the miniaturized scale of semiconductor devices, a conventional semiconductor package including a plurality of semiconductor layers is provided.
The conventional semiconductor package includes a lower semiconductor layer and an upper semiconductor layer disposed over an attached region of the lower semiconductor layer. A molding layer surrounding the upper semiconductor layer is disposed over a fixturing region of the lower semiconductor layer.
However, nowadays, the fixturing region is becoming smaller and smaller, and the molding layer may detach from the lower semiconductor layer.
This Discussion of the Background section is provided for background information only. The statements in this Discussion of the Background are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this Discussion of the Background section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this Discussion of the Background section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.

Semiconductor package and method for preparing the same


In a wheel suspension system, a trailing link, which connects of a knuckle rotatably carrying a wheel to a vehicle body, has a front end which is pivotally attached to a vehicle body via a coupling rod fitted with a rubber bush, an axial center line of the coupling rod is slanted so that a rear end thereof is offset toward a center of the vehicle body, and a rear end which is attached to the vehicle body via a lateral arm made of a plate member so as to be flexible in a fore-and-aft direction. Thus, when the rear wheel is pulled backward as a result of applying a brake, the lateral member made of a plate member deflects and the rubber bush fitted on the coupling rod connecting the front end of the trailing link to the vehicle body deforms in the axial direction. Because the axial line of the coupling rod is slanted in such a manner that the rear end of the axial line is offset toward the center of the vehicle body, as the front end of the trailing link shifts rearward, it shifts toward the center of the vehicle. Thus, a desired change in the toe-in angle is produced when a brake is applied without compromising the firmness of the steering system.

Strut type and double wishbone type wheel suspension systems are mostly widely used as vehicle independent wheel suspension systems. The linear arrangement incorporating a coil spring and a damper (shock absorber) for damping the oscillation in a coaxial relationship is mostly widely used in such wheel suspension systems (Japanese utility model laid open publication (kokai) No. 3-43005 and others). The damper typically consists of a hydraulic telescopic shock absorber.
A conventional linear arrangement of a damper and a coil spring was however detrimental in improving the comfort of the rear seats and increasing the capacity of the luggage compartment because the axial dimension was so large that a part of the damper or the spring inevitably protruded into the passenger compartment or the luggage compartment.
In such a wheel suspension system, if the rear wheel is steered inward with respect to the turning circle of the vehicle, the side slip angle of the vehicle body for achieving a required slip angle of the rear wheel can be reduced so that the onset of the cornering force when starting a turn is advanced, and the steering response improves. It is also desirable to steer the outer rear wheel of a turning vehicle, which is required to bear a larger load, in a toe-in direction when a brake is applied thereto because it improves the controllability of the attitude of the vehicle at the time of brake application during a turn. To achieve such a goal, there has been proposed a wheel suspension system including lateral links disposed in a trapezoidal arrangement as seen from above with the aim of increasing the toe-in angle when making a turn or applying a brake.
However, according to such a conventional arrangement, it was necessary to provide a means to accommodate the change in the toe angle of the wheel in the part for connecting the lateral link to the knuckle or the vehicle body. Typically, the rubber bush in the connecting part was given with a high compliance to accomplish this goal. However, if the rubber bush is too compliant, the steering response tends to be impaired, and a desired firmness in the steering response may not be achieved. In particular, the proper tuning of the compliance of the rubber bush was highly difficult to achieve.


Within a multiple instruction pipeline data processing system which supports predication instructions, program instructions are initially decoded upon the assumption that they are predicated. A predication signal is generated within the instruction decoder stages when a predication instruction is detected. The presence or absence of this predication signal can then be used to correct any decoding which has been performed upon the basis of an assumption that the program instructions are predicated. The predication instruction can predicate a variable number of following instructions. The predication instruction can issue in parallel with an instruction which it predicates and yet the proper identification of the predication instruction need not be confirmed until at least some decoding has been performed upon the other program instruction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to data processing systems which support predication instructions and which include multiple instruction pipelines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide data processing systems with multiple instruction pipelines such that instructions may be decoded and executed in the different instruction pipelines at the same time thereby increasing the speed of operation by increasing the overall instruction throughput. Such data processing systems are sometimes referred to as superscalar or multiple issue data processing systems.
It is also known to provide data processing systems which support predication instructions. One example of a predication instruction is the IT instruction of the Thumb-2 instruction set of the processors designed by ARM Limited Cambridge England. The IT predication instruction acts to render between one and four following unconditional program instructions to act as conditional program instructions which either are executed or are not executed in dependence upon condition codes specified in the IT instruction. This type of instruction is useful, for example, in an instruction set which does not provide condition codes for all instructions as a way of improving code density and as a way of providing condition code behaviour for certain sequences of instructions.
A particular problem arises with predication instructions in the context of processors having more than one instruction pipeline. When a predication instruction is being decoded in one instruction pipeline there may be another instruction being decoded in parallel in another instruction pipeline which is to be predicated by that predication instruction. However, the predication instruction will not be decoded and recognised until it has progressed a certain distance along its instruction pipeline and so it will not be known whether or not the instruction following in the sequence of program instructions but being processed in parallel with the predication instruction is or is not to be predicated until it has also progressed at least the same certain distance along its instruction pipeline. The way in which the instruction which may or may not be predicated is decoded is already dependent upon whether or not it is predicated at an early stage in its progress along the instruction pipeline, and the detection result of a predication instruction within its pipeline is not available sufficiently early to control this. It is undesirable to slow the instruction pipelines to a degree that would allow a predication instruction in one pipeline to be decoded and recognised as well as supplying a such recognition signal to another pipeline in sufficient time that the decoding in that other pipeline could also be completed within the required early decoding stage.

Decoding predication instructions within a superscaler data processing system


A method to identify physical parameters of a mechanical load with integrated reliability indication includes: applying a first control signal to a mechanical device in a control circuit; measuring a first return signal; and using a power density spectrum of the first return signal to stipulate an excitation signal for the mechanical device.

In order to achieve high performance in speed- or position-controlled applications, the feedback and feedforward components in the control loop have to be carefully tuned, as well as additional filters.
Most tuning methods resulting in such a set of parameters rely on a parametric model of the mechanical load to be available. An example are two-mass systems with compliant coupling as depicted in FIG. 1b.
Such systems are described by a set of physical parameters, such as torsional stiffness and damping, inertia ratio, etc. In many applications, these parameters are not known but have to be identified from measurements of motor torque (the system input) and motor speed (the system output). This invention disclosure proposes a new approach to obtain estimates of the relevant mechanical parameters.

Robust automatic method to identify physical parameters of a mechanical load with integrated reliability indication


A valve for adjusting the flow of water through an oral irrigation device is connected to a shower head by a flexible conduit. The valve is located on a handle connected to a water-dispensing pick for cleaning teeth and gums. Mixing apparatus is provided for injecting a secondary fluid, such as a mouthwash, into the flexible conduit upstream from the pick in a direct stream from the shower head.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dental hygiene device, and more particularly to a syringe for delivering a stream of water for cleaning the teeth and gums of a user while showering in combination with an accessory designed to deliver a mixture of the water and another liquid such as a mouthwash dispensed into the water stream.
2. Description of Prior Art
Numerous methods and apparatus have been suggested for cleaning the teeth and gums by using a jet stream of water.
One widely accepted system involves the use of a pulsating jet of water fed to a hand held syringe by an electrically driven pump placed beside a bathroom sink. This system requires a relatively expensive electrically driven pumping mechanism and the use of space adjacent the sink or water basin.
Therefore, it has been suggested that it would be less time consuming and less expensive to clean one's teeth and gums with a stream of water in a shower stall rather than over a sink. Different forms of apparatus designed to utilize an oral syringe in a shower are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,043,337; 4,265,229; 4,564,005; and 4,793,331. However, each of these systems requires a valve at the shower head to divert and redirect the stream of water through the syringe. For disabled persons in a wheelchair or for short people this is a distinct disadvantage negating their use of the device because they cannot reach the valve. Further, diverting the stream at the shower head requires some sort of pressure-lowering mechanism, so the full stream is diverted from the shower head to the cleaning unit and the shower flow is stopped. So the full stream can be used for teeth or gum cleaning. Nor are these devices readily subject to disassembly to replace worn or inoperable parts. In my copending application Ser. No. 11/238,614, filed Sep. 29, 2005, assigned to the same assignee as this application, I disclose a shower head attachment which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
In my copending patent application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, a valve for adjusting the flow of water through the device is located on the handle connected to the water-dispensing pick. Rotation of the valve controls the amount and pressure of water dispensed through the pick in a direct stream from the shower head. The valve and its components are threadedly connected between the pick and handle of the device and can be readily disassembled to replace any worn parts.
Furthermore, many users find it desireable to mix a quantity of another liquid with the water stream, such as a mouthwash, to multi-task the cleaning operation. This invention discloses such a mixing apparatus which can be used with the water dispensing pick.

Shower head attachment for mixing liquids used to clean teeth


An event simulator which captures a live or recorded event and selectively incorporates simulator participants therewith. The simulator includes a mechanism for generating a computer graphic representation of an environment in which real events occur; a mechanism for determining the position and orientation of one or more movable objects, such as race cars, in the environment; a mechanism for generating a computer graphic representation of the one or more movable objects in the computer graphic representation of the environment based upon the position and orientation of the one or more movable objects at predetermined time intervals as provided by the position determining mechanism; an interface mechanism for providing data from zero or more simulator participants; a mechanism for generating a computer graphic representation of zero or more participants in the computer graphic representation of the environment in response to participant-supplied data from the interface mechanism; and a mechanism for displaying the computer graphic representation of the environment based upon the position determining mechanism for the one or more movable objects, the computer representation generating mechanism for the one of more movable objects and the computer representation generating mechanism for the zero or more participants.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an event simulator, and in particular to a system which captures live or recorded events, generates a computer image of the captured events, selectively incorporates simulator participants therewith and outputs the computer image to simulator participants and/or viewers.
2. The Relevant Art
There are known vehicle simulators. For instance, Barstow U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,479 discloses a system which produces a computer-coded description of a live event and broadcasts a cryptic computer simulation of the live event
The above-identified reference, however, fails to disclose a system which incorporates one or more simulator participants with live or recorded events in an interactive environment using computer graphics.
The present invention overcomes the above-discussed limitations and shortcomings of known simulators and satisfies a significant need for a simulator which provides a computer graphics representation of a series of actual, real-world events with which the participant may engage in a substantially life-like manner. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the actual events comprise an automobile race and the simulator system allows simulator users to participate in the computer simulation of the actual race.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an event simulator, such as an automobile race simulator, comprising a means for generating a computer graphic representation of an environment in which real events occur; a means for detecting the position and orientation of one or more movable objects, such as race cars, in the environment; a means for selectively generating a computer graphic representation of the one or more movable objects in the computer graphic representation of the environment based upon the position and orientation of the one or more movable objects at predetermined time intervals as recorded by the position detecting means; interface means for providing data from zero or more participants; a means for generating a computer graphic representation of zero or more participants in the computer graphic representation of the environment in response to participant-supplied data from the interface means; and a means for displaying the computer graphic representation of the environment based upon the position detecting means for the one or more movable objects, the computer representation generating means for the one of more movable objects and the computer representation generating means for the zero or more participants.
A process for simulating an actual event may comprise the steps of generating a computer representation of a real-world environment; generating a computer representation of the one or more movable objects in the computer representation of the environment; generating a computer representation of the zero or more participants; displaying the computer representation of the environment having the initial position and orientation of the one or more movable objects and the zero or more participants therein; sequentially updating the display of the computer representation of the environment every predetermined time interval; and ending the simulation upon completion of the event.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer simulation of an actual event in which one or more users may participate in the simulated event.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simulation system in which a live event is captured and represented graphically in real time so that users may participate in the simulated event as the live event is occurring.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simulation system in which a recorded event is captured, stored and graphically represented for subsequent simulation for participation by system users.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a simulation system in which parameters of the captured actual event are alterable to accommodate a variety of participant skill levels.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simulation system which allows viewers and/or simulator participants substantially unlimited views of a simulation of an actual event.

Event simulator, and methods of constructing and utilizing same


A casting system includes a core and a shell positioned relative to the core. A barrier coating is applied on at least one of the core and the shell, and may be applied to both the core and the shell. The barrier coating limits reaction between the casting system and a casting alloy.

The present disclosure relates to investment casting, and more particularly to a casting system for use in investment casting processes.
Gas turbine engines are widely used in aeronautical applications. Improved gas turbine engine efficiency is a prime objective in the aeronautical field. Gas turbine engine components, including but not limited to, airfoils and blade outer air seals (BOAS), that include advanced active element containing alloys are known and provide improved oxidation resistance, improved performance and efficiency and reduced component weight.
Many gas turbine engine components are made in an investment casting process. Investment casting is a commonly used technique for forming metallic components having complex geometries, such as the components of a gas turbine engine. The investment casting process used to create a gas turbine engine component is as follows. A mold is prepared having one or more mold cavities, each having a shape generally corresponding to the component to be cast. A wax pattern of the component is formed by molding wax over a core.
In a shelling process, a shell is formed around one or more such patterns. The wax is removed by melting in an autoclave, for example. The shell is fired to harden the shell such that a mold is formed comprising the shell having one or more part defining compartments that include the core. Molten alloy is then introduced to the mold to cast the component. Upon cooling and solidifying of the alloy, the shell and core are removed, such as by mechanical abrasion, water blasting, and/or leaching, for example.
Investment casting of advanced active element containing alloys requires the use of cores having alternative materials. Traditional cores may include silica, alumina, zircon and/or alumina-silica based compositions. These materials react in varying degrees with the active element containing alloys during casting. As a result, the desired concentration of the active element levels in the alloy are reduced and an undesired reaction layer is produced. Alternate core compositions are known to inherently limit diffusion of active elements, such as high alumina or aluminosilicate compositions, for example. However, these compositions are relatively difficult to process and produce and are cost prohibitive for most applications, such as for cores used in components having advanced cooling geometries.

Casting system for investment casting process


Disclosed is a personal computer system that includes a media console coupled to a system unit with a multi-conductor cable. The media console includes a direct access storage device having an opening for receiving a removable storage medium. The system unit is separate from the console and includes a microprocessor coupled to a local bus and an expansion bus, a non-volatile storage device coupled to the local bus and a power supply for supplying power to the system. The cable has one end coupled to the console and another end coupled to the system unit for electrically connecting devices in the console to devices in the system unit. The system unit has a first interface coupled to the expansion bus and the cable, and the console has a second interface coupled to the cable and the direct access storage device in the console. The first interface is operative to (1) determine when a bus cycle initiated by a device in the system unit is directed to the direct access storage device in the console and (2) transfer data from the expansion bus to the direct access storage device via the cable and the second interface when a bus cycle is directed to the direct access storage device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to personal computer systems and more particularly to a split system personal computer which includes a media console containing user interactive components (e.g., floppy disk drive, power switch) coupled to a processing unit having system components (e.g., central processing unit, memory, hard disk drive) via a cable and wherein the processing unit includes a first interface for controlling and enabling a transfer of data, address and interrupt information between a device in the media console and a device in the processing unit.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. Personal computer systems in general, and IBM Personal Computers in particular, have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. Personal computers can typically be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that is comprised of a system unit having a single central processing unit (CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, including all RAM and BIOS ROM, a system monitor, a keyboard, one or more flexible diskette drives, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as a "hard drive"), a so-called "mouse" pointing device, and an optional printer. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically connect these components together. These systems are designed primarily to give independent computing power to a single user and are inexpensively priced for purchase by individuals or small businesses. Examples of such personal computer systems are IBM's Personal Computer AT and IBM's Aptiva.
Historically, a personal computer (PC) was a relatively large box that sat on top of a desk and contained all of the electronics--the processor, memory, IO devices, floppy disk drive, etc. This was known as the system unit and required a significant amount of desktop work space. The monitor was traditionally a cathode ray tube (CRT) that was placed on top of the system unit. The keyboard and (eventually a mouse) was placed in front of the system unit to provide for user input. Accordingly, these "desktop" computer systems combined all PC functions and accessibility in one enclosure on the desktop where significant space is required and noise sources are relatively close to the user. In addition, there was no way to compact the elements when the PC was not in use.
In order to reduce the clutter that a personal computer caused on the desktop, a tower design soon emerged that moved the system unit components into a tower form-factor that sat along-side the desk. The CRT now sat directly on the desk with the keyboard and mouse in front of it. However, this "minitower" type unit is typically placed on the floor where accessibility to drives (floppy and CD-ROM), power, and system activity (LEDs) is compromised and awkward. These two form factors (the "desktop" and "minitower" systems) have endured for quite some time with just various changes in the size, shape and color.
It is therefor desirable to provide a personal computer system form factor that significantly reduces the amount of desktop space needed, reduces noise on the desktop and provides easy accessibility to removable DASD drives. It is further desirable to provide an expansion bus interface to implement such a form factor.

Multi-conductor cable architecture and interface for a split system personal computer

International Business Machines Corporation


Method, device, and storage medium to provision virtual machines, software, storage, and network resources of a standard operating environment including devices having identical software, hardware, and configurations. A provisioning device uses dedicated flows based on the resource to be provisioned.

Large-scale service providers are hampered with enormous infrastructures to manage and maintain. For example, an enterprise may have to manage thousands of devices and a multitude of applications in a data center. Typically, there exists a diversity of network devices that operate according to various operating systems, middleware systems, etc., to accommodate the diversity of applications.

Network technology standard operating environment


An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to receive a request to restore one or more applications, the request specifying one of a set of remote copies of storage volumes that store data of the applications. The processing device is also configured to analyze the applications to identify (i) the storage volumes storing data for the applications and (ii) groups comprising the identified storage volumes. The processing device is also configured, responsive to determining that the identified groups are part of a group replication session, to select one of a set of different types of restore processes for performing the restore of the applications to the specified remote copy based at least in part on whether the identified groups comprise additional storage volumes other than the identified storage volumes and to perform the restore of the applications to the specified remote copy utilizing the selected restore process.

Application environments may comprise multiple applications that are hosted and spread across storage volumes of one or more groups, such as one or more consistency groups. Such groups may be configured for group replication, where a single replication session is used to replicate the group of storage volumes. Such a replication session may be associated with one or more user-defined protection policies, and the replication session operates the scheduling and replication from source storage volumes to target storage resources in accordance with the user-defined protection policies.

Selecting restore processes for applications hosted on storage volumes that are part of group replication sessions


A vertical cylindrical dewatering apparatus for dewatering fibrous slurries, slurry of manure and water, or other similar slurries. The apparatus includes a housing that includes a defined chamber having an enclosed top end with a slurry injector into the chamber, a centrally disposed first filtering element that includes first and second flightings, and a second vertical cylindrical filtering element including a support grid. The first and second filtering elements define the chamber. The slurry in-flow port at the top of the apparatus directs the slurry spiraling down between the flightings. The particles start building up at the bottom of the chamber as the water is filtered out from the housing through filtrate drains. Compressed air supplied through a rotating seal down through the centrally disposed filtering element moves through the filter, and through the particles forcing the water from between the particles out through the outer filter element. After the moisture is removed from the particles, a hinge door is opened and a drive motor turns the first filter and flightings for particle removal. An alignment ring is attached to outer edges of the lower end of said flights in order to maintain a clearance of at least ¼ inch between the outer edges and the second filter element.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new method for separating the particles from a slurry and dewatering them using air to remove the moisture from between the particles. This new vertical concept prevents the filter cake from becoming the main filtering element and allows the air to reduce the moisture level to previously unachievable levels.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Solid-liquid separation is one of the most worked arts in history. Never before has the need for a cost-effective mechanical dewatering process been so great. Our ground water is being destroyed at a frightening rate by the concentrated animal feed operations (CAFO's). CAFO's produce over 375 million tons of manure per year. Large dairy and swine operations are major contributors. The lack of efficient dairy and swine manure management equipment has made The Clean Water Act of 2002 unenforceable. Prior art dewatering systems are not effective because they attempt to press the moisture from the particles and the end result is a compacted mass of wet fiber with little porosity. Others build the cake filtered particles on the filter belt and the filter cake becomes the primary filtering element. The clingosity of the shredded particles tends to grab the smaller undigested gelatinous particles as they pass through the cake reducing the porosity. As the cake builds, the back pressure of the filter cake requires more pressure to move the water through the filter cake. More pressure results in less porosity and blinding is inevitable. Without the ability to move the filtrate through the cake the throughput is limited.
In the past, dairy and swine farmers had no logical choice but to send the nutrient loaded slurry to the manure lagoons.
Not only are we losing our groundwater, an alarming amount of methane, which is 21 more times dangerous than CO2, is being released into our atmosphere. Methane stays in the upper atmosphere trapping heat for 9 to 15 years. We should be capturing the methane for renewable energy and at the same time, reduce the phosphorous poisoning of our groundwater. The electrical energy available in a dairy cow's daily manure will burn a 150 watt light bulb for 24 hours. By using anaerobic digesters to generate biogas to produce energy and by composting the larger fibers as will be described, dairy and swine farmers can turn their expensive manure management problem into something of value.
These things can't be done cost-effectively without an efficient solid-liquid separation (SLS) concept. Every environmentally friendly and efficient dairy and swine manure management flow chart has SLS as one of the required steps.
Several SLS methods and apparatuses have been used to separate and dewater the particles in dairy or swine manure. They generally fall under the categories of centrifuges, hydrocyclones, belt presses, screw presses, diaphragm presses, horizontal filter chambers, rotary disc with vacuum, horizontal belt with vacuum, etc. They all have one or more of the following problems: expensive, unreliable, low throughput, reduced porosity, filter cake blinding, and they fail to meet acceptable moisture levels.
As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

Method and apparatus for separating and dewatering slurries